Black and Blue (Homicide: Life on the Street)
Encyclopedia
"Black and Blue" is the third episode of the second season
of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street
, and the twelfth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on January 20, 1994. In the episode, Pembleton
aggressively investigates what he believes to be a police-related shooting. Amid pressure from Gee
to pursue civilian suspects, Pembleton elicits a successful confession from an innocent man, leaving Gee feeling conflicted. Directed by Chris Menaul, the episode's teleplay was written by James Yoshimura
based on a story by series executive producer Tom Fontana
.
Yoshimura considered "Black and Blue" the favorite script he wrote for Homicide. Pembleton's investigation was based on a real-life investigation into a suspicious shooting featured in David Simon
's non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, on which the Homicide series was based. However, fictional elements like Howard
's romantic interest in the perpetrator were added so more cast members could be part of the story. Detectives from the Baltimore Police Department
wrote a letter of formal protest to executive producer Barry Levinson over the negative portrayal of police in the episode.
"Black and Blue" featured Julianna Margulies
as a waitress who befriends Bolander
and Isaiah Washington
as an innocent man who Pembleton tricks into confessing to murder. Mel Proctor
, home team sports announcer for the Washington Bullets, also reprised his recurring role as reporter Grant Besser. According to Nielsen Media Research
, the episode was seen by 10.83 million household viewers, a drop from the previous episode "See No Evil
". It received generally positive reviews, with critics particularly praising the performance of Andre Braugher
.
(Andre Braugher
) continues his investigation into the shooting death of small-time drug peddler Charles Courtland Cox, who he suspects was killed by police during a botched crackhouse raid. As the involved police officers turn over their guns for testing, the press reports heavily on the story, which results in pressure from the department heads to solve the case. Pembleton aggressively questions several officers, but none are cooperative. Gee
(Yaphet Kotto
) is angry with Pembleton's focus on the police and demands civilian suspects be pursued. Howard
(Melissa Leo
) and Bayliss
(Kyle Secor
) canvas the neighborhood of the shooting and find most residents do not trust the police, who they feel are responsible for the death of one of their own. However, one woman named Dale (June Thorne) tells Bayliss her grandson, Lane Staley (Isaiah Washington
) witnessed the shooting. Staley is brought in to the station for questioning and, while Pembleton plans to question him as an eyewitness, Gee demands he be treated as a suspect.
Frustrated that Gee refuses to consider the possibility of a police shooting, Pembleton assures him he will get a confession out of Staley, whether he did it or not. Pembleton starts the interrogation calm and polite, but gradually becomes angrier, frightening Staley. Pembleton makes him feel responsible for allowing Cox to be at the crackhouse, and uses that guilt to break Staley down and confess, even though he is obviously innocent. Pembleton gives the confession to Gee, who is conflicted, especially when Pembleton compares it to past police practices of white detectives getting confessions from black suspects no matter what the cost. Ultimately, Gee tears up the confession and instead visits Staley at jail. Staley admits to Gee that Lt. Jimmy Tyron (Michael S. Kennedy) shot Cox in the back without warning while Cox was running away. Pembleton and Bayliss arrest Tyron at his home, where they confiscate a gun and bullets that appear to match those used against Cox. The arrest deeply saddens Howard, who had previously had an affair with Tyron. The affair ended because Tyron was married with children, but Howard continues to harbor romantic feelings for him.
Meanwhile, in a B story
, Munch
(Richard Belzer
) repeatedly and loudly declares his love for his girlfriend Felicia, much to the annoyance of his lonely partner Bolander
(Ned Beatty
). The two confiscate a live goldfish from the murder scene of a dead drug dealer. Upon learning it will not used as evidence, Munch decides to give it as a gift to Felicia, who loves fish. However, she breaks up with Munch after the fish ends up eating all her other fish. The now lonely Munch turns to Bolander for comfort, but finds the tables have turned and that Bolander has met a local waitress named Linda (Julianna Margulies
). The two get along very well and bond over their mutual love of music. The episode ends with Linda and Bolander getting together to play music: Linda plays the violin
, while Bolander plays the cello
.
and directed by series executive producer Tom Fontana
. Like the other three second season episodes, the script was already finished by the time the first season ended, but due to poor Nielsen ratings
throughout the duration of the show, NBC executives asked for several refinements – including fewer episode subplots and less camera movements and jump cuts – before approving a second season. Although Yoshimura continued working on Homicide throughout the entire life of the show, he considered "Black and Blue" his favorite script. Braugher also complimented the writing, particularly during the interrogation scene with his character:
Pembleton's investigation of fellow police officers for a suspicious shooting was based on a real-life investigation chronicled in David Simon
's 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, from which the Homicide series was adapted. Baltimore Police Department
Detective Donald Worden
, on whom the Bolander character is based, handled the actual real-life investigation in 1988. However, Howard's affair with the perpetrator was not part of the real-life incident, but rather was added by Yoshimura as part of the show's efforts to ensure as many detectives were personally involved in the storylines as possible. Several members of the Baltimore Police Department publicly criticized Homicide for its negative portrayal of the police in the episode, and 22 detectives wrote a formal letter of protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
over the matter. Cellist Zuill Bailey
served as a body double for Ned Beatty in the scenes with Bolander playing cello. Bailey was studying at Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory at the time, and his appearance on Homicide led to further collaborations with Tom Fontana, including a recurring guest appearance for Bailey on Fontana's drama series Oz
.
The episode featured guest appearances by Isaiah Washington, who went on to play Preston Burke
on the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy
, and Julianna Margulies, who started her role as nurse Carol Hathaway
on the medical drama series ER
the same year that "Black and Blue" aired. She was cast in the part after having worked with Fontana on the pilot of Philly Heat, an ABC
miniseries he worked on about members of the Philadelphia Fire Department
. Fontana offered Margulies a recurring role on Homicide, but she turned it down in favor of ER. Michael S. Kennedy, an actor from Richmond
, Texas
, reprised his role of Lt. Jimmy Tyron from the previous episode, "See No Evil
". A struggling actor, Kennedy received a call in the middle of an all-night shoot in Virginia Beach from a casting director he knew, informing him about the audition for Homicide one day in advance. He so enjoyed working on the show that he wrote a Homicide script himself, with Tyron playing a major part in the story, although it was ultimately never used. "Black and Blue" also featured the second of five guest appearances by Mel Proctor
, then the home team sports announcer for the Washington Bullets
, as Grant Besser, a recurring reporter character in Homicide.
The songs "Slow Fire" by Just Like Jane, and "Up on the Roof
" by Gerry Goffin
and Carole King
, were featured in "Black and Blue". During the final scene, Bolander and Linda perform a movement of "Passacaglia", a classical music song composed by George Frideric Handel
.
", opened with an extremely high rating due to a guest appearance by Robin Williams
, the ratings had declined since then and Tom Fontana said a future decision about whether Homicide would be renewed depended heavily on the ratings performance of "Black and Blue": "I hope the numbers level off now. This Thursday night is do-or-die. It will tell the tale." In its original American broadcast on January 20, 1994, the episode was watched by 10.83 million households, according to Nielsen Media Research
, earning the episode an 11.5 rating. That constituted a drop from the previous week's episode, "See No Evil", which was seen by 12.53 million households. Although a drop from the previous episode, "Bop Gun", which drew 16.3 million household viewers and was the 31st highest-rated show of the week. "Black and Blue" was the 47th highest rated show the week it aired, tying with the CBS
drama series Picket Fences
and the ABC comedy series Thea
.
praised Braugher, particularly during the "excruciating" interrogation scene, and wrote, "Unbelievably, 'Black and Blue' didn't earn Braugher an Emmy nomination." Greg Paeth of Scripps Howard News Service
called it an "exceptional cop drama" and complimented the dramatic tension between Pembleton and Gee. Chicago Sun-Times
writer Lon Grahnke gave the episode four stars and said "Anyone who likes NYPD Blue
should give Homicide a try."
Tom Shales of The Washington Post
strongly praised both "Black and Blue" and "See No Evil" in part because they showcased Braugher, who he called the finest actor in the ensemble cast. Shales said: "Braugher manages to be utterly compelling whether slamming doors and throwing chairs, reducing a murder suspect to quivering tears, having furious arguments with Lt. Giardello (rock-solid Yaphet Kotto) or simply lurking about." The Baltimore Sun
writer David Bianculli called it a superb episode with a "lyrical, beautiful climax", praising the Brauger's performance, particularly during the intense interrogation scene with Isaiah Washington. "Black and Blue"" was among a 1999 Court TV marathon of the top 15 Homicide episodes, as voted on by 20,000 visitors to the channels website.
on May 27, 2003 for $69.95.
Homicide: Life on the Street (season 2)
The second season of Homicide: Life on the Street, an American police procedural drama television series, originally aired in the United States between January 6 and January 27, 1994. Due to low Nielsen ratings during the first season, NBC executives decided to order only a four-episode season,...
of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, and the twelfth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States on January 20, 1994. In the episode, Pembleton
Frank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
aggressively investigates what he believes to be a police-related shooting. Amid pressure from Gee
Al Giardello
Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto...
to pursue civilian suspects, Pembleton elicits a successful confession from an innocent man, leaving Gee feeling conflicted. Directed by Chris Menaul, the episode's teleplay was written by James Yoshimura
James Yoshimura
James Yoshimura is a Japanese American writer and producer, best known for his screenwriting work on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street and the short-lived Fox series The Jury, for which he served as a co-creator. He also co-wrote Homicide: The Movie, a made-for-television film that came...
based on a story by series executive producer Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana is an American writer and producer.-TV career:Fontana has been a writer/producer for such series as Oz , The Jury, The Beat, The Bedford Diaries, Homicide: Life on the Street, St...
.
Yoshimura considered "Black and Blue" the favorite script he wrote for Homicide. Pembleton's investigation was based on a real-life investigation into a suspicious shooting featured in David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
's non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad...
, on which the Homicide series was based. However, fictional elements like Howard
Kay Howard
Kay Howard is a fictional homicide detective from Homicide: Life on the Street. She was played by actress Melissa Leo. In the first two seasons of the show her character was the only female detective or member of the main cast. This was in keeping with the book and the actual Homicide unit in...
's romantic interest in the perpetrator were added so more cast members could be part of the story. Detectives from the Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
wrote a letter of formal protest to executive producer Barry Levinson over the negative portrayal of police in the episode.
"Black and Blue" featured Julianna Margulies
Julianna Margulies
Julianna Luisa Margulies is an American actress and producer.After several small television roles, Margulies achieved success in her regular role as Nurse Carol Hathaway on NBC's long-running medical drama ER, for which she won an Emmy Award...
as a waitress who befriends Bolander
Stanley Bolander
Stanley Bolander is a fictional character in the American crime drama / police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street. He is portrayed by Ned Beatty and appears in the first three seasons and Homicide: The Movie.-Character overview:...
and Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington IV is an American actor. A veteran of several Spike Lee films, Washington is best known for his role as Dr. Preston Burke on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2007.-Personal life:...
as an innocent man who Pembleton tricks into confessing to murder. Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor is an American television sportscaster, actor, and book author.-Biography:A Denver, Colorado native, Proctor has called play-by-play for such teams as the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Clippers at various points in his career...
, home team sports announcer for the Washington Bullets, also reprised his recurring role as reporter Grant Besser. According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the episode was seen by 10.83 million household viewers, a drop from the previous episode "See No Evil
See No Evil (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"See No Evil" is the second episode of the second season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the eleventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 13, 1994. In the episode, Felton's friend kills his father...
". It received generally positive reviews, with critics particularly praising the performance of Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
.
Plot summary
PembletonFrank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
(Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
) continues his investigation into the shooting death of small-time drug peddler Charles Courtland Cox, who he suspects was killed by police during a botched crackhouse raid. As the involved police officers turn over their guns for testing, the press reports heavily on the story, which results in pressure from the department heads to solve the case. Pembleton aggressively questions several officers, but none are cooperative. Gee
Al Giardello
Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto...
(Yaphet Kotto
Yaphet Kotto
Yaphet Frederick Kotto is an African-American actor, known for numerous film roles , and his starring role in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street .-Early life:Kotto was born in New York City, the son of Gladys Marie, a...
) is angry with Pembleton's focus on the police and demands civilian suspects be pursued. Howard
Kay Howard
Kay Howard is a fictional homicide detective from Homicide: Life on the Street. She was played by actress Melissa Leo. In the first two seasons of the show her character was the only female detective or member of the main cast. This was in keeping with the book and the actual Homicide unit in...
(Melissa Leo
Melissa Leo
Melissa Chessington Leo , is an American actress. After appearing on several television shows and films in the late '80s, her breakthrough role came in 1993 as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street for the show's first five seasons from 1993 – 1997...
) and Bayliss
Tim Bayliss
Timothy Bayliss is a fictional detective on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was a primary character, and was played by Kyle Secor. He was loosely based on the real-life Det...
(Kyle Secor
Kyle Secor
Kyle Ivan Secor is an American television and movie actor, best known for his role as Detective Tim Bayliss on the crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early years:...
) canvas the neighborhood of the shooting and find most residents do not trust the police, who they feel are responsible for the death of one of their own. However, one woman named Dale (June Thorne) tells Bayliss her grandson, Lane Staley (Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington
Isaiah Washington IV is an American actor. A veteran of several Spike Lee films, Washington is best known for his role as Dr. Preston Burke on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2007.-Personal life:...
) witnessed the shooting. Staley is brought in to the station for questioning and, while Pembleton plans to question him as an eyewitness, Gee demands he be treated as a suspect.
Frustrated that Gee refuses to consider the possibility of a police shooting, Pembleton assures him he will get a confession out of Staley, whether he did it or not. Pembleton starts the interrogation calm and polite, but gradually becomes angrier, frightening Staley. Pembleton makes him feel responsible for allowing Cox to be at the crackhouse, and uses that guilt to break Staley down and confess, even though he is obviously innocent. Pembleton gives the confession to Gee, who is conflicted, especially when Pembleton compares it to past police practices of white detectives getting confessions from black suspects no matter what the cost. Ultimately, Gee tears up the confession and instead visits Staley at jail. Staley admits to Gee that Lt. Jimmy Tyron (Michael S. Kennedy) shot Cox in the back without warning while Cox was running away. Pembleton and Bayliss arrest Tyron at his home, where they confiscate a gun and bullets that appear to match those used against Cox. The arrest deeply saddens Howard, who had previously had an affair with Tyron. The affair ended because Tyron was married with children, but Howard continues to harbor romantic feelings for him.
Meanwhile, in a B story
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
, Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
(Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
) repeatedly and loudly declares his love for his girlfriend Felicia, much to the annoyance of his lonely partner Bolander
Stanley Bolander
Stanley Bolander is a fictional character in the American crime drama / police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street. He is portrayed by Ned Beatty and appears in the first three seasons and Homicide: The Movie.-Character overview:...
(Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
). The two confiscate a live goldfish from the murder scene of a dead drug dealer. Upon learning it will not used as evidence, Munch decides to give it as a gift to Felicia, who loves fish. However, she breaks up with Munch after the fish ends up eating all her other fish. The now lonely Munch turns to Bolander for comfort, but finds the tables have turned and that Bolander has met a local waitress named Linda (Julianna Margulies
Julianna Margulies
Julianna Luisa Margulies is an American actress and producer.After several small television roles, Margulies achieved success in her regular role as Nurse Carol Hathaway on NBC's long-running medical drama ER, for which she won an Emmy Award...
). The two get along very well and bond over their mutual love of music. The episode ends with Linda and Bolander getting together to play music: Linda plays the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, while Bolander plays the cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
.
Production
"Black and Blue" was written by James YoshimuraJames Yoshimura
James Yoshimura is a Japanese American writer and producer, best known for his screenwriting work on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street and the short-lived Fox series The Jury, for which he served as a co-creator. He also co-wrote Homicide: The Movie, a made-for-television film that came...
and directed by series executive producer Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana
Tom Fontana is an American writer and producer.-TV career:Fontana has been a writer/producer for such series as Oz , The Jury, The Beat, The Bedford Diaries, Homicide: Life on the Street, St...
. Like the other three second season episodes, the script was already finished by the time the first season ended, but due to poor Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
throughout the duration of the show, NBC executives asked for several refinements – including fewer episode subplots and less camera movements and jump cuts – before approving a second season. Although Yoshimura continued working on Homicide throughout the entire life of the show, he considered "Black and Blue" his favorite script. Braugher also complimented the writing, particularly during the interrogation scene with his character:
"I didn't dare judge my character before I did that scene. Andre Braugher doesn't judge Frank Pembleton about being right or wrong. It's a way for me to remain blessedly free of conscience. But for me the beauty of that scene was that we really dared to get into it. Typically in TV shows we skim over the edges of issues like water spiders, spouting platitudes and spouting unearned 'clarifying' emotions. But there were no violins strumming in 'Black and Blue'."
Pembleton's investigation of fellow police officers for a suspicious shooting was based on a real-life investigation chronicled in David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
's 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad...
, from which the Homicide series was adapted. Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
Detective Donald Worden
Donald Worden
Donald Worden is a retired Baltimore Police Department detective who was featured in David Simon's non-fiction book about the homicide unit, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets....
, on whom the Bolander character is based, handled the actual real-life investigation in 1988. However, Howard's affair with the perpetrator was not part of the real-life incident, but rather was added by Yoshimura as part of the show's efforts to ensure as many detectives were personally involved in the storylines as possible. Several members of the Baltimore Police Department publicly criticized Homicide for its negative portrayal of the police in the episode, and 22 detectives wrote a formal letter of protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
over the matter. Cellist Zuill Bailey
Zuill Bailey
Zuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
served as a body double for Ned Beatty in the scenes with Bolander playing cello. Bailey was studying at Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory at the time, and his appearance on Homicide led to further collaborations with Tom Fontana, including a recurring guest appearance for Bailey on Fontana's drama series Oz
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
.
The episode featured guest appearances by Isaiah Washington, who went on to play Preston Burke
Preston Burke
Preston Xavier Burke, more commonly known as Burke, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character was portrayed by actor Isaiah Washington, up until the third season.-Storylines:...
on the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, and Julianna Margulies, who started her role as nurse Carol Hathaway
Carol Hathaway
Nurse Carol Ross is a fictional character on the popular television show ER, portrayed by Julianna Margulies from 1994 to 2000. Julianna Margulies' removal from the main cast opening credits was in the final episode of season 6....
on the medical drama series ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
the same year that "Black and Blue" aired. She was cast in the part after having worked with Fontana on the pilot of Philly Heat, an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
miniseries he worked on about members of the Philadelphia Fire Department
Philadelphia Fire Department
The Philadelphia Fire Department provides firefighting and Emergency Medical Services within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Fontana offered Margulies a recurring role on Homicide, but she turned it down in favor of ER. Michael S. Kennedy, an actor from Richmond
Richmond, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, reprised his role of Lt. Jimmy Tyron from the previous episode, "See No Evil
See No Evil (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"See No Evil" is the second episode of the second season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the eleventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 13, 1994. In the episode, Felton's friend kills his father...
". A struggling actor, Kennedy received a call in the middle of an all-night shoot in Virginia Beach from a casting director he knew, informing him about the audition for Homicide one day in advance. He so enjoyed working on the show that he wrote a Homicide script himself, with Tyron playing a major part in the story, although it was ultimately never used. "Black and Blue" also featured the second of five guest appearances by Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor is an American television sportscaster, actor, and book author.-Biography:A Denver, Colorado native, Proctor has called play-by-play for such teams as the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Clippers at various points in his career...
, then the home team sports announcer for the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, as Grant Besser, a recurring reporter character in Homicide.
The songs "Slow Fire" by Just Like Jane, and "Up on the Roof
Up on the Roof (song)
"Up on the Roof" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and recorded in 1962 by The Drifters. Released at the tail end of that year, the song became a big hit in early 1963, reaching number five on the U.S. pop singles chart and number 4 on the U.S...
" by Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin
Gerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, were featured in "Black and Blue". During the final scene, Bolander and Linda perform a movement of "Passacaglia", a classical music song composed by George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
.
Ratings
While the season premiere episode, "Bop GunBop Gun (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"Bop Gun" is the second season premiere of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the tenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 6, 1994...
", opened with an extremely high rating due to a guest appearance by Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, the ratings had declined since then and Tom Fontana said a future decision about whether Homicide would be renewed depended heavily on the ratings performance of "Black and Blue": "I hope the numbers level off now. This Thursday night is do-or-die. It will tell the tale." In its original American broadcast on January 20, 1994, the episode was watched by 10.83 million households, according to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, earning the episode an 11.5 rating. That constituted a drop from the previous week's episode, "See No Evil", which was seen by 12.53 million households. Although a drop from the previous episode, "Bop Gun", which drew 16.3 million household viewers and was the 31st highest-rated show of the week. "Black and Blue" was the 47th highest rated show the week it aired, tying with the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
drama series Picket Fences
Picket Fences
Picket Fences is a 60-minute American television drama about the residents of the fictional town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show initially ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on the CBS television network in the United States...
and the ABC comedy series Thea
Thea (TV series)
Thea is an American sitcom that premiered September 3, 1993 on ABC, and last aired on February 14, 1994, for a total of 19 episodes. Starring comedienne Thea Vidale, the series marked the first time an African American female comedienne was the star of a series named after her.-Synopsis:Thea Vidale...
.
Reviews
"Black and Blue" received generally positive reviews, with critics particularly praising the performance of Andre Braugher. David P. Kalat, author of Homicide: Life on the Street - The Unofficial Companion, praised the script of "Black and Blue", writing: "Yoshimura has written some of the series' most memorable installments, but the scene of Pembleton extracting a 'confession' from an innocent man is one of his greatest achievements." Kalat also complimented the performance by Margulies, who he said "exhibits the same charm and charisma that made her a star on ER". Kinney Littlefield of The Orange County RegisterThe Orange County Register
The Orange County Register is a daily newspaper published in Santa Ana, California. The Register is the flagship publication of Freedom Communications, Inc., which publishes 28 daily newspapers, 23 weekly newspapers, Coast magazine, and several related Internet sites.The Register is notable for its...
praised Braugher, particularly during the "excruciating" interrogation scene, and wrote, "Unbelievably, 'Black and Blue' didn't earn Braugher an Emmy nomination." Greg Paeth of Scripps Howard News Service
E. W. Scripps Company
The E. W. Scripps Company is an American media conglomerate founded by Edward W. Scripps on November 2, 1878. The company is headquartered inside the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way."On October 16, 2007, the company...
called it an "exceptional cop drama" and complimented the dramatic tension between Pembleton and Gee. Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
writer Lon Grahnke gave the episode four stars and said "Anyone who likes NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
should give Homicide a try."
Tom Shales of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
strongly praised both "Black and Blue" and "See No Evil" in part because they showcased Braugher, who he called the finest actor in the ensemble cast. Shales said: "Braugher manages to be utterly compelling whether slamming doors and throwing chairs, reducing a murder suspect to quivering tears, having furious arguments with Lt. Giardello (rock-solid Yaphet Kotto) or simply lurking about." The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
writer David Bianculli called it a superb episode with a "lyrical, beautiful climax", praising the Brauger's performance, particularly during the intense interrogation scene with Isaiah Washington. "Black and Blue"" was among a 1999 Court TV marathon of the top 15 Homicide episodes, as voted on by 20,000 visitors to the channels website.
DVD release
"Black and Blue" and the rest of the first and second season episodes were included in the four-DVD box-set "Homicide: Life on the Street: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2", which was released by A&E Home VideoA&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks is a U.S. media company that owns a group of television channels available via cable & satellite in the US and abroad...
on May 27, 2003 for $69.95.