Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (Homicide: Life on the Street)
Encyclopedia
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is the eighth episode of the first season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street
. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on March 24, 1993. In the episode, Howard
and Bayliss
attempt to quit smoking, Gee
discovers secret asbestos removal in the squad room, and Munch
and Bolander
investigate the beating death of a 14-year-old boy. The teleplay was written by James Yoshimura
based on a story by executive director Tom Fontana
, and the episode was directed by Wayne Ewing, who doubled as director of photography.
The episode featured a cameo appearance by film director and Baltimore
native John Waters
as a bartender. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was originally supposed to be the first season finale, but the episode "Night of the Dead Living
" was moved to the end of the season because NBC programmers felt it was too slow-paced to show any earlier in the season. During one scene, Munch and Bolander convince a suspect the copy machine is a dangerous lie-detector machine. This was inspired by a real-life trick used by the Baltimore Police Department
and documented in David Simon
's 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, on which the series was based. It was later used in an episode of Simon's police drama series, The Wire
.
Since ratings for Homicide had gradually declined throughout the season, NBC announced a decision about whether the series would be renewed would depend on the Nielsen ratings
of the final four episodes, including "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". Nevertheless, it was seen by 7.08 million household viewers, which was considered relatively low, although it was an improvement over the previous episode "And the Rockets' Dead Glare
".
(Melissa Leo
) quits smoking, and her partner Felton
(Daniel Baldwin
) fears her edginess will endanger his safety. Bayliss
(Kyle Secor
) also tries to quit smoking, but tries to live vicariously through his smoking partner Pembleton
(Andre Braugher
). Howard and Bayliss petition Gee
(Yaphet Kotto
) to set up a non-smoking section for the squad room, but an amused Gee refuses because most of the detectives smoke. Howard, Felton, Bayliss and Pembleton find they share a common suspect in a Union Square murder, and plan a joint stakeout. Howard and Bayliss decide to ride together so Pembleton and Felton can smoke in the car. Although outwardly critical and skeptical, Pembleton and Felton are actually impressed with their partners' willpower and discuss the merits of quitting smoking. Howard and Bayliss, however, talk about nothing but smoking, prompting Bayliss to walk to Pembleton's car window and ask for a cigarette. As the result, the four detectives almost miss the suspect, and have to engage him in a foot chase to arrest him.
Meanwhile, an intrusive public works inspector (Carter Jahncke) tests the air quality at the squad room, but insists to an inquisitive Gee that everything is fine. The next day, however, Gee goes upstairs and finds a team wearing protective respirator suits removing hazardous asbestos from the wall. Gee angrily confronts Captain Barnfather
(Clayton LeBouef
) and Colonel Granger (Gerald F. Gough) for not informing the detectives about the work, and demands it be stopped until precautionary medical checks can be conducted. Barnfather and Granger insist the removal work is safe, but give in when Gee threatens to go to the media. Meanwhile, Lewis
(Clark Johnson
) brags repeatedly to Crosetti
(Jon Polito
) about his new Ford FE V8 engine
and the car he plans to build. Crosetti feigns disinterest, but the next day presents Lewis with a rear-view mirror as a gift.
Munch
(Richard Belzer
) and Bolander
(Ned Beatty
) investigate the death of a 14-year-old boy found dead in a hospital waiting room. The victim, Percy Howell, appeared to suffer sustained blows to the head from a blunt object but waited days before seeking treatment. Although initially suspicious of the boy's cold and uncaring father (Dan Moran), a devout Christian who makes antisemitic remarks at Munch, the detectives eventually question another teen (Gavin Goren) who spent time with Howell right before he died. After convincing the gullible teen that the copy machine was actually an "electrolyte neutron magnetic scanner" that could detect lies, they learn Howell was killed by Colin Dietz (Joe Fersedi), the teenage leader of a gang called the Zaps, with a baseball bat. Munch and Bolander arrest Dietz, who says he loved Howell like a brother and the beating was an initiation. Bolander is deeply disturbed by Dietz's cold casualness in discussing the murder. Later, Bolander talks to a bartender (John Waters
) about his divorce, and the episode ends with Bolander drinking alone at the bar, quietly singing an Elvis Presley
song.
based on a story by executive producer Tom Fontana
, and was directed by Wayne Ewing, who doubled as director of photography. The title of the episode refers both to Bayliss and Howard seeking to quit smoking, and to the hazardous asbestos being removed from the squad room. The episode includes a cameo appearance by film director John Waters
, who plays a bartender speaking with Bolander in the final scene. Waters, a Baltimore
native who develops and sets most of his films in the city, would make another guest appearance in the third season
episode, "Law & Disorder
" in a different cameo role.
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was originally supposed to be the Homicide: Life on the Street first season finale, but the episode "Night of the Dead Living
" was moved to the end of the season. Although originally scheduled as the third episode, NBC programmers were worried "Night of the Dead Living", which takes place entirely within the detective's squad room, was too slow-paced for a series still trying to win viewers. Although Homicide producers felt "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" had a sense of resolving storylines, NBC executives believed it was too somber and preferred the ending of "Night of the Dead Living", which ends with the detectives happily smiling and laughing.
During one scene in "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", Munch and Bolander force a suspect to take a "electrolyte neutron magnetic scan test", which involved placing his hand on a copy machine and photocopying his hand as they asked him questions. Prior to giving the exam, the detectives loaded papers with the words "True" and "False" into the machine, so when the final copies came out it appeared the machine was giving answers to the questions. The detectives pretended the test was radioactive and dangerous to further make the suspect nervous. This scene was based on a real-life trick used by Baltimore Police Department
detectives in 1988. The real-life instance was featured in Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, the 1991 David Simon
non-fiction book about a Baltimore Police Department
, which was adapted into the Homicide series. This hoax was also used in "More with Less
", the fifth season
premiere episode of David Simon's later police drama series, The Wire
.
, earning the episode a 7.6 rating. This constituted a slight increase in viewership compared to the previous week's episode, "And the Rockets' Dead Glare
", which was seen by 6.61 million viewers and received a 7.1 rating. Homicide ranked low in the Nielsen ratings compared to other shows the week of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", ranking 77th for the week of March 15 to 21, with the CBS
news magazine series 60 Minutes
ranking number one with 21.9 million household viewers.
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" 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 Video
on May 27, 2003.
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...
. 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 March 24, 1993. In the episode, 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...
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...
attempt to quit smoking, 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...
discovers secret asbestos removal in the squad room, and 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...
and 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:...
investigate the beating death of a 14-year-old boy. The 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 executive director 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...
, and the episode was directed by Wayne Ewing, who doubled as director of photography.
The episode featured a cameo appearance by film director and Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
native John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
as a bartender. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was originally supposed to be the first season finale, but the episode "Night of the Dead Living
Night of the Dead Living
"Night of the Dead Living" is the ninth episode and first season finale of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 31, 1993. In the episode, the homicide squad works the night shift on a summer evening, but...
" was moved to the end of the season because NBC programmers felt it was too slow-paced to show any earlier in the season. During one scene, Munch and Bolander convince a suspect the copy machine is a dangerous lie-detector machine. This was inspired by a real-life trick used by 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...
and documented 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...
, on which the series was based. It was later used in an episode of Simon's police drama series, The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
.
Since ratings for Homicide had gradually declined throughout the season, NBC announced a decision about whether the series would be renewed would depend on the 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...
of the final four episodes, including "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". Nevertheless, it was seen by 7.08 million household viewers, which was considered relatively low, although it was an improvement over the previous episode "And the Rockets' Dead Glare
And the Rockets' Dead Glare
"And the Rockets Dead Glare" is the seventh episode of the first season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 17, 1993. In the episode, Howard testifies in a murder trial, Pembleton is offered a...
".
Plot summary
HowardKay 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...
) quits smoking, and her partner Felton
Beau Felton
Det. Beauregard D. 'Beau' Felton is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Daniel Baldwin for seasons 1-3. He was loosely based on Det...
(Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
) fears her edginess will endanger his safety. 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:...
) also tries to quit smoking, but tries to live vicariously through his smoking partner 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...
(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...
). Howard and Bayliss petition 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...
) to set up a non-smoking section for the squad room, but an amused Gee refuses because most of the detectives smoke. Howard, Felton, Bayliss and Pembleton find they share a common suspect in a Union Square murder, and plan a joint stakeout. Howard and Bayliss decide to ride together so Pembleton and Felton can smoke in the car. Although outwardly critical and skeptical, Pembleton and Felton are actually impressed with their partners' willpower and discuss the merits of quitting smoking. Howard and Bayliss, however, talk about nothing but smoking, prompting Bayliss to walk to Pembleton's car window and ask for a cigarette. As the result, the four detectives almost miss the suspect, and have to engage him in a foot chase to arrest him.
Meanwhile, an intrusive public works inspector (Carter Jahncke) tests the air quality at the squad room, but insists to an inquisitive Gee that everything is fine. The next day, however, Gee goes upstairs and finds a team wearing protective respirator suits removing hazardous asbestos from the wall. Gee angrily confronts Captain Barnfather
George Barnfather
George Barnfather is a fictional Deputy Commissioner in the Baltimore Police Department on Homicide: Life on the Street, played by Clayton LeBouef.Barnfather first appeared in the series as a Captain whose command was over the Homicide Section...
(Clayton LeBouef
Clayton LeBouef
Clayton LeBouef is an African American actor, best known for his recurring role as Colonel George Barnfather in Homicide: Life on the Street...
) and Colonel Granger (Gerald F. Gough) for not informing the detectives about the work, and demands it be stopped until precautionary medical checks can be conducted. Barnfather and Granger insist the removal work is safe, but give in when Gee threatens to go to the media. Meanwhile, Lewis
Meldrick Lewis
Meldrick Lewis is a fictional character on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street played by Clark Johnson. The character was in the series for its full run and had the very first and last lines of the series...
(Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson , sometimes credited as Clark 'Slappy' Jackson, Clarque Johnson, and J. Clark Johnson, is an American actor and director who has worked in both television and film.-Early years:...
) brags repeatedly to Crosetti
Steve Crosetti
Det. Steve Crosetti is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by actor Jon Polito for the show's first two seasons. He is believed to be based on Baltimore Police Department Det...
(Jon Polito
Jon Polito
Jon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of...
) about his new Ford FE V8 engine
Ford FE engine
The Ford FE engine is a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. A related engine, the Ford FT engine, was used in medium and heavy trucks from 1964 through 1978. The FE filled the need for a medium-displacement engine created by the discontinuation...
and the car he plans to build. Crosetti feigns disinterest, but the next day presents Lewis with a rear-view mirror as a gift.
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...
) and 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....
) investigate the death of a 14-year-old boy found dead in a hospital waiting room. The victim, Percy Howell, appeared to suffer sustained blows to the head from a blunt object but waited days before seeking treatment. Although initially suspicious of the boy's cold and uncaring father (Dan Moran), a devout Christian who makes antisemitic remarks at Munch, the detectives eventually question another teen (Gavin Goren) who spent time with Howell right before he died. After convincing the gullible teen that the copy machine was actually an "electrolyte neutron magnetic scanner" that could detect lies, they learn Howell was killed by Colin Dietz (Joe Fersedi), the teenage leader of a gang called the Zaps, with a baseball bat. Munch and Bolander arrest Dietz, who says he loved Howell like a brother and the beating was an initiation. Bolander is deeply disturbed by Dietz's cold casualness in discussing the murder. Later, Bolander talks to a bartender (John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
) about his divorce, and the episode ends with Bolander drinking alone at the bar, quietly singing an Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
song.
Production
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" 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...
based on a story by 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...
, and was directed by Wayne Ewing, who doubled as director of photography. The title of the episode refers both to Bayliss and Howard seeking to quit smoking, and to the hazardous asbestos being removed from the squad room. The episode includes a cameo appearance by film director John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
, who plays a bartender speaking with Bolander in the final scene. Waters, a Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
native who develops and sets most of his films in the city, would make another guest appearance in the third season
Homicide: Life on the Street (season 3)
The third season of Homicide: Life on the Street aired in the United States on the NBC television network from 1994-10-14 to 1995-05-05 and contained 20 episodes. It was the first full season of episodes.The third season marked the debut of character Lt...
episode, "Law & Disorder
Law & Disorder
"Law & Disorder" is an episode of the third season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC on February 24, 1995. The episode was written by Bonnie Mark and Julie Martin and directed by John McNaughton...
" in a different cameo role.
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was originally supposed to be the Homicide: Life on the Street first season finale, but the episode "Night of the Dead Living
Night of the Dead Living
"Night of the Dead Living" is the ninth episode and first season finale of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 31, 1993. In the episode, the homicide squad works the night shift on a summer evening, but...
" was moved to the end of the season. Although originally scheduled as the third episode, NBC programmers were worried "Night of the Dead Living", which takes place entirely within the detective's squad room, was too slow-paced for a series still trying to win viewers. Although Homicide producers felt "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" had a sense of resolving storylines, NBC executives believed it was too somber and preferred the ending of "Night of the Dead Living", which ends with the detectives happily smiling and laughing.
During one scene in "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", Munch and Bolander force a suspect to take a "electrolyte neutron magnetic scan test", which involved placing his hand on a copy machine and photocopying his hand as they asked him questions. Prior to giving the exam, the detectives loaded papers with the words "True" and "False" into the machine, so when the final copies came out it appeared the machine was giving answers to the questions. The detectives pretended the test was radioactive and dangerous to further make the suspect nervous. This scene was based on a real-life trick used by 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...
detectives in 1988. The real-life instance was featured in 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...
, the 1991 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...
non-fiction book about a 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...
, which was adapted into the Homicide series. This hoax was also used in "More with Less
More with Less
"More with Less" is the first episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series, The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Joe Chappelle...
", the fifth season
The Wire (season 5)
The fifth season of the television series The Wire commenced airing in the United States on January 6, 2008, and concluded on March 9, 2008; it contained 10 episodes...
premiere episode of David Simon's later police drama series, The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
.
Release and reception
Ratings for Homicide: Life on the Street gradually declined since the series first premiered. In response, NBC announced to fans that a decision about whether Homicide would be renewed or canceled would depend on how the last four episodes of the season fared in the ratings, including "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes". In its original American broadcast on March 24, 1993, the episode was watched by 7.08 million households, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen 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 a 7.6 rating. This constituted a slight increase in viewership compared to the previous week's episode, "And the Rockets' Dead Glare
And the Rockets' Dead Glare
"And the Rockets Dead Glare" is the seventh episode of the first season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 17, 1993. In the episode, Howard testifies in a murder trial, Pembleton is offered a...
", which was seen by 6.61 million viewers and received a 7.1 rating. Homicide ranked low in the Nielsen ratings compared to other shows the week of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", ranking 77th for the week of March 15 to 21, 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...
news magazine series 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
ranking number one with 21.9 million household viewers.
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" 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 Video
A&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.
External links
- "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...