In Tequila and Bonetti, after being involved in a shootout that had generated a lot of negative public reaction, New York City police detective Nico Bonetti took a temporary assignment as a visiting detective on the South Coast police department in Southern California. Bonetti, a lover of fine jazz and a gourmet Italian cook, found it difficult to adjust to the laid-back California lifestyle and being given a dog as a partner. Tequila, a large French mastiff, was a junk-food addict, had a hip attitude, loved women and, like the basset hound Cleo in The People’s Choice, provided the viewing audience with a running commentary on the action.
Officer Angela Garcia was a pretty, widowed young policewoman who didn’t succumb to Bonetti’s charms and had problems dealing with his “shoot first and ask questions later” approach to police work. Midian Knight (“Captain Midnight”), their pretentious, image-conscious commanding officer, was more interested in making it as a movie scriptwriter than in his police work.
One of the problems this series had was in not deciding whether it was a police drama or a comedy. There was an uncomfortable mix of broad comedy and violent action in most episodes, and the show never attracted a large enough audience to stay on the air. Obviously inspired by the 1989 hit motion picture Turner and Hooch.
production details
USA / CBS / x60m-e / January 17, 1992 – April 18, 1992
cast
Jack Scalia as Nico Bonetti
Mariska Hargitay as Angela Garcia
Brad Sanders as Voice of Tequila
Charles Rocket as Captain Midian Knight
Noley Thornton as Teresa Garcia
