Nash Bridges
Episode 2.19 "Rampage" (Feb. 21, 1997)
Episode Credits :: Screen Captures :: Video Clips
Role: Inspector Phil Robbins
Plot Summary: Two twenty-somethings, James and Lorraine, go on a crime rampage across the country towards Mexico. Overtly, they are seeking to recoup James' money from his old crime partners and then head to a Mexican beach, but as time passes it becomes more and more clear that James is a psychopath who enjoys cruelty and the power-rush of having people cower and even die at the other end of his gun. Lorraine, on the other hand, just wants to have a good time, not realizing just how deadly her "bad boy" boyfriend is. Nash has to chase them down, in the midst of the domestic stress of having his own daughter pose for a nude photo in a safe sex ad.
Part Description: Inspector Phil Robbins is a former partner of Nash's, and he comes to ask Nash's help. Lorraine is his daughter, and he believes she has been taken hostage against her will by James. He begs Nash to take charge of the case, because he trusts Nash and knows he'll work that much harder to help since he knows Lorraine. With Nash on the case, Phil agrees to go back home to be with his other daughter, Amanda.
Once Nash discovers that Lorraine is not a victim but a co-conspirator (although without intent, as James tricked her into coming along by saying they were just heading to the beach), he goes to see Phil. While at the house, they get from Amanda that Lorraine called from a motel. We also see that Phil has a hard time expressing emotion and turns away from his younger daughter to hide his own upset. He's trying so hard to be the strong father, but he's raising them alone, and he doesn't seem to realize they need someone to "mother" them, too.
Nash goes to check out the motel, only to discover that Phil has been there before them. Nash is pissed off, but he understands that Phil is scared and desperate to get his daughter back before anything else happens. He sends one of his fellow officers to find Phil and force him to stay out of it while Nash continues to follow the leads to Lorraine and James.
Before Phil is found, however, he screws things up. Unbeknownst to each other, they all arrive at the video store where one of James' ex-partners worked - Nash in front, Phil in back. Phil is so desperate to get his daughter back that he ruins the element of surprise by screaming "LORRAINE!" as soon as he sees her. Heartbreakingly, Lorraine allows James to use her as "cover" to escape, knowing her father won't shoot or allow anyone else to just in case they miss and hit Lorraine. The couple once again gets away.
But Lorraine is finally beginning to see that James is not a romantic rebel but a crazy killer. While James uses the bathroom at a gas station, she calls Nash, crying. Nash gets her to leave the phone at the gas station off the hook so that they can trace it. They get there too late to save the gas station attendant and to stop the local news crews from showing up. Still, they know that he'll show up at other partner Carl's soon enough. Phil arrives at the gas station along with the newspeople. He begs Nash to be included, and reluctantly, Nash agrees. He stations Phil at the front of Carl's club while he goes in.
Once inside, they see James and Lorraine running out the back. Nash radios Phil and lies, saying to wait at the front because they're coming that way. He doesn't need Phil getting in between him and the couple again. But Lorraine's had enough. She drops to the floor, sobbing, forcing James to leave her behind.
When Phil hears Nash shooting at James, he realizes he's been tricked. He runs towards the back of the club and is able to sneak up behind James, since James is facing Nash. He screams "Don't move!" and we see that no matter how scared or angry he is, he's still not going to just shoot James. He's a good cop through and through. He instructs James to put his weapon on the ground. James does so, then in a flash pulls another weapon out and shoots at Phil. Phil is able to take him down before he can do any damage, though.
Meanwhile, Lorraine has been taken to the police car. Phil catches up before they drive her away. Once again, he tries to be strong. He forces himself to calmly tell her what is going to happen to her, and that he will do what he can to help. She says, "I understand," but refuses to look at him. When he feels the tears coming, he once again quickly turns away, but not before she sees out of the corner of her eye. Finally, she looks up at him, but it's too late - the car is pulling away and he can't see her anymore. We can only hope that now that she has seen him display the emotion he's always felt on the inside but rarely shown, they can finally exchange the "I love you"s tragically absent in words, even if demonstrated in deeds.