Ep 2. The Streets

T.J. Hooker season 1 episode 2, titled "The Streets," follows Sergeant T.J. Hooker (played by William Shatner) and his rookie partner, Vince Romano (played by Adrian Zmed), as they work to solve a string of robberies and assaults that have occurred in a high-crime area of their precinct.

The episode begins with Hooker meeting Romano for the first time and assigning him to work with him on his beat. Hooker is a veteran cop with years of experience under his belt, and he is not pleased to be forced to work with a green rookie. However, he quickly realizes that Romano has potential and begins to mentor him.

The duo soon finds themselves investigating a series of assaults and robberies that have taken place in the neighborhood. The crimes are being committed by a group of young men who call themselves "The Vipers." The Vipers are a gang of disillusioned youths who feel that society has failed them and are taking matters into their own hands.

As Hooker and Romano try to track down the Vipers, they discover that the gang is not just a bunch of delinquents. They have a leader, a charismatic young man named Boomer (played by James Widdoes), who is using the gang as a means of gaining power and respect in the community. Boomer is a former football star who was injured and lost his chance at a college scholarship. He is bitter about his circumstances and uses his leadership of the Vipers as a way to seek revenge.

The investigation leads Hooker and Romano to a confrontation with the Vipers. In a tense standoff, they manage to apprehend Boomer and several other gang members. However, they also discover that one of the suspects is a young teenage boy who was coerced into joining the gang. Hooker finds himself torn between his duty to uphold the law and his desire to help the boy turn his life around.

As the episode comes to a close, Hooker visits the boy in jail and offers him a chance to start over. He tells the boy that he can choose to stay on the path he's on and end up in prison for the rest of his life, or he can choose to turn his life around and become someone who makes a positive difference in the world. The episode ends on a hopeful note, with Hooker's message ringing true for both the teenage boy and the rest of the community.

Overall, "The Streets" is a compelling episode that explores issues of crime, poverty, and the role of law enforcement in an urban environment. It also serves as an introduction to the partnership between Hooker and Romano, setting the stage for future episodes of the series.