The Checklist: High Tide (S1 Ep16) “Cash Crop”
It has been a year since I put High Tide to The Checklist test for the first time, so that means it is high time that I do it again. High Tide, starring Rick Springfield and Yannick Bisson as a pair of private detective brothers, ran for three seasons in first run syndication beginning in the fall of 1994.
Last year, when High Tide made its Checklist debut, I did what I often do and randomly selected an episode to watch and review. This time out, I felt compelled to watch a specific episode from the first season of High Tide (currently streaming on Crackle). The episode in question is Episode 16, titled “Cash Crop”…
#1. Did the cold open hook me?
The episode starts off with the High Tide logo, followed by some surfing action that felt like it went on a bit longer than needed. We then get into the actual cold open and find out that in lieu of cash payment for their private detective services, Joey (Yannick Bisson) accepted a trip to the Cabrio Resort on an island off the coast of Southern California from Gordon (George Segal). Mick (Rick Springfield) questions Joey’s decision. When the Brothers Barrett arrive they can’t help but notice the Cabrio Resort looks NOTHING like the brochure and then the Brothers Barrett then realize they are stuck there for the entire weekend. Something told me, things were only going to get worse before they got better and I wanted to see how all unfolded. 1/1
#2. Did we get some dirt bike action?
In order to get to Gordon’s bungalow on the island, Mick and Joey rent some dirt bikes… I was instantly hoping that these dirt bikes were going to play more of a part than just getting the brothers from Point A to Point B.
When they arrive at Gordon’s bungalow… much like everything else, it was not as advertised. Mick decides he’s going to go for a ride and that’s when he and Joey discover a marijuana crop that is being grown on Gordon’s land. Mick rides back into town to call Gordon and inform him of this discovery. Joey stays behind and does an inventory so they can properly report this discovery to the authorities and ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time. First Joey has to deal with the “farmers” and then two guys with guns, who capture him, tie him up and put him in the back of their pick up truck… a truck that drives by the bar that Mick went to to make his phone call to Gordon. Mick spots a captive Joey, hops on his dirt bike and gives chase. When Mick catches up with the guys who took Joey captive, he mixes it up with them until he finds out that they are the local law enforcement.
Later in the episode, Joey and Mick infiltrate a dirt bike group that they believe is responsible for the cash crop on the island. As an initiation to get into the group, Joey is challenged to jump two vans and a car like he was Evil Knievel or Dusty Russell. It turns out that this dirt bike group is actually federal agents, so once again Mick and Joey are no closer to finding out who is growing marijuana on Gordon’s land. 2/2
#3. Were there any notable guest stars?
There were sadly no notable guest stars on this episode of High Tide. 2/3
#4. Did the episode embrace the theme?
Much like I was compelled to put “Cash Crop” to The Checklist test on today of all days, the writers must have felt compelled to work in some marijuana references in this episode… like when Joey says “up in smoke” a nod to the 1978 stoner comedy, Up in Smoke, starring Cheech and Chong.
Or later in the episode when Mick does a little brotherly ball busting after Joey manages to catch the criminals responsible for the cannabis farm on Gordon’s property and Mick quips, “It takes a dope to catch the dope.” 3/4
#5. Was the sibling rivalry between Mick and Joey on display?
Joey’s big catch did not go unnoticed, a pair of attractive young ladies compliment him on his bravery and invite him to meet up later… but the ladies have no interest in Mick, something Joey is not about to let lie, so Mick does what any older brother would do, he pushes Joey right into the drink. 4/5
- Final Score = 4/5 (80%) “Cash Crop” was a fun episode with multiple red herrings as to who the actual “bad guys” were. The heart and soul of the series is the chemistry between Rick Springfield and Yannick Bisson and there’s plenty of that to go around in “Cash Crop”
