Forgive Us Our Trespasses (21 May 1999)

Director:

Alan Taylor

Writers:

Paul Attanasio (creator), Tom Fontana,

Stars:

Richard Belzer, Giancarlo Esposito, Peter Gerety

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Richard Belzer	...	Det. John Munch
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Agent Mike Giardello
Peter Gerety	...	Det. Stuart Gharty
Clark Johnson	...	Det. Meldrick Lewis
Yaphet Kotto	...	Lt. Al Giardello
Toni Lewis	...	Det. Terri Stivers
Michael Michele	...	Det. Rene Sheppard
Kyle Secor	...	Det. Tim Bayliss
Jon Seda	...	Det. Paul Falsone
Callie Thorne	...	Det. Laura Ballard
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marianna Alacchi	...	Lois Freeman
Pearce Bunting	...	Dale Richert
Benjamin Busch	...	Luke Ryland
Robert Carlson	...	Off. Byron Denys
Tim Colmus	...	Diner 1999

Storyline

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Details

Release Date:

21 May 1999 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last scene of the series finale is a mirror of the first scene of the series premiere, with Detective Meldrick Lewis and his partner searching an alleyway. The final line of the series "It's a mystery" is also the first line spoken in the series.

---

Connections

References The Waltons (1971)

User Reviews

"...It ain't got nothing' to do with life."

The summary line comes from a line spoken in this episode. I was going to say where or when it's spoken,but that'd probably be considered a spoiler,so I'll refrain from it. If you've already seen this episode,you'll know EXACTLY what I'm referencing and meaning.

The last show of the reasonably successful,brilliant and (dare I say)innovative NBC crime drama series wraps innocuously enough as pretty close to business as usual: Shepherd and Bayliss(particularly Bayliss)are flummoxed by the technicality release of Luke Ryland,a.k.a. the Internet killer from about ten episodes previous;Munch is finally ready to tie the knot with Billie Lou;Lewis is still having difficulties forgiving Shepherd for the "beat-down" incident that put his life in danger and put her in the hospital;and Gee is finally promoted to Captain. But as the show plays out,you the viewer,particularly anyone already familiar with these characters and story lines,will sense that this show is wrapping up.

The following Winter NBC would release "Homicide:the Movie",which was to sew up any loose ends left over. I've only seen about a third of it,but what I know about the story lines and their treatment had me displeased(OK,someone accidentally gave away the ending)and wishing that producers Levinson,Attanasio,Finnerty and Fontana had either re-worked the movie or not made it at all. As arguably weak as the last season of the series was(and even as such,it STILL wasn't a total wash),it still didn't merit having an extra "coda" that the movie was implemented to do. It could be argued that this ep could've sufficed.

Back to this ep,it was arguably the best way to conclude this series,staying completely "in character" and knowing how to use its writing to finish a brilliant accomplishment.