The Rookies--Pilot

The pilot originally aired in March of 1972. I didn't see it until about ten years later, thanks to cable TV, actually WOR-TV out of New York. I miss that station! Anyway, I did have an audio cassette that a friend made for me in the mid-70's, but it was really bad quality. For those of you who haven't seen the pilot, you're really not missing anything. It was okay as far as pilots go, but it wasn't awe-inspiring. I'm writing this blog tonight in honor of actor Darren McGavin, who played Sgt. Eddie Ryker in the pilot. Darren passed away last evening at the age of 83. I don't know why he didn't sign on to play Ryker in the series. I know he had a reputation for being difficult to work with, but I also know that he did Kolchak about a year after the pilot for The Rookies, so it might all tie in together. Another difference in casting has to do with Jill Danko. Jennifer Billingsley played Jill in the pilot and she's as different in looks from Kate as night is from day. Kate had another obligation, so she was unable to do the pilot. Jennifer played Burt Reynold's wife in the movies 'Gator' and White Lightning.' I haven't seen her in anything since. In the pilot, there are five Rookie cops. You have Danko, Gillis and Webster who went on to become the main focus of the series, but you're also introduced to Rookie Officers Jared Whitman and Kevin Lassitur. I think the number was probably trimmed from five to three to make everybody easier to remember. I do know that the actor who played Lassitur went on to play a character on 'One Life To Live.' I didn't care much for the pilot for the one simple reason they left too many unanswered questions that they failed to answer in the series. If the show had been on now, you can bet the questions would've been explored in some detail. The two main questions have to do with my favorite couple: The Danko's. What exactly did Mike do in the Air Force? In the pilot and a couple of the early first season episodes, he worked in the missile silos. In later seasons, he was a helicopter pilot. I was told by someone in the know that the Air Force did use guys in the missile silos, but the Army used helicopter pilots. This is why in my fan fiction stories, I have Mike in the Army. The other question is what was up with his and Jill's marriage? In the pilot, she is less than thrilled to see him when he finally shows up at the bowling alley before Officer Shaw's retirement party. He alludes to Terry that part of their problem might've had to do with his being a soldier. I don't know about any of you other ladies who might be reading this, but if my husband had been in town for at least six months before deciding to look me up, he could expect to see divorce papers in his future. In the series, everything seems to be just peachy between Mike and Jill. The only thing I can figure is there was absolutely NO chemistry between Sam Melville and Jennifer Billingsley. One thing I can say about Sam and Kate Jackson was that there was chemistry to spare. I think that's why the series worked out so well. Even after Bruce Fairbairn replaced Michael Ontkean, there was still chemistry among the characters. Anyway, back to the pilot. The main plot of the pilot were these five guys going through training with the tough Sgt. Ryker, who didn't agree with this 'new breed' of cop he was supposed to be churning out. There was a bad guy, a sniper who doesn't have a name. We don't even really find out what this guy is so pissed off about. He's just a grumpy old guy in a raincoat who lives alone with a really cute white kitten. Was the kitten supposed to show his softer side? He ends up shooting a bar up after Jared forgets to read him his rights regarding an earlier incident and he gets released. Jared, meanwhile, has this huge chip on his shoulder. He discovers that his wife is an illegally registered alien and gets blackmailed by some smarmy guy who works for the city to keep things quiet. I never could figure out exactly what Toby Loomis did, but he was smarmy as hell. Jared plays hero in the showdown with the sniper without a name and ends up getting killed. The end scene shows the funeral at the police academy where Ryker and the mayor's aide are discussing Whitman's death. I wonder if Whitman's wife got her alien status ironed out. Another unanswered question. I also wonder if Lassitur and his wife were supposed to have gone on to the series, because it sure showed more of them than it did Mike and Jill. I couldn't stand Lassitur's wife. Something about her voice grated on my nerves. Almost as bad as that 'Rabbits on The Runway' chick, but that's another blog. Anyway, please comment. And, I'm outta here.