Turk 182 1985

Terry Lynch (Robert Urich), a 34-year-old firefighter, has spent his life shouldering responsibilities for his 20-year-old brother Jimmy (Timothy Hutton) in their New York City home. This selfless arrangement stems from the untimely passing of both parents, leaving the brothers to fend for themselves. On one fateful evening, Terry, away from duty, springs into action to rescue a young girl from an apartment fire, only to be brutally pushed through a window and four stories down onto the roof of a parked car by the force of a wayward fire hose stream. Although the child escapes unscathed, Terry’s injuries are severe.

Six months later, Jimmy faces a daunting challenge as he visits City Hall with reams of rejection letters from welfare, workers’ compensation, and other organizations that have turned Terry down. When Mayor John J. Tyler (Robert Culp) dismissively labels Terry a drunk, Jimmy takes matters into his own hands, sneaking into the mayor’s office to plaster the letters on the walls while security is distracted by a deliberate fire set in a nearby bathroom.

Perceiving Terry as the culprit behind the vandalism, due to his name being prominently featured on the letters, the police, led by Lieutenant Ryan (Peter Boyle), arrive at Hooly’s, the brothers’ hangout, prepared to arrest Terry. When Terry, fueled by drink and medication, takes a swing at Ryan, he becomes the recipient of a brutal beating, with Jimmy suffering a similar fate as he tries to intervene. Later, while posting bail for Terry at the police station, Jimmy encounters Danielle “Danny” Boudreau (Kim Cattrall), a social worker assigned to Terry’s case; she reveals that Terry is hospitalized in a body cast after a suicide attempt.

Jimmy makes his way to Battery Park, determined to confront Mayor Tyler once more during an anti-graffiti speech. However, he is swiftly pushed aside by the police. Following a chance encounter with Tyler as he unveils a massive apple sculpture, which slowly rotates to display handiwork by vandals proclaiming “Zimmerman Flew, Tyler Knew,” Jimmy finds inspiration for his own campaign.

Earlier, The Daily News published a report detailing Tom Zimmerman’s flight from the country to evade trial for an unspecified crime. The article implies that Mayor Tyler not only knew about Zimmerman’s departure but also masterminded it, referencing Tyler’s decision to continue Zimmerman’s trial until after the upcoming election; however, Tyler denies any involvement or knowledge.

As Jimmy delves deeper into his anonymous crusade as “Turk 182”, he transforms from an ordinary graffiti artist into a mastermind orchestrating a series of daring pranks aimed at Mayor Tyler. Under the cover of darkness, Jimmy leaves his signature mark on a seemingly impenetrable subway car, sets up a provocative airplane banner, and even hacks into the scoreboard at Giants Stadium during a high-stakes football game attended by the mayor and New York’s governor. With each clever stunt, “Turk 182” gains notoriety and admiration from the city’s inhabitants, who hail Jimmy as a hero for his audacious exploits.

However, beneath the surface of this escalating prank war, Jimmy harbors a more personal motivation: to capture Danny’s attention and admiration. As he and Danny return to their apartment after the Giants game, Jimmy slips out to grab pizza, leaving Danny free to explore their home. While flipping through family photo albums in their keepsake trunk, she stumbles upon an award for Terry, bearing his nickname “Turk” on a plaque. The discovery of Terry’s fireman’s cap with badge number 182 serves as the final piece of the puzzle, revealing Jimmy’s true identity as “Turk 182”. Returning to find Danny waiting in bed, Jimmy is met with a look of awe and appreciation before the two share a moment of intimacy.

Meanwhile, Detective Kowalski launches an investigation into the enigmatic “Turk 182”, while Jimmy pleads guilty to vandalizing the mayor’s office, earning a light fine. When Jimmy and Danny visit Terry in the hospital, the gravely ill man reveals his plans to attempt suicide once he is released from his body cast, leaving Jimmy torn between his desire to support his brother and his own sense of responsibility.

As the unsuspecting Jimmy Turk (played by) emerges from his apartment, he’s confronted by Kowalski and Ryan waiting outside, forcing him to reveal his true identity. However, when they arrive at the Daily News Building, they’re met with a lineup of eccentric characters all claiming to be Turk. Frustrated and disheartened, Jimmy is interrupted by a TV reporter who suggests he give an on-camera interview to prove his authenticity. The subsequent evening news broadcast introduces “Turk 182” as a disgruntled civil servant seeking a pension, sparking Jimmy’s ire that the interview was edited out and he’s being ridiculed as a “nut case.” With a burning desire for vindication, Jimmy decides to put an end to Turk once and for all, but keeps his plan a secret from everyone, including his closest ally Danny.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tyler makes an appearance at a dedication ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Queensboro Bridge. Ryan, now facing scrutiny after the Giants Stadium debacle, tightens security measures around the bridge, anticipating the mayor’s grand gesture: flipping the switch to illuminate the iconic sign. However, instead of the expected message “Queensboro 1909 1984,” the lettering reads gibberish, thanks to Jimmy’s covert rearrangement in an electrical worker disguise.

The unexpected turn of events sparks chaos as TV cameras and spotlights capture Jimmy on the scaffolding. The assembled crowd erupts into chants of “Turk! Turk!” as the mayor’s mortification reaches new heights. Ryan dispatches police to apprehend Jimmy, but they’re foiled by his clever greasing of the bridge’s lower girders. As news of Jimmy’s antics spreads like wildfire, Danny and Kowalski join forces with Terry at the hospital to devise a plan to rescue their friend from the precarious situation.

At the same time, Tyler is forced to confront his own defeat as he catches a glimpse of Jimmy’s interview on TV. His eyes fixed on the screen in stunned silence, the once-mighty mayor can only turn away, defeated by Turk’s cunning and determination. As the drama unfolds, Terry’s focus shifts from his own troubles to the safety of his brother, galvanizing him, Danny, and Kowalski to rush to the Queensboro Bridge and bring Jimmy back down to reality.

Undeterred by setbacks, Ryan’s desperation reaches a boiling point as he ventures to the bridge power house, demanding that the foreman shut off the sign. However, when the union-backed official cites safety concerns, Ryan’s ire is further inflamed and he resorts to drastic measures, drawing his gun and deliberately disabling the controls, plunging the area into darkness. The foreman, undaunted by this sudden turn of events, swiftly activates the auxiliary power, only for Ryan to seize another opportunity, commandeering an industrial forklift and launching a barrage of gunfire at Jimmy’s location. Meanwhile, Kowalski, accompanied by Danny and Terry, arrives on the scene, quickly dispatching the forklift by disabling its hydraulic system, leaving Ryan momentarily stunned.

As the dust settles, Jimmy finally completes his task, effortlessly reconnecting the power to the massive letters that now proudly proclaim “TURK 182” in towering 25-foot-high glory. The crowd and TV audience erupt into a frenzy of cheers and applause, their collective energy reaching a fever pitch. Amidst this euphoria, Tyler turns to Deputy Mayor Hanley with a mischievous grin, his voice barely audible over the din: “As soon as Jimmy gets down from there, we’re gonna go find him and let him know that we’ve been cheering for him all along!”