TEK VENGEANCE

A fourth case for Shatner's private detective duo, Jake Cardigan and Sid Gomez, pursuers of the evil international dealers of Tek, a mind-blowing electronic ``drug'' (Teklab, 1991, etc.). Beth Kittridge, Jake's girlfriend, is blown to smithereens in Berlin by a Jake-robot look-alike (she was about to give important anti-Teklord testimony, and was on the point of perfecting an anti- Tek device) while Jake and Sid have been cunningly diverted to Brazil. Via the usual string of convenient informants and plot devices, our heroes close in on Tek biggie professor Nister and electronics genius Roddy Pickfair; meanwhile, a subplot gathers in Jake's teenaged police-cadet son Dan and his girlfriend Molly. Despite some ludicrous dialogue (``We're arriving at our destination, amigo''), a pleasing if muted strain of wit is discernible. The serious bits are kept to a minimum. And the upshot—cozy, comfortable, flaws and all—is the best since the series began.