79: Triangle (5.05)

1981; 47 minutes
Written by Andrew Schneider; Produced by Jill Sherman
Directed by Michael Vejar

Working for the Jordan lumberjack company David has met and fell in love with a prospering young woman who's achieved an MBA and wondering what to do next with her life, other than spend it with the traveller who has a past still enshrouded in some degree of mystery of course.  Mr Jordan himself, however, appears to be cursed with infatuation for the woman, and because he's not entirely happy with her hooking up with a 'drifter', he arranges to have David run out of the town.

Aside from an excess of smooching and romanticism, Triangle is quite a good story with a number of ensuing complications arising out of the relationship between David and his new-found love (an attractive presence in the shape of Andrea Marcovicci, whose most interesting moment of fame in my opinion came with her role in the tongue-in-cheek horror movie The Stuff).  Some fun bit parts also help to raise this a smidgen above the standard of season five, namely in the ever-enjoyable Charles Napier, Mickey Jones (Ricky himself), and the besotted Jordan played by Peter Mark Richman.  Unusually, this particular tale culminates in a twist.

Number of Fists: ***½

78: Sanctuary (5.04)

1981; 47 minutes
Written by Deborah Davis; Produced by Jill Sherman
Directed by Chuck Bowman

After a young man being smuggled across the border is shot by one of his captors he escapes to a nun-owned santuary where David is working as a helping hand.  The criminals attempt to get the man back so the nuns ask David to impersonate an absent priest in order to give their presence a bit more authority.

David certainly wanders off the beaten track during his adventures!  The titular domain is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, the location making for an attractive setting.  David's turn as a priest is not entirely convincing but it does give way to an interesting story development for a while (and you know that the tree they cannot uproot early on is going to find its way out of the ground one way or another in this episode...).  Hulk's angry first appearance momentarily almost reminds of the raging creature that he was supposed to be, however, overall this episode continues the mundane but watchable trend of season five.

Number of Fists: ***