Homicide: Life on the Street
A Shot in the Dark
TV Flash files “A Shot in the Dark” as hour 4 of 122 in the TV Flash guide — Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999) on NBC, season 1, episode 4, aired 1993-02-24, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E04: listed hour 4 of 122 in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide, hour 4 of 9 in season 1. It aired 1993-02-24 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Son of a Gun” (S01E03). Next is “Three Men and Adena” (S01E05).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Officer Thormann has a miraculous recovery and will live, but doctors say he will be blind. Crosetti is convinced they have found the shooter, but an unconvinced Lewis keeps investigating, much to Crosetti's frustration. Lewis' suspicions are later confirmed when he discovers the real shooter, and Crosetti feels guilt over letting his personal friendship with Thormann cloud his judgment. Meanwhile, Bayliss suspects Adena Watson was murdered by a local arabber, but Pembleton disagrees. Pembleton is later impressed to find the physical evidence substantiates Bayliss' theory. Bayliss' investigation is nearly thwarted when his superior, Captain George Barnfather (Clayton LeBouef), tells the press about secret evidence. Bayliss lashes out and insults Barnfather, and is later forced by Giardello to apologize. Bolander and Munch investigate a double shooting that has left a drug dealer dead, and eventually discover the shooter was the dealer's own bodyguard.
Viewer FAQ
Where does A Shot in the Dark sit in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide?
S01E04 is listed hour 4 of 122 — hour 4 of 9 in season 1, season 1 episode 4.
When did Homicide: Life on the Street S01E04 air?
A Shot in the Dark aired 1993-02-24 and is listed at 60 minutes.
What is it based on?
David Simon's nonfiction book about a year with Baltimore homicide detectives — reporting texture, not cop-show candy.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Baltimore detectives, handheld grit, and cases that refuse to tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio developed David Simon's reporting into literary cop TV: Andre Braugher's Pembleton turning interrogation into theater, a red/black board, and moral ambiguity as house style. The missing link between Hill Street and The Wire — network crime that reads like a novel.
The useful first thing *Homicide: Life on the Street* does is refuse catharsis. Baltimore detectives work murders with handheld grit, a red/black name board, and moral ambiguity that will not tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio developed David Simon's nonfiction *Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets* into NBC drama (1993–1999). Andre Braugher's Frank Pembleton turns interrogation rooms into theaters of intellect and rage. Yaphet Kotto, Kyle Secor, Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, Melissa Leo: the unit as a city…
Open the Homicide: Life on the Street package · Season 1 hub
Filed against
- Andre Braugher as Frank Pembleton
Andre Braugher’s Frank Pembleton turned Homicide: Life on the Street’s box into theater — 1990s catalog interrogation as literature, then Brooklyn Nine-Nine recasting the steel as Captain Holt’s deadpan excellence. TV Flash files him as…
- Yaphet Kotto as Al Giardello
Yaphet Kotto’s Al Giardello ran Homicide: Life on the Street as shift-commander weather — Baltimore detectives, handheld grit, cases that refuse to tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio developed David Simon’s reporting into literary cop TV:…
- Kyle Secor as Tim Bayliss
Kyle Secor's Tim Bayliss walked Homicide: Life on the Street through Baltimore cases that refused to tidy up for sweeps — Paul Attanasio from David Simon, handheld grit, interrogation as theater, a red/black board as house style. We file…
- Richard Belzer as John Munch
Richard Belzer's John Munch made Homicide: Life on the Street sound like a conspiracy with a badge — Baltimore detectives, handheld grit, cases that refuse to tidy up for sweeps. Literary cop TV needed a cynic who could still work the…
- Clark Johnson as Meldrick Lewis
Clark Johnson played Meldrick Lewis on Homicide: Life on the Street — Baltimore detectives, handheld grit, cases that refuse to tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio from David Simon's reporting: Andre Braugher's Pembleton turning…
- Melissa Leo as Kay Howard
Melissa Leo’s Kay Howard walked Homicide: Life on the Street like Baltimore would not tidy up for sweeps — 1990s literary cop TV, handheld grit, a red/black board, Paul Attanasio from David Simon’s reporting. Interrogation as theater. TV…