See No Evil (Homicide: Life on the Street)
Encyclopedia
"See No Evil" is the second episode of the second season
of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street
, and the eleventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on January 13, 1994. In the episode, Felton
's friend kills his father in an assisted suicide
, and Felton tries to convince Lewis
to look the other way. In a subplot, Pembleton
investigates what appears to be the police shooting of an unarmed suspect.
The episode was directed by Chris Menaul
and written by series creator Paul Attanasio
. Wilford Brimley
made a guest appearance as Chuckie Prentice, an ill and bed-ridden man who convinces his son to help him kill himself. Attanasio deliberately wrote the script so it would be morally questionable whether police handling of both the suicide and the police shooting were done in an ethically correct way. Pembleton's investigation was based on a real-life investigation into a suspicious shooting featured in David Simon
's non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, on which the Homicide series was based.
Detectives from the Baltimore Police Department
wrote a letter of formal protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
over the negative portrayal of police in the episode. According to Nielsen Media Research
, "See No Evil" was seen by 12.53 million household viewers. Although a drop from the previous episode "Bop Gun
", it was nevertheless considered a strong rating for Homicide, which NBC was still considering whether to renew. The episode received generally positive reviews.
(Daniel Baldwin
) visits Harry Prentice (Wilford Brimley
), the elderly and bed-ridden father of his friend Chuckie (Michael Chaban). Ill and miserable, the hard-bitten Harry has decided he wants to die and has hired a suicide doctor. Felton believes this is wrong and convinces Chuckie to call it off, much to Harry's anger. A few days later, however, Harry wears Chuckie down and convinces his son to shoot him to death with a handgun. When Lewis
(Clark Johnson
) and Crosetti
(Jon Polito
) investigate, Chuckie claims Harry shot himself, which Lewis does not believe. Felton talks to Chuckie at the police station and Chuckie admits to the assisted suicide
, but Felton tells him to stick to the original suicide story. Lewis realizes what happened and confronts Felton, who admits what Chuckie did and suggests it was the right thing to do, but Lewis adamantly disagrees. Since the bullet evidence is inconclusive, Felton asks Lewis to let Chuckie secretly wash his hands so no gunpowder residue will be found in tests. Lewis initially refuses, but he eventually reluctantly agrees, allowing Chuckie to get away with the shooting.
Meanwhile, the homicide department is requiring all the detectives to take sensitivity training with therapist Carry Westin (Jennifer Mendenhall). While most of them have positive experiences with her, Bolander
(Ned Beatty
) flatly refuses to participate and repeatedly avoids their scheduled sessions. When Gee
(Yaphet Kotto
) tells Bolander he will be suspended without pay if he does not meet with her, Bolander chooses the suspension, but later reconsiders after his partner Munch
(Richard Belzer
) harasses him at the bar until he changes his mind. When they finally meet, Bolander explains he does not trust therapists because when going through marriage counseling with his ex-wife, the therapist actively encouraged her to leave Bolander. He feels he was cheated out of $7,000 in therapy bills, but Westin explains his anger is not from the money, but from feelings of betrayal by his ex-wife. Bolander is ultimately impressed by Westin and even decides to ask her on a date, but she strongly hints she is a lesbian.
Pembleton
(Andre Braugher
) and Bayliss
(Kyle Secor
) are called to investigate the shooting death of Charles Courtland Cox, a small-time drug peddler shot in the back shortly after a police raid of a crackhouse. When Pembleton suspects a police shooting, Lt. Tyron (Michael S. Kennedy) explains Officer Hellriegel (Jeffrey Mandon) accidentally shot Cox after falling down and discharging his weapon. However, Hellriegel does not recall details and appears nervous by questioning from Pembleton. Gee is angry with Pembleton's inquiries into the police, and becomes even angrier when Colonel Granger (Gerald F. Gough) and Captain Barnfather
(Clayton LeBouef
) say they will make Hellriegel a scapegoat if the media start suggesting racism or police brutality
. Hellriegel is cleared when tests reveal the bullet does not match his gun, but Pembleton requests the firearms of the other officers be tested. Gee refuses to approve the tests, but Pembleton gets Barnfather to order them.
, who had not penned a Homicide script since series premiere "Gone for Goode
". The episode was originally meant to be the second season
premiere, but NBC
decided to air "Bop Gun
" first because it featured a guest appearance by Robin Williams
, which the network hoped would lead to increased Nielsen ratings
. Like the other three second season episodes, the script for "See No Evil" was already finished by the time the first season ended, but due to poor ratings throughout the duration of the show, NBC executives asked for several refinements – including fewer episode subplots and less camera movements and jump cuts – before approving a second season. Attanasio deliberately wrote the "See No Evil" script so that it would be morally questionable whether the police handling of both main subplots — the assisted suicide
and the suspected police shooting — were handled in an ethically correct way. Ultimately, Attanasio wanted it to be up to the audience to interpret for themselves.
Pembleton's investigation of fellow police officers for a suspicious shooting was based on a real-life investigation chronicled in David Simon
's 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
, from which the Homicide series was adapted. Baltimore Police Department
Detective Donald Worden
, on whom the Bolander character is based, handled the actual real-life investigation in 1988. Lewis' agreement to help Felton would later be referenced in the third season
episode "Crosetti", when Lewis reminded Felton of the favor while seeking help in stopping Bolander's investigation into the death of Crosetti. Several members of the Baltimore Police Department publicly criticized Homicide for its negative portrayal of the police in the episode, and 22 detectives wrote a formal letter of protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
over the matter.
"See No Evil" featured a guest performance by Wilford Brimley as the bed-ridden and suicidal Harry Prentice, as well as Michael Chaban as his son Chuckie Prentice and Jennifer Mendenhall as sensitivity training therapist Carry Westin. At the time she filmed the episode, Mendenhall was a regular performer with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
in Washington, D.C.
Michael S. Kennedy, an actor from Richmond
, Texas
, played Lt. Jimmy Tyron, a part he would reprise in the subsequent episode, "Black and Blue
". A struggling actor, Kennedy received a call in the middle of an all-night shoot in Virginia Beach from a casting director he knew, informing him about the audition for Homicide one day in advance. He so enjoyed working on the show that he wrote a Homicide script himself, with Tyron playing a major part in the story, although it was ultimately never used. The songs "Rhythm and Blues" by Benjamin Antin, and "Barkeep" by Lee Currerri", were featured in "See No Evil".
, earning the episode a 13.3 rating. It was a drop from the previous episode, "Bop Gun", which drew 16.3 million household viewers, and Homicide dropped from the 10th highest-rated show of the week to the 31st highest-rated. But the ratings dip was expected due to the absence of Robin Williams and the "See No Evil" rating was nevertheless considered a strong one for the show, better than past Homicide episodes and the average rating for L.A. Law
, the legal drama which previously occupied that NBC timeslot. "See No Evil" was outperformed in its timeslot by the ABC
news series Primetime Live
, which was the 11th highest-rated show of the week. Fontana said of the rating, "I hope the numbers level off now. This Thursday night is do-or-die. It will tell the tale," referring to the subsequent week's episode, "Black and Blue".
said he was surprised and impressed that the writers placed their characters in ethical dilemmas that led them to making illegal decisions. He added of the series, "Please watch this series; it's so good, I don't mind pleading." Matt Roush of USA Today
called it a powerful episode and praised Andre Braugher's "terrific" performance. Gannett News Service
writer Tim Kiska praised the episode and called Yaphet Kotto's performance a "tour-de-force". The Miami Herald
television critic Hal Boedeker called "See No Evil" equally as strong as "Bop Gun", of which he was also extremely complimentary. Tom Shales of The Washington Post
said both "See No Evil" and "Black and Blue" were better than the critically acclaimed "Bop Gun", in part because they showcased Andre Braugher, who he called the finest actor in the ensemble cast: "Braugher manages to be utterly compelling whether slamming doors and throwing chairs, reducing a murder suspect to quivering tears, having furious arguments with Lt. Giardello (rock-solid Yaphet Kotto) or simply lurking about."
on May 27, 2003 for $69.95.
Homicide: Life on the Street (season 2)
The second season of Homicide: Life on the Street, an American police procedural drama television series, originally aired in the United States between January 6 and January 27, 1994. Due to low Nielsen ratings during the first season, NBC executives decided to order only a four-episode season,...
of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
, and the eleventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States on January 13, 1994. In the episode, Felton
Beau Felton
Det. Beauregard D. 'Beau' Felton is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Daniel Baldwin for seasons 1-3. He was loosely based on Det...
's friend kills his father in an assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
, and Felton tries to convince Lewis
Meldrick Lewis
Meldrick Lewis is a fictional character on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street played by Clark Johnson. The character was in the series for its full run and had the very first and last lines of the series...
to look the other way. In a subplot, Pembleton
Frank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
investigates what appears to be the police shooting of an unarmed suspect.
The episode was directed by Chris Menaul
Christopher Menaul
Christopher Menaul is a British film, television director and television writer.Christopher Menaul left Cambridge with a First in History and quickly established anillustrious career as a multi award-winning TV and Feature film director...
and written by series creator Paul Attanasio
Paul Attanasio
Paul Albert Attanasio is an American screenwriter and producer of film and television, who is currently an executive producer on the television series House.-Life and career:...
. Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
made a guest appearance as Chuckie Prentice, an ill and bed-ridden man who convinces his son to help him kill himself. Attanasio deliberately wrote the script so it would be morally questionable whether police handling of both the suicide and the police shooting were done in an ethically correct way. Pembleton's investigation was based on a real-life investigation into a suspicious shooting featured in David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
's non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad...
, on which the Homicide series was based.
Detectives from the Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
wrote a letter of formal protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
over the negative portrayal of police in the episode. According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, "See No Evil" was seen by 12.53 million household viewers. Although a drop from the previous episode "Bop Gun
Bop Gun (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"Bop Gun" is the second season premiere of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the tenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 6, 1994...
", it was nevertheless considered a strong rating for Homicide, which NBC was still considering whether to renew. The episode received generally positive reviews.
Plot
FeltonBeau Felton
Det. Beauregard D. 'Beau' Felton is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Daniel Baldwin for seasons 1-3. He was loosely based on Det...
(Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Baldwin
Daniel Leroy Baldwin is an American actor, producer and director. He is the second oldest of the four Baldwin brothers, all of whom are actors. Daniel Baldwin is known for his role as Detective Beau Felton in the popular NBC TV series Homicide: Life on the Street...
) visits Harry Prentice (Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
), the elderly and bed-ridden father of his friend Chuckie (Michael Chaban). Ill and miserable, the hard-bitten Harry has decided he wants to die and has hired a suicide doctor. Felton believes this is wrong and convinces Chuckie to call it off, much to Harry's anger. A few days later, however, Harry wears Chuckie down and convinces his son to shoot him to death with a handgun. When Lewis
Meldrick Lewis
Meldrick Lewis is a fictional character on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street played by Clark Johnson. The character was in the series for its full run and had the very first and last lines of the series...
(Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson
Clark Johnson , sometimes credited as Clark 'Slappy' Jackson, Clarque Johnson, and J. Clark Johnson, is an American actor and director who has worked in both television and film.-Early years:...
) and Crosetti
Steve Crosetti
Det. Steve Crosetti is a fictional character on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by actor Jon Polito for the show's first two seasons. He is believed to be based on Baltimore Police Department Det...
(Jon Polito
Jon Polito
Jon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of...
) investigate, Chuckie claims Harry shot himself, which Lewis does not believe. Felton talks to Chuckie at the police station and Chuckie admits to the assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
, but Felton tells him to stick to the original suicide story. Lewis realizes what happened and confronts Felton, who admits what Chuckie did and suggests it was the right thing to do, but Lewis adamantly disagrees. Since the bullet evidence is inconclusive, Felton asks Lewis to let Chuckie secretly wash his hands so no gunpowder residue will be found in tests. Lewis initially refuses, but he eventually reluctantly agrees, allowing Chuckie to get away with the shooting.
Meanwhile, the homicide department is requiring all the detectives to take sensitivity training with therapist Carry Westin (Jennifer Mendenhall). While most of them have positive experiences with her, Bolander
Stanley Bolander
Stanley Bolander is a fictional character in the American crime drama / police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street. He is portrayed by Ned Beatty and appears in the first three seasons and Homicide: The Movie.-Character overview:...
(Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
) flatly refuses to participate and repeatedly avoids their scheduled sessions. When Gee
Al Giardello
Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto...
(Yaphet Kotto
Yaphet Kotto
Yaphet Frederick Kotto is an African-American actor, known for numerous film roles , and his starring role in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street .-Early life:Kotto was born in New York City, the son of Gladys Marie, a...
) tells Bolander he will be suspended without pay if he does not meet with her, Bolander chooses the suspension, but later reconsiders after his partner Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
(Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
) harasses him at the bar until he changes his mind. When they finally meet, Bolander explains he does not trust therapists because when going through marriage counseling with his ex-wife, the therapist actively encouraged her to leave Bolander. He feels he was cheated out of $7,000 in therapy bills, but Westin explains his anger is not from the money, but from feelings of betrayal by his ex-wife. Bolander is ultimately impressed by Westin and even decides to ask her on a date, but she strongly hints she is a lesbian.
Pembleton
Frank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
(Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
) and Bayliss
Tim Bayliss
Timothy Bayliss is a fictional detective on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was a primary character, and was played by Kyle Secor. He was loosely based on the real-life Det...
(Kyle Secor
Kyle Secor
Kyle Ivan Secor is an American television and movie actor, best known for his role as Detective Tim Bayliss on the crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early years:...
) are called to investigate the shooting death of Charles Courtland Cox, a small-time drug peddler shot in the back shortly after a police raid of a crackhouse. When Pembleton suspects a police shooting, Lt. Tyron (Michael S. Kennedy) explains Officer Hellriegel (Jeffrey Mandon) accidentally shot Cox after falling down and discharging his weapon. However, Hellriegel does not recall details and appears nervous by questioning from Pembleton. Gee is angry with Pembleton's inquiries into the police, and becomes even angrier when Colonel Granger (Gerald F. Gough) and Captain Barnfather
George Barnfather
George Barnfather is a fictional Deputy Commissioner in the Baltimore Police Department on Homicide: Life on the Street, played by Clayton LeBouef.Barnfather first appeared in the series as a Captain whose command was over the Homicide Section...
(Clayton LeBouef
Clayton LeBouef
Clayton LeBouef is an African American actor, best known for his recurring role as Colonel George Barnfather in Homicide: Life on the Street...
) say they will make Hellriegel a scapegoat if the media start suggesting racism or police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
. Hellriegel is cleared when tests reveal the bullet does not match his gun, but Pembleton requests the firearms of the other officers be tested. Gee refuses to approve the tests, but Pembleton gets Barnfather to order them.
Production
"See No Evil" was directed by Chris Menaul and written by series creator Paul AttanasioPaul Attanasio
Paul Albert Attanasio is an American screenwriter and producer of film and television, who is currently an executive producer on the television series House.-Life and career:...
, who had not penned a Homicide script since series premiere "Gone for Goode
Gone for Goode
"Gone for Goode" is the first episode of the first season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 31, 1993, immediately following Super Bowl XXVII. The episode was written by series creator Paul...
". The episode was originally meant to be the second season
Homicide: Life on the Street (season 2)
The second season of Homicide: Life on the Street, an American police procedural drama television series, originally aired in the United States between January 6 and January 27, 1994. Due to low Nielsen ratings during the first season, NBC executives decided to order only a four-episode season,...
premiere, but NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
decided to air "Bop Gun
Bop Gun (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"Bop Gun" is the second season premiere of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the tenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 6, 1994...
" first because it featured a guest appearance by Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
, which the network hoped would lead to increased Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. Like the other three second season episodes, the script for "See No Evil" was already finished by the time the first season ended, but due to poor ratings throughout the duration of the show, NBC executives asked for several refinements – including fewer episode subplots and less camera movements and jump cuts – before approving a second season. Attanasio deliberately wrote the "See No Evil" script so that it would be morally questionable whether the police handling of both main subplots — the assisted suicide
Assisted suicide
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends...
and the suspected police shooting — were handled in an ethically correct way. Ultimately, Attanasio wanted it to be up to the audience to interpret for themselves.
Pembleton's investigation of fellow police officers for a suspicious shooting was based on a real-life investigation chronicled in David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
's 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad...
, from which the Homicide series was adapted. Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
Detective Donald Worden
Donald Worden
Donald Worden is a retired Baltimore Police Department detective who was featured in David Simon's non-fiction book about the homicide unit, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets....
, on whom the Bolander character is based, handled the actual real-life investigation in 1988. Lewis' agreement to help Felton would later be referenced in the third season
Homicide: Life on the Street (season 3)
The third season of Homicide: Life on the Street aired in the United States on the NBC television network from 1994-10-14 to 1995-05-05 and contained 20 episodes. It was the first full season of episodes.The third season marked the debut of character Lt...
episode "Crosetti", when Lewis reminded Felton of the favor while seeking help in stopping Bolander's investigation into the death of Crosetti. Several members of the Baltimore Police Department publicly criticized Homicide for its negative portrayal of the police in the episode, and 22 detectives wrote a formal letter of protest to executive producer Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Good Morning, Vietnam, Sleepers and Rain Man.-Early life:...
over the matter.
"See No Evil" featured a guest performance by Wilford Brimley as the bed-ridden and suicidal Harry Prentice, as well as Michael Chaban as his son Chuckie Prentice and Jennifer Mendenhall as sensitivity training therapist Carry Westin. At the time she filmed the episode, Mendenhall was a regular performer with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company located at 641 D Street NW in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It produces new plays which it believes to be edgy, challenging, and thought-provoking...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Michael S. Kennedy, an actor from Richmond
Richmond, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,081 people, 3,413 households, and 2,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,975.4 people per square mile . There were 3,595 housing units at an average density of 965.3 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, played Lt. Jimmy Tyron, a part he would reprise in the subsequent episode, "Black and Blue
Black and Blue (Homicide: Life on the Street)
"Black and Blue" is the third episode of the second season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street, and the twelfth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 20, 1994. In the episode, Pembleton aggressively...
". A struggling actor, Kennedy received a call in the middle of an all-night shoot in Virginia Beach from a casting director he knew, informing him about the audition for Homicide one day in advance. He so enjoyed working on the show that he wrote a Homicide script himself, with Tyron playing a major part in the story, although it was ultimately never used. The songs "Rhythm and Blues" by Benjamin Antin, and "Barkeep" by Lee Currerri", were featured in "See No Evil".
Ratings
In its original American broadcast on January 13, 1994, the episode was watched by 12.53 million households, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, earning the episode a 13.3 rating. It was a drop from the previous episode, "Bop Gun", which drew 16.3 million household viewers, and Homicide dropped from the 10th highest-rated show of the week to the 31st highest-rated. But the ratings dip was expected due to the absence of Robin Williams and the "See No Evil" rating was nevertheless considered a strong one for the show, better than past Homicide episodes and the average rating for L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
, the legal drama which previously occupied that NBC timeslot. "See No Evil" was outperformed in its timeslot by the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
news series Primetime Live
Primetime (TV series)
Primetime is an American news magazine show which debuted on ABC in 1989 with co-hosts Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer and originally had the title Primetime Live.-Early history:...
, which was the 11th highest-rated show of the week. Fontana said of the rating, "I hope the numbers level off now. This Thursday night is do-or-die. It will tell the tale," referring to the subsequent week's episode, "Black and Blue".
Reviews
"See No Evil" received generally positive reviews. David Bianculli of The Baltimore SunThe Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
said he was surprised and impressed that the writers placed their characters in ethical dilemmas that led them to making illegal decisions. He added of the series, "Please watch this series; it's so good, I don't mind pleading." Matt Roush of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
called it a powerful episode and praised Andre Braugher's "terrific" performance. Gannett News Service
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
writer Tim Kiska praised the episode and called Yaphet Kotto's performance a "tour-de-force". The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
television critic Hal Boedeker called "See No Evil" equally as strong as "Bop Gun", of which he was also extremely complimentary. Tom Shales of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
said both "See No Evil" and "Black and Blue" were better than the critically acclaimed "Bop Gun", in part because they showcased Andre Braugher, who he called the finest actor in the ensemble cast: "Braugher manages to be utterly compelling whether slamming doors and throwing chairs, reducing a murder suspect to quivering tears, having furious arguments with Lt. Giardello (rock-solid Yaphet Kotto) or simply lurking about."
DVD release
"See No Evil" and the rest of the first and second season episodes were included in the four-DVD box-set "Homicide: Life on the Street: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2", which was released by A&E Home VideoA&E Television Networks
A&E Television Networks is a U.S. media company that owns a group of television channels available via cable & satellite in the US and abroad...
on May 27, 2003 for $69.95.