Michael B. Silver Movies

Who would want to decapitate a kindly professor? That's what Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) are determined to find out. Sipowicz is also anxious to learn the secret being withheld from him by his son Andy Jr. (Michael DeLuise), who is supposed to be in the Air Force. And Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) arouses the ire of Adrianne (Justine Miceli) when he tries to help a former porn star (Vanessa del Rio) who has been getting threatening phone calls. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Worried that Andy (Dennis Franz) may be too emotionally strung out, Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence) considers using Danny (Rick Schroder) as the main witness against Cullinen. Meanwhile, defense attorney Sinclair (Daniel Benzali) begins cataloguing the dirty tricks he intends to use on Cullinen's behalf. And back at the precinct, the case of a woman (Julie Carmen) who may have murdered her husband for his insurance dredges up unpleasant memories of an earlier, similar investigation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In his efforts to help his ex-wife, Katie (Debra Monk), and his former colleague Dornan (Richard Gant) in their separate struggles with alcohol, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) appears to be playing favorites. Cohen (Michael B. Silver) tries to gather more evidence against Malcolm Cullinen, in hopes of solving the murders of both Mike Roberts and Dolores Mayo. And having split up with Cohen, Jill (Andrea Thompson) is most receptive to the attentions of Sorenson (Rick Schroder). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

After private eye Mike Roberts is murdered, John (Bill Brochtrup) tells Sipowicz about Mike's cryptic warning. It all ties in with the wealthy Malcolm Cullinan (Todd Waring), whom John believes was responsible for the death of the benighted Dolores Mayo. Subsequent events relating to this development cause Jill (Andrea Thompson) to sever her relationship with Cohen (Michael B. Silver). And former series regular Gail O'Grady makes a most surprising cameo appearance -- and to tell any more would be unthinkable. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The squad must deal with a murder witness (Kathleen Doyle) who obviously is not playing with a full deck -- and who is subsequently kidnapped on orders from the suspect's lawyer. Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and Martinez' (Nicholas Turturro) investigation of the latest in a series of cab robberies unearths a dangerous sibling rivalry. Jill (Andrea Thompson) wonders if her close relationship with Cohen (Michael B. Silver) is a good idea when he tries to strike a bargain with a crooked attorney. And, with Gina out on pregnancy leave, the squad tries to adjust to the new temporary PAA, the ambitious Naomi Reynolds (Gabrielle Fitzpatrick, in her first series appearance). This is the "Pop Goes the Weasel" episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A group of female impersonators witness a murder committed by a child-killer who is supposedly serving hard time. When Fancy's (James McDaniel) former foster son is brought up on heroin charges, help comes from an unexpected source. Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Diane Russell (Kim Delaney) rekindle their relationship, while Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) is stopped from romantically pursuing Abby Sullivan (Paige Turco) by a surprising revelation. And while working undercover, Diane is placed in grave danger by handsome hood Jimmy Liery (Christopher Meloni). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) prepares for his courtroom confrontation with Sinclair (Daniel Benzali) during the Cullinen trial, John Irvin (Bill Brochtrup) tries again to mollify the father (Bob Glaudini) of Cullinen's possible victim Dolores Mayo. Back at the 15th, Danny (Rick Schroder) tries to get an obviously abused 13-year-old boy to open up -- leading to a horrifying revelation. The conclusion of this 90-minute episode is a burst of gunfire, and the sudden, startling demise of yet another familiar NYPD Blue character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) and Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) pursue their theory that a man whose body was found in a dumpster may have been killed by his violence-prone brothers. Diane (Kim Delaney) and Jill (Andrea Thompson) investigate when a young girl disappears, a case that leads to a bizarre videotaped confession. And John (Bill Brochtrup), already distressed that Dolores (Lola Glaudini) has turned to prostitution, is worried when she fails to return from a trip with the wealthy and well-connected Malcolm Cullinan (Todd Waring). Daniel Benzali returns in the role of high-priced attorney James Sinclair in this, the first episode of a crucial NYPD Blue story arc. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) reopen a old case in which a man may have wrongly been sent to prison, the detective who originally worked the case isn't too happy. Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) runs against Gotelli (Carmine Caridi) in the union-delegate election. Simone probes further into the murder committed in the building he inherited, and again contends with the resentment of Henry Coffield (Willie Garson). And it looks like Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) has a slight edge over Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) in the "battle of the bulge." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The hectic early days of live television are spoofed in this irreverent made-for-cable movie. The story is told from the viewpoint of Audrey Drummond (Christina Hendricks), a naïve young script girl hired by the newly formed Empire Television Network in 1948. Among Audrey's colleagues are the network's owner, eccentric scientist Doc Powers (Christopher Lloyd); Doc's blonde, pneumatic young "trophy wife" Marion (Molly Ringwald); the Colonel (Dylan Baker), Empire's visionary programming chief; and Walt Kaplan (Michael B. Silver), a studio floor manager who aspires to be a director. The story revolves around Empire's efforts to stage the first live TV production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, while trying desperately to adhere to Doc Powers' cast-in-stone broadcast edicts: "No profanity, no suicide, no cleavage." Amidst a flurry of missed cues, fainting actors, collapsing scenery, and malfunctioning equipment, the network also manages to outrage its sponsors by allowing a black musician (Sharif Atkins) to actually (gasp! egad!) speak directly into the camera. Co-executive produced by The West Wing's John Wells and ER's Carol Flint (who also wrote the script), The Big Time debuted October 21, 2002 on the TNT network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide