In a busy pre-titles opening sequence, the viewer is introduced to Sergeant Stan Jablonski (Robert Prosky), a 22-year veteran from the Polk Avenue Precinct; he has transferred after an altercation with female Lieutenant Vera Horvath (Sharon Barr), in which the latter was struck a blow, alleged by Jablonski to have been self-defense. Sergeant Bates returns to motor patrol as a street sergeant, explained by Jablonski as being an extra sergeant post created by "adding the Jefferson renewal to the Hill Street Precinct". The new Sergeant's catchphrase is heard for the first time: "Let's do it to them, before they do it to us". The sequence ends with Jablonski being knocked down by his nemesis from Polk Avenue, she having turned up at Hill street, despite being subject to psychological assessment and treatment. In the rest of the episode: Celestine Grey (Juney Smith) is to be executed for raping and murdering a nun (which he denies) (episode 3.1), resulting in much consternation; Goldblume's opposition is reported in the press. An all-night ordeal of robbery and torture leads to a war hero, Mr. Parsons, dying in hospital, while police comfort his widow. Belker is undercover at a seedy hotel. Fay Furillo starts full time at the station as a Victim Aid Counselor (also covering the Polk Avenue Precinct). An unfortunate couple from New York (Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry) are repeatedly robbed, but rescued by Bates and Coffey. An unusual man stealing ice cream is found to be preserving the body of his dead mother. Detective Mayo goes on a date with Furillo, although he turns down a proposed night together - luckily, as Davenport elects to return after their four-month separation and Laura Ann Renko (Andrew Renko's daughter) is born. The opening credits feature new pictures for all main characters except Barbara Bosson (Fay Furillo), Betty Thomas (Lucy Bates) and Veronica Hamel (Joyce Davenport). With Prosky, Robert Hirschfeld ("Khaki Officer" Leo Schnitz), Mimi Kuzyk (Detective Patricia Mayo) and Ken Olin (Detective Harry Garibaldi) added to the credits, this season has the highest number of credited main characters, with 17.

Rachel Goldblume is raped in her own bed during the night with daughter Annie (Jennifer Ursitti) and son Josh asleep in the next room. She won't press charges, but Henry Goldblume takes fingerprints, identifies the suspect, arrests him roughly, and secures a conviction on outstanding warrants. The poor New York couple (see previous episode) are robbed again while withdrawing money wired to them; they are then caught up in a hostage situation when Belker's hotel undercover goes wrong. At another hostage situation, a man holding his wife is shot dead by EAT officers with 23-year-old Officer Foster expressing delight, which is caught by TV cameras. Celestine Grey is finally executed, with Frank and Joyce in reluctant attendance. In a closing ironic paradox LaRue picks up a girl in a bar by pretending to be Henry Goldblume (using her anti-capital punishment sensibilities), while the real Goldblume stands in the cold outside Grey's prison, joining a group of Christians praying for Grey as he is executed.

When Lieutenant Hunter upsets clerk-typist Rhonda Kimmel, she barricades herself in the male toilet. Belker goes undercover dressed as a chicken, and loses a suspect due to the well-intentioned interference of a mime artist. After his impersonation of Henry Goldblume blows up in his face, LaRue spends the night with Cathleen McConnell, the victim of a car-jacking, but during the night she receives news of the murder of her husband and LaRue wonders if he has been set up as an alibi. An illegal cable TV installer is arrested, and Davenport turns out to be one of his customers; she is unwittingly involved, but Furillo uses the situation to engineer a humorous end to their separation. Rachel Goldblume's rapist is released on bail, murders his girlfriend, and is re-arrested. Two new rookie officers cause trouble; Laurence "Larry" Swann (Tim Robbins) by his timidness, and Randall "Randy" Buttman (Michael Biehn) by his arrogance and insubordination, leading to first day reprimands from Sergeant Bates and Captain Furillo. At an end-of-shift gathering of rookies from across the precincts, Swann is tied up and stripped, and forced to engage in sexual activity with a prostitute in front of the other rookies.

Unable to cope with his humiliation, Officer Swann hangs himself. The independent witness (the prostitute involved) is found murdered, after Buttman had taken a 45-minute unauthorized absence over which Bates writes him up for abandoning patrol without authorization. A peeping Tom in the station's women's restroom falls through the ceiling. Belker discovers a drug ring in his fried chicken undercover. A TV crew tails Renko and Hill, filming Renko's four morning doughnut stops and leading to both Renko's on-air embarrassment . . . and a possible romantic interest between Hill and the attractive reporter who told the story. Rookie Ronnie Garfield (Polk Avenue Precinct) comes forward to implicate Buttman, who is arrested in Swann's hazing and suicide. LaRue spends another night with McConnell and shoots an intruder during the night. A $6,000 grant for an administrative research post of two hours per week leads to fierce competition between the three Lieutenants (Hunter, Calletano, and Goldblume) until Furillo finally elects to return the grant.

A local Indian restaurant attracts many Hill Street Station personnel (including Lieutenants Hunter and Goldblume and Fay Furillo) for its reduced rate lunch just as Sergeant Bates leads a raid to arrest the chefs and the owner and recover a number of stolen local cats waiting to be cooked. Renko has a more positive TV appearance after arresting the prostitute serial murderer (Arliss Howard). The McConnell intruder turns out to be the man who shot her husband, and LaRue agrees to wear a wire to trap her. Henry questions Buttman and discovers the disgraced rookie is also an anti-Semite. All the rookies involved in the Swann incident are sacked, including Garfield, leading Washington to challenge Chief Daniels and then resign. Daniels later agrees to 21 days without pay instead for Garfield, and Washington returns after a talk with Furillo and re-assuring Garfield. Hill and Renko arrest an incredibly fat man abusing an "all you can eat" buffet lunch. Leo Schnitz and fellow desk khaki officer Natalie have a date that culminates in Natalie kissing Leo passionately, but Leo spoils it when he admits he's still in love with his estranged wife.

A man is found dead in an apartment with a sheep tethered in the bathroom, prompting bizarre speculations. The Reverend Booker Simons is murdered, but because his killer is also the only witness in a major anti-drug operation involving violent Colombians he is able to plea-bargain a greatly reduced charge when Fay leaks information to Simons' widow which is overheard by the suspect's lawyer, Joyce Davenport. Inspector Joe Keenan almost comes to blows with Frank concerning overlapping jurisdiction between the precinct and Special Narcotics. Jesus Martinez appears in a new manifestation as a paralegal aid to Attorney Brown. Prostitute Lotta Gue (pronounced "goo") has her third arrest for soliciting in 48 hours; but Lieutenant Hunter, who has developed a soft spot for her, lets her go. Miguel Ferrer appears as Carlos, a drug dealer.

Floyd Green (Forest Whitaker), convicted for murder as a child, is released from custody having completed his sentence. Now 18, he is monitored by Hill Street officers who find him rapidly getting into trouble again. Later, during an armed hostage-taking in court by another prisoner, Green tries to escape in the confusion, but is instead accidentally shot dead in the crossfire. Fabian De Witt, a regular character for the remainder of the show's history, is introduced in this episode; one sister is dead due to a drug overdose, another (Penny Johnson Jerald, billed as Penny Johnson) is an under-age prostitute and their prostitute mother is absent. Fabian goes to live with Sergeant Bates, who was later to adopt the boy. Belker is sent to Las Vegas to escort a prisoner home. A large number of the other male officers also go after LaRue secures a block of cheap airline tickets from a grateful travel agent whose robbery LaRue has solved. All these officers (who include Lieutenants Calletano and Hunter) report themselves sick to avoid duty.

The episode is dominated by "The Monarch Project"?the restoration of the Monarch Theater in the Hill Street district. In two related storylines, widespread corruption is uncovered which reaches into the office of Chief Daniels; and Mayor Cleveland is the victim of an assassination attempt. In Vegas, Belker (the only non-gambler) takes his free pull on a gaming machine and wins the $5,000 jackpot. Coffey borrows and loses much of the money, and later steals most of the rest. Belker collects his prisoner, who dies of a heart attack while handcuffed to Belker. Hill and Renko deal with an immigrant (Saul Rubinek) whose winning lottery ticket is stolen and then offered back to him through a broker in return for half the $3,000 winnings. This arrangement ends in tragedy for the family and career trouble for Hill and Renko. Joe Keenan, head of the narcotics squad, is implicated as the corrupt officer in Chief Daniels' office. Meanwhile, the man accused of shooting the mayor is assassinated on his way to court; his shooter is later identified as former police Captain (and former friend of Furillo) Jerry Fuchs. Fabian is in trouble for skipping school as he and Bates adjust to their new relationship.

Thanksgiving spirit abounds. "The Cisco Kid" (Martin Ferrero) returns as an Indian. Jerry Fuchs dies of a heart attack, so Captain Furillo uses "what Jerry might have said" to strong-arm Biff Lowe (Paul Gleason) into wearing a wire while meeting with the Barletta brothers. The sting works, as the Barlettas incriminate themselves in the attempt on Mayor Cleveland's life. The Vegas crew prepares to come home, not knowing that J.D.'s rubber check has meant that their return trip tickets have been pulled by the travel agent; furthermore, the agent has informed Captain Furillo that they are in Vegas and not "sick" as they had reported. Belker and Coffey regain both their lost money and their friendship. Myrna Schnitz confesses that she is pregnant, broke and miserable in Vegas and returns to the Hill with the guys; Leo takes her back without hesitation. Fabian's mother ? a hardcore junkie ? is arrested and brought in to Hill Street where Bates tells her the fate of her three children. Fabian finds out that Bates has met with his mother and is very upset that she didn't tell him. They attend his mother's arraignment, where she opts for detox. Vera Horvath, after weeks of harassing phone calls and stalking Jablonski, shows up to tell him that she actually has loved him all along. When Jablonski tells her that he just wants to be friends, she opens fire and is killed by other officers at the station. Robin also breaks up with Belker.

Mayo and Garibaldi investigate when Councilman Detweiler's mother shoots an intruder; Hill and Renko arrest a notorious loan shark with over $300 in outstanding parking fines who later dies in the precinct holding cell; a distraught man threatens to set fire to his wife and child (Joaquin Phoenix, billed as Leaf Phoenix), whom he believes are possessed by the Devil; and Belker is kidnapped and abused by a group of winos who also steal his badge and gun.

Renewed gang activity involves a small local grocery store and its owners; Belker takes his rage over Robin's decision to discontinue seeing him out on his frightened informant (Sam Anderson) while working undercover at a beauty parlor, Garibaldi cuts corners both to help a young hooker and in his night school class; and Furillo must work against Chief Daniels to head off a major street gang battle.

Belker, LaRue and Washington work undercover as garbagemen to investigate a protection racket; Fay tries to help an elderly rape victim identify her assailants; Renko runs for PBA representative; Bernstein tells Davenport she is a candidate for an opening in the DA's office; Mayo gets proof that the Hispanic rape suspect can speak English.

The undercover trash mission continues; Officer Perez rescues a family from a burning building, but something doesn't seem right; a Federal witness is kidnapped; and Fay reports the suspicious chairside technique of dentist Ted Rose.

Joyce introduces a new PD (Frances McDormand) to the Hill before leaving to become an ADA; LaRue gloats over the videotape evidence of Mayo's undercover visit to Dr. Ted Rose; Fabian's mother reclaims him; and Hill and Renko deal with a man with several outstanding warrants and who has just lost his entire family to a hit and run driver but suddenly withdraws his identification.

Belker temporarily moves into Hunter's RV; new ADA Davenport faces opposition when she plans to prosecute three white teens for the vicious beating of a young black athlete; Furillo's car accident starts an investigation into illegal gun sales by Al DiPiano; and Mayo has a date with Chief Daniels. Jesse John Bochco, the real-life son of Barbara Bosson and Stephen Bochco, guests as Frank Furillo, Jr.

LaRue, who has been moonlighting on a low budget horror picture, "borrows" one of the props for a joke on an obnoxious detective, but in the end gets a taste of his own medicine; a department accountant dogs Furillo; and Chief Daniels engages in sexual harassment against Mayo by using his position to punish her for refusing his advances the night before, but offers an apology later after being confronted by Furillo and realizing his mistakes. Belker turns thirty-seven, but what starts out as a gloomy day becomes an unexpected birthday celebration.

Belker keeps running up against a bitter one-man-band; Gina Srignoli (Jennifer Tilly) agrees to wear a wire in an effort to incriminate Al DiPiano; Fay goes a little too far to help a welfare mother assaulted by her abusive boyfriend; and Howard tries to sell his RV only to have it stolen by the first interested party; Belker and Jablonski's relationship is strained by Belker's renewed relationship with Robin Tattaglia.

Calletano takes over command while Furillo attends an encounter group for precinct captains and their superiors; Hill and Renko drink some tea brought in by Calletano that turns out to be spiked with marijuana; Goldblume is bemused but elated by his new relationship with Gina Srignoli, to Garibaldi's annoyance; the man who stole Hunter's RV and also had stolen his son after a custody dispute takes Lucy's temporary partner, Officer Buzhardt, hostage; at the encounter group, Daniels is so furious because he learns that the captains barely respect him that he threatens the career of one outspoken captain, and Furillo remains composed during the encounter group until a fellow captain makes a snide remark about his "Barbie doll wife"; Belker and Jablonski repair their relationship.

An anti-abortion agitator sends a woman (Patricia Wettig, Ken Olin's real-life wife and thirtysomething co-star) into premature labor; Jablonski can't get his 300 game sanctioned by the Bowling Congress; LaRue and Washington tape a home security video for an adult film director (Brent Spiner); Fay and Garibaldi both resent Goldblume's relationship with Gina Srignoli, but for slightly different reasons.

The arson squad questions Jablonski about the fire at BowlMor Lanes; Hill and Renko remain at odds over Andy's apparent cowardice, which leads to no one wanting to partner with Andy; Bates and Coffey are assigned to make a wino presentable for his appearance in court; Furillo gets a copy of LaRue's slightly altered home security video; and ADA Davenport is the only person who believes in the innocence of a young man accused of trying to burglarize a car at the volatile O'Neil Projects.

A hooker sweep for gays and straights snares Coffey's former high school coach (James Tolkan); Renko joins Belker on his drug undercover, which is collapsed - literally - by Hunter and his new, battering-ram-equipped tank; Hill's hesitation leads to his new partner being blindsided, causing Hill to rethink what happened with Renko; Davenport rejoins the Public Defenders office; PD Connie Chapman (Frances McDormand) is fired for cocaine use; Goldblume tries to make peace with Fay and Garibaldi by inviting them to dinner with Gina and him.

Detective Phil Dugan cuts some corners to catch an elusive mobster; feeling kept out of the loop, Goldblume pursues a solitary investigation into Gina's death and learns more than he bargained for; Hill and Renko try to help a homeless family caught up in red tape; Coffey rides with Jablonski, with both successful and almost tragic results; Calletano and Hunter test for the captain's position, and the results are a surprise to both of them; and everyone faces a random drug screening.

Belker's drycleaners undercover catches not only the corrupt Midtown detectives but also Dugan, who offers them Joe Keenan and a major ring of police corruption; Goldblume wrestles with Gina's estate and discovers he may inherit a fortune; Hill and Renko's duty of escorting "Officer McBear" turns out to be no walk in the woods; Furillo copes with the results of the random drug test. James Cromwell plays Officer McBear's keeper.