HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET: THE TWENTY PERCENT SOLUTION (TV)
Summary
One in this dramatic police series about a department of reflective homicide detectives in Baltimore, Maryland. In this episode, glamorous actress Darlene Everett arrives at the station house and announces that her husband, novelist L.P. Everett, has been murdered by his agent Jake Benedek over a business dispute, though his body is nowhere to be found. Munch and Bayliss investigate the death of an 88-year-old woman apparently killed during a home invasion, learning that the would-be robber placed an anonymous call to 911 after she collapsed. Benedek denies killing his troublesome client, suggesting that he has instead absconded with his mistress, one Claudette Pinchot, and that his apparent disappearance echoes the "weird little macho universe" of his novels. Dr. Griscom argues that the robber could potentially be held legally culpable for provoking the old woman's heart failure, and Falsone is baffled to learn that Ballard is romantically interested in him.
Darlene informs the detectives that she and L.P. had an "open marriage," still convinced that Benedek is to blame. The cops find L.P.'s Jaguar seemingly abandoned in a parking lot, and Bayliss and Munch argue about the old woman's case, with Munch wanting to hand it over to the Robbery unit and Bayliss wishing to pursue the criminal himself. Claudette arrives at the precinct and reveals that she and L.P. were indeed intending to run away together – but he never arrived. Now finally believing that he may truly have been murdered, Ballard and Gharty re-examine Everett's office, where they find evidence suggesting a shooting. Darlene and Claudette are introduced and immediately begin brawling, while Benedek suggests another suspect: ex-CIA agent Grenville Rawlins, whose story was apparently stolen by Everett for one of his books.
Giardello brings the hyper-vigilant Rawlins in for questioning, and a witness quickly places him in Everett's office at the time of his death, prompting the detectives to arrest him. Danvers tries to coerce a confession, having discovered that Benedek likely paid Rawlins to commit the murder and dispose of the body, but Rawlins, an experienced government operative, steadfastly refuses to talk. Elsewhere, Bayliss and Munch learn that a robber has confessed to a string of break-ins, including at the deceased old woman's home, but when he explains how he attempted to revive her and shows genuine concern for her wellbeing, they opt to lie and assure him that she is alive and well. Danvers resolves to try Benedek and Rawlins for the murder despite the lack of a body, and Gharty questions Darlene and Claudette about their inexplicable passions for the nebbishy writer. Falsone asks Ballard out on a date, and in court, Benedek and Rawlins' defense attorney offer no evidence, but simply highlights the profound reasonable doubt present in the case. Everyone is therefore shocked when the jury finds them guilty of murder, but Juror #6 explains how the criminals' subtle demeanors gave them away. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 30, 1998 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:44:45
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:54746
- GENRE: Drama, police/detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Infidelity; Writers
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1993-1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Barry Levinson … Executive Producer
- Tom Fontana … Executive Producer
- Jim Finnerty … Executive Producer
- James Yoshimura … Co-Executive Producer
- Julie Martin … Co-Executive Producer
- Eric Overmeyer … Supervising Producer
- David Simon … Producer, Writer, Based on the book by
- Anya Epstein … Consulting Producer
- Gail Mutrux … Consulting Producer
- Clark Johnson … Director
- Paul Attanasio … Created by
- Douglas J. Cuomo … Music by
- Lynn F. Kowal … Theme Music by
- Richard Belzer … Cast, Detective John Munch
- Giancarlo Esposito … Cast, Agent Mike Giardello
- Peter Gerety … Cast, Detective Stuart Gharty
- Clark Johnson … Cast, Detective Meldrick Lewis
- Yaphet Kotto … Cast, Lieutenant Al Giardello
- Toni Lewis … Cast, Detective Terri Stivers
- Michael Michele … Cast, Detective Rene Sheppard
- Kyle Secor … Cast, Detective Tim Bayliss
- Jon Seda … Cast, Detective Paul Falsone
- Callie Thorne … Cast, Detective Laura Ballard
- Patti D'Arbanville … Cast, Darlene Everett
- Tom Atkins … Cast, Grenville Rawlins
- Joseph Urla … Cast, Jake Benedek
- Austin Pendleton … Cast, Dr. George Griscom
- Carla Bianchi … Cast, Claudette Pinchot
- Clayton LeBoeuf … Cast, Col. George Baumgold
- Zeljko Ivanek … Cast, ASA Ed Danvers
- Kevin Jeffrey Cameron … Cast, Tony Barger
- Patricia Coleman … Cast, Jury Forewoman
- Dan Delafield … Cast, Trooper Groves
- Helen Mitchell … Cast, Juror #6
- Michael Wills … Cast, Darrin Russom