Ep 7. Blues for Mr. Green

After a brief hiatus, Hill Street Blues is back with episode 7 of its fifth season, "Blues for Mr. Green." The episode begins with detective Mike Belker undercover at a movie theater where a young man is selling cocaine. When the sale goes down, Belker moves in to make the arrest but is confronted by the young man's girlfriend who tries to intervene. In the ensuing struggle, Belker accidentally knocks the young man over the balcony and he falls to his death.

Meanwhile, Captain Furillo is dealing with his own set of problems. His wife Joyce has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment, causing him to be absent from work more often than usual. As a result, Lieutenant Hunter takes charge and decides to run a sting operation to catch a group of armed robbers who have been targeting local businesses. The operation goes awry, however, when one of the robbers is shot and killed by an officer.

Elsewhere in the precinct, Officer Hill is feeling the pressure of being a newly promoted sergeant. He is attempting to manage a situation between a mentally ill man who has barricaded himself in his apartment and a crowd of angry bystanders who are convinced the man has assaulted a young girl.

The most poignant storyline in this episode revolves around the death of Mr. Green, a beloved elderly man who has been a fixture in the Hill Street community for years. When Mr. Green dies from injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident, the entire precinct is in mourning. Officers Goldblume and LaRue take it upon themselves to investigate the accident and bring the driver to justice.

As the episode progresses, we see the impact that Mr. Green had on the lives of those around him. His neighbor, a young man who has been struggling with drug addiction, is inspired to turn his life around after Mr. Green offers him a job and a chance at redemption. Meanwhile, a prostitute who was a regular of Mr. Green's is overcome with grief, leading her to rob a liquor store in a fit of desperation.

As the precinct prepares for Mr. Green's funeral, everyone reflects on the man they knew and the mark he left on their lives. The episode culminates in a touching tribute to Mr. Green, as the officers gather to pay their final respects to a man who touched the lives of everyone he met.

"Blues for Mr. Green" is an emotional episode that showcases the human elements of policing. It's a reminder that behind the badges and uniforms, police officers are people too, with their own fears, struggles, and tragedies. This episode is a testament to the power of community, and how one person can make a difference in the lives of those around them. Hill Street Blues continues to deliver powerful storytelling and complex characters that are both relatable and incredibly human.