Homicide Episode Guide: Nothing Personal

Written by Bonnie Mark; story by Tom Fontana

Directed by Tim Van Patten

                           Of all the programs scheduling changes, the most confusing was shifting ‘Nothing Personal’ from ninth  in scheduling to eighteenth. This would lead to one of the biggest lapses in continuity considering  that it was set before the major events that would occur in season 3 (the shooting of the detectives; the promotion of Russert to Captain; the opening of The Waterfront) In no publication or internet site have I ever seen a reason why. Perhaps the NBC executives didn’t think that it was sensational or exciting enough. It is comparatively low-key But there are some segments which make it arresting.

                           Set six weeks after Crosetti’s suicide, Giardello has finally managed  to get around to distributing  all of his open cases. Gee seems down at this, and can not even watch  Crosetti’s name being erased from the board. Lewis is more than a little depressed  by this (he asked Gee  to take all of the workload on himself) But the one who feels the most pain is Kay Howard.  Her clearance rate, which up until now has been 100% is challenged by the murder of Erica Chilton, a six month old investigation with no real leads and no suspects.  She then spends most of the episode determined to solve this case. It is unclear whether Howard wants to solve this case because she  needs to solve every case or whether she feels threatened about being the only female detective on the squad. But her reasons appear irrelevant as she has no real hope of solving the case.

                           Adding to her disturbed state of mind is Felton’s deteriorated state. Though he seems OK in the teaser, the other detectives all correctly note that the detective is falling apart. When an attempt at reconciliation with his wife fails, he continues his descent into drink. However, for the first time,  it causes him to fail on the job when he misplaces letters that may have been sent from the killer.  (As it will turn out, this evidence would have no relation to catching the murderer) He eventually hits rock bottom by ending up at Russerts house looking not for sex but for compassion. Things will improve from here on, but only in a relative sense.

                           The detectives aren’t the only ones who are dealing with bad news. Gee is understandably upset when he has to distribute Crosettis case, but he seems to improve when he goes to lunch with one of Megan Russert’s friends. They have a certain simpatico but she decides not to pursue a relationship with him. Now we never get a clear reason as to why she rejects him but Gee concludes that it because this woman (also black, but with light skin) doesn’t want to be seen with a dark- skinned man. This clearly has happened to Gee  in the past but for some reason he takes this as a huge affront, and becomes infuriated. None of the detectives have the nerve to approach him but Bolander, the only man on the squad who can relate with Gee’ problems manages to get him to confide in him. Gee is more upset than we realized. As he puts it to Bolander, “I hate myself. I don’t have any friends to speak of. All I have is this job and it disgusts me.” He believes that this kind of life is what made Crosetti kill himself.  This is a very deep level of pain and though this issue isn’t dealt with directly for the rest of the season, it doesn’t go away. He will feel versions of this pain when it comes to dealing with his children and his career.  It’s never going to ease.

                           This episode also demonstrates, indirectly, the value of Stanley Bolander to the squad. None of the other detectives have the concern or the nerve to talk to Gee like a man rather than as a shift commander. Furthermore, he manages to give Howard advice in getting over the Chilton case. “A good detective may not know when to  give up. But a good detective knows when its time to move on.” This gentle push helps Howard get the nerve to leave the case alone--- for now.

                           This episode is so focused that for once some of the comedy about The Waterfront seems a little out of place. In the grimness of the episode, we almost overlook the fact that the purchase of the bar has finally come through. Though the sequence at the bank is amusing, the rest of the business about their problems not being quite over seems a little added on..

                           ‘Nothing Personal’ isn’t a great episode but it does stand out to show how well Fontana and associates had managed  to write well for all the characters and not just Pembleton as some have considered.. Yaphet Kotto does some great work, as do Melissa Leo and Daniel Baldwin. This is a tale of raw nerves  but it also shows how people deal with  their own problems.

My score: 4 stars.