Starsky & Hutch vs the World
I’ve been thinking about the events of Starsky vs Hutch lately, because I’m a masochist, I guess. On the one hand, I wish the episode had never been filmed, because it’s just so painful to watch. But on the other hand, the takeaway just might be worth it.
Let me explain. Most fans hate this episode with the passion of a thousand red-hot suns (or maybe that’s just me), but the ending is extraordinary. In an episode where we’re supposed to believe that both guys have fallen in love with a beautiful blonde policewoman (or have they only convinced themselves they’re in love with her because they’re actually in love with each other?), and the animosity between Starsky & Hutch keeps growing until it reaches a crescendo when Starsky arrives at Kira’s house to find Hutch sauntering out of her bedroom, casually tucking in his shirt, the episode ends with the guys rejecting Kira out of hand, turning their backs on her, and walking out of The Pits with their arms tightly wrapped around each other’s shoulders, while wearing matching black leather jackets, black turtlenecks, and jeans (the symbolism being that they’re two halves of a whole).
What’s your point, Daisy? you’re probably thinking. My point is, this is a case where the end justifies the means. That David and Paul set out to make an episode which shows that no one can come between Starsky & Hutch’s friendship, and so it required that the friendship be tested like it never had before.
Even Starsky and Hutch acting strangely out-of-character was intentional. As their animosity towards each other intensifies while they compete for Kira’s affections, they become more and more unprofessional, off their game, and incompetent. Case in point: when Hutch is waiting inside Kira’s house for her to return from the dance hall and he sees a man harassing her outside, he rushes to her defense, holding his gun still inside its holster, and points it at the offender, who (twice) looks confusedly at the holstered gun in Hutch’s hand as if he’s thinking What the hell is this guy doing?
And then when Hutch and Kira are inside the house, Hutch leaves his holstered gun on the living room windowsill as he follows Kira into her bedroom, and a camera close-up ensures that we notice. He’s supposed to be there to guard Kira from the serial killer who’s been targeting the blonde dancers, but how can he do that when he’s in flagrante delicto with Kira in the other room?
It’s only when Starsky and Hutch work together (for the first time in the episode) to dispose of the grenade, that the natural order of things is restored.
In the tag, they’ve decided to accept without argument whichever one of them Kira chooses, but then Hutch adds, “But who wants to?”
Who wants to, indeed? Not our boys. It’s implied that they offer themselves as a package deal (i.e. a threesome), or there is no deal. And they’re not disappointed when she refuses their offer.
In the end, they made their decision, and they chose each other.