HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET: CROSETTI (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic police series about a department of reflective homicide detectives in Baltimore, Maryland. In this episode, a body is pulled from the Chesapeake as Lewis wonders why Crosetti has not yet returned from vacation, as planned. Munch, called to the scene with Bolander, immediately assumes the river body to be a suicide, but everyone, especially Lewis, is stunned to learn that the dead man is Crosetti. Lewis angrily declares that his partner would not have taken his own life, and Giardello uncomfortably agrees to investigate a "wrongful death." The other detectives are questioned about Crosetti's behavior and state of mind, and Pembleton, tasked alongside Bayless with planning the reception, declares that he will not attend the church service for his own personal religious reasons. The brass orders a "press blackout," worried about the public appearance of an apparent fourth cop suicide in under a year, and Giardello is upset to learn that, owing to the nature of his death, Crosetti will not receive an honor guard at his burial.
Bolander admits that he did not truly know Crosetti, and when Giardello talks to Crosetti's semi-estranged daughter Beatrice and gently admits that there are "questions" surrounding his death, she does not seem surprised. Lewis appeals to Felton, asking him to "slow Bolander down" in investigating the case, and Giardello tries in vain to have the honor-guard decision reversed in time for the funeral. Lewis packs up his partner's desk and grows upset when Bolander tries to question Beatrice about her father's love life, and Pembleton is stung when Giardello suggesting that attending the funeral is more a matter of friendship than of religion. Bayliss is surprised when Munch introduces his brother Bernard, a funeral director, who suggests a correlation between the price and elegance of a coffin and the surviving person's sense of guilt. Bolander wonders if it is disrespectful to Crosetti's "final statement" to obfuscate the details of his death, and he talks to Chris Thormann, aware that Crosetti was consumed with guilt over his partner's shooting. Thormann, however, reveals that Lewis has already stopped by to ask him not to answer the "bloodless" Bolander's questions.
Bolander confronts Lewis about his attempts to obstruct justice, angrily suggesting that he fears that a partner's suicide will reflect badly upon him, and when the toxicology report reveals that Crosetti drowned while drunk and full of antidepressants, Lewis breaks down as he finally accepts the truth. Everyone apart from Pembleton heads to the church service, though as they walk in the funeral procession, the detective spot Pembleton in his dress blues, saluting Crosetti as his own personal honor guard. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: 1994 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:49:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:34840
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Suicide
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1993-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Barry Levinson … Executive Producer
- Tom Fontana … Executive Producer, Writer
- Henry Bromell … Co-Executive Producer
- Jim Finnerty … Supervising Producer
- Gail Mutrux … Producer
- Debbie Sarjeant … Associate Producer
- Whitney Ransick … Director
- Paul Attanasio … Created by
- James Yoshimura … Writer
- David Simon … Based on the book "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" by
- Douglas J. Cuomo … Music by
- Lynn F. Kowal … Theme Music by
- Daniel Baldwin … Cast, Det. Beau Felton
- Richard Belzer … Cast, Det. John Munch
- Andre Braugher … Cast, Det. Frank Pembleton
- Isabella Hofmann … Cast, Megan Russert
- Clark Johnson … Cast, Det. Meldrick Lewis
- Yaphet Kotto … Cast, Lt. Al Giardello
- Melissa Leo … Cast, Det. Kay Howard
- Kyle Secor … Cast, Det. Tim Bayliss
- Ned Beatty … Cast, Det. Stanley Bolander
- Lee Tergesen … Cast, Chris Thormann
- Edie Falco … Cast, Eva Thormann
- Heather Brown … Cast, Beatrice Crosetti
- Gerald F. Gough … Cast, Col. Burt Granger
- Clayton LeBouef … Cast, Capt. George Barnfather
- Joey Perillo … Cast, Bernard Munch
- Patsy Grady Adams … Cast, Secretary
- Brilane Bowman … Cast, Bakery Clerk