It's kind of a combination of "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Shining". But it's Starsky & Hutch!
This episode is very well directed. Some really terrific camera work and set ups. Starsky and Hutch go undercover at a mental institution to find out what's going on. Already there and undercover also is a reporter posing as a nurse played by Suzanne Somers. She spends most of her time flirting with Starsky and Hutch so it's clear that the character is merely meant to be eye candy. But that's okay. Eye candy is a big part of show business. And what wonderful eye candy she is. Even in a sweatshirt and with her hair all messed up and piled on her head she still looks like a movie star. Gorgeous. What wonderful screen charm she had. Whether she's riding around in a T-Bird (American Graffiti) or hanging out in a mental institution she really stands out as special.
The episode starts out very light-hearted and then as the episode develops things get creepier and creepier and darker. The drama and the suspense keep building throughout the episode. I still have a lot of episodes to watch in season 3, but I have a feeling this is going to be one of my favorite episodes of this season.