My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys



MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN COWBOYS

Episode 5

Air Date: April 29, 1981

Written By: Stephen J. Cannell

Directed By: Arnold Laven

Summary:
Men flee from a building with Bill chasing after them. As they take off in a car he radios in backup in the form of Ralph. Ralph takes off after them but crashes several times. During one of these clashes he tells a motorcycle patrolman to get backup. After he leaves the patrolman radios in that a “mental case” is on the loose. Several other officers sees Ralph as he clashes and soon a group of them are heading after him.

Ralph catches up to the car and stops it. A tour bus comes along and severs to miss them. It almost goes over a cliff but Ralph stops it.

The car takes off again but Bill blocks their path. Ralph flies off and the group of patrolmen arrive and help Bill arrest the fugitives.

Later, Bill plays pool with police lieutenant Tracy Wilson; the captain of his old battalion. Tracy is frustrated with the legal system and tells Bill that he plans to rob a gang of criminals as they make an illegal deal for diamonds. Bill pretends that it’s a joke and Tracy goes along.

Meanwhile, Ralph puts the suit in the closet determine to quit using it after almost killing the people on the bus. He goes in the other room where Pam and Kevin are playing chess. Pam tells Ralph that Kevin wants to go to an appearance by John Hart; an actor who played the Lone Ranger. Ralph is excited because Hart is his childhood hero.

Bill is called by Tracy who tries to make it sound like he was just drunk but Bill doesn’t believe him.

The next day, Ralph, Pam, and Kevin go to see John Hart. As they get a moment alone Ralph tells Pam about his quitting. At first he says it’s because he isn’t good at being a hero and that he isn’t spending enough time with his students but then tells her about the accident with the bus. Kevin and John Hart come over and Hart gives Ralph an autographed picture.

Meanwhile, Tracy and a police sergeant named Edward McAstelli talk about the heist and rather or not they are going to have to take care of Bill. Tracy doesn’t want anything to happen to Bill but the heist will go on.

As Ralph, Pam, and Kevin gets home Bill comes over. Speaking to Ralph and Pam privately he tells them about Tracy, both their history together and what he is planning to do.

Bill goes to the station with a federal subpoena to get Tracy’s records to see who he is planning to rob and Ralph reluctantly agrees to bring the suit along. Mcastelli calls some of the other police officers that are in on the robbery and have them abduct a fence to get information on where the diamond deal is going down. Using the information from surveillance logs Bill and Ralph figure out their move and arrive at the scene. There is a shootout and the policemen flee the scene.

Ralph flies after them but in the chase the two men almost run over a little old lady and Ralph saves her but feeling that this is his fault Ralph quits again.

At Bill’s place as he, Ralph, and Pam look over the records Tracy drops by. Bill pleads for him to stop the heist but Tracy denies any involvement. Tracy chastises Bill who is so dishearten he wants to drop the matter.

Later, Ralph goes over to where John Hart made his appearance. Hart comes by and they talk. Ralph realizes that society needs it’s heroes and decide to don the suit again.

The next day, Ralph and Pam go over to Bill’s place and they use the records to determine that the criminal Tracy is going to rob is a man named Abe Figueroa who he has been after for years. They go to Figueroa’s apartment and Ralph flies to the roof knocking off the TV antenna ruining his reception. Listening through an air vent he hears that Figueroa is about to leave. He takes off after him crashing and knocking off several TV antennas as he goes. Bill, Pam, and the crooked cops follow after Figueroa to.

Figueroa and his men arrived at a house and make the deal. Tracy and the other policemen go in to kill them all and take the money as well as the diamonds. They take them out back.

Ralph arrives and quickly rounds them up but Tracy manages to get away. Bill blocks his path. Despite having drawn his gun Tracy can’t shoot Bill and tries to walk pass him but Bill punches him. Bill then arrests him asking why he did it. Tracy replies that Bill did it to himself by building him up when he is just a man.

The next day, Ralph takes his class to see John Hart. After the performance Ralph and Hart leave the market. They drive off, two heroes going their own directions.