"Devil in the Slot" is an episode of Black Sheep Squadron that first aired on January 25, 1977. Directed by Edward Dein. Written by the show's creator, Stephen J. Cannell.
According to a newsreel, Captain Harachi is a Japanese ace who has made life particularly difficult for Americans in the sky over "the Solomon Slot."
At Bakati Island, Captain Harachi (Byron Chung) gets a wakeup call, then says good morning to his pet bird, whom he has named "Major Boyington," and goes eat breakfast, telling his men they're about to go on patrol in a half hour. Meanwhile, at Vella La Cava, Major Boyington and his Black Sheep are also getting ready to fly a mission. Boyington complains about the burned eggs.
The fight doesn't go too well for the Black Sheep: Gutterman gets shot out of the sky. At least he's quickly picked up by Air Sea Rescue.
Master Sergeant Micklin (Red West), the new mechanic, arrives. It's quickly established that Micklin doesn't have much respect for officers. Micklin insists on a strict regimen for airplane maintenance. The pilots are reluctant, but Boyington orders them to get on the program.
On the next mission, Gutterman makes up an excuse about oil pressure, turns back. Boyington tells Lt. Wiley (Robert Ginty) to accompany Gutterhman home. Lt. Boyle (Larry Manetti) gets shot out of the sky, Boyington orders Anderson to follow him down.
Back at Vella La Cava, the guys are edgy. Gutterman almost punches Anderson over a remark about
Gutterman confronts Micklin about his lack of respect for officers. Gutterman punches Micklin, catching him off-guard, but Micklin soon turns it around and knocks Gutterman out. Micklin dares the others to try. Since they don't, the master sergeant orders them to get Gutterman cleaned up.
Colonel Lard (Dana Elcar) shows up to remind Boyington that Black Sheep need to fly fifteen planes to maintain their status as a combat squadron. Lard doesn't believe Boyington's reassurance that he'll lead fifteen planes tomorrow. Lard says he'll stick around, to make sure.
Boyington worries that Boyle died on his way down.
The next morning, Harachi tells his men that they'll fly with extra fuel tanks.
After much effort, Boyington gets his plane going.
"He's a devil," Gutterman says of Harachi. Gutterman is convinced he'll die if he goes up against Harachi ever again.
"He's a man, he's just on a hot streak," Boyington counters. "Don't make him anything more." Boyington grounds Gutterman.
Gutterman takes a part out of his plane.
The next morning, Air Sea Rescue bring Boyle back. Boyle claims he landed in an island with very friendly native women, boasts that it took Air Sea Rescue days to find him and another 72 hours to catch him. After the others have left, Gutterman orders Sergeant Hutchinson to put a part he took out his plane back in. Gutterman takes off.
Wiley shoots Harachi out of the sky, calls himself "the new devil in the Slot."
This is not the episode in which James Whitmore Jr.'s character gets Put on a Bus. Gutterman's got a few episodes left after this one.
Tropes
- Micklin's Catchphrase: "college boys," to refer to officers.
- Cigar Chomper: Mickin from the beginning, he almost always has a cigar in his mouth.
- Info Dump: The newsreel explains what "the Slot" is: a narrow strip of ocean between the Solomon Islands.
- Japanese Ranguage: Harachi whenever he's on the radio taunting the American pilots.
- News Reel: "Japanese Aces Control the Slot" referring to the New Georgia Sound in the Solomon Islands archipelago.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Retreating after noticing the Japanese have extra
- Shout-Out to Time: Boyington says Wiley made the cover of that magazine.
- Major Boyington regards Harachi as a Worthy Opponent, but Captain Gutterman regards him as a demon with supernatural abilities.
