It seemed to be a common refrain in 70s crime dramas that the criminals had all the rights and breaks, the police had little power under the law, and the victims could rarely count on justice. I'm not sure why that thinking was so prevalent or if it was actually true in real life 70s America. But this episode, like quite a few Starsky and Hutch shows, is based on that premise and on Starsky and Hutch trying to overcome the obstacles that keep a rapist on the street. They have victims who won't testify for fear of harassment and reprisal, and they have federal agents above them giving the rapist a free pass in order to use him as an informant. No wonder they get frustrated as they attempt to uphold justice.
Right from the start, the guys have to oppose the federal officers who want them to let a rape happen in order to catch another criminal. Of course, Starsky and Hutch can't just let that happen, and immediately are in trouble with the Feds. That trouble continues to build as the objectives of Starsky and Hutch and the Feds continue to diverge.
It's a good solid story and Starsky and Hutch work hard to make the system work the way they think it's supposed to. When the rapist turns up dead on the property of one of his victims and she is arrested for his murder (which would never happen today - "self- defense" is all she would need to say), Starsky and Hutch give it everything they have to prove her innocence.
Some of the dialog and activities in this episode just wouldn't happen today, so you can feel the age of this story. Crime dramas today are so different; the focus is on all the tools available to pin down the criminals beyond a shadow of any doubt. DNA, phone records, computer trails, cellphone pings to track location, security camera footage, credit card records - there is no way to hide - something you did will be found out and prove your guilt. The 70s was very much a He Said/She Said world, without the benefits of corroborating evidence.
Justice is served in the end. The rapist gets his, and the main criminal also is taken down. The Feds need not have worried; Starsky and Hutch were on the case, and they knew what they were doing.
Right from the start, the guys have to oppose the federal officers who want them to let a rape happen in order to catch another criminal. Of course, Starsky and Hutch can't just let that happen, and immediately are in trouble with the Feds. That trouble continues to build as the objectives of Starsky and Hutch and the Feds continue to diverge.
It's a good solid story and Starsky and Hutch work hard to make the system work the way they think it's supposed to. When the rapist turns up dead on the property of one of his victims and she is arrested for his murder (which would never happen today - "self- defense" is all she would need to say), Starsky and Hutch give it everything they have to prove her innocence.
Some of the dialog and activities in this episode just wouldn't happen today, so you can feel the age of this story. Crime dramas today are so different; the focus is on all the tools available to pin down the criminals beyond a shadow of any doubt. DNA, phone records, computer trails, cellphone pings to track location, security camera footage, credit card records - there is no way to hide - something you did will be found out and prove your guilt. The 70s was very much a He Said/She Said world, without the benefits of corroborating evidence.
Justice is served in the end. The rapist gets his, and the main criminal also is taken down. The Feds need not have worried; Starsky and Hutch were on the case, and they knew what they were doing.
