Richard Belzer Movies

Pembleton (Andre Braugher) is impressed by reporter Elizabeth Wu (Joan Chen), who is covering his investigation of a drug-related cop killing. He is, however, less than impressed when the inquisitive Wu proves to be a monumental nuisance. Elsewhere, Kellerman's (Reed Diamond) wild country-boy brothers Drew (Eric Stoltz) and Greg (Tate Donovan) show up in Baltimore, insisting that he return to Miami and join them in setting up a charter-boat service. What his brothers have neglected to tell them is that they are on the lam from a pair of murderous bookies -- and that they have stolen a valuable souvenir baseball. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Another Homicide: Life on the Street regular bids goodbye to the Baltimore PD homicide division as the series enters its fifth season: Megan Russert (Isabella Hofmann) has decided to leave for Europe to pursue a romance (though she will make a handful of return visits in subsequent episodes). In its typical revolving-door fashion, the series compensates for Russert's loss by promoting a former recurring career, police videographer Brodie (Max Perlich), to full regular status. Other additions to the cast roster include Michelle Forbes as abrasive, no-nonsense chief medical examiner Julianna Cox and Toni Lewis as transplanted downtown narcotics detective Terri Stivers. Stivers, in fact, is a principal player in the fifth season's most significant story arc, involving the pursuit of elusive drug kingpin Luther Mahoney (Erik Todd Dellums). Picking up a plot strand introduced in the previous season, Detective Pembleton (Andre Braugher) tries to return to duty, even though he has not fully recovered from his stroke; before long, Pembleton and his partner, Bayliss (Kyle Secor), will come to an acrimonious parting of the ways. Elsewhere, Brodie tentatively inaugurates a romance (or so he hopes) with Det. Kay Howard (Melissa Leo); Assistant DA Danvers (Zeljko Ivanek) rethinks his opposition to the death penalty when his fiancée is murdered; and arson detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond) is targeted by a federal grand jury's investigation of corruption within the arson unit. By the time the season has reached its climax, drug lord Luther Mahoney is killed under highly suspicious circumstances that will have wide-ranging and tragic ramifications in the future; and Jon Seda makes his first series appearance as Det. Paul Falsone, freshly arrived at Baltimore Homicide to investigate the reported suicide of former department member Beau Felton. ~ All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, a serial sniper is still at large -- and now there's a copycat killer on the loose. While the city is in full panic mode, the men and women of the homicide department work 24-hour shifts to track down the killers. Elsewhere, Howard (Melissa Leo) recovers from her wounds; Pembleton (Andre Braugher) agonizes over the well-being of his pregnant wife; and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) coerces the newly demoted Russert (Isabella Hoffman) to come out of her self-imposed exile. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, a retired Baltimore police officer named Rodzinski is found murdered near his wife's tombstone. Rodzinski's son Jake (Bruce Campbell), also a cop, begs Lewis (Clark Johnson) to conduct a personal investigation of the killing. When key evidence fails to materialize and suspected murderer Kenny Damon (Wendell Jordan) is acquitted, the embittered Jake decides to take the law into his own hands. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While traveling to Harrisburg, PN, to extradite suspected murderer Rose Halligan (Lily Tomlin), Baltimore homicide detectives Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) bide their time and relax as much as possible. Their lethargy proves to be their undoing when Halligan slips through the cops' fingers while they make a pit stop at a popular diner. Meanwhile, an important piece of evidence turns up missing from Brodie's (Max Perlich) surveillance tapes, and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) misses out on a major promotion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) investigate the murder of a 15-year-old student at an exclusive prep school. Complications arise when the prime suspect turns out to be the son of a powerful Baltimore judge -- and the detectives can't shake the feeling that the boy is guilty even after another student confesses. Back at the squad room, Pembleton (Andre Braugher) is allowed to return to active duty, though he is still pretty shaky after his stroke; and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) continues to be victimized by the ongoing federal investigation of corruption in the arson unit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The fiancée of assistant district attorney Ed Danvers (Zeljko Ivanek) is shot and killed while shopping for her wedding ensemble. Already unnerved by the killing, and by his own self-doubts regarding his opposition to the death penalty, Danvers is none too happy that his perennial nemesis Pembleton (Andre Braugher) has been assigned to investigate the murder. Elsewhere, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) receives some disheartening news just before he is to testify before the federal grand jury; and while trying to help Kellerman defend himself against corruption charges, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) learns the real reason that he was not promoted to captain. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Both Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) have been exiled to desk duty -- Pembleton because he has not fully recovered from his stroke, and Kellerman because he is one of the targets of a federal grand jury's investigation of corruption in the arson unit. In other developments, Lewis (Clark Johnson) ends up being teamed with "downtown" narcotics detective Terri Stivers (Toni Lewis, in her first series appearance) while trailing a suspect in a series of homicides. A seemingly airtight case against elusive drug kingpin Luther Mahoney (Erik Todd Dellums) is dashed to bits. And the temporarily homeless Brodie (Max Perlich) moves in with Bayliss (Kyle Secor). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The ongoing investigation of Kellerman's (Reed Diamond) possible involvement in corruption in the arson unit hits the front page of The Baltimore Sun. Even worse, Kellerman may be suspended from duty on the word of an unsavory federal witness -- and not even a polygraph test can determine who is really telling the truth. Elsewhere, Munch (Richard Belzer) and Cox (Michelle Forbes) clash over the cause of death in a homicide investigation, even after Munch extracts a confession from a suspect. And having been booted out of the Lewis' house, Brodie (Max Perlich ) moves in with Howard (Melissa Leo). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Spike Lee directed this comedy-drama about a woman who falls into a career in phone sex. An African-American woman (Theresa Randle) who aspires to a career as an actress endures a number of dispiriting jobs (handing out leaflets and working as a coat check girl) before reaching the end of her rope at an audition with Q.T. (Quentin Tarantino), a sleazy movie director. Q.T. claims that he wants to offer her a role in his next film -- but since the role requires nudity, she will have to show him her breasts first. After firing her agent, the actress is strapped for cash and is offered a job enacting sexual fantasies for men over the phone. Dubbed "Girl 6" by her employers, the actress is treated with respect by her boss (Jennifer Lewis) and is well-liked by her co-workers. However, she has a hard time emotionally distancing herself from her work, and she finds herself becoming infatuated with Bob (Peter Berg), one of her regular callers, going so far as to set up a meeting with him. As she deals in other people's fantasies for a living, Girl 6 begins retreating into her own world of make-believe, where she can be a sexy screen siren or a butt-kicking blaxploitation star. Meanwhile, her former fiancé (Isaiah Washington), who scrapes by as a shoplifter, desperately wants her to give him another chance, and her next door neighbor, a baseball card collector named Jimmy (Spike Lee), keeps pestering her that she ought to be doing something more positive with her life. Girl 6's supporting cast includes Madonna as one of Girl 6's supervisors, John Turturro as her agent, and Debi Mazar as one of the other phone-sex girls; the film also features an original song score by Prince. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This episode would seem to be the precursor to producer Tom Fontana's gritty cable TV series Oz. Most of the homicide detectives are dispatched to a maximum security prison, where two inmates have been killed in a riot. Surrounded by several of the criminals whom they put away in earlier episodes, the detectives follow a lead to the possible murderer -- but it turns out to be the wrong man, and more blood ends up being shed. Left behind at the precinct station is Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher), who insists upon hurting his chances to fully recover from his stroke by practicing on the police firing range. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An attorney found floating in a swimming pool appears to have suffered a heart attack. Before long, however, a man confesses to killing the attorney, giving up himself and an incriminating videotape to homicide detectives Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor). Further complicating matters is the presence of the National Security Agency, who serve up a murder suspect of their own -- resulting in a major blowup by Bayliss. Meanwhile, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) is determined to find out who has been stealing lunches from the homicide unit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A radio talk show host who "dared" his audience to seek revenge for his volatile opinions is found murdered. Investigating the case, Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) and Howard (Melissa Leo) come up with a likely suspect -- or do they? Elsewhere, Kellerman (Reed Diamond) reacts strongly when he is told that Lewis (Clark Johnson) is going to be married, while Munch (Richard Belzer) is convinced that Kellerman is being set up for an elaborate practical joke; and Pembleton's (Andre Braugher) nervousness increases as his pregnant wife's due date rapidly approaches. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide