Nash Bridges, an Inspector in the San Francisco Police Department Special Investigations Unit (SIU), poses as an undercover computer chip buyer to bust a ring that stole $2 million worth of chips. Along with Evan Cortez, his young new partner, they exchange phoney city money with Ferguson, who has the chips; but Ferguson gets away.
A world renowned hit-man has been hired to kill the chief witness in a far reaching drug prosecution. Nash Bridges must stop him. Only problem is, the hit-man turns out to be one of Nash's closest boyhood friends gone bad. Meanwhile, Evan works a stakeout with Bryn and gets sidetracked when he falls in love with a woman living upstairs from their surveillance target.
After a nearly 20-year absence, the notorious San Francisco serial killer, ""Zodiac,"" returns to taunt Nash as well as haunt Nash's mentor (who has since retired). But is it the actual Zodiac, or just a lethal copycat? Meanwhile, Joe goes undercover as a bike messenger to nab a free-wheeling drug dealer.
It's Christmas Eve, and Nash and his fellow cops are trapped at the SIU as they wrap up a murder investigation and a prostitution case. Joe borrows Nash's 'Cuda to get it detailed and freaks out when the car is stolen; Nash's personal gifts to Lisa and Whitney get mixed-up; personal crises abound as the cops deal with the Christmas holiday.
Nash and Joe have a task of escorting a secret key witness from the Witness Protection Program to San Francisco to testify in an important SIU-related case. They fall under gunfire. Nash realizes there's a leak somewhere on the prosecution's team. He enlists the help of Stacy to protect them until he can solve who it is and get the witness safely to San Francisco. Cassidy is stood up for a date and decides to go out with J.J. instead.
Joe goes undercover inside State Prison to bring down a ruthless Mexican gang leader who put out a hit (from behind bars) on a SFPD undercover cop who had infiltrated the Mexican Mafia. Nash runs the investigation on the outside, hoping to fulfill a promise to the dead man's widow by catching the trigger man. Naturally he'll have to overcome the distraction caused by Nick, putting together his will, who discovers some long-forgotten wealth.
Nash and the SIU uncover a counterfeitering group where the money is top-of-the-line Supernote quality. Moving in to bust the group, they discover a fake SIU gang impersonating the police. Cooperation becomes tense as suspicions abound over who and what to trust. In the interim, as Nick gets in over his head financially with his horse costs, Nash reluctantly agrees to work with Joe on an off-duty case searching for a Super Bowl ring. However, Nash and Joe soon find themselves impersonating a gay couple as the case develops differently than Nash anticipated.
Nash busts computer hacker/robber, Andy, and discovers Andy's committed the crime because his wife has been kidnapped. The crew of crooks want Andy's hacker skills as their ransom. The SIU must work to save the woman and bring down the crew before their daring daytime robbery is successful. Meanwhile, Nash and Whitney finally consummate their relationship.
After Cassidy is hit in the behind by a stray bullet at school, Nash and Joe go on the hunt for the shooter and the dealer who's putting guns into kid's hands. Due to earthquake repairs on his apartment, Nash and Nick have to take up residence with Lisa for a few days. It's here that Nash meets Freddie, the apple of Cassidy's eye, the pain in Nash's behind, and learns that Cassidy's decided not to go to college.
Nash follows the trail of James and Lorraine, a thrill-seeking couple on a wild crime spree in San Francisco. Nash feels personally responsible for the fate of Lorraine when he discovers she is the daughter of a volatile SFPD Inspector. Nash's interaction with the young fugitive color his relations with Cassidy, who's semi-nude photo is splashed all over town in a racy safer sex poster.
Hot on the trail of a murderous criminal from Chicago, Nash teams up with a KAREN DECKER, a cop from the Windy City who's in every way his equal: smart, competent-and yes, sexy. Sparks fly between them as they track down the visiting villain together -until, that is, Nash learns his newfound partner is not as perfect as she's led him to believe. Joe, meanwhile, hires a pet psychologist to cure what ails Nick's racehorse, Mr. Woody.
Nash's old nemesis from the SIU, Rick Bettina, now a bounty hunter, is back and in competition with Nash as they both try to track down mobster Ray Goetz, who Bettina wants on assault and battery charges in Vegas, and Nash suspects of ""hitting"" a high-level mob boss. Meanwhile, Joe fears repercussions from Inger after losing his wedding ring.
Cassidy finds herself in the middle of an SIU case when she becomes the victim of a high-climbing jewel thief and Nash begins to close in on the suspect: her new boyfriend. Stacy becomes concerned that Nick is being turned into a lab rat at the university where he has volunteered for a research study.
When a reporter is murdered while covering the new ""French Connection"", Nash comes face-to-face with a startling revelation - his brother, a Vietnam MIA, thought dead for the last 24 years, may be alive and in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Lisa's sister, Lynette, arrives to house-sit at Lisa's indefinitely.
Geraldo Rivera comes to the SIU to interview Nash and Joe. Nash arrives at the SIU after having his drink spiked with acid by a biker couple; and there's a ""mole"" in the SIU feeding sensitive information about Nash to Geraldo, which he uses in the interview. Meanwhile, our SIU cops must solve a mystery which begins as a routine shooting at a convenience store.
Nash and Joe team up with a tough-talking NYPD Special Crimes Detective (Penny Marshall) in order to track down a famous fashion model's deadly stalker. Meanwhile, Harvey helps Evan track down his lost badge before Nash finds out. A shopping trip doesn't turn out the way Nick and Lynette had planned.
Nash and Joe investigate several brutal drug-related gangland murders and follow a complicated trail of clues to a surprising suspect -- Bruce Sutcliffe, a multi-millionaire from a well-respected San Francisco family. When Nash discovers that Sutcliffe has been a major drug kingpin for years, he risks his job and his life to expose the magnate's secret life. Meanwhile, Evan and Bettina go undercover in a transgender beauty pageant to trap a blackmailing murderess who pretends to be a man impersonating a woman.
Nash and Joe are on the trail of a ruthless gang of thieves threatening to release the lethal nerve gas over downtown San Francisco unless the area is evacuated. Once the area is cleared of people, the criminals plan to move in and rob the banks in the area. Racing against time to capture the criminal mastermind behind this scheme, Nash is surprised to discover that the gang leader is Pamela Smith, a beautiful, brilliant chemist who created the deadly gas. Meanwhile, a mysterious woman appears who claims to be Joe's daughter from a college fertility experiment in which he participated years earlier.
Nash must protect Lynette (Suki Kaiser) from ruthless Hong Kong mobsters when she unknowingly becomes involved in an Asian forgery ring. When Lynette's old flame, Brian, mails her a flawless forgery plate for $100 bills, Nash must protect her from the brutal Hong Kong gangsters from whom the plate was stolen. When Brian unexpectedly appears at Lynette's door, their attraction is re-ignited, but he soon becomes the chief suspect in Nash's investigation into the forgery ring, run by an Asian crime syndicate. Meanwhile, Joe's visiting father (Ismael Carlo), a sheriff from New Mexico, drives Joe crazy with his meddling until he uses his own brand of Wild West sleuthing to expose a murderer in Joe's apartment building.
When Nash and Joe investigate the mysterious disappearance of several armored cars and their drivers, they uncover a high-tech, covert crime operation run by ex-Navy Seals. When the robbers kidnap Evan, Nash must lure them out of hiding by staging an armored car delivery. Meanwhile, an off-duty case finds Nash and Joe searching for a star football player's dream girl, whom he spotted in a stadium filled with 65,000 fans but doesn't know. Also, the relationship between Evan and Cassidy intensifies as they struggle to keep their affair a secret from Nash.
When the ruthless high school dropouts go on the crime spree, Nash's search for the couple leads him into an underworld of heavy metal rock and satanic worship. As the intensity of the crimes increases, Nash must race against time to stop the desperate duo before they murder all the enemies on their ""grudge list."" ; Stacy and Nash meet Nick's long-lost love from the war years; Joe finds Evan and Cassidy in a compromising situation.
Nash and Joe are the targets of a bail bondsman, who bails out small time thugs and uses them as assassins. Nash and Joe also open up a new detective agency; Bridges & Dominguez - - their first case is finding the stolen wig of a Cher impersonator. Harvey and Evan's friendship is tested when Evan sells Harvey a faulty washing machine.
Nash and Joe are on the trail of a renowned assassin who has come to San Francisco to kill FBI special agent David Katz. Lisa Bridges returns from Paris and announces she's engaged to marry a famous French chef named Henri, but there's a problem; Nash and Lisa's divorce was never finalized--they're still married. The new S.I.U. is introduced.
Nash and Joe have to babysit Mickey Tripp (Paul Gleason), a motormouth shockjock, after a body armor-wearing assassin tries to kill him. Their search for the assassin is compounded by the fact that Nick has hired them on an off-duty case to find his softball team's star pitcher - a Salvadoran defector named Chus (Jose Canseco), who's on the run from the INS (Karl Malone). Caitlin babysits her roommate's kids.
Nash and Joe investigate a missing hockey goalie connected to the Russian Mafia with the help of kidnapper Tony B., who has lost all memory of the crime. Joe visits a fertility clinic when Inger decides she wants another child. Harvey and Evan shoot off the roof of the watch commander's brand new squad car and must get it fixed before he finds out.
An ex-cop is released from jail and seeks revenge on Caitlin who put him there. Nash teams up with Caitlin to capture him. Joe and Inger continue their efforts to become pregnant, discovering how difficult it is. Harvey and Evan go underground as wealthy conventioneers at a ritzy hotel bar to catch a follow-home robber.
Four robbers storm into a check-cashing outlet. They release tear gas grenades and rob the place. Nash, Joe, Harvey, and Evan respond to the silent alarm. Three robbers (who all turn out to be women) dump the cash into a getaway car (driven by another woman) and leave on foot. Harvey and Evan run into the getaway car, but let it go, not knowing that the robbers are women. Nash and Joe confront the fourth robber. Nash shoots him dead through the eye hole in his gas mask. The dead robber is Adrian Beltran; stolen is 100,000 dollars. The MO (modus operandi) is similar to a North Beach robbery crew from four years ago, who are now all in prison. Nash suspects Anthony Warrick, who ratted out the original crew. But Warrick retains heavy-duty lawyer Denise, and Warrick is clean with no connection to the dead man. While Harvey and Evan surveil Warrick, another robbery goes off. A trace of the tear gas grenades leads to Bunker Bob, but he only identifies the dead Adrian Beltran. A study of the
Handcuffed Skip Osaka jumps out the back of the moving 'Cuda. Nash and Joe give chase. Skip runs up a fire escape onto a power line. The line breaks, and Skip falls through a window. Nash and Joe place him in the trunk of the 'Cuda, and bring him to the SIU. A surprised Nash, Joe and Harvey discover the SIU barge is being towed away by a tugboat. The Head of the MCD, Reuben Banks, drives up and informs Nash the SIU has been temporarily shut down. The SIU is disbanded by MCD: Nash and Joe are assigned to Park Detail, Harvey to Homicide, Evan to Traffic, and Caitlin to Vice. At the Civic Center Park, Nash and Joe meet Colonel Culpepper, drug addict/transient, and Phil, the phony Vietnam veteran. The Colonel is shot dead in the park. Harvey and his new partner, Inspector Riley Webber, investigate the murder. Evan and Cassidy have set a wedding date. Harvey is best man, and he plans the bachelor party. Nash and Nick are informed, and Nash gives his blessing. Father Nick gives Cassidy her g
Nash and Joe meet Lyle who tells them the secret location the SIU barge has been towed to. Joe returns Lyle's chihuahua Ginger who has been held hostage in return for the info. A truck deliberately rams into a van containing three prisoners. Nash and Joe arrive at the accident scene, with Nash figuring out that a phony paramedic van has taken the three prisoners in a successful escape attempt. Nash, Joe, Harvey and Evan arrive at the empty and disconnected SIU. The Mayor has granted a one week reprieve pending the Police Commission hearing. If Nash and company catch the three escaped prisoners, the SIU will be saved. Head of MCD Reuben Banks daughter Gina's immunity deal is also dependent upon the return of one of the escaped prisoners - Gina's former boyfriend, Jimmy ""Shank"" Brasher. The other two escapees are Darnell Galloway and Elliot Wong. Gina is kidnapped by Brasher. Jake Cage of Fugitive Recovery is already on the case, beating Nash to interview Mr. Footman, owner of the stolen
A small time getaway driver sets up two robbery gangs to rob each other, while he walks away with the loot and complete immunity. Evan is brought in for another chance in Joe's off-duty case concerning a kidnapped son who has had a gender change. The 'Cuda hood is graffitied, and Nash puts Boz Bishop on the case.
Lowlife Frankie Dwyer returns, this time importing Vietnamese women as sex slaves, as Caitlin goes undercover as the seller. Nash has a tooth ache and refers to Caitlin by his first wife's name. Joe is aggressively pursued by bodybuilder Spike; Evan bumps into Cassidy in his job as a parking lot attendant.
A nurse who assists a plastic surgeon for the mob is murdered because she stole the before and after photos of altered mobsters. She passes a key to the hidden files to Joe, and Joe becomes a target of mobster Louis Fallon. Nick appears with Cassidy in her play, but suffers a bout of Alzheimer's. Harvey meets a new girl, but she is a former lesbian.
Nash and Joe get a tip from Tony B that there is a hit out on Chief of Police Frank Girard. But it's already too late, as the Chief's car is shot up - the Chief and his driver are killed. Nash and Joe arrive to find the carnage. The Chief was a close friend of Nash's. There was one driver, one triggerman, using a bright red Impala. The Impala crashed into a taxi, leaving behind a paint sample. Thanks to Caitlin's suggestion, the SIU and the Embarcadero station are sharing office space in the barge. There is total chaos, as Joe is forced to share a desk with Jake Cage. Tony B is interrogated. Tony B has a new business - Bay Area Switches. The trucking business is really a front to ship money to Las Vegas to be laundered. Tony B's contact is Ellen Holiday. Holiday is in contact with the assassin of the Chief and with Jimmy Z, head of the money-laundering operation. Holiday is arrested and questioned, but she reveals nothing. The red Impala is found, tracked to a Melvin from a wrecking ya
Nash and Joe arrive in Las Vegas, and locate assassin Roy McNeer's hotel room. His food is still warm, as Nash and Joe spot McNeer in a casino. Nash and Joe give chase, but are held up by the hotel security guards, as McNeer escapes. Nash and Joe check into the hotel - Pepe is the concierge. They locate McNeer's girl, Vivienne Reed, and she agrees to tell Joe if McNeer calls her. The truck full of half a billion in laundered cash is hijacked. The two thugs contact Tony B to ransom the truck for $50,000. Tony B and the SIU meet them and get the truck back. Harvey, Evan, Officer Ronnie and Tony B go to Las Vegas with the truck full of money. Jake Cage shows up in Las Vegas too, with orders from Caitlin and the Mayor's Office to bring back Nash. But Jake agrees to help Nash instead after an altercation. Nash meets with Ellen Holiday. She fills Nash in on the rest of the DEA investigation. Jimmy Z works for a drug king pin coming in from Shanghai - they have ordered the hit on Police Chief
Nash clashes with his new rival, Deputy Chief Max Pettit, who has assigned Cassidy to a dangerous undercover gig involving synthetic diamond smugglers and a deadly assassin working for the South African diamond cartel. Joe tries to back out of the house purchase; Cassidy and her new partner Rachel McCabe join the S.I.U.
Nash's former lover Tamara Van Zant forges his name on a marriage license and claims to be married to him in order to protect herself from a thug out to kill her; Nick pretends to be romantically involved with a lesbian friend to deflect suspicion from the woman's son, a high-profile gangster from Philadelphia.
Harvey becomes attracted to a fellow ""Deadhead,"" a mysterious woman who is the target of a murderous stalker; Joe is promoted to Lieutenant, but discovers that his new duties mostly involve paperwork; Nick injures his leg and makes life difficult for Nash and Cassidy, who are just trying to take care of him.
A famous mystery writer offers Joe $350,000 for ""Mr. Woody"", while he waits it out (hoping to get more money) meanwhile Harvey stumbles onto a robbery durring a Phil Lesh concert at the Fillmore pulled off by 2 women (Jill Ritchie & Vanessa Dorman)and all Nash and The SIU Team have to go on is that the getaway Harley has a unique design on the side. Finally getting the papers to send Betty Ann on her way, Joe presents them to Nash for his signiture, but before he can sign it and get her outta there, she uncovers that she's found some.....curious irregularites in the SIU files, and it seems that the SIU has a mole. and also Boz (Christian J. Meoli) and Antwon do some P.I. leg work for Nash and Joe to find who stole a demo tape from Dickie Lerner (Rickey Medlocke), a record producer, and it is Rachel's birthday. The last episode i remember seeing out in the west coast.