Seeing as how well written, how much action, and how entertaining this pilot episode was, how in the heck did Hunter almost get canceled after the first season? What the heck was American viewers thinking back in the 1984-1985 TV season? This show didn't crack the Top 75 in ratings after its first season. But thank God fans woke up in Season 2 thereafter, and realized that Hunter was a heck of a show. Hunter is my favorite TV show of all time and just think it almost got canceled in mid 1985. I was only 23 months old when Hunter premiered in 1984 but through syndication, etc. I was able to see this show in its entirety and love it to death! Meanwhile in the Pilot, there was almost an instant bond between heroes Hunter and McCall and it was a bond that lasted all the way up until the end of the 1989-1990 season. They got together and busted that sociopathic "psychiatrist" Doctor Bolin (played excellently by Brian Dennehy I might add) who tried to convince Hunter that he was crazy, delusional, etc. when in fact he (Dennehy) was all those things and a killer no less. Dennehy (he is in my opinion a very underrated actor) was a scumbag pulling a wool over the LAPD's eyes except for Hunter and later McCall in this episode, it was so satisfying to see Hunter duck as Bolin flew off the roof of a tall building to his death.
Two actors on here who went on to success with other 1980s staple TV shows appeared in this episode, which where Joanna Kerns (Growing pains) and John Diehl (Miami Vice) who played a robber with a bad perm near the beginning of the episode. Then there was Michael Cavanaugh who played Captain Cain, and I swear he had to be in my Top 5 for the most stiffest and by the book characters I have EVER seen on a TV show or movie. He was a good actor, but I cringed every time his presence was on my TV. Steven Williams (as King Hayes) was a scumbag pimp who got a rise and a rush out of hitting women, and it was really something how a character like that passed through the FCC (or whatever they called it back then) on prime time TV in 1984.
All in all an excellent start to a great series that should have never been threatened to be canceled. if I would have grew up in the 1980s, I would have been a loyal viewer of this show in all seven of its seasons.
Two actors on here who went on to success with other 1980s staple TV shows appeared in this episode, which where Joanna Kerns (Growing pains) and John Diehl (Miami Vice) who played a robber with a bad perm near the beginning of the episode. Then there was Michael Cavanaugh who played Captain Cain, and I swear he had to be in my Top 5 for the most stiffest and by the book characters I have EVER seen on a TV show or movie. He was a good actor, but I cringed every time his presence was on my TV. Steven Williams (as King Hayes) was a scumbag pimp who got a rise and a rush out of hitting women, and it was really something how a character like that passed through the FCC (or whatever they called it back then) on prime time TV in 1984.
All in all an excellent start to a great series that should have never been threatened to be canceled. if I would have grew up in the 1980s, I would have been a loyal viewer of this show in all seven of its seasons.