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.

Investigating a series of immaculately executed murders, the case leads Hutch back to school as a college student, to get the low-down on a brilliant college professor who teaches a senior student course on the ""philosophy of crime"" and specialises in murder...

A serial killing seaman, who preys on prostitutes, is badly shot during his latest attack. Wounded and on the run, he resorts to holding Hutch's friend and her wheelchair-bound mother hostage in their home. Hutch poses as a paramedic to get inside the house as he and Starsky try to apprehend the desperate killer and safely free the hostages...

The detectives are called when a witness is found dead before he can testify against a notorious racketeer. Hutch begins to suspect that his girfriend's brother may be involved.

As Starsky lies in a hospital bed at death's door, Hutch goes after the powerful man who tried to have him killed