"CUDA GRÁCE" Strawberries and Cream April 4, 1998

by
Gordon Hom

The acronym "OG" is used in this episode to stand for "old gangster" such as the retired gangster Tommy Jerome trying to go legit by converting religion and becoming a gospel music producer. "OG" also stands for "old girlfriend" such as Anna who comes back into Harvey's life. Anna re-appears from a love affair begun a few episodes ago (Episode 42, Found Money). RuPaul also re-appears as Simone Dubois, (first seen in Episode 5, Javelin Catcher from Season 1) the ultimate drag queen who leads cops through the finer points of being ultra-female.

There's a cheesiness to "Cuda Gráce" because of the large number of interior set scenes. Is the NB production trying to cut back on expensive location shooting? The entire beauty pageant story is set inside. The outside locations are non-descript with no identifying backgrounds. This episode is shot in close in contrast to other episodes which are generally shot wider. The entire episode seems built around the dueling Cuda chase sequence that ends "Cuda Gráce."

That aside, "Cuda Gráce" picks up on the drag queen storyline once again with humorous results. Once again the bumbling Rick Bettina is brought forth for further humiliation. Just when you think that Rick can be pounded no lower, he is sunk to ever lower depths. NASH BRIDGES is a family show, but this humor is nasty (for those of us with filthy minds). Why does Rick run out screaming with his mouth wide open and dress torn? Is it simply because he's seen male genitalia? No... Rick finally catches his "man" as he arrests Alex by humping "him" from behind with his rump bent up, all caught in a flash photo. Lest we get carried away, Alex is really a woman, so it's really OK. And somehow, one can't shake the image of Evan getting into his role of Alissa and winning the Miss Congeniality Award. The anxious Evan is so into it, he starts to look like a sissy punk waiting to be defiled. To counter-act all of this, there's Harvey licking strawberries and cream off of the lovely Anna's backside (ooooo, she's also got a tattoo on her shoulder blade). The sight (thankfully very little of it), no - even the thought of a naked Harvey (actor Jeff Perry) brings to mind the much more graphic naked butt shot of Dennis Franz of NYPD BLUE. Mercifully, NASH BRIDGES ain't no NYPD BLUE.

For more, see synopsis for Episode 49

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