Crime Story/The Brothel Wars

The Brothel Wars
Season 2, Episode 17
Airdate	March 22, 1988
Written by	Mark Rosner
Directed by	Mark Rosner
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Crime Story — Season Two

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The Brothel Wars is the seventeenth episode of the second season of Crime Story, and the thirty-ninth episode overall.

Starring: Dennis Farina (Lt. Mike Torello), Anthony Denison (Ray Luca) (credit only), Bill Smitrovich (Sgt. Danny Krychek), John Santucci (Pauli Taglia), Steve Ryan (Det. Nate Grossman), Bill Campbell (Det. Joey Indelli), Paul Butler (Det. Walter Clemmons)

and Starring: Stephen Lang (David Abrams) (credit only)

Guest Stars: William Hickey (Judge Neville Harmon), Trey Wilson (Sheriff Ed Cray), Kathleen Dennehy (Sue Ellen), Alexandra Johnson (Rita), Cecilia Peck (Ann Bradford)

and Michael J. Pollard (Leon Barski)

Featuring in Alphabetical Order: Carmin Carol (Lurleen), Lalette Cotrell (Madame Jesse), Theresa Gilmore (Hooker #1), Jackie Hartman (Hooker), Perfecto Mangual (Jose), Thomas McCleskey (Coroner), Randy Pelish (Ed Saville), Nick Picciano (Desk Sergeant), John Quern (Lindstrom), Tim Rossovich (Amos), Roge Roush (Ferry), Scott Starkey (Turnkey), Desiree Velasco (Hooker #2)

Plot Overview

Arriving at a Nevada brothel to pick up a wanted prisoner, Torello and the team are there when one of the buildings on the property blows up. The owner of the brothel is an old friend of Grossman's who insists that a rival bordello owner is behind the bombings, and not long afterward the blowhard Sheriff and his men are on the scene, telling Torello that his badge means nothing to them and that Grossman's friend Leon probably blew up his own building for the insurance money. Grossman hangs around for a while and is asked by one of the girls if he can drive her to Vegas, and he obliges. The Sheriff and his deputies pull them over, Grossman tries to show them his Federal badge, but he winds up taking a vicious beating from the lawmen. Nate is hauled into court, charged with assault on law enforcement officers and brought before a haughty, Bible-quoting judge. Mike, Walter and Joey arrive at the courthouse and manage to get their colleague freed, and Mike gives Nate an earful about how they have to get involved now. Grossman wonders what happened to the girl, but they soon find out that she committed 'suicide' by throwing herself under a law enforcement vehicle. The girl just happens to be the girlfriend of none other than Pauli Taglia, and Torello breaks the sad news to him personally. Pauli naturally wants to take it out in blood, but Torello advises him to let them handle things for once. Torello has Krychek break off his vacation with his new girlfriend and go undercover at the rival brothel, where the owner, Saville, pays the undercover cop $10,000 to take out Leon. When the money is exchanged, the Task Force pounces on Saville, and Mike has a ruse planned to scare him into talking, but he and Leon are taken prisoner by the crooked Sheriff and his deputies, who plan to have them both killed in the desert. The Task Force arrives to take down the Sheriff and his men, but then they find out that there's someone above the Sheriff pulling the strings.

Trivia

The Show

Songs featured in this episode: "The Way You Do the Things You Do" by the Temptations, "Gimme Some Lovin'" by the Spencer Davis Group, a rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" by a female rock singer and "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" by the Walker Brothers.

Memorable Moments

Torello and Krychek are at their favorite bar at the end of the episode when Pauli shows up to thank them. They invite him to have a drink with them, which he accepts...'just this once'.