"Javelin Catcher"

Facts ---

"Javelin Catcher" is the 5th episode of the first season of ''Nash Bridges. It was first released on 4/19/1996, produced by Jed Seibel and directed by Colin Bucksey.''

Plot --

An anti-tank weapon is stolen from Fort Pacifica and ends up in the hands of a succession of young criminals and hustlers. A gang member uses the big gun to literally blow away a rival. A group of would-be youthful robbers blow an armored car to smithereens - they fear the destructive potential of the weapon and dump the gun.

Nash and Captain Sandra McCormick track the anti-weapon to its true buyer, a wannabe gangster named Vincenzo Diamond. Meanwhile, Evan Cortez and Harvey Leek work another case of a series of male prostitute hate crimes. The two cases intersect when Diamond attempts to pick up transsexual prostitutes. With the help of Simone Dubois (played by RuPaul), a representative of Transsexual Sex Workers, Evan goes undercover in drag as a transexual hooker and arrests Diamond. Evan and Harvey unknowingly release Diamond before Nash gets to question Diamond. The weapon is picked up by a homeless man and sold to informant/hair salon owner Big Barry. Barry sells the weapon to Diamond. Diamond intends to use the gun to blow up the biggest gangster in San Francisco, Nick Vovokis, because Vovokis has slighted Diamond in the past. Nash intercedes and Diamond misses the yacht that Vovokis is cruising in.

After work, Evan comes home to his girlfriend still in drag, and rather than finding it awkward to explain his dress, Evan discovers his girlfriend is turned on by men in drag. Nash is attracted to Captain Sandra McCormick, but alas she was just using the hunky boy toy and is about to move to another port of call.*

Trivia -- This is the first, but not nearly the last, episode of Nash Bridges to feature transsexuals, before it became a common topic.


 * Credit to the plot summary goes directly to lowtek.com, an excellent TV guide