Hi. I'm Sonny, and I'm looking for a lady with a good sense of humor and a lot of style.
I like fast cars, and I like movies,
and, uh, I like partying and staying out late at night.
In fact, I guess you could say I'm just a fun-lovin' sort of a guy.
But when I get home at night, I like being with a lady that I really like.
That's important to me.
Oh, which reminds me, l— I live on a boat.
I got a picture of it right here. Real nice boat.
This here's my pet alligator, Elvis, but don't worry about him.
He's friendly enough, uh, once you get to know him, or once he gets to know you.
[Chuckles] Well, let's see. What else?
Uh, I don't smoke, but I don't really mind if someone else does.
Um, I keep in shape by playing racquetball when I get a chance.
And, um, I'm making good money right now.
And I live right here in good old Miami, Florida.
So if you're lookin' for some fun in the sun, give me a call.
Sonny Burnett, 5423.
Here you go.
"Six dates guaranteed." Not bad.
When do I clear my calendar for all the, uh, 10s and 11 s you got in this brochure here?
[Man] Take it easy, stud. You'll get plenty.
We'll have you on the show reel first thing in the morning.
And keep your answering machine on. I got a first-rate clientele here.
Yeah, well just make sure they've had all their shots.
[Laughs] Don't worry. In a week you'll be a wreck.
Oh, my God. I don't believe this. This the apartment?
Who found him? The maid.
Okay, ma'am, stay back. They didn't just kill him. They cut off—
[Tape Rewinding]
[Man On Tape] Hi. My name's Raymond Dineus.
[Chuckles] That's right.
The same Dineus as in the famed mink farms.
And I'm looking for a woman—
[Rewinding]
[Rewinding Continues]
Mike Duval. And I've, uh— [Chuckles]
I've never been to-to one of these, uh— these services before.
Um, well, to be truthful with you, m-my wife and I just split up,
so I'm on my own now.
And, uh, well, my number is 5479,
and, uh, I'd love to hear from you.
[Rewinding]
So I'm on my own now.
I'm on my own now.
I'm on my own—
It's 9:00, Cait! Why didn't you wake me up?
You didn't go to sleep till 2:00.
Yeah, and whose fault was that?
I never sleep this late. You got an easy day of it. You said so yourself.
[Chuckles] Oh. It's the night I'm worried about.
[Laughs] Come on, Cait. I'm just doing my job.
Yeah, sure.
I thought I'd be competing with a bunch of criminals,
not sex-starved women in a video-dating club.
You can't really be worried about a bunch of hookers on cassette?
They're not all prostitutes. You said so yourself.
You think hookers on a video-dating service is my idea of a hot date?
Maybe I'll sign up myself.
Now there's an idea. [Laughs]
It's strictly business, darling. Oh, sure.
And when Robert Plant calls me to go down to the Bahamas to record,
that'll be strictly business too.
It's undercover work, honey, not under the covers.
Besides, after what you did to me last night,
where would I find the time or the energy to be with anyone else, hmm?
Mmm. Oh, I'm late.
I gotta run. I'll see you tonight. Mmm. Promises, promises.
Sonny, lieutenant wants to see you.
Bet he does. Probably heard I'm not using my game tickets on Sunday.
What's going on? Hugh Crowley, age 26.
His father's chairman of Dade Savings. Well, somebody's not too fond of male genitalia.
The kid had no known enemies, no drugs, no O.C. Connections and no signs of robbery.
Homicide passed it to us. Show him the card.
He was a fellow club member of yours.
Oh, there's only 5,000 of us. 4,999.
I figure if we break 'em up and each of us take a thousand,
we should have all the members by turn of the century.
It may have a tie with a hooker that works the club.
They found face powder on his shirt.
Could be a pimp.
The chop job was done by some kind of knife.
Gina, Trudy, work the prostitution detail.
See if any stables are run by pimps who like to cut.
Sonny, you and Tubbs question the pimps.
Swi, I need you to give me the D.A. I need a warrant.
I need all the, uh, dating club files.
The m.o. Is right in front of you. Check it out good.
[Rock]
You could do real well here, hon. Yeah, you think so?
Yeah, so long as you giveJimmy his 20%.
Yeah, well, I guess it beats workin' the streets, huh?
[Laughs] Anything beats the stroll.
I even take credit cards.
No kiddin'. Yeah.
Hey, baby. How you doin'?
Say, Terry, you hear anything about those, um, video-dating services?
Yeah. That's real hot right now.
Yeah? How's it work? Well, you justjoin the club, right?
You pay your dues like everybody else.
You lay down this little rap on the videotape with your outcall number. Ma Bell takes care of the rest.
And your man gets the same percentage?
I don't have no man.
Since when?
Since he cut me. Here.
Whose stable were you in, honey?
Choo-Choo's.
Yes, sirree.
This Choo-Choo Walker is not a nice person.
Yeah, he's good for—
He's got four priors, three assaults and one attempted homicide, all with knives.
He live on? The sixth floor—
- Choo-Choo, baby. Did we catch you at a bad time? - [Grunts]
Come on. Damn it, I hate this.
[Shouting]
Get off of there! I'm too old for this kind of crap.
Hey, what the hell's going on here, man?
You been carving your initials in people again, babe?
Carving? Are you crazy? I just got back in town, man. I was visiting my mother.
Oh, your mother.
Tubbs, why don't you grab Switek and check out the club,
and I'll take "Choo-Choo the Ripper" in. Oh, man.
No problem. And call his mom. Come on.
What you been doing, man? You been eating your Wheaties?
[Man Singing]
Afternoon, gentlemen. Business or pleasure?
One of your members was murdered last night.
We'd like to know how this place works.
You make a tape.
If somebody wants to meet you, they put their membership number in your box.
You look at their tape, you wanna meet them— You like, they like, everybody likes.
Everything's copacetic. You make a little boom-boom. It's all legal.
Well, we'd like to take a little look-see at your, uh, tapes and résumés.
Oh, no, no, no. My files are strictly confidential.
I'm like a— a priest at confession when it comes to my stuff.
Well, let me tell you something, "Father." This is a warrant.
So unless you wanna be saying mass in county lockup,
I suggest that you turn over the tapes.
[Clicks Tongue] I hope you brought a truck.
[Phone Rings]
Video Dating Exclusive.
You Tubbs?
This is Tubbs. [Crockett] Choo-Choo walked, but it don't matter.
While he was bein' booked, we got another one. Where?
Fourth and Ocean. I'll be right there.
I'll handle it.
Uh, how big a truck?
[Seagulls Squawking]
[Tubbs] I think we got another one.
His name is Michael Duval, 33, an architect.
Recently divorced. Now recently dead.
Same cut? Yeah, same m.o.
I think this might be some kind of ritual thing.
Nothing black magic about this.
It's the identical m.o.
It's gotta be this video-dating club.
He even looks like the other guy.
Yeah. Or for that matter, he even looks like you. So what's that supposed to mean?
It means we're dealing with a serial killer.
Brilliant. Who the hell are you?
Sam Russell, F.B.I., Center for Violent Crime.
I've been tracking this twisto for a year now.
Four in Dallas, three in Denver.
Always a tempered steel hunting knife.
Uses the video clubs to select his victims.
You guys got a bloodbath on your hands.
When I first see a woman, you know what I look at?
Is it the legs? The chest?
[Chuckles] The small of her back?
No, no. I look at the eyes.
A woman's eyes can tell you a thousand stories about her.
Does she dig "Mantiovani"or Manilow?
Is she high for Club Med Guadeloupe or Club Med Martinique?
The name's Tony Mason, number 2673.
Call me.
No, no. I look at the eyes.
[Rewinding] I look at the eyes.
The eyes.
Obviously the killer is sitting on a volcano of sexual anger. This is not atypical.
But what makes this one different from most serials is that he's very methodical.
Each of the killings has been planned with considerable forethought.
You say "he." "He," "she"— I don't know. We don't know.
What we do know is that he's using the video club to select his victims.
Could be a woman. It could be a man.
This couldn't be some wacko ex-boyfriend following this woman around and then killing off her dates?
[Chuckles] It could be.
Or it could be some religious fanatic who doesn't like promiscuity.
[Clears Throat] And if you were a betting man?
I'm not. I deal in multiple profile analysis.
These.
These guys all kind of look alike.
Well, it may be unconscious on the killer's part,
but there is definitely a physical similarity— not unlike you, Crockett.
There's no question about it. You're our bait.
[Sighs]
Somethin' wrong? You've hardly said a word all evenin'.
What? I said,
"Who is this strange man in my life, and why won't he talk to me?"
[Chuckles] Oh. I'm sorry, honey.
I've, uh, been thinking about a lot of work stuff.
Want to tell me about it? No, no, no. No, I'd rather not.
Is it the dating assignment?
[Sighs] Caity.
Honey, if I, uh, bring this stuff home, it's just gonna upset you. I know it will.
Already is at home. You're worried. I can see that.
All right, I'm a little preoccupied, but that doesn't mean that you have to be.
We had an agreement, remember?
We said we would share our feelings.
Caity, you're overreacting. Oh, pardon me.
You go runnin' out of here like some half-cocked organ donor, and I'm overreacting?
Okay. Then you're interfering.
I'm going back to work.
Sonny. [Door Closes]
[Man Singing]
[Continues]
[Rings] Tubbs.
[Crockett] Rico, it's me. You all right, man?
Yeah, yeah. Little marital spat. Nothin' serious.
Any calls come in? Yeah, one.
Forty-five-year-old schoolteacher from, uh, Topeka, Kansas was visiting her mother.
[Laughs]
Sounds like I'm in for some major ego damage here.
Yeah. Hold a second.
What?
They got another one. 78th Avenue, Southwest 127 th Street.
I heard. I'm on my way.
[Engine Revving]
I asked him somethin' about his work. Somethin' he didn't wanna tell me.
I could see that it was botherin' him.
I just don't know. I don't wanna be left out.
And? Nothin'. He put up a wall.
I don't know what's goin' on. Sonny's a cop.
He's got things he doesn't want you to know.
I warned you, but you're in it now, girlfriend.
And if I were you, I wouldn't press him.
I'm so just worried about him, Angie.
Honey, you better learn to suffer silently, because you're gonna become a expert.
[Police Radio, Indistinct]
Tony Mason. Ex-running back for Tampa Bay.
He's been out of work the past six months. Last job was at Chippendales waiting on tables.
The same kind of mutilations.
And also another member of Exclusive Video.
When did he make the tape? About a year ago, when he was still playing ball.
So there's no pattern as to when the victims joined.
Just that they're all 5'11 ", about 185,
blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin.
And I used to envy guys who looked like you.
What the hell do you want me to do about it?
I'm on the damn tape. Maybe I should date all the members in the club.
I'll start at "A", work my way through the alphabet.
Maybe I can get my wife to join in. We'll do some threesomes.
What the hell did I say?
[Rings]
[Answering Machine] This is Burnett. When you hear the beep, tell me somethin' I don't already know.
[Beeps] Hi, Sonny. Yeah, this is Carol.
I saw your video, and I think you're very attractive.
[Sighs] But you're not home. Pity, be—
Hello. Oh, you're there.
Popular guy, screening his calls.
No, no. Uh, actually, I was just catchin' up on a little bit of work.
Well, busy boy,
are you too tired to meet a tall brunette with a great body and blue eyes?
No. You name it.
How's Foxy Boxer's in an hour?
You got it. Don't keep me waiting.
[Line Clicks]
[Whistle Blows] [Chattering]
[Rock And Roll]
[Man Singing]
I like men like you—
strong, vulnerable.
I saw that the first time I saw you.
I said to myself, "That's my kind of man."
[Chuckles] Is that right?
I'm always right. [Whistle Blows]
[Continues]
Know what I said to myself when I saw you walk in here tonight?
- Tell me. - Electric.
Electric?
Some relationships are chemical.
This one is electric.
[Cheering] Well, I'll try not to shock you.
[Chuckles] No, go ahead. Break my circuits.
Would you like to get out of here?
Go to my place?
Never crossed my mind.
Get the check.
I'll be right back.
[Ends]
What happened? Did you fall asleep up there?
I'll be right down. Have some more champagne.
Ta-da.
Uh, aren't you forgetting something?
What? Your whip.
[Chuckles] Sit down.
Close your eyes.
I have a surprise for you.
Are they closed?
Keep them closed.
Keep them closed tight.
Are you ready?
Drop it! What?
God! [Buzzing]
What are you, some kind of a maniac?
[Gasps]
Uh—
[Laughing] Maybe you should send her roses.
Hell, I'll be lucky if I'm not sued.
I can see the headlines now—
"Undercover cop slugs innocent woman after assault with sex toy." [Chuckles]
What if it wasn't a vibrator? What if it had been a knife?
Well, then the killer would be in lockup, and, uh, the case would be closed.
And you might be in hospital.
Are we gonna have another one of these conversations about life with a cop?
[Sighs] 'Cause if we are, why don't I just leave now and save us the trouble?
I'm sorry.
Bein' married to a cop is just—
Just what?
Just different from what I expected.
Well, bein' married to a Grammy winner isn't exactly on my dance card either.
But you know what? What?
We're gonna make it work.
You can bet on that.
Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you.
Uh, Switek's gonna come over later and, uh, put another phone in.
For what? Make it easier for the dating club to get ahold of me.
Oh, that's just great.
First you didn't want to bring your work home, now you're bringin'it to the bedroom.
What am I gonna tell them when you're out?
"Leave your number. He'll meet you later. Sharpen your knife"?
[Rewinding]
...this rough exterior lies a heart of gold.
[Chuckles] But you don't know that.
I mean,
I could be a mean-tempered drunk who never changes his socks.
So let me say this.
I'll always keep a place in my heart for a woman loving and smart.
So if you're this lady of warmth and wit, give me a call, babe. I might be it.
[Laughs] Jeff Lewis, number 4107—
Give me a call, babe. I might be it.
Be it. Be it.
What about the hookers? Six, all clean. Gina's checking to see if we missed any.
Hookers or not, we still don't know if she's working alone.
All of Russell's experience indicates it's one person.
We're gonna go over the tapes and the résumés again.
Tubbs and Trudy, you take the tapes. Crockett and Switek, you take the résumés.
Stay on the prostitution check.
The mayor's office wants to close down the service. We could lose her.
Caity, I'm home.
What's in that?
Tapes and résumés from Video Dating Exclusive.
Wanted: Man or woman.
Must be psychologically unstable and able to handle a knife.
So much for the concert.
There'll be other concerts.
God, I had no idea there were so many lonely people in the world.
That's why when you find the right one,
you appreciate them all the more.
[Chuckles]
Maybe that's why I'm so worried about you.
[Rings]
[Answering Machine] Hello. This is Sonny. Don't disappoint me. Leave a message.
[Beeps] Hi, Sonny. This is Tracy Mitchell.
I saw your video, and I think you might like me.
So if you—
Tracy? Yeah, this is Sonny.
Uh-huh. [Laughs]
Well, the fact is, I'm not really doing anything right now, Tracy.
Yeah, Club Nú's great. Uh, say about, uh, 9:30.
Okay. I'll see you there.
[Tapping Keys]
Rico. Yeah, this is Sonny.
Listen, check out a girl by the name ofTracy Mitchell.
Yeah, I'm meetin' her at a bar in about, uh— about a half hour.
All right, I'll call you from there. All right, great. Bye-bye.
Are you good at racquetball? I bet you are.
Ah, well, I don't get much time for racquetball.
I like to play, but I'm a little busy with my investments.
I play every day. That's why I joined the health club.
Feel my muscle.
Damn. That's a pretty fine muscle there, Tracy.
Do you like athletic women?
Yeah, I sure do. I'm a real outdoors type.
I like doing lots of things outdoors. Swimming, playing tennis—
lots of things.
You wanna take me home?
Yeah. Let me just make one call, check in with my business partner.
Hi. How you doing tonight? Good evening.
Two. The name is Lewis. Rico.
Mr. Lewis, follow me. What'd you find out about this Tracy Mitchell?
Yeah, well, this one's plenty nice, all right.
She could also go a couple of rounds with Marvin Hagler.
Hmm. Russell wants to say something to you.
Okay. Don't push this thing by being overanxious.
I got you.
And we'll have a Pouilly-Fuissé that I think you'll like.
Do you really have a pet alligator?
It's all true, Tracy. Every word of it.
I'm not the first date type, Sonny.
I like you a lot though.
You do? Well, thanks.
Could I come see your boat sometime?
Sure. Why not?
I'm not working tomorrow. Could we go sailing? Yeah.
Come by anytime.
Good, I will.
I love to surprise people.
[Sighs]
[Footsteps Approaching]
[Gasps]
My God, Sonny. What's this case done to you?
Oh, Caity. Oh, Caity.
Oh, God. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, baby.
[Tubbs] Same story. I guess the one last night wasn't the one.
She's stepping up her pace. Well, guys, we caught a break this time.
Club Nú. This guy had dinner there last night.
That's where I was. Who is he?
Jeff Lewis. He's a local TV producer.
Hi. I'm Sonny, and I'm looking for a lady with a good sense ofhumor and a lot of style.
I like fast cars, and I like movies,
and, uh, I like partying and staying out late at night.
In fact, I guess you could say I'm just a fun-lovin' sort of a guy.
But when I get home at night, I like being with a lady that I really like.
That's important to me.
Um, I keep in shape by playing racquetball when I get a chance.
And, um, I'm making good money right now.
And I live right here in good old Miami, Florida.
So if you're lookin' for some fun in the sun, give me a call.
Sonny Burnett, 5423.
[Phone Rings]
[Answering Machine] Hi, this is Sonny Burnett.
I'm out at the moment, but if you leave your name and number—
Hello? Oh, hi. Sonny?
Yeah, hi.
My name is Lois Blyth, and I'm a member of Video Dating Exclusive,
and I saw your tape.
- Am I catching you at a bad time? - No, no, no. Not at all.
Well, I don't know if you've seen my tape yet or not,
but I was wondering if we could meet for a drink.
I have a better idea. How about dinner? Tonight?
- You know, uh, Club Nú? - Very well.
I'll be there at 9:00.
Okay.
[Handset Settles In Cradle]
Like everybody else who's been living in big cities,
there's always the difficulty of meeting people.
Lois Blyth, Columbia Apartments, 52 West 19th.
Signed up with Video Dating Exclusive November 3,
one week before the killings started.
Dallas phone book lists an L. Blyth, but it was disconnected last September.
One day after the killings stopped.
She doesn't look like a nutcase.
You think you know what one looks like?
I've been doing this for 10 years.
Believe me, there are no giveaway traits.
Play out the hand.
Just take your time.
This one was here last night.
You sure? She ain't so easy to forget, man.
I just can't tell you for sure if she was with him or not.
I don't have a choice.
If I break the date, she's bound to call somebody else.
Can't you arrest her on suspicion?
Not without evidence. You know that.
And what am I supposed to do?
Wait for a guy dressed in blue to come by and tell me what a good cop you were?
Gina'll be by in a little while.
I gotta stay on the boat tonight.
[Kisses]
I feel the same way. Unabashed self-promotion, it's just not my style.
And all this business about, "Hi, I'm Lois. Date me, please, please."
[Laughs]
I just never thought I'll end up in a video-dating service.
[Chuckles] Me either.
But I gotta tell you, in the long run, lfigure it beats the hell out of supermarket come-ons.
Yeah, I know what you mean.
I'd rather die, darling, than hear another double entendre vegetable line.
You ought to hear the frozen food lines.
[Laughs]
I have an early voice lessons in the morning,
but I would like to invite you for a nightcap.
[Chuckles] Well, twist my arm.
You wanted it neat, yeah? Yeah, that's perfect.
So, you're studying to be a singer, huh?
I already was. I'm just trying to get back into it.
Who's that? A boyfriend?
Nah, that's my brother, Danny.
He's around someplace. We share the apartment.
You two look alike.
Strong gene pool.
Would you excuse me? I'll be right back.
[Door Closes]
[Shower Running]
You know, I really should get some sleep.
Yeah, me too.
Ahh. Thanks for the drink.
Is there any chance of us doing this again?
Well, you have my number.
Good. I'll use it. [Chuckles]
Good night.
[Door Opens, Closes]
[Dog Barking]
[Crockett] Yeah? [Sobbing] Sonny? It's Lois.
Please, please, you've got to help me.
I didn't want to call. L-l— I don't know what's happening to me.
All right, just calm down now. Tell me what's wrong.
It's Danny. What? What is it?
I think my brother's been killing people, men I go out with.
He's-He's jealous of them.
Stay right there, and I'll be right over. No, no. Uh, I can't. I can't. L-l—
I have to get out of here. I don't want to see him.
All right. Can you make your way over to the marina?
Yeah. I'll get there.
Thanks, Sonny. All right.
[Line Clicks]
[Lois Sobbing]
Lois. Oh.
Oh, thank you, Sonny. [Sniffles]
Oh. Talk to me.
Oh.
Oh, Sonny, I found some newspaper clippings in his room.
[Sighs] Oh, who am I kidding? I knew it.
Even when he was a little boy,
he was so possessive of me.
And when we were teenagers,
he used to come into my bed.
I couldn't stop him.
And then he came to live with me in New York.
And, um,
he said things will be different.
That he would never touch me again.
I have dates—
you know, men I went out with—
[Sighs]
And they'll never call back again.
And I thought it was all because of me.
Oh, Sonny, I don't know what to do.
Should l— Should I call the police?
I'm so scared.
You're gonna be all right. I'm so scared.
You're gonna be okay. [Sobbing Continues]
Oh. I must look like a mess. [Sniffles]
Could I use your bathroom?
Sure. It's right in there.
[Phone Ringing]
Yeah. [Tubbs] Listen, Sonny. Is-Is Lois there?
Listen, Rico, we need to put a stakeout on the Columbia Apartments, and an A.P.B. On Danny Blyth—
That's Lois's brother.
Hey, listen, Sonny, don't hang up, man.
[Static] Sonny?
[Tubbs, Indistinct] Rico, I can't hear you.
Hello? Hello?
Rico, come on. You're breakin' up. I can't hear you.
Rico? Rico. Hello?
Sonny?
Sonny!
I can't hear— Rico?
- Rico! - Sonny, there is no brother!
What?
- [Grunts] - Sonny!
Sonny!
[Gunshot] [Grunts]
[Pop]
[Sighs] Thanks, darlin'.
Hell of a way to rack up some days off, Crockett. [Laughs]
Mmm.
[Man On Radio] Caitlin Davies's new smash jumps two this week to number five.
Two slots? Not bad for a washed-up has-been, huh?
Come here, you. [Pop]
Oh. Nothin' dangerous, remember?
Damn. Hell of a way to get to spend some time with my wife.
Uh, maybe not so much.
I gotta go to L.A.
What? Well, I gotta press the flesh to move the vinyl.
I don't know that I like you pressing anyone's flesh but mine.
[Laughs] [Singing]