"Did you see a guy in a red suit? What? A red suit? Huh what? Did he have a sleigh and eight tiny reindeer!"I like this story about the importance of heroes and role models to people. Ralph finally having enough and hanging up the suit because he's worried about injuring people is an important piece of character development, especially when he realises that he's being trusted to fulfill a special role and he just has to try to do his best - that he isn't all powerful and infallible. Bill realising that no matter how high you elevate your hero, they're still human and can still make mistakes. In some ways, Bill is more of a hero for not selling out and sticking to his principles. The effects are pretty good in this one, with just one flying scene that looks a bit suspect - Ralph looks like he's been squashed for some reason??
Episode Synopsis:
Ralph and Bill pursue a pair of criminals who have just committed a robbery. Bill guide Ralph across town with his communicator. Ralph crashes into a tree next to a Highway Patrol officer. He asks the officer for help, but the officer just calls out for a psychiatric ambulance. Crashing down again further across town, Ralph flops onto the bonnet of a police cruiser, but he still can't get any assistance from the police. Finally, he captures the fleeing bad guys and stops their car. The car blocks the road, and a tourist bus swerves to avoid the car, and almost goes over a cliff. Luckily Ralph is able to stop the bus and tow it back onto the road. The bad guys escape again with Bill in hot pursuit. Bill captures them as Ralph slams into yet another tree. Ralph is really upset that he almost killed a bus load of tourists. Bill tells him not to blow it out of proportion.
Bill meets up with his old army platoon leader, Tracy, to play pool. Bill tells Tracy about his latest bust. But Tracy is ambivalent - they're just going to be released soon anyway. Tracy is a cop, and he's had enough of a justice system that doesn't work properly. Tracy has had enough and he's getting out of the police force. Tracy tells Bill about his plan to shake down a diamond smuggler, steal his diamonds, sell them, and retire with the money. Bill thinks its a joke, and doesn't take him seriously, but secretly he's shocked that his idol has gone corrupt.
Meanwhile Ralph is having a crisis of conscience over the suit. He puts the suit back in its box and puts it away in the closet. Pam and Kevin are playing chess. Ralph asks them if they want to go to the movies, but Kevin would like to go see the Lone Ranger. Ralph is excited to go to see the Lone Ranger too - he was his childhood idol.
Bill is brooding about his conversation with Tracy. Tracy phones Bill and makes out he had been drinking too much and was just fantasizing. Bill is more certain than ever now that Tracy has gone bad. Tracy realises he's made a mistake in trusting Bill with his plans.
At the shopping mall, Ralph, Pam and Kevin watch the Lone Ranger. Ralph listens to his stories while still agonising over what to do about the suit. Ralph eventually tells Pam about it. Pam thinks that the aliens had their reasons for giving Ralph the suit, and that they must have some confidence that he will do the right thing with it. Kevin brings the Lone Ranger to meet Ralph, and gives him a signed picture.
Tracy's group tell him that the diamond smugglers have arrived in town. Tracy tells them that he made a mistake trusting Bill, and that he doesn't want him hurt if he gets in the way.
Bill comes over to ask Ralph for help with his Tracy problem. Ralph tells Bill that he won't use the suit for awhile. Bill asks Ralph to just bring it along - he doesn' t even have to wear it. Ralph is still reluctant. Ralph tells Bill that he thinks he relies on the suit too much and he's getting lazy.
Bill badges one of Tracy's co-conspirators to access Tracy's office records on the diamond smugglers. The officer tries to stop Bill from getting the records, but Bill takes them anyway. The bad cops move their plan schedule forward. They abduct the smuggler as Bill and Ralph arrive. Bill pressures Ralph into putting the suit on. Ralph chases after the fleeing car, but accidentally becomes entangled with an elderly lady on a bus stop.
This latest failure makes Ralph more determined to stop using the suit. He refuses to put the suit on - Bill says it'll wreck Ralph if he lets this beat him. Bill thinks Ralph is being a jerk for not using the suit, but Pam agrees they need to let Ralph have his space. Tracy comes to Bill's apartment to dress him down for taking his records. Tracy denies that he was going to rip off the diamond smuggler and makes Bill doubt his own hunch. Ralph and Pam leave Bill to his thoughts.
Ralph goes back to see the Lone Ranger again for advice. They talk about heroes and justice, and it helps Ralph to make up his mind. Ralph goes home and takes the suit back out of the closet. At Bill's place, Ralph is full of enthusiasm and ready to try again, even though the suit is screwing up his life. Bill is really hung over, and not interested in listening to Ralph's tirade about heroes. Pam and Ralph think Bill is right about Tracy and that he is going to rip off the diamond smugglers. They renew Bill's interest, and start to repursue Tracy.
Bill cooks up a scenario, and sends Ralph up onto the smugglers building to snoop. Bill manages to start an argument with Pam in the car. Tracy and his team prepare to ambush the smugglers for the diamond drop-off. Ralph careens uncontrollably down the road pursuing the smugglers car. He manages to destroy a series of television antennas on building roofs on the way. The smugglers arrive at a residence and the diamond exchange begins. Tracy's group arrive and take the diamonds.
Ralph crashes in the backyard, and calls Bill to let him know where to go. Ralph ties all the bad guys to the clothesline behind the house. Bill stops Tracy in the front yard. Bill punches out Tracy and demands some answers - Tracy says its Bills fault that he put him up on a pedestal. The cops arrive to arrest all the bad guys.
Ralph takes his class to meet the Lone Ranger. The class like the Ranger and the idea of heroism, but Tony points out that if you tried that today you'd wind up in the nuthouse. Ralph agrees. Our two heroes drive away their separate directions.
