Post-Sweet Revenge

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"Sweet Revenge" is the very last Starsky and Hutch episode. In it, Starsky is shot in the back, a victim of James Gunther. Starsky spends the majority of the episode in a coma while Hutch tracks down and arrests Gunther. The final scene of the show has Huggy Bear, Captain Dobey, and Hutch visiting Starsky in the hospital. There, Hutch climbs into bed with Starsky, and they share a somewhat inebriated meal.

A few months after the show had aired its last episode, fans were already starting to speculate if Starsky would be able to fully recover from the assassination attempt and what his future would be. "Let's fantasize everyone, what did he do? Does he take a desk job? Does he quite the force? Does Hutch quit the force to be with him? What do you think?"

And indeed, over thirty years later, Post-Sweet Revenge fanworks are the most prevalent in this fandom, mostly due to the what-if factor and all its intriguing possibilities.

Post-Sweet Revenge Topics

Fans have imagined all sorts of future scenarios: Starsky suffers a relapse and dies. Starsky suffers a relapse and there is much angst as to whether he will survive. Starsky recovers completely (some fans would say unrealistically), and he goes back to being a cop. Starsky recovers completely but decides not to return to the force.

The angst-level of these topics lends itself well to much hurt/comfort with Hutch worrying, caring, and doing a lot of hands-on rehabilitative things.

All of these topics, of course, are used by fans in slash settings, either as a vehicle for first time fics or in the realm of established relationship stories.

Examples of Some Post-Sweet Revenge Fiction

• Murder on San Carmelitas, a classic
• Gunther's Revenge, an early zine
• Starsky and Hutch Virtual Season
• Postscript by Rebelcat, a rare example in this fandom of a het novel.
• Analysis and Therapy by Nicola Ditty aka britwizz -- "After death, life is the next obstacle."
• Life is the Sweetest Revenge by Dawnwind -- "Just a day out of Starsky's life while in hospital."
• Merry, Merry by Verlaine -- "Some things can't be fixed. Others take time and care and love."
• Nine Day Fall by Morgan Logan -- "I'm not a cop anymore."
• 'Til the Sun Breaks Down by Rae ("An alternate reality based on Sweet Revenge, it will break your heart." )
• Sweet Revenge by Suz -- "There are a thousand stories I could tell you. But this is the only one I want to tell you. The only one I want to believe in. The only one I can believe in. The only one that holds my heart and keeps me sane."

Examples of Some Post-Sweet Revenge Art

art from Code 7 #4: artist is Maureen B

from Gunther's Revenge: artist is Jean C.

External links

For a list of Post-Sweet Revenge stories, see Tagging Bay City