Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Sundays, I will be reviewing Homicide: Life On The Street, which aired from 1993 to 1999, on NBC!  It  can be viewed on Peacock.

This week, season 2 of Homicide comes to a close with an episode directed by John McNaughton, of Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer fame.

Episode 2.4 “A Many Splendored Thing”

(Dir by John McNaughton, originally aired on January 27th, 1994)

The second season finale of Homicide opens with Bolander in a good mood and Munch feeling that life is pretty much pointless.  It’s a reversal from what we’ve seen over the last few episodes of Homicide and, as annoyed as I got with all the storylines about Bolander’s private life, I was still happy to see Bolander happy in this episode.  As an actor, Ned Beatty’s performance is a lot interesting when Bolander is looking forward to the future.  By that same token, Richard Belzer always seemed to be trying to hard whenever it came to playing Munch’s happiness.  Belzer was born to play a cynic and, in this episode, he delivers his lines with a bitterness that is both funny and authentic.

Bolander is dating Linda and I have to admit that, despite my initial weariness, I really like Ned Beatty and Julianna Margulies as a couple.  Bolander and Linda go on a double date with Kay and Danvers.  Awwww, two couples in love and having dinner together!  How sweet!  Uh-oh, here comes Munch….

While Munch is ruining Bolander’s date, Bayliss is getting in touch with his own dark side.  An investigation into the S&M-related death of a young woman leads to Bayliss and Pembleton arresting a man who killed her during rough (but consensual) sex.  Bayliss and Pembleton spend their investigation in Baltimore’s red light district.  Bayliss claims to be disgusted by the whole scene, leading to Pembleton calling him out for being judgmental.  Pembleton tells Bayliss that he can’t be a good detective unless he’s really in touch with every aspect of his existence.  After the murder is solved, the woman’s co-worker, Tanya, gives Bayliss the gift of a leather jacket.  Tanya is played, in a very good performance, by the actress Adrienne Shelley.  Tragically, Shelley herself would, 12 years later, be murdered in her New York apartment.  And while it’s tempting to write about the irony of Shelley appearing on a show like Homicide, I’d rather recommend that everyone see Waitress instead.  It was the second feature film that Shelley directed and it is very good.

Finally, Lewis investigates a man who committed murder because he felt someone had taken his favorite pen.  Lewis searches for a deeper motive but in the end, it really was all about a pen.  Lewis, I’ve noticed, always seems to get the cases that show just how random life and death can truly be.

The second season of Homicide ends with Lewis giving Felton a pen, Bayliss putting on his new leather jacket and walking the streets of Baltimore, and Munch, Bolander, and Linda watching fireworks explode over the harbor.  It’s a good way to end a season.  As dark as the show was (and as dark as this particular episode was), the season ends on a note of hope.  There is happiness out there for those willing to look for it.