S.W.A.T.
The Chinese Connection
TV Flash files “The Chinese Connection” as hour 32 of 37 in the TV Flash guide — S.W.A.T. (1975–1976) on ABC, season 2, episode 20, aired 1976-02-28, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S02E20: listed hour 32 of 37 in the S.W.A.T. guide, hour 20 of 25 in season 2. It aired 1976-02-28 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Deadly Weapons” (S02E19). Next is “Dragons and Owls” (S02E21).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
SWAT uncovers a dope ring while trying to crack a protection racket that has infiltrated Chinatown.
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Chinese Connection sit in the S.W.A.T. guide?
S02E20 is listed hour 32 of 37 — hour 20 of 25 in season 2, season 2 episode 20.
When did S.W.A.T. S02E20 air?
The Chinese Connection aired 1976-02-28 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Is the theme bigger than the series?
The instrumental charted No. 1 and outlived a short ABC run. The hour is still a tactical-team cop show; the theme is honest merchandising heat.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Special Weapons and Tactics as prime-time gloss: helmets, vans, and a disco-era instrumental theme that charted on its own. Short ABC run, long merchandising echo, later reboot bait. Paramilitary buddy television before every cop hour needed a tactical acronym parked in the title card.
So the group chat wants a cop hour in a tailored gown (Lana would call the helmet a *silhouette*) and then S.W.A.T. parks a van like that was the whole merch aisle. ABC, 1975–1976: an elite LAPD special weapons team hits high-risk assignments with military precision and 1970s network polish. Robert Hamner and Rick Husky, Spelling-Goldberg crime wave. Steve Forrest's Lt. Dan Hondo Harrelson in front of Robert Urich, Rod Perry, Mark Shera. Helmets, vans, paramilitary buddy gloss. (I said spoiler-free. The only…
Filed against
- Steve Forrest as Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson
Steve Forrest led S.W.A.T. as Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson — helmets, vans, Special Weapons and Tactics as prime-time gloss, a disco-era instrumental theme that charted on its own. Short ABC run, long merchandising echo. TV Flash files him…
- Robert Urich as Officer Jim Street
Robert Urich's Officer Jim Street polished S.W.A.T. into prime-time gloss — helmets, vans, a disco-era instrumental theme that charted on its own. Short ABC run, long merchandising echo. TV Flash files him as 1970s paramilitary buddy…
- Rod Perry as Sgt. David 'Deacon' Kay
Rod Perry's Sgt. David 'Deacon' Kay grounded S.W.A.T. in squad-room steel — helmets, vans, disco-era instrumental theme that charted, short ABC run with a long merchandising echo. Paramilitary buddy television before every cop hour needed…
- Mark Shera as Officer Dominic Luca
Mark Shera’s J.R. Jones partnered Buddy Ebsen’s second-act PI trench on Barnaby Jones — home lab, patience instead of karate — then hit S.W.A.T.’s helmet-and-van gloss. An older-lead Quinn Martin hour; disco-era tactical acronym…