Starsky and Hutch blow a Federal stake-out in order to intervene and stop violent rapist Jojo Forentic from committing his latest attack. But after they apprehend the attacker, who sprays his victims with orange paint, the duo find themselves struggling in an up-hill battle trying to get Forentic put away.

On the day of trial of Simon Marcus, a murderous cult leader that Starsky and Hutch arrested, Starsky is snatched away by the cult leader's followers just before judgement is passed.

When they blow the capture of a wanted felon, Starsky and Hutch each blame the other, and lay down a bet to see whether or not Hutch can successfully elude Starsky for a whole weekend. But the exercise in hide-and-seek becomes more than just a game when Starsky realises that Hutch has unknowingly eaten contaminated soup, and could die from the potentially lethal botulism poisoning. It's a race against time as Starsky struggles to locate Hutch to warn him, but Hutch, unawares to the poisoning, assumes it's all part of Starsky's attempts to draw him out, and dons a number of disguises in order to stay one step ahead...