Robert Carlson Movies

Luke Ryland (Benjamin Busch), the demented "Internet killer" first seen on the previous episode "Homicide.com," is freed from prosecution on a technicality -- sending arresting officer Bayliss (Kyle Secor) off the deep end. Meanwhile, Giardello's (Yaphet Kotto) daughter Teresa (Audra McDonald) unexpectedly shows up in Baltimore to help her dad celebrate his promotion to captain -- and her brother Mike's (Giancarlo Esposito) long-overdue resignation from the FBI. Several last-minute revelations, apologies, and surprises occur in this, the 122nd and final episode of Homicide: Life on the Street -- which, in its terminal moments, neatly brings the entire series "full circle." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of Homicide: Life on the Street's two-part season five finale, word comes through that former homicide detective Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin) has committed suicide. As investigating detective Paul Falsone (Jon Seda, in his first series appearance) assembles the evidence, medical examiner Cox (Michelle Forbes) arrives at the conclusion that Felton was murdered, thereby sparking a series of flashbacks detailing what Beau had been doing since leaving the department. In other developments, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) pens a bitter letter indicting his higher-ups for past misdeeds; Bayliss (Kyle Secor) keeps mysteriously dropping out of sight when he is needed most; and Russert (Isabella Hoffman) returns from her romantic liaison in France. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episode introduces Michelle Forbes in the role of new chief medical examiner Julianna Cox. Descending upon a murder scene being investigated by Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor), the outspoken Cox makes no secret of her contempt for the detectives' methods of investigation. Meanwhile, the FBI probe of possible corruption in the arson unit so unnerves Kellerman (Reed Diamond) -- one of the Feds' chief targets -- that he begins lashing out at everyone close to him. And on the domestic front, Brodie (Max Perlich) throws a party for Lewis and his wife, which turns out to be a disaster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A top-secret Soviet spy satellite -- using stolen Western technology -- malfunctions and then goes into a descent that lands it near an isolated Arctic research encampment called Ice Station Zebra, belonging to the British, which starts sending out distress signals before falling silent. The atomic submarine Tigerfish, commanded by Cmdr. James Ferraday (Rock Hudson), is dispatched with orders to get to Ice Station Zebra carrying three passengers, a Englishman going by the name of David Jones (Patrick McGoohan), a Soviet turncoat named Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine), and an American Marine officer, Captain Anders (Jim Brown), who is supposed to command the Marine unit assigned to the mission. Jones is problem enough, as he is in command of the mission and he prefers to withhold as much information as it's possible to do from Ferraday, even at the risk of the Tigerfish's safety. Add to that the fact that Anders is suspicious of Vaslov, and Vaslov seems much too inquisitive and is telling even less of what he knows about the mission, and Ferraday has his hands full trying to get these men to the polar ice -- 600 miles of dangerous travel -- in just two days. When an attempt to break through the ice -- coupled with some timely sabotage -- kills one man and nearly destroys the boat, the men surrounding these contending parties start to understand just how high the stakes are for everyone. It turns out that the Soviets want what was aboard that satellite as much as the West does; indeed, both sides are frantic to get it, and, just as much, to keep the other side from getting it -- and they're prepared to take it by brute force. Once Ferraday and his men arrive at Zebra, they find a disaster and still more mystery, with most of the men dead and the object that Mr. Jones is supposed to secure nowhere in evidence, and he and his two fellow men of mystery suddenly showing their killing instincts quite freely. And with the storm clearing from the Soviet side first, their planes and their paratroops are closing in on Ferraday, and his relative handful of men. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide