Off the Air
Episode 4.31 (159)
September 09, 1997
Written by David Marsh
Directed by Peter Sharp
When Nick stumbles onto the 3SD van broadcasting from the centre of Mt Thomas, the station is thrown into chaos. The disc jockey, Rod Wright, is discussing an apparent crime wave that is sweeping the town, a crime wave that as far as the Heelers are concerned has no real basis. That is until Vi Chisholm is knocked over and her bag is stolen and Greg Anderson reports that his hardware shop has been damaged. Adam is sent to investigate the disturbance at Anderson's Hardware while Maggie and Dash bring Vi Chisholm in to ask her a few questions. Upon investigating the Hardware store Adam discovers that the damage only amounts to the dislodgement of a rack of keys, the perpetrator allegedly Zac Taylor, a recently fired employee. Dean, Greg Anderson's son, claims that Zac was fired because he never did his job properly and that he had threatened to harm Greg after being fired. Deciding to question Zac himself, Adam finds him washing car windscreens at a stop sign, and brings him into the station for questioning.
Meanwhile, Maggie and PJ are having trouble comprehending Vi's description of her assailant. Then Rob Wright sweeps Vi out of the station and into his van to do a live-to-air interview about the attack. Listening to the program the Heelers find that Vi's memory seems to have mysteriously come back as she describes exactly what the assailant was wearing. The clothes description just happens to fit Zac Taylor's, who is just leaving the station, and PJ is forced to haul Zac back into the station, where he denies having had any involvement in the bag snatching incident. In fact he claims he was talking to Chris, inquiring for work, at the Imperial at the time of the robbery.
Rod Wright continues to broadcast on the Mt. Thomas crime wave, going so far as to call the police incompetent. Tom calls the station to try and straighten out the situation, but ends up abusing Rod on air — a situation that Inspector Falcon-Price finds extremely unsatisfactory.
Next, Maggie and PJ are called to a robbery at Vi Chisholm's home. The perpetrator used the key's in the stolen handbag to enter the house and all fingers point at Zac. The charges against the boy begin to increase as Vi collapses from a stroke as a result of the shock. PJ receives information via Rob Wright's radio station that the perpetrator was riding a black and white bike, one identical to Zac's. On finding the bike and Vi's handbag in a nearby dam PJ, brings Zac in for more questioning. Zac claims that his bike was stolen, but PJ is sure that he is the guilty party. Things start to look even grimmer for Zac when it is announced that Vi Chisholm has died in hospital.
Merv Poole unwittingly comes to Zac's rescue when he reveals that Zac was washing his windscreen at the time of the robbery. PJ and Maggie begin looking for clues and discover that Dean Anderson may have had a part to play in the robberies. Will they be able to discover the real mastermind behind the robberies?
Guest Starring: Alan Dale as Rod Wright, Dan Spielman as Zac Taylor, Steven Gates as Dean Anderson, Trevor Kilgour as Greg Anderson, Peter Aanensen as Merv Poole, Vanessa Ready as Vi Chisholm, Lidia Faranda as Car Owner, Axl Taylor as Barman Len, Marie Trevor as Leila Clegg, Louise Watson as Judy Wright, George Ginis as Con, Cecilia Opie as Bystander
(encoded with Handbrake - Blue Heelers - from Complete Fifth Season DVD - the early years)
Duration: approximately 45 minutes
Aspect ratio: 4:3 standard
Audio: linear hi-fi/stereo
Size: 442MB
Video format: MPEG-4 (MP4)
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