The Blue Knight begins as an interesting character study of a derelict wino and his inadvertent involvement in a murder. Guest star Douglas V. Fowley portrays an innocent old derelict accused of the murder of a former policeman.

Bumper stirs up trouble among the hoodlums and hookers of his beat when he tries to steer a young girl into a safer life, while, off the job, he dates a glamorous career woman (played by Barbara Rhoades), whose world is very different from his.

During a drug bust, an over-eager young cop shoots and kills a suspect, then hints Bumper was afraid to fire, and the story badly affects Bumper's relationship with his fellow officers.