Category: Safe for Work

Day 4: Journey into Fandom by Fangirl

In 2022, I discovered the absolutely wonderful television show, Starsky and Hutch, via GET-TV, one of numerous television channels that broadcasts older television shows. I had heard of the show Starsky and Hutch but never watched it in its first-run or on other television channels who had broadcast the show in reruns. I was watching a third season episode when I said to myself, “This show is really good.” I then viewed other episodes broadcast on GET-TV and then decided to purchase the DVD box set of all of the episodes from Seasons One through Season Four.

I then decided to look through Facebook to see if there were groups that had a passionate interest in this show. I found a few groups and subscribed to these groups, but what interested me was a SHareCon virtual event devoted to Starsky and Hutch. I signed up for this event as I was interested in fans’ knowledge of the show and I then discovered that many of them were fans from the very beginning. I discovered that there were fan fiction writers, especially of the variety known as “slash,” as well as fans who created much-loved videos.

After the virtual SHareCon event, I found out about a Saturday Zoom Watch Party whereby fans get together via Zoom and talk about the episode shown on that day as well as other topics of conversation. From this Zoom event every Saturday, I have met so many passionate and devoted fans who are always teaching me a great deal about anything related to Starsky and Hutch.

There are many great and wonderful episodes that can be viewed many times over. What is interesting is that some Starsky and Hutch episodes presented storylines that resonate in today’s society such as the episode, “Manchild on the Streets,” which concerns a white police officer who kills a black man, and the episode, “Death in a Different Place,” which touches on the murder of a police officer who is found to be a homosexual and the struggles Starsky faces with the issue of homosexuality.

As a television series centering on two characters as police officers, Starsky and Hutch was not just a generic “cop show” but a show that presented two characters who trusted one another and also had a love for one another. Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul, as the characters Starsky and Hutch, provided the audience with a different portrayal of two police officers, which was really not shown on television during the 1970s.

The entire fandom community has shown its devotion to this series and its characters and for the future, the series should once again be broadcast on other over-the-air broadcast stations as well as streaming channels in order that the series can reach a wider audience of new fans.

Day 4: [AITAH]+ For Giving My Detectives Traffic Duty After Their Stunt? by Nicoltyler

An S/H Present Tense story that brings Bay City characters into the present.

Posted by AnnoyedCaptain34. Found on reddit by Nicoltyler

* Am I the Ass Hole

Good morning, people!

I’m a police captain, and I’ve got a bit of a situation with two of my detectives that I need some advice on.

So, here’s the cast:

    • Detective One: Let’s call him Smartass. He’s a detective.
    • Detective Two: We’ll call him PainInMyAss. He’s also a detective and Smartass’s partner.

They drive a red-striped Torino that honestly looks more like a parade float. PainInMyAss is usually a good driver but drives half-crazy most of the time.

The problem started when they were chasing some robbery suspects. PainInMyAss was driving, tried to avoid hitting something, and ended up crashing. Both of them went to the hospital for a few days. PainInMyAss was mostly okay, but Smartass pretended to have amnesia. He convinced me and everyone else that he couldn’t remember anything from the incident, his partner Paininmyass, or anybody else.

Turns out, Smartass was faking the whole thing to teach PainInMyAss a lesson or something. They tried to pull the wool over my eyes, but I figured it out—thanks to a nurse who let it slip.

Once I got wind of their little stunt, I decided it was time to teach them a lesson. So, I assigned them both to traffic duty. PainInMyAss is furious and says it’s not fair. He claims it was all Smartass’s idea and doesn’t see why he should be punished too. I told him it’s because Smartass is his partner, and they’re in this together.

Here’s some more context: Smartass and PainInMyAss are known for their unconventional methods, but they usually get results. However, this time they crossed a line. The crash caused significant damage to public property and put their own lives at risk. Smartass’s fake amnesia stunt was the last straw for me. It was unprofessional and could have had serious consequences if I hadn’t figured it out in time.

PainInMyAss has been sulking and making a big deal out of it, saying I’m being too harsh. He argues that he wasn’t in on Smartass’s plan and shouldn’t be punished for it. But from my perspective, they’re a team. They need to have each other’s backs, but also hold each other accountable. By giving them traffic duty, I hope they learn to work together more responsibly.

So, AITAH for making both of them do traffic duty for this stunt? Should I have handled it differently, or was this the right move to ensure they understand the consequences of their actions?

– AnnoyedCaptain34

Day 5: No Time Like the Present by Shell007

Hutch logged them on for work as Starsky joined him in the car. “Morning buddy, want to go straight there?”

“Where?” Starsky asked, puzzled.

“Pick up your car, of course.”

“No! No, err, forgot to tell yah, Merle called,” Starsky added quickly. “I’ll get it at the end of the day.”

“You mean you want me to drive you there later.” Hutch was beginning to miss the striped tomato, although he wouldn’t admit that to Starsky. “About time. Been feeling like your personal chauffeur the last few weeks.” It wasn’t that at all; the car was part of their reputation on the street and sometimes just their visibility was enough to put off some petty crimes. Continue reading “Day 5: No Time Like the Present by Shell007”

Day 5: The Catnip Connection, Part One by Terri Beckett and Nicoltyler

1982

Starsky

I’m not saying Hutch hates cats—he’s soft as they come with anything small and furry. He took in Louise when I was undercover and couldn’t be there for her. Sure, he passed her on to Rosie when I ended up with a busted arm, and he was left taking care of me, but that doesn’t mean he hates them. And when Lonely’s kittens showed up, he was absolute mush. So, no, he doesn’t hate cats; he just prefers dogs. Something that could join him on his morning jog. A Shepherd, maybe, or a mutt, because Hutch wouldn’t insist on a pedigree. He knows about pedigrees—his family can trace back to the Founding Fathers. Mine got off the boat at Ellis Island at the turn of the century. Mongrels everyone.

While we were still cops, owning a pet wasn’t an option. Now, if he wasn’t studying so hard for his law license, I think Hutch’d be open to the idea. Pets are supposed to help you de-stress, right? I read somewhere that just stroking a pet can do amazing things. For example, a cat’s purr resonates with something that can help heal bones. Continue reading “Day 5: The Catnip Connection, Part One by Terri Beckett and Nicoltyler”

Day 6: Reddit Post r/malefashionadvice* Need Advice on How to Help My Partner Dress Better by Nicoltyler

An S/H Present Tense story that brings Bay City characters into the present.

Posted by TheFashionablePartner34. Found on reddit by Nicoltyler

* a subreddit on Reddit for men to seek fashion advice

Ok you all, I have a serious need, and could really use some help.

I’m (M34), and my partner (M34) is a cop. We’ve worked together for years, and he used to look like he stepped off the cover of GQ—always sharp and stylish. But lately, his fashion sense has taken a serious nosedive, and it’s driving me nuts.

He’s started wearing baggy clothes that look two sizes too big for him, and he’s grown a mustache. Some days, the mustache looks nice and even a bit sexy (not that I’m into him that way or anything). But 90 percent of the time, it’s ungroomed, scraggly, and just plain awful.

The worst part is the bowling shirts. We don’t even bowl, but that’s all he wears now. These shirts are loud, tacky, and look like they were pulled from the back of a discount bin. He used to have such great taste, and I can’t figure out what happened. It’s like he’s given up on looking good.

I really hate his new look, and it’s hard to see someone who used to be so stylish turn into a fashion disaster. He used to wear well-fitted suits, crisp dress shirts, and stylish shoes. His hair was always perfectly groomed, and he took pride in his appearance. Now, it’s like he’s a completely different person, and it’s affecting how I see him both personally and professionally.

To make matters worse, his change in appearance is impacting our work. People used to take him seriously because he looked the part of a competent, put-together cop. Now, I feel like we’re not getting the same respect. It’s affecting our dynamic, and I miss the days when we both looked sharp and professional.

I want to tell him that his fashion sense sucks, but I don’t want to hurt his feelings or come off as a jerk. I care about him a lot and want to help him get back to his old self. I’m not sure how to approach this without causing tension between us.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this? Should I be direct or try a more subtle approach? Maybe suggest a shopping trip or give him some new clothes as a gift? I just want to help him dress better and maybe find out why he changed his style so drastically.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

– TheFashionablePartner34

Day 6: Met by Moonlight by babs

He could hear people talking over the sound of the oxygen going into his body, the beeps of the monitors, the harsh rasp of his breathing.

Starsky opened his eyes to see two shadowy figures in his hospital room, suddenly afraid Death had come to carry him off. He wasn’t ready to die. Not when he knew he loved Hutch. Not when a whole world of possibility had opened itself. Just a few short days ago, Hutch cuddled in bed with him, Huggy and Dobey sat by his bedside, and they laughed and toasted Starsky’s move from the ICU to a regular floor. But now he lay struggling and fevered from an infection that no medicine seemed to be able to fight.

“You’ll be able to do it? Twenty-four hours.”

“You know I will, my man. This’ll be child’s play.”

He knew those voices. Hutch, Huggy. His vision blurred, whether from tiredness or tears, he didn’t know. He struggled to take yet another breath. He had heard the worry in his doctors’ voices—he knew he stood at a crossroads between Death and Life. And even though he wanted to choose Life, Death seemed to be getting the upper hand in this battle. Continue reading “Day 6: Met by Moonlight by babs”

Day 6: A Trip to the Mall by Lilibet

Notes: Originally written in my head for the Starsky/Hutch the Original bRomance (slash ship) Twenty Minute Fic Challenge Prompt Words: box and train. Finally, actually written months later.

Starsky and Molly had just come out of Peaches, each carrying a shopping bag. Molly, still a little bit in her rebellion stage, had gotten Iron Maiden, the first album by the band of the same name. She had to explain to Starsky that they were a new British heavy metal band. Starsky didn’t want to admit how old that made him feel; he’d never even heard of Iron Maiden. Starsky picked up something a little more subdued that he knew both he and Hutch would enjoy, Billy Joel’s latest, Glass Houses.

Since first meeting Molly a little over four years ago, Starsky and Hutch had made a point of staying in regular contact with her, or as regularly as their jobs allowed. They’d both felt a little obligated to try to provide her with a father figure. She’d always been comfortable with their relationship, often joking that she was the only girl in school with two dads, neither of which were actually her dad.

As Molly had gotten older, their semi-regular monthly outings had changed. While they still got in a few Dodger games each season, the visits to get ice cream had now been replaced with her insisted trips to the mall, much to Hutch’s chagrin.

“Dave, do we have time to go to Spencer’s before we meet Hutch for lunch?”

Starsky leaned over the third-floor railing, looking down at the agreed upon meeting spot on the second level. “I don’t think so; Hutch is already waiting for us.”

Molly peered over, too. “Man, does he look miserable. You think he’s been sitting there this whole time? Why does he even come if he hates it so much?”

Starsky glanced at Molly, then gazed back at the blond love of his life. “Give him a break, Molls. He does it for you. He knows if he didn’t come with me to see you here, he wouldn’t get to see you. That’s what you do for the people you love.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “God, when did you get so mushy! You sound like Hutch.”

Just then a teenaged boy carrying a giant boombox on his shoulder sat down next to Hutch on the bench. Molly and Starsky could hear the bass thumping from where they stood.

And they could both see Hutch turn and glare at the boy.

“Oh, this is going to be hilarious! Hutch is gonna shit a fuckin’ brick.”

He wasn’t really fazed by her language, but figured he should at least mention it, before they found themselves called in to talk to her principal. “Easy on the language there, kiddo.” He’d not taken his eyes off Hutch, and he could now see the tell-tale signs of agitation—the bouncing knee, the drumming fingers, and the deepening furrow between his brow.

“We better save Spencer’s for after lunch and go rescue him.”

Molly stomped her foot a little and whined, hoping to sway Starsky her way. “Aw, come on Dave. He won’t let us go after lunch. Won’t he just get up and move?”

“I’ve trained him well. He’ll stay there till his death if that’s where I told him to meet us.”

The words were no sooner out of his mouth that their unique connection was made; Hutch looked up and immediately met Starsky’s eyes without first looking anywhere else. Starsky grinned as Hutch rolled his eyes, with a nod to his left. This was followed by a slight chin raise. Starsky answered him with a slight head nod of his own.

“Come on, short stuff. We’re meeting him up at Sbarro’s.” Starsky turned and started towards the escalator just as Hutch stood up and did the same.

Molly stood for a moment with her mouth open, before catching up with Starsky. “You got all that from a head nod. You two are weird.”

Starsky grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently before letting go. “Molly, never forget. Hutch is weird. I’m cool.”