In the series pilot, Det. Reno Raines (Lorenzo Lamas) becomes a fugitive from justice when, in the series opener, his investigation of illicit police activity leads a corrupt lieutenant (Stephen J. Cannell) to frame him for murder.
Reno (Lorenzo Lamas) runs a bully (Pete Koch) out of a small town, but the man spots Reno's picture on a wanted poster and informs the police of his whereabouts.
Reno races the police to capture a hired killer in order to determine if the man has information on Reno's case and to stop him from murdering a judge (Sheree J. Wilson).
Reno infiltrates a group of bikers to find a mechanic's killer, but his cover is jeopardized when the dead man's mother takes justice into her own hands.
When Reno's mentor on the police force is killed he decides to investigate. He suspects that a Mexican drug lord the man was investigating is responsible. So Reno goes to Mexico to get him but learns something unexpected.
Some cops who work for Dutch find a convict who looks like Reno. They turn him loose and orders him to commit crimes and claim he's Reno. When Reno learns of this, he and Chey go under the guise of a couple to find him.