‘Homicide’ Deftly Ties Up ‘Law & Order’
“Homicide: Life On the Street,” NBC at 10, concludes a unique two-part drama that began Wednesday night on the network’s “Law & Order.”
Don’t worry if you missed Part 1. McCoy (Sam Waterston) got his conviction in the case of white-supremacist Brian Egan (Kevin Geer), who set off a gas bomb in a New York City subway, killing 20 black commuters. He was also suspected of planting a similar bomb in a black Baltimore church five years earlier.
In Baltimore, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) begin their hunt for the bomber’s co-conspirators. Shortly after they question the convicted killer’s wife and son, she is murdered, and he disappears.
Pembleton, who squared off against Egan when he was arrested in New York, has taken the case personally. Unable to shake the images of murdered blacks, among them children, he’s obsessed with finding Egan’s comrades.
Braugher is in top form as he’s eaten away by his adversary’s smug defiance.
A couple of stories develop nicely along the way.
Bayless continues to moon over New York prosecutor Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy), while Brisco (Jerry Orbach) and Munch (Richard Belzer) find they have something very personal in common - Munch’s ex-wife.
This crossover two-parter is a super idea, showing off the best of two of prime time’s best crime series. Producers Dick Wolf and Barry Levinson couldn’t miss if they found another New York-Baltimore connection soon.
Highlights
“Iowa ‘96: A Washington Week in Review Special,” KSPS at 7: PBS devotes most of the night to the Iowa caucuses, the first major event of the presidential campaign season. The regular “Washington Week” will originate in Des Moines. “Iowa ‘96: A Citizens’ Town Meeting” follows at 9, originating from Mason City.
“Boy Meets World,” ABC at 8:30: Eric (Will Friedle) lets his studies slip when he pursues his dream of becoming a TV weatherman. Also, it’s too weird for Shawn (Rider Strong) and his girlfriend Dana (Larisa Oleynik) when Jonathan (Anthony Tyler Quinn) has a date with Dana’s mother (Rosalind Allen).
“Dateline NBC,” NBC at 9: You can tell the ratings “sweeps” are under way. The hour includes the story of a wealthy Florida lawyer charged with the murder-for-hire of his pregnant girlfriend.
“The X-Files,” FOX at 9: A two-part tale begins with Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson) investigating a strange illness that strikes the crew of a French salvage ship.
“Picket Fences,” CBS at 10: It’s always something with those Brock kids. This week Jimmy and Jill (Tom Skerritt, Kathy Baker) are in court when Zack (Adam Wylie) “morphs” the head of a teacher onto a nude photo and posts it on the Internet. Adam Arkin of “Chicago Hope” guest-stars.
Cable Calls
“Reflections on the Silver Screen,” AMC at 4:30: The movie channel repeats a 1994 interview with Gene Kelly, who died this week. Host Richard Brown talks with Kelly, who says he never wanted to be an actor.
“I like to direct and choreograph,” Kelly says. “I never worked at performing. It was like being a boxer, except you don’t get hit. You have to train constantly.”
“Robin and the 7 Hoods” (1964), A&E at 6: The last of the “Rat Pack” films (minus a few Rat-Packers) is a colorful gangland period piece set in 1928 Chicago.
Frank Sinatra stars as a popular mobster. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby and Peter Falk co-star. Sinatra sings “My Kind of Town.”
Crosby is oddly cast as a godfather emeritus.
“Boxing,” HBO at 6:30: Oscar de la Hoya moves up from lightweight to the junior welterweight division to take on Darryl Tyson in Las Vegas, Nev.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: David Spade (“Saturday Night Live”).
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Actress Uma Thurman, Norm MacDonald (“Saturday Night Live”) and music group the Ramones.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Actor George Wendt and musical guest Blur.