Television Review: Son of a Gun (Homicide: Life on the Street, S1X03, 1993)

Son of a Gun (S01E03)

Airdate: 10 February 1993

Written by: James Yoshimura
Directed by: Nick Gomez

Running Time: 47 minutes

Third episode of Homicide: Life on the Street is featuring not one but three interwoven subplots that draw directly from the major cases chronicled in David Simon's original book, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.

The first significant case referenced is the shooting of patrolman Gene Cassidy in October 1987. In this episode, his fictional counterpart is Officer Chris Thormann, portrayed by Lee Tergesen, who was introduced in a previous episode. The emotional weight of Thormann's injury is felt deeply by Detective John Crosetti, played by Jon Polito, who is personally affected by the news of his friend’s shooting. Crosetti’s reaction is visceral; he grapples with his helplessness as he waits for updates on Thormann's condition. The hospital scenes are intense, showcasing not only the frantic efforts of the medical team to save Thormann but also Crosetti's attempts to provide comfort to Thormann’s wife, Eva, played by Edie Falco. Falco’s casting was a strategic choice by director Nick Gomez, who had previously worked with her in low budget crime film Laws of Gravity. Her performance in this brief but powerful role left a lasting impression on producer Tom Fontana, leading to her later success as Officer Diane Whittlesey in Oz.

As the episode unfolds, Crosetti insists that Lieutenant Al Giardello assign him to investigate Thormann’s shooting. Giardello reluctantly agrees, although Meldrick Lewis remains the official primary investigator. Crosetti’s Catholic faith becomes a focal point as he prays with a rosary, initiating a discussion about religion with Lewis, who identifies as a Baptist. The power of prayer seems to manifest when Thormann survives his injuries, though the long-term effects remain uncertain. Meanwhile, the investigation leads to identifying the suspect responsible for Thormann's shooting

The second real-life case adapted for this episode involves Geraldine Parrish, a woman who infamously murdered several individuals during the 1980s to collect insurance money. Her fictional counterpart is Calpurnia Church, portrayed by Mary Jefferson. Church's character is introduced with an air of contempt towards the detectives attempting to interrogate her. The evidence against her were provided by sociopathic young man named Miles Stradinger (played by Paul Schultze), who describes himself as an intermediary between hitmen and clients seeking their services, with his information leading to Church’s arrest.

The third subplot revolves around Latonya Wallace and continues the investigation into Adena Watson’s murder. Detective Frank Pembleton (played by Andre Braugher) expresses frustration with rookie Detective Tim Bayliss (played by Kyle Secor), believing him inadequate for such a high-stakes case. Giardello’s decision to retain Bayliss as lead investigator reflects his belief in thoroughness over speed—he refers to Bayliss as a “snail” who will take his time to uncover the truth. However, sensing that this harrowing case may adversely affect Bayliss’s mental health, Giardello subtly suggests that he might consider shifting his focus elsewhere.

A poignant moment occurs during a police raid on a suspected crack house related to Watson's case when an unnamed uniformed officer discovers an earring that does not belong to Watson. This officer is played by Walt Macpherson and may be interpreted as an early appearance of Detective Roger Gaffney—a character who would later become more prominent in the series.

The final subplot in the episode is unrelated to the homicide investigations and revolves around Detective Bollander (played by Ned Beatty) and his budding romance with medical examiner Dr. Carol Blythe (played by Wendy Hughes). It is revealed that Bollander had to move to a new apartment after 23 years of marriage. When he complains about the noise, he confronts his neighbor, who is revealed to be Lorenzo "Larry" Molera, a carpenter played by Luis Guzman. The two men quickly become friends when it is revealed that Molera has had his "heart broken." Bollander is later called to investigate Molera's death and discovers that Molera had built a casket for himself, foreshadowing his own impending demise.

Son of a Gun, written by James Yoshimura, suffers slightly from a lack of focus, as the three main subplots compete for attention. Additionally, the subplot involving Molera's eccentric death may be too outlandish for the slice-of-life police drama that *Homicid strives to be. Nevertheless, director Nick Gomez does an admirable job of weaving the various storylines together, and the superb acting from the ensemble cast maintains the show's high standard of quality.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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