The Best Episodes of Hardcastle and McCormick Season 2

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.2/10(47 votes)

   #1 - Outlaw Champion

   S2:E19/23/1984

   Hardcastle and McCormick must help protect a famous race car driver who is in danger of losing his claim to fame as well as his life.

   Director:Leo Penn

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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   Director:Leo Penn

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
2. 

   7.2/10(41 votes)

   #2 - Ties My Father Sold Me

   S2:E29/30/1984

   After breaking into the official records, Mark identifies his long-lost biological father as a lounge singer in Atlantic City and goes to see him. But the man turns out to be sought by a mobster who kidnaps Mark to force him to steal some incriminating tapes from a government safe.

   Director:Ron Satlof

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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   Director:Ron Satlof

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
3. 

   7.9/10(37 votes)

   #3 - You Would Cry Too, If It Happened to You

   S2:E310/7/1984

   After telling his poker buddies to clean up the house before he gets back from the airport with the judge, McCormick returns with Hardcastle to discover that everything valuable on the estate has been stolen, including all of the judge's files on past cases.

   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
4. 

   7.3/10(42 votes)

   #4 - D-Day

   S2:E410/14/1984

   After finding his sister-in-law missing and her apartment ransacked, Hardcastle discovers that she had been secretly following her professor in hopes of earning extra credit in a police procedures course.

   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
5. 

   7.4/10(41 votes)

   #5 - Never My Love

   S2:E510/28/1984

   Mark attends the funeral of an old friend, only to be surprised later to receive a message from her on his answering machine. After searching for evidence to her supposed "death," Mark and the judge find political reasons may be to blame for her disappearance.

   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Richard Christian Matheson

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   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Richard Christian Matheson
6. 

   8.0/10(43 votes)

   #6 - Whatever Happened to Guts?

   S2:E611/4/1984

   When star of a television court show has to go into the hospital for surgery, he asks Hardcastle to fill in as the show's star. But, his enthusiasm for the show comes to a halt when the station's public relations person is murdered.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Richard Christian Matheson

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Richard Christian Matheson
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7. 

   7.6/10(39 votes)

   #7 - You and the Horse You Rode in On

   S2:E711/18/1984

   Finally tired of how Hardcastle is treating him, Mark seeks another job with a water filter manufacturer. But after the director misleads a group of potential buyers during a presentation, Mark quits only to find out his boss is not yet willing to part ways, and kidnaps Hardcastle to keep Mark at the company.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
8. 

   7.8/10(40 votes)

   #8 - One of the Girls from Accounting

   S2:E811/25/1984

   While attending business downtown, Mark rushes to the aid of a woman being attacked by men in a mail truck. While he thinks he can find safety from the police officer reponding to their call, the woman informs him the officer is actually a member of an unofficial "underground" police and they are far from being safe.

   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Stephen J. Cannell

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   Director:Bruce Kessler

   Writer:Stephen J. Cannell
9. 

   7.4/10(44 votes)

   #9 - It Coulda Been Worse...She Coulda Been a Welder

   S2:E912/2/1984

   The proposed destruction of a popular college bar brings Hardcastle's niece in the spotlight. With her protests making him upset, he must put aside their differences when she narrowly avoids a kidnapping.

   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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   Director:Tony Mordente

   Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
10. 

    7.9/10(41 votes)

    #10 - Hate the Picture, Love the Frame

    S2:E1012/9/1984

    Hardcastle is arrested after a woman whom he had prevously had a chance encounter earlier is found dead in his home. Thinking the judge was framed due to his ruling on his latest case, McCormick tries to help his friend get out of jail.

    Director:Dennis Donnelly

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Dennis Donnelly

    Writer:Unknown
11. 

    7.2/10(41 votes)

    #11 - Pennies from a Dead Man's Eyes

    S2:E1112/31/1984

    Jesse Wingo, the former famous singer, is spotted by McCormick at a talent contest. But when approached about his past, the contestant reveals his name to be Sam Jones. Puzzled at the similarities, Mark investigates the man only to find that other people are looking for the man named Sam Jones, but want him dead.

    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Marianne Clarkson

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    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Marianne Clarkson
12. 

    7.8/10(38 votes)

    #12 - There Goes the Neighborhood

    S2:E121/7/1985

    Hardcastle's neighbors begin a Neighborhood Watch program after a series of local burglaries have them worried. After being overlooked by the organization for the selection of their Captain, the judge forgets about his displeasure when the thieves are caught only to be found dead later from a mysterious virus.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
13. 

    8.2/10(44 votes)

    #13 - Too Rich and Too Thin

    S2:E131/14/1985

    After investigating the suicide of a comic, Hardcastle relizes that it wasn't really suicide after he and McCormick prevent the attempted kidnapping of the comic's wife.

    Director:Michael J. Kane

    Writers:Tom Szollosi, Richard Christian Matheson, Ross Thomas

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    Director:Michael J. Kane

    Writers:Tom Szollosi, Richard Christian Matheson, Ross Thomas
14. 

    7.6/10(37 votes)

    #14 - What's So Funny?

    S2:E141/21/1985

    Perplexed by the apparent suicide of ex-con Denny Frye, an up-and-coming comic, Hardcastle decides to investigate. Thanks to Mark, Hardcastle discovers that Denny was romantically involved with a woman named Pamela Bayer. The judge's earlier suspicions gain some validity when Hardcastle and McCormick see a group of men try to kidnap Pamela. After rescuing Pamela, Hardcastle and McCormick learn that the prospective kidnappers work for reputed mobster Sonny Austin, her ex-boyfriend. Realizing that Sonny, in an irrational attempt to win back his ex-girlfriend, has been assaulting all Pamela's dates, Hardcastle and McCormick try to find out who has been providing the mobster with her dating schedule. It turns out that Pamela has been primarily dating comedians employed at Boots Dikeman's club. Figuring that Leo Dikeman, Boots' main competitor, is probably encouraging Sonny, Hardcastle and McCormick decide to pay him a visit. Before they arrive, Sonny, realizing that he has been used, kills Leo. Facing a dead end in the case, the judge asks Mark to pose as one of Pamela's comedian boyfriends. Taking the bait, Sonny falls into the judge's trap.

    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
15. 

    8.0/10(42 votes)

    #15 - Hardcastle, Hardcastle, Hardcastle and McCormick

    S2:E152/4/1985

    Hardcase's two aunts help out during a nursing home jewelry heist.

    Director:Kim Manners

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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    Director:Kim Manners

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
16. 

    7.8/10(35 votes)

    #16 - The Long Ago Girl

    S2:E162/11/1985

    Hardcastle cuts his fishing trip short when he receives word of the death of his old girlfriend's current husband. After deciding to check up on her, he is shot as he interrupts a burglar at her house, who looks like the deceased husband.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Stephen J. Cannell

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Stephen J. Cannell
17. 

    7.4/10(40 votes)

    #17 - You Don't Hear the One That Gets You

    S2:E172/18/1985

    Mark is thrilled when he wins $20,000 racing in the Arizona Modified. His joy quickly dissipates when thieves hold him up and steal his winnings as well as the Coyote. Based on Hardcastle and McCormick's description of the thieves, Deputy Sheriff Dan Johnson realizes that they were robbed by locals Arvin Lee and Melissa Kantwell. Complicating matters is the fact that Melissa is the wife of Billy Blackstone, the city's sheriff. After recovering the Coyote from a used car salesman, Hardcastle and McCormick begin to track the crooks. To their surprise, they catch up with Arvin Lee only to discover that he has been murdered. Putting the pieces together, they realize that Blackstone probably killed Arvin Lee. Taking their theory one step further, Hardcastle and McCormick speculate that Melissa only pretended to fall in love with Arvin Lee in order to trick him into stealing for her. With Johnson's help, the judge and Mark locate Blackstone and Melissa. With Blackstone unwilling to surrender, the deputies are forced to shoot and kill him. To Mark's regret, the shoot-out starts a fire that destroys his racing winnings.

    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog

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    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Lawrence Hertzog
18. 

    7.9/10(35 votes)

    #18 - The Birthday Present

    S2:E182/25/1985

    With the judge's birthday coming up, Mark decides to unofficially help him close a cold case related to a soon-to-be-paroled crimial that Hardcastle put in jail for another crime. Unfortunately, the new trial winds up with Hardcastle being shot and the criminal escaping.

    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Stephen J. Cannell

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    Director:Tony Mordente

    Writer:Stephen J. Cannell
19. 

    7.9/10(39 votes)

    #19 - Surprise on Seagull Beach

    S2:E193/4/1985

    After finding strange German bullets on the beach, Hardcastle gets involved in an underground treasure hunt for World War II gold at the beach. Meanwhile, McCormick also gets involved with the hunt by being kidnapped by WWII Germans attempting to recover the gold.

    Director:Michael O'Herlihy

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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    Director:Michael O'Herlihy

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
20. 

    6.5/10(38 votes)

    #20 - Undercover McCormick

    S2:E203/11/1985

    Seeking Hardcastle's help on a case of corrupt cops, a young patrolman is killed before he or Hardcastle can seek higher help in the department. With the case dealing with bad cops who could recognize the investigators, McCormick is asked to go undercover to flush out the corrupt cops and find the patrolman's killer.

    Director:Les Sheldon

    Writer:Marianne Clarkson

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    Director:Les Sheldon

    Writer:Marianne Clarkson
21. 

    7.2/10(33 votes)

    #21 - The Game You Learn From Your Father

    S2:E213/18/1985

    A critically-wounded criminal admits to being paid to frame a former baseball player, Duke McGuire, for murder. Feeling responsible for his false incarceration since he was the presiding judge, Hardcastle tries to help McGuire become a baseball player once again. But his attempt at a comeback is threatened when drugs are found in his locker.

    Director:Kim Manners

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh

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    Director:Kim Manners

    Writer:Patrick Hasburgh
22. 

    7.4/10(30 votes)

    #22 - Angie's Choice

    S2:E224/1/1985

    After seeing reputed mobster Stevie Ray kill a man named Tommy Chen, former prostitute Angie Bloom goes into hiding. Before disappearing, she decides to leave Nicky and Lindsey, her young children, with Hardcastle for safekeeping. While the kids initially refuse to tell the judge their name, the judge eventually realizes that they are Angie's children. Meanwhile, Hardcastle and McCormick discover something is amiss when some men unsuccessfully try to kidnap the kids. Following a hunch, Hardcastle pays a visit on a former madam named Dolores. The hunch pays off and the judge locates Angie. Convinced that Hardcastle has her best interests in mind, Angie tells the judge the whole story. Recognizing that the best way to protect Angie is to put Stevie in prison, Hardcastle arranges for her to testify. To his regret, the officers that pick up Angie are actually Stevie's men. Upon learning the truth, Hardcastle and McCormick "convince" one of Stevie's men to tell them where to find Angie. Following up on their lead, the two men capture Stevie and rescue Angie.

    Director:Bruce Kessler

    Writer:Richard Christian Matheson

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    Director:Bruce Kessler

    Writer:Richard Christian Matheson