Was anyone else surprise by this in early season 2? I am watching this wonderful series for the first time and found Esterhaus to be such an open-minded, charming individual able to handle anything around him. But then his very stern and negative reaction to the gay coworker revealing his feelings seemed so out of place.
shareYou can't compare 1981 to 2016.
In 1981, the media was not blaring the gay propaganda message for 20 years straight.
The AIDS epidemic was raging during the 80s, and Esterhaus's reaction was not uncommon during that time.
Not in 1981, when this originally aired, it wasn't. It wasn't even called AIDS until September of '82.
He's taken aback because, for a "macho" male, especially for a man of Phil's age and profession, there's nothing worse than to be thought of as homosexual.
Thanks mate, an even deeper insight into the climate of the time.
sharepd3145:
There is no "gay propaganda" message---gay people were around then like they are now, it was harder for them to be out of the closet, because there was more social costs to it, even though the gay rights movement had already taken place in the '70s.
I don't think you could find a greater example of just WHY you can't compare then and now than Phil Esterhaus. The character of Phil was an upright, honourable, "liberal" man, fair to everyone, calm, inclusive and kind-hearted. Yet he was appalled when his friend came on to him. Casting my memory back to those days, I imagine his reaction was SHOCK, not homophobia. Maybe a sense of betrayal - "How could you have hidden this from me?" - a reappraisal of their friendship ("Has he been looking at me in that way?")(Obviously he HAD, before anyone gets on their high horse).
Maybe the gay character was badly written. Maybe he should have come out to Phil privately and discreetly, rather than giving the impression that gays just can't help themselves, they have to get the hots for their lifelong friends. Again, it was of its time. We know the writers of HSB were fair minded and had the best intentions.
I like to think that Phil and his friend rekindled their relationship. The Phil we know would have gone away and reflected, been full of sadness and realised that he didn't want to lose his friend.
Thank you everyone, all good points. I guess I expected the character of a much older guy who had been dating and preparing to marry a high school student to have been more open-minded about it.
I didn't think about the friendship aspect, I can now see how that'd be a strong part of his reaction to an old friend. If I recall correctly, it was also the first time he ever left the station to have his lunch!
I understand what you are saying, but unless you lived in that era and were conscious of the whole situation, you cannot even begin to compare 1981 to 2016; it's like comparing airplanes to covered wagons. Thirty-five years may as well be three hundred years considering how far we've advanced - in the good and the bad. Lifestyles, attitudes, situations - they were all different. Women were still considered the "weaker sex" and discriminated against; gays/homosexuals were still in the closet; sex - as free as it had been in the 70's - was again considered a dirty word. What you may consider harassment now, was widely accepted back then. It was different - too different to explain if you weren't there.
So, before you pass judgment on the character of Esterhaus, you need to look at the whole picture and understand that just because things are the way they've been for as long as YOU remember, it hasn't always been that way.
It's funny: Back [then] we were more restrained and narrow-minded, but we were free to speak our minds without fear or stress of offending anyone; now we're less restrained and more open-minded, but we're less free in our speech and walk around on egg shells afraid to offend anyone. Incredible.
I was recently surprised to learn that my state only legalised homosexuality in the early 1980s. The state next to me only legalised it in 1997! Astounding. The fact it was considered a crime would have gone a long way to setting peoples' attitudes toward it, and I imagine it would be a hard thing to change in some people.
I know, social media now allows anyone and everyone to rise up and speak so easily. It often results in crowd reactions. It's a great tool for giving news businesses easy free content.
Here in Texas, home to the case that led to the landmark Lawrence v. Texas SCOTUS ruling that struck down laws nationwide that criminalized even consensual sodomy between adults, being openly gay was used to disqualify both men AND women from being police officers on the basis that gay = engages in sodomy = criminal = can't be in law enforcement. (Specifically recall newspaper coverage of a lesbian candidate who was barred here in Dallas back in the late '80s or early '90s; now the county has even elected a lesbian sheriff!) The LvT case happened in ***2003*** ... that's how long it took the state where I live.
shareVery well put, Reeses.
shareOddly enough I watched it last night.
I think that it works better within the story arc of relationships. It also feels like a "message" episode as well just like they would do in the Streets of San Francisco. Phil seems to have some kind of unstoppable sexual energy.
But if you want to see an example of real perhaps odd stand out episode of a success series watch The Professionals track down the episode The Klansman. I think that it was banned on British TV.
What a great show Hill Street Blue is and still is.
KBN
I love The Professionals and The Streets of San Francisco. I was just watching Stone and Keller last night in an episode in which a young Charles Martin Smith guest-starred.
shareI understand that there is a Mike Stone day in San Francisco. Stone and Keller are are real as Regan and Carter.
sharegay = engages in sodomy = criminal = can't be in law enforcement.
That's fair. Gay issues came up from time to time on the show, none better than this episode, when the ubiquitous Lawrence Pressman played a closet detective: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601696/combined
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