FALLEN ANGELS: DEAD-END FOR DELIA {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The first in this anthology series of noir-themed dramas.
In this episode, police detective Pat Kelley arrives at a crime scene outside of the Dreamland nightclub, where his estranged wife Delia has been found dead. He learns that she said "tell Pat that Lois will know" in her final moments, and despite claiming ignorance of her meaning, he visits Delia's longtime friend Lois Weldon, who reveals that Delia had been seeing someone, possibly a foot doctor. Lois tells Pat that the fast-living Delia was always "headed for doom"; he angrily rejects her advances and leaves, then recalling the night on which he met both Delia and Lois for the first time. Later, he tells his partner Steve Prokowski that he has quit the force over his chief's refusal to transfer him to Homicide. Steve tells him that Delia may have been meeting someone known as "Helgy" at the dance club. In the past, Delia notices Helgy's name in the newspaper, though she and Pat seem entirely in love with one another.
Pat tracks down Helgy, a.k.a. Joe Helgeson, but he states that Delia broke a date with him on the night of her death, revealing that she was in love with someone else. At Delia's home, the detectives locate a robe embroidered with the name "Doc." Pat furiously attacks Leo Cunningham, the owner of the building, demanding to know who was paying Delia's rent. The terrified Leo states that the cash always came in a "Dreamland" envelope. Pat next barges in on David O'Connor, the owner of Dreamland. David admits to being "Doc," explaining that the name comes not from his initials but from his reputation as an unofficial dance instructor, or "a doctor of feet," while in the service. He explains that he, too, had a fling with Delia, but that she ended things with him because she had "found the right man": Pat.
Stunned to learn that his wife actually intended to return to him, a despondent Pat rushes back to Lois, sure that she knew of her friend's intentions and protesting that Lois "could have saved her life." Lois tearfully admits to preventing the reunion because of her own unrequited passion for Pat. Elsewhere Lieutenant Calender is baffled to receive the murder weapon, a crowbar, along with a letter. In the letter, Pat confesses to murdering Delia out of jealousy and then trying to switch to Homicide "to see how close they'd get." He concludes that he would have gotten away with it. Now realizing that he killed her for no reason, however, Pat fatally shoots himself as the other cops burst in to arrest him. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Showtime
- DATE: August 1, 1993 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:34:58
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:35394
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Drama, police/detective; Murder
- SERIES RUN: Showtime - TV series, 1993-1995
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sydney Pollack … Executive Producer
- William Horberg … Producer, Created by
- Lindsay Doran … Producer
- Steve Golin … Producer
- David Wisnievitz … Co-Producer
- Reid Shane … Associate Producer
- Phil Joanou … Director
- Scott Frank … Writer
- William Gault … Based on the short story by
- Peter Bernstein … Music by
- Elmer Bernstein … Theme Music by
- Lynette Walden … Host (as "Fay Friendly")
- Gary Oldman … Cast, Pat Kelley
- Meg Tilly … Cast, Lois Weldon
- Paul Guilfoyle … Cast, Steve Prokowski
- Vondie Curtis Hall … Cast, David O'Connor
- Dan Hedaya … Cast, Lt. Calender
- Wayne Knight … Cast, Leo Cunningham
- Patrick Masset … Cast, Joe Helgeson
- John Putch … Cast, Officer Barnes
- Gabrielle Anwar … Cast, Delia
- Thomas Kopache … Cast, Chief
- Frank Taglia … Cast, Boss
- Alpheus Merchant … Cast, Janitor
- Scott Weintraub … Cast, Man in Foyer