do a reunion show

sounds like a great idea, especialy when the DVD's are coming out in august. How do we get the studio heads to pick up on this?????

Shatner is what... 74?
Hooker wouldn't still be on the job.

How about THIS cliched standard (with a twist) for a reunion show:

Hooker is already retired and bored with his life. He never remarried. Owns a small country cabin near a lake.

Stacy Sheridan quit the force ten years earlier due to the psychological scars of being raped, stabbed and left for dead while working undercover. The trauma had caused a memory blackout of the incident. Her marriage didn't survive. She moved to another state and is now living a quiet life of seclusion under a new identity.

Romano, who left the force 20 years ago, spent some time as a DA in a major city but is now a famous writer of novels - police/legal thrillers, but he's in a slump as his last three novels didn't sell well. A life-long bachleor - he finds himself in one casual relationship after another - never contemplating settling down with just one woman.

Corrigan, has stayed on the force all these years and is now Deputy Chief of Police. He's worked diligently to keep the force clean of corruption. He is considering retirement. His wife of 3 years died of cancer only 3 months ago.


Plot:

Hooker's ex-wife calls Corrigan to ask him to see Hooker and convince him to get see a doctor.

Corrigan visits Hooker at his mountain cabin retreat and Hooker tells him somebody has made threats against his life. Corrigan sees his old friend is disoriented and suspects Hooker is suffering from delusions and memory loss. Hooker's ex-wife confirms Hooker has been unstable as of late and she suspects a medical problem, perhaps Alzheimer's. (Shatner can basically do his Denny Crane character here).

Corrigan successfully talks Hooker into seeking medical help. As the show progresses Hooker regains his faculties and his personality returns to normal.

The police feel Hooker is imaging the threats as an investigation has found nothing.

Corrigan, however, wants to give his old friend the benefit of the doubt and continues to investigate.

On a subsequent visit Corrigan witnesses an apparent attempt on Hooker's life. A bomb destroys an outbuilding on Hooker's property as Corrigan and Hooker walk to the cabin after fishing. They find a message painted on the cabin wall which refers to a past incident in Hooker's career involving Sheridan and Romano. (flashback time using footage from old show)

Corrigan now believes the threat is definitely real and calls Romano and Sheridan to see if they can tell him anything about the incident referred to by Hooker's assailant.

Two more "near misses" occur. More references are left. More flashbacks.

Corrigan now asks Romano and Sheridan to come to Hooker's aid. Both agree.

As the show progress we get:

1) romantic sparks between Corrigan and Sheridan - he cuts this off quickly.
2) scenes of tension between Hooker and Romano over the reasons he broke their partnership all those years ago and never stayed in touch - kind of a father/son story.
3) discussions between Hooker and Corrigan about life after retirement. Hooker urges him to stay "on the job" as long as possible because "once you leave, you're obsolete - useless".
4) some romantic flirtation between Romano and Sheridan.
5) Corrigan and Romano clash as Corrigan accuses Romano's motives for helping. He suspects Romano is only gathering material for a "comeback".


Red herring suspects and motives abound!

A) "Joe Blow", some ex-con seeking revenge against Hooker for putting him away so many years earlier. THE CLICHE PLOT

B) Stacy Sheridan is the person behind the attacks because she blames Hooker for her rape and the end of her career and marriage.

C) Romano is staging these incidents to gain notoriety to boost his sagging writing career.

But the REAL solution is:


Someone has staged these attempts on Hooker to lure Stacy from "hiding". The very man who raped and nearly killed her ten years earlier has returned after spending time in prison for an unrelated crime. He's obsessed with "finishing the job" and has been trying to find her all these years fearing she might regain her memory of the event. Failing to locate her he has concentrated on learning as much as possible about her life on the force and concocted this plan using Stacy's mentor, Hooker, as bait.

The action:

The bad guy eventually get his opportunity to kill Stacy as she's alone in Corrigan's home. Meanwhile, the guys have gone their separate ways to garner info for the case. Hooker has spoken to several of his old snitches and contacts, Corrigan has been researching police files about the incidents referred in the messages left by the perp and Romano has been speaking to contacts in the DA's office about ex-convicts related to Hooker. NOTHING turns up. They rendevous and confer - coming to the conclusion that since Hooker is still alive after several attempts on his life, the perp must either be inept OR not trying to kill Hooker after all. There must be some other motive. So what's happened since these attempts started. A-hah! The four of us have teamed up! So....? One of us other three must be the reason! To lure him or her here. But Corrigan lives here and Romano is famous, easily found. It must be Stacy! But who and why? Hooker then remembers Stacy's attacker was never found.

They call Stacy on her cell phone to share their conclusions. NO answer.
They try calling Corrigan's home phone. Out of service!

They rush to the house to find Stacy fighting for her life against a knife-wielding man. Romano, being the youngest, reaches the man first and tackles him. They struggle and the man gets away from Romano after embedding the knife in Romano's thigh. Just as it looks like he's going to escape via a window, Hooker barrels into the guy and deflects him away from the window. Stacy then steps in and disables him with some karate kick. The man draws a gun on Stacy "wanted to do you slow... with a blade, but this will do" and Corrigan blows him away "Not today, pal".



The wrap up:

The Four sit at a table at a bar - sharing one last round of beers.
The conversation reveals....

Hooker has a new appreciation of just being alive "even if I AM obsolete and useless" and has regained his father/son type relationship with Romano.

Corrigan apologises to Romano for his suspicions.

Romano has realised he's feeling unfulfilled writing "cheesy cop/lawyer fiction" and decides to practice law again - this time as a public defender in (whatever city the show took place in). (how noble!)

Stacy, having confronted her attacker, regained her memories of the incident and decides to "come out from hiding" and enjoy life again. She wants to travel the country to "see what I've been missing" and to visit her ex-husband to forgive him for leaving her after the rape.

Romano and Stacy are holding hands. He turns to her and says "I'll be here when you get back - that is IF you come back." Stacy winks and replies (doing Schwarzenegger impression) "I'll be back".

Corrigan, despite Hooker's urging to stay on the job decides he's done his part and decides to retire.

Hooker says "We can leave the job, but the job never leaves us. Being cops. It's in our blood. It's part of who we are and nobody can ever take that away from us - even when we're.... (Captain Kirk pause here)..useless." Corrigan replies "Useless? Who's going to be useless? I just bought that fishing and hunting resort downstream from your little cabin. Care to come help me run it, partner?" and holds out his hand. Hooker opens his mouth to speak but is speechless. He simply smiles and shakes Corrigan's hand enthusiastically.

Romano says to Corrigan. "Wow! You finally got the last word."

They all laugh.

Freeze frame close up on Hooker and Corrigan with clasped hands.

CUE MUSIC.

da-da-da-da-da