Guest Cast

After attending the funeral of Cyndy Wenzek, his old girlfriend, Mark is startled to hear a message from her on his answering machine. Realizing that something is wrong, Mark and the judge decide to sneak into the mortuary where she is supposed to be buried As expected, they find no sign of Cyndy's body. What the judge does find is a number of empty graves where mobsters are supposed to be buried. Returning to the estate, Mark is greeted by Cyndy. Confronted as to what is going on, Cyndy explains that she was a witness to a hit and run accident caused by Senator Evan Crocker. Continuing, she informs Hardcastle and McCormick that Jerry Miles, one of the Senator's aides, faked her death and paid her off so as to keep her from talking about the accident. Before Hardcastle can confront Miles about the incident, the aide disappears. Hoping to learn more, Mark and Cyndy sneak back in to the mortuary. Unfortunately for them, Josh Fulton, the man who runs the mortuary, captures them and prepares to incinerate them in a coffin. Thanks to Hardcastle's timely arrival, Mark and Cyndy escape unharmed. Proceeding to a press conference the Senator is giving, Cyndy publicly accuses Crocker of his crimes.

Molly Cheek as Cyndy Wenzek, Peter White as Senator Evan Crocker, Lance Henriksen as Josh Fulton

When Hank Dremmond, star of the "You Be the Judge" television court show has to go into the hospital for a routine surgery, he asks Hardcastle to fill in as the show's star. Reluctantly the judge accepts. During the first show, the judge practices his normal hard-lined type of justice. Thanks to "Whatever Happened to Guts", a phrase the judge makes in the first show, the show becomes a runaway hit and Hardcastle begins to grow in to his role as a star. The judge is brought back to earth after Elaine Camp, the station's public relations person, is killed and a strange music box is found in her desk. Noting that the box Elaine received is the same as the one sent to a recently murdered newscaster, Hardcastle theorizes that they may be facing a serial killer. Hardcastle's theory is confirmed when a doctor named Stephanie Gary approaches him about a problem patient she believes is fixated with television stars. Hoping to learn more, the judge goes with the doctor. Afterwards, Mark is shocked after evidence the police turn up seems to indicate that the woman who came to see Hardcastle is actually the killer. Pursuing their lead, Mark and the police arrive just in time to save Hardcastle. Later, after Dremmond recuperates, Hardcastle, not caring for the Hollywood lifestyle, decides not to continue with the show.

Marilyn Jones as Kay Barrett/Stephanie Gary, Patricia Harty as Elaine Camp, Bill Morey as Judge Dremmond, John Carter as Nolan Ashley

Feeling the judge treats him like a ten year-old, Mark decides to get a real job. Despite his rather shaky resume, Mark is offered a high paying position to market a water filter for a man named David Waverly. Before long, Mark, growing suspicious, confronts David after the water filter manufacturer misleads a group of potential customers during a sales presentation. Dissatisfied with Waverly's answers and unwilling to be used as a "success story", Mark quits. Right after Mark leaves, Hardcastle walks in to speak to Waverly. After Hardcastle recognizes Waverly for the con artist he is, the water filter manufacturer has his men take the judge hostage. Desperately needing Mark for his next sales presentation, Waverly contacts the ex-race car driver and instructs him to show up at the presentation or else the judge is dead. Meanwhile, Delaney, who has been working with Hardcastle, moves in and rescues the judge. At the sales presentation, Mark is all set to deliver his speech until he sees the judge walk in with the police. Seeing that his friend is safe, Mark changes his speech and warns the potential customers not to do business with Waverly.

While walking downtown, Mark sees a woman named Kathy Kasternack get attacked by some men in a mail truck. Rushing to her aid, Mark helps her get away from her attackers. They think their problems are over when a police Captain Medwick responds to their call for help. However, Kathy, an employee with the city accounting office, recognizes Medwick's name from a list of police officers that are being paid despite the fact that they are no longer on the force and they realize that they are still in trouble. To their relief, Hardcastle arrives before Medwick is able to catch them. Pursuing the case, Hardcastle decides to visit Captain Lanark, Medwick's former superior officer. Although Lanark denies knowing anything, Hardcastle realizes that the police captain probably had Medwick and his men go underground since they are performing illegal operations. Before they can learn anything more from Lanark, the police captain disappears. Searching Lanark's office, they uncover a map. Following the map, Hardcastle, McCormick, and Kathy locate Medwick's hideout and find Lanark. Using the weapons in the hideout, the two men and Kathy defend themselves when Medwick and his men return. When the shoot-out is over, Hardcastle and McCormick capture Medwick and his men. [Note: Most of the major plot points in this episode were reused for the Renegade episode entitled "Val's Song" which was also produced by Stephen J. Cannell.]

Warren Wyngate, the judge's outspoken niece, upsets Hardcastle when she protests the destruction of a popular bar so that her university can build a law library dedicated to a judge named Calvin Moreland. Although Hardcastle initially approaches Warren to get her to change her mind, his agenda changes when he stops some men that unsuccessfully try to kidnap her. Looking into the background of the men that assaulted her, Hardcastle discovers that they work for a mobster named Willie Lerner. Researching further, Hardcastle learns that Rick Benti, Lerner's boss, is currently being tried by Judge Moreland. Putting the pieces together, Hardcastle theorizes that, during her research into the law library, Warren must have uncovered something about Moreland. Going through her apartment, Warren discovers that someone has stolen her copy of Judge Moreland's yearbook. After finally locating a copy of the yearbook, Hardcastle realizes the truth: The man currently sitting on the bench is not the same Calvin Moreland that went to Warren's university. Confronting the judge, Moreland admits that he has been forced to help the mob ever since they discovered his secret. Afraid of what Moreland might say and not realizing that he has already talked, Lerner tries to kill the judge. As a result, he is arrested for attempted murder. Later, Warren is overjoyed to hear that the university will not be tearing down the bar.

When a woman kisses Hardcastle to thank him for giving her directions, the judge does not give the incident much thought. He realizes there is much more to the supposedly accidental meeting after Ashley Austin, the mysterious woman, is murdered and left in his house. Thanks to some pictures taken of the kiss combined with the fact that Ashley was killed with his gun, Hardcastle is arrested for the murder. Figuring that the judge was probably framed in retribution for his latest case, Hardcastle and McCormick begin to concentrate their energies on investigating suspected arms dealer Martin Cherney. Cherney's perfect plan seems to be falling apart when a woman claiming to be Ashley's roommate claims that she has evidence against him. Agreeing to pay her for the information, Cherney decides to use the information to trap Hardcastle. Per Cherney, the roommate calls up the judge and asks him to meet her. Taking the bait, Hardcastle and McCormick meet her in a local warehouse. Seeing his trap sprung, and not realizing that the roommate is actually an undercover police officer, Cherney incriminates himself by blowing up the building. Afterwards, Cherney decides to clean up all loose ends by killing the roommate. Before Cherney can kill her, Hardcastle and McCormick, who only pretended to die, move in and stop him.

While attending an amateur talent contest, Mark recognizes one of the contestants as Jesse Wingo, a famous singer. To Mark's disappointment, the contestant, who claims his name is Sam Jones, denies ever recording any songs. After Mark finds an album with Sam/Jesse's picture on it, the singer breaks down and tells him the whole story: A number of years ago, he was foolish enough to get drunk and kill a man. Upon completing his prison term, he had decided to leave his past behind. Later, when Jesse is almost killed by an unknown assailant, Hardcastle and McCormick realize that someone apparently wants Jesse to remain dead. Figuring that Deacon Mobley, Jesse's former manager has the most to gain from Jesse's death, they decide to pay him a visit. Before they are able to learn anything from Mobley, however, the manager is murdered. After pursuing and catching the killer, Hardcastle realizes that Bruno, Mobley's boss at Jadestone Records, is the real culprit. Once Hardcastle has seen to it that Bruno will pay for his crimes, Jesse decides to go back into the music business.