45 Minutes Week 1 - Homicide

HOMICIDE: Episode 2
A Ghost of A Chance
Story by Tom Fontana
Teleplay by Noel Behn
Directed by Martin Campell

I'm not sure how much longer I'll continue to comment on each and every episode. There are only so many ways to say "Munch gets the best lines" or Pembleton is a great character. But episodes such as this offer something a little different, a quirk that needs commentary.

I'll admit I was a bit put off when Det. Howard, worried that a solved murder might not stand up in court, starts hearing the ghost of the victim at night. I was worried that perhaps there would be an actual display of this "visitation" on screen. Thankfully, it was not. But that doesn't take away from just how strongly Howard believes that she heard the spirit. It tries to point her in the direction of the murder weapon, which fails. She is met with a little disbelief by her partner Felton, and by Crosetti who sings her a chorus of Casper the Friendly ghost.

But she doesn't stop believing. And why should she? Boston PD used physics, LA has used mediums. When faced with the unthinkable, people often turn to the unbelievable.

Isn't that a close definition of faith?

One could argue that the ghost is actually a metaphor for instinct. It's already been stressed to Bayliss the necessity to trust his when dealing with the Watson case. Bolander sure as hell doesn't trust his when struggling with his inability to ask out Medical Examiner Blythe.

Howard trusts in hers, despite the mocking. And it's shown that Felton believes in her as well. He follows up on the suspect in his own way, which he later reveils to be a deck of tarot cards.

Again, on any other show this particular story could have been a disaster. But only two episodes in, and we are shown that this show is not just about procedure, its about the lives of these officers, who are so often faced with horror that anything they can turn to get them through the day is a good thing.

In case you are worried, the episode was not all soul searching.

The humor had is place as well. Witness the homicide Munch and Bolander investigate.



Munch continues to get the best lines! See, it did need to be said again.

Also...
"Flowers are a needless expense"
"Maybe she knows Iguana Sytle."
"I have her number."
-"I'm gotta go to the bathroom."
-"It's not in there."
"He's an Epcot Center of emotions, a Disney World of the Heart."

There needs to be a Quotable Munch book.


Just finishing The Devil's Home on Leave by Derek Raymond
Listening to Frozen Heart by Smoke Fairies