Nothing To Fear But Fear...

**Nothing To Fear But Fear...** is the sixth episode of season one of the series featured on the ABC channel, *The Commish*. The episode aired on October 19, 1991. However, the episode was shown as the fourth episode during the airtime, while the real fourth episode called ***Do You See What I See*** was shown as the second episode.

### Synopsis

After receiving a pair of baffling death threats, Tony Scali initiates around-the-clock surveillance of his unsuspecting family.

### Plot

##### Cold Open

David Scali is at his father's office and trying out a police hat, which Tony tells his son to be careful because the hat is from Japan. and he cannot go back to Japan, so the hat is irreplaceable.

David asks why Tony can't go back to Japan, and he tells his son that back in 1982 he was invited by Tokyo Police Department to speak on behalf of the New York Police Department; to show the American techniques, and international cooperation between the police, and all that.

They found out that Tony is a Brown-belt Judo, and one of the officials asked whether he wanted to try Kendo. Tony agreed and wore the Keikogi and Hakama uniform, and before he could even move, his opponent managed to attack him several times. Young Tony got beat up severely by the Kendo expert - in return, Tony attacked the expert from behind while he wasn't looking. Tony was banned from entering Japan forever because he humiliated the country, and the International Police relationship was out of the window!

##### Story

Helen Stags informs Tony that his new speakerphone has arrived, which excites the commissioner. It's a brand new technology because it means he can speak on the phone while he's in the corner doing some exercise, which Helen comments that he never exercised. Unfortunately, the speakerphone seems broken as it makes a crackling sound and Tony is exasperated.

Meanwhile, Principal Howard Hearst complimented Rachel Scali for managing six students with special needs, especially when they are going to have a reading competition where the children will read their poems at the City Hall. One of the kids, Jason Woodruff, expresses his doubt about reading his poem, so Rachel switches the poem and makes him read his classmate's poem to gain his confidence.

At the office, Tony receives an envelope containing a sketch picture of him with the words "**SCALI IS DEAD**". He tells his Chief of Detectives Irv Wallerstein the death threat note and orders him not to log it as a crime because he doesn't want the press gets involved, which is usually what an intimidator wants; attention. Tony dismisses the idea that the threat is real because he has a lot of enemies but Irv tells him to take it seriously because if he dies, then the next commissioner wouldn't let Irv and other Jewish cops take two days off Rosh Hashana. Tony and Irv discuss the possible suspect: one of them is Simon "Si" Prince; a psychotic criminal who is also a good sketch artist.

Officer Stan Kelly is bringing a dead deer to the bullpen and explains that it's evidence. He points out to a poacher who shot the deer out of season in a protected zone, and the bullet is inside the deer. Tony calls him a poacher, not a hunter, and orders his officers to tag the deer and condone an autopsy.

Tony arrives home and is shocked to find a skull and a cross with his name covered in blood right in front of the house. His house is now a crime scene, and Tony assures his neighbors that everything is fine but inside the house, his wife, his son David Scali, and his brother-in-law Arnie Metzger are frightened. Arnie tells David that Tony is a very good cop and he will catch the bad guys.

At night, they can't sleep and Tony thinks that the bloody skull is only a prank, but he still thinks Si Prince is behind this. He begs Rachel to take a different route to school, and change her routing for safety. In the morning, Arnie is leaving to Carol Metzger's house by a cab and reasoning because of the incident last night and he doesn't want to be a liability which makes Tony very happy to see him gone.

Ricky Caruso and Carmela Pagan are gossiping about what happened last night at their commissioner's house even calling it a satanic ritual. Tony reprimands and tells them off, while Irv informs him that Si Prince is out of jail because of parole discretion, which makes him the number one suspect. Irv asks Tony to get a bodyguard, but he refuses and tells his detective they should only protect his family because he doesn't want to waste the taxpayer money.

When he gets into his office, he sees someone tinkering with something behind his desk, and gets suspicious. It's only the Phone Repairman, and he is relieved but at the same time, he's paranoid now. At school, Rachel discovers that Jason is not at class because his mom doesn't want him to be taught by the commissioner's wife and endangered her son's life. Anabelle also explains that now everyone is afraid to be in her class.

During the class break, Rachel goes out to do some chores, but she sees someone is following her with a car. Paranoid and scared, Rachel drives very fast, and Carmela who is on patrol duty stops her. Rachel reports that someone is stalking her, but Carmela thinks that it might be Sergeant Bill Frawley who is signed to keep on the watch and protect the commissioner's wife. Rachel is upset because Tony doesn't say anything about a bodyguard, and as she goes back to school, Howard forbids her to return to class because a lot of parents are pulling their kids from her class. Rachel says that there is no danger but Howard disagrees as he points at Bill who is watching them. She refuse to go home, so Howard fired her and send her home.

Stan and Freddie are trying to put the dead deer inside a storage room, but the smell is so strong and rank, so Tony orders them to put the deer inside the morgue and tag it as "John Doe". Marty discovers the carcass and gets angry, as he thinks that the commissioner is playing a prank, but Tony only orders him to give the deer an autopsy and get the bullet evidence.

Irv informs Tony that Si Prince doesn't have a parole officer so his whereabouts are unknown. Tony is going to see the suspect's friends, but Irv forbids him. Helen informs Tony that Rachel has been fired, so Irv orders him to go home and let Ricky drive him. At home, Rachel discovers a suspicious package in front of the house, left by someone unknown. On the road, both Tony and Ricky hear the dispatch that Rachel has called the police and a bomb squad, which makes him panic. Ricky steps on the acceleration and drives like a maniac, almost getting them killed after the car flies off a ramp, but they manage to arrive at the commissioner's home.

The bomb squad leader Dominic informs Tony that the package doesn't contain any bomb, but gun barrels the commissioner ordered last week. Rachel screams at her husband for making her paranoid by ordering guns and getting a bodyguard without telling her and yelling very loudly about being fired because he cares more about his job than hers, which he denies.

At the Eastbridge Police Department, demonstrators are picket fencing the poacher who shot the protected deer and demand justice for endangered animals. Stan informs the commissioner that there's a misunderstanding about the John Doe burial site; that the gravediggers buried the deer because its name is John Doe. Dr. Marty didn't perform an autopsy and it frustrates Tony that The Poacher might get away from the crime. Tony orders Stan to throw a mugshot of the poacher outside near the demonstrators so they will know who shot the deer.

Irv and Tony visit Si Prince's house, which is only three blocks from the precinct, and greet Mrs. Prince and her son, Alex Prince. Both of them are very cold toward Tony and inform him that Simon has been dead for a month as the doctors from the prison found cancer, and let him out so the prison wouldn't pay for his funeral. Tony apologizes to the family and leaves but notices that Alex is wearing a T-Shirt with a sketch of The Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison.

At the precinct, Tony tells The Poacher that he has two choices:

1. They perform an autopsy on the deer and get the bullet that matches the weapon, and he will lose his hunting license and goes to prison for a year.
2. The Poacher confesses to the crime, and he will get a warning and not be able to hunt for half a year.

The Poacher tells the commissioner off and refuses to comply. As he walks out of the Police Department, the demonstrators recognize him from the mugshot and run after him, ready to kill him. The Poacher runs back inside and Tony locks the door while the demonstrators are pounding the door, demanding him.

The Poacher begs Tony to save and protect him, but the commish says that the cops can only protect someone if they are involved with something or guilty of a crime, like a criminal or a witness. Since they are supposed to be neither, he can't give him a police escort. The Poacher confesses to the commissioner that he did shoot the deer and is guilty of the crime, and begs to be arrested, which Tony gladly accept the confession.

Tony returns to Si Prince's house and sees Alex, to confront him about the death threats. Alex admits that it was him who sent the sketch and the bloody skull and cross because he hates Tony for putting his father to prison. He claims that his father was innocent and his mother cried when he died, so he blame it to Tony.

The commissioner doesn't like the idea of having a teenager endangered his family so he starts to berate him and tells him to hit him. The boy screams and hit Tony in the stomach, but the commissioner just takes it as he watch the boy cries. Tony softly tells Alex that his father ruined his life by becoming a crook, and advise the boy not to make the same mistake.

Irv mentions that Alex is not arrested but gets a probation and has to attend counseling. Tony ponders about his life whether he can protect his family or not and whether he can differentiate a fake threat with a real threat, which makes him conflicted. He wants to order some lunch but the phone still broken, so he calls the phone repair store and starts yelling some gibberish at the speaker. The store hears some of the words and apologizes, and they will send a new phone in the morning.

At The Scali Family Home, Jason is reading a poem written by him in front of his friends, and Rachel tells Tony that they are practicing reading the poems before performing in front of the Mayor. Now the threats are gone, the students are feeling safe to come back, and Tony tells his wife that she is a special kind of teacher and her job is also very important. Everything seems to work out fine until they sees Arnie returns asking for a cab money.

### Notes

Actor M.C Gainey is mistakenly listed on IMDb for playing Si Prince even though he played The Poacher.

### Cast and Characters

#### Starring

* Michael Chiklis as Tony Scali
* Theresa Saldana as Rachel Scali
* Kaj-Erik Eriksen as David Scali
* Geoffrey Nauffts as Stan Kelly
* Josh Blake as Alex Prince
* M.C Gainey as The Poacher
* Phil Peters as Bill Frawley
* Gina Belafonte as Carmela Pagan
* Nicholas Lea as Ricky Caruso
* Alex Bruhanski as Irv Wallerstein
* Babs Chula as Helen Stags
* David Paymer as Arnie Metzger

#### Guest Starring

* Richard Newman as Dr. Marty
* Terrence Kelly as Principal Howard Hearst
* Gregory Smith as Jason Woodruff
* Tara Wilding as Annabelle
* Dave 'Squatch' Ward as Freddie
* Dave Humeniuk as Phone Repairman
* Marcy Goldberg as Mrs. Prince