The Last Kiss of Summer, Part One

When The Hardy Boys returned for it's third season, in October of 1978, it was as a very different show. During the first two seasons, the stories were lightweight and breezy. Joe was a wisecracking reluctant hero and nobody ever died. These detectives investigated 'mysteries' - not murders - and they tended to stumble into the middle of their cases, while doing more mundane work (like delivering important documents to/for their father, they were always doing that).

Season 3 changed the tone of the series in a major way. And it alienated fans. Ratings fell. And it was cancelled. I, myself, was fan of the show back then and I disliked the third season. As a kid, I hated to see it pop up in re-runs. Imagine my surprise tonight when I saw the premier for the first time in - maybe - 25 years and discovered that it is really rather superb.

We open with Joe and his girlfriend and... we stay with them. For ages and ages. These early scenes introduce us to Jaimie, his Summer fling and the first girl we've seen Joe get serious about. So serious, in fact, that he proposes. And on it goes, and it's all very sweet and romantic and unlike anything the show has ever done before. About a quarter of the way in, Jaimie is killed by a drunk driver. And it's quite a shocking moment. It's understated and - therefore - all the more shocking because of it. Also, unlike the death of you-know-who on Prison Break, it is a shocking death that takes places within the context of the story in progress.

Discovering that the drunken driver is under investigation for a much more 'important' crime, and will not be prosecuted for the hit and run killing, Joe goes completely off the deep end and into vigilante mode. He sets up an elaborate cover, against the wishes of his (barely seen) brother Frank, and rapidly becomes 'best friends' with the drunken driver in an effort to get him prosecuted for that much more 'important' crime.

And all of it is... superb. It's not like anything that happened in previous seasons, but Shaun Cassidy has absolutely no problem playing the dark side of Joe Hardy. In fact, Joe becomes seriously cool and dangerous for the first time in the series. And it's awesome. I can't wait for Part Two!

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