Review of B3: Biggest Man In Town

B3 "Biggest Man In Town" A+

COP SHOW BRILLIANCE. Although I had never seen this episode before, it tapped into many of my old memories about why I loved this show. You've got an interesting story which unfolds without ever being boring or insulting, a top-notch guest cast playing well-rounded characters, logical thinking by everybody in the story, a dynamic hero and an exciting finish. It's just a pleasure to watch.

A blackmail attempt goes wrong and the perpetrator is killed by the actual bad-guy of the piece. Some logical detective work by our duo (McCall says the matchbook could be a red herring, and she's right. Only idiots would assume from the get-go that it would be relevant.) leads them to a small town outside LA, where they go undercover separately. The story follows them, and three other characters as they all do a dance round one another. What follows is a mixture of deceptions and revelations, where every turn seems perfectly calculated and wonderfully executed. Everything that happens, happens at the best time, and in the best way to keep the story interesting and entertaining. Truly an intelligently told TV cop story.

The guest cast is flawless: Nana Visitor, Stuart Whitman and Don Stroud. Of the three, Stroud is probably the least well served by the writer, but he is such a strong screen presence that he pulls it off and makes the character more than is written.

The characters make their decisions in logical fashion. Hunter and McCall in the way they follow the clues and decide how to investigate. Hunter in the way he chooses the best moment to reveal himself as a cop, both to Amy and to the Evil Sheriff (wonderful scene). Amy herself comes across as quite watchful and clever, taking her time, judging the people around her and making her move at the best time (her final scene, with Hunter, is excellent). Bellemy, the Chief Baddie, also advances his way through the story logically (his dialogue as he finally pulls his gun on McCall is wonderful).

This is Hunter's episode. McCall isn't too badly treated (even if it is unfortunate that this is her third time in a row to be kidnapped), but the star of this show is Rick Hunter. His approach to the town, to Amy, and to the Sheriff, are hugely enjoyable to watch. When he takes the Sheriff's gun away, the viewer is thrilled, and when he marches in and reveals himself as a cop, it causes both hearty laughter and loud cheering from the viewer.

To round it off, you've got an exciting action finale.

As icing on the cake, you get some corny jokes ("Tanks") and some genuinely awesome singing from Stepfanie Kramer. It may not be the perfect Hunter episode (not enough partnership and chemistry) but it is an example of a perfect Cop Show Episode. One I would love to re-watch almost immediately.

9-11-04