"BLACKOUT" October 17, 1997

Episode 36       Airdate: 10/17/97      Writer: Reed Steiner and Jed Seidel     Director: Chuck Bowman
Guest Stars: Kari Wuhrer, Anthony Guidera, Michael Wyle, Suzanne Krull, Terry Holbrook, and Kelly Hu.

Undercover as "Teddy Malone," a lone Nash arrives late for a meeting at a second floor building. A phone call from the person Nash was meeting confirms Nash's presence, and the person triggers a bomb from afar. Nash dives out the window, bouncing on a car and the pavement as the bomb goes off. Nash is so shaken he doesn't initially recognize Joe when the SIU (Special Investigations Unit) arrives on the scene.

At the hospital, Dr. Berry informs Nash that he is suffering from short term memory loss due to a severe concussion. Nash remembers enough to return to work, though he doesn't remember hiring new SIU member Michelle Chan to the squad. Nash cannot remember his last four days on an undercover case. Nash remembers contacting his confidential informant Jay Larson, a former hitman for the mob, about a matter.

Larson is found dead, beaten to death. Tracing his "Teddy Malone" cover to the Regatta Hotel, Nash discovers in his hotel room photos of a woman whom Nash has helped fake her death, though Nash still knows not why or who the woman is. On a napkin, a clue leads to the Peninsula Club, where the woman worked as a waitress. The bartender gives the location of the woman's apartment. At the apartment, the woman's frightened room mate shocks Joe with an electronic personal security device (TASER). Nash acquires the room mate's pager to await the woman's call.

Meanwhile, Nash's daughter Cassidy is tutoring ex-convict Gary Stokes in the State Correctional Reading Program to help parolees get a better job. Cassidy and Nash have argued about allowing Cassidy to do this, though Nash does not recall. Nash's father Nick reminds Nash of some of the argument, and a concerned Nick calls Nash to stop Cassidy from tutoring the shady ex-con at Lisa's (Nash's first ex-wife) house. Lisa has moved to Paris to work at a restaurant.

While tinkering around with new squad member Michelle's electronic gadgets, Evan accidentally records sexually incriminating remarks regarding Michelle into her tape recorder. Evan and Harvey scheme to get the tape back by pretending to visit Michelle's apartment, but Michelle has already heard the tape.

The woman, C.J., calls on the pager, and Nash reconnects with her. C.J. had an affair with her boss - the married Rick Montibello. Montibello is married to a billionaire's daughter, and he is unwilling to sacrifice his marriage. When C.J. threatens to tell his wife, Montibello contracted with Jay Larson and "Teddy Malone" to have C.J. killed. Then Montibello double-crossed Larson and "Malone" by killing (or attempting to kill) them. Nash goes to see Montibello as "Malone" demanding payment. Sensing a trap, Montibello searches "Malone" but finds no wire. C.J. intrudes, pulling a gun and forcing Montibello to admit to the murder plot. C.J. is actually wearing the wire in a SIU set-up and Montibello is arrested.

Ex-con Gary Stokes is re-arrested for assault and an ATM robbery but Nash pretends not to know him. Cassidy apologizes, and thanks her protective father for his previous profound words, though Nash does not recall them. Nick is attempting to take advantage of Nash's memory lapse by attempting to take his driver's license test, of which Nash has previously objected to Nick driving. A mysterious woman shows up for a date Nash does not recall making or who she is.

For more, see commentary for Episode 36

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