Fallen Heroes (Homicide: Life on the Street)
| "Fallen Heroes" | |
|---|---|
| Homicide: Life on the Street episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 22 and 23 |
| Directed by | Kathryn Bigelow |
| Story by |
Eric Overmyer (Part 1) James Yoshimura (Part 2) |
| Teleplay by | Lois Johnson (Part 1) Joy Lusco (Part 2) |
| Cinematography by | Alex Zakrzewski |
| Production code | 622 and 623 |
| Original air date | May 1, 1998 and May 8, 1998 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Fallen Heroes" is a two-part episode that concludes the sixth season of the American police drama television series Homicide: Life on the Street. It comprises the 99th and 100th overall episodes of the series, and originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 1, 1998 (Part 1) and May 8, 1998 (Part 2).
The episode marks the final appearances of recurring character Junior Bunk, as well as the series' break-out character, Frank Pembleton (not counting the television movie that appeared after the series). It also marks the last appearance of Mike Kellerman as a series regular, although actor Reed Diamond would later reprise this role as a guest star in a two-part episode of season seven.
While Falsone and Stivers investigate the murder of a probation officer, Bayliss and Pembleton investigate the stabbing of Judge Gibbons, and conclude that the culprit was Nathaniel Lee Mahoney, Georgia Rae's son. Their search for Nathaniel Lee reaches a dead end until Meldrick Lewis reveals that Nathaniel Lee is also called "Junior Bunk", a small-time hood who had crossed paths with the Homicide detectives in previous episodes. When Bayliss and Pembleton bring Junior Bunk into the Box, they are taken aback by his new hard-core attitude, which contrasts sharply with his previously meek demeanor. Despite the detectives' confidence that the judge's murder was ordered by Georgia Rae, Junior refuses to give up his mother. Junior is left shackled to a desk in the squad room, where he waits to be processed and is mocked by Meldrick. Left unattended for a moment, Junior grabs a Glock 19 pistol from an unlocked desk drawer, where he had seen a detective put it away earlier, and starts firing randomly. His shots kill three uniformed police officers and wound Ballard and Gharty. After he stops shooting, there is a moment when the police are too stunned to respond, and he takes advantage of this by demanding he be released. However, he is then immediately cut down in a hail of bullets from Giardello, Kellerman, Lewis, and Bayliss.
As Ballard (who was hit in the foot) and Gharty (who was hit in the chest) are rushed to surgery, Giardello declares all-out war on the Mahoney crime organization, resulting in a series of arrests and raids. In one raid, Georgia Rae is found dead, killed by her own panicked employees. When one fleeing suspect aims his weapon at Pembleton, Frank draws his Glock as well, but hesitates long enough for the perp to fire a shot. Tim Bayliss shoves Pembleton out of the way, and is hit by the bullet intended for Pembleton.
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