Homicide Episode Guide: Colors

Written by Tom Fontana

Directed by Peter Medak

                           Homicide was a divergent show because it would frequently and with great power deal with the subject of race in America today. There have been some pretty powerful moments on this show and there would be many more to come. But perhaps the most provocative one was ‘Colors’ which may be the most frightening portrayal of race problems on television today. And the reason for that is because of a very disturbing scene that occurs near the end of the show.

                           In that scene a Baltimore grand jury has just elected  not to charge Jim Bayliss, a white Baltimore homeowner for killing Hikmet Gersel, a Turkish exchange student.  When Ed Danvers reads that no charges will be filed  the courtroom erupts into applause and cheers. As Frank, the man who was primary on this case, puts in  these good, law-abiding citizens  applauded the death of a child. He wonders what the reaction would be if Gersel had been white.  He indicts Jim Bayliss--- and by extension everyone in the courtroom--- of having a racism so  ingrained they’re not even aware of it.

This  is  a frightening indictment of today’s society and it lingers long after the episode is over.

                           Even if ‘Colors’ didn’t have that scene, it would still rank as a very powerful episode mainly because of the fact that the  killer, (in brilliant work by David Morse) as you can assume from the name, is Detective Tim Bayliss’ cousin. Normally, not only on TV but also in real life, it would not be uncommon for  a detectives partner to go easy on a friend or a relative. But the primary is Frank Pembleton, perhaps the only detective in all of television who could probably remain impartial when investigating someone.

                           It also becomes clear that there is room for doubt in what happened to Gersel that night. Jim claims that he thought that Gersel, who was on his way to a heavy metal rock party and was decked out in leather and KISS makeup, was a burglar who made repeated attempts to enter his home and that he shot him only in self-defense. The first time that Jim recounts the incident to Pembleton and Bolander (in a decolorized flashback reminiscent of the shows first season) he seems absolutely shattered by the fact that he has taken another man’s life. However, after  Jim’s wife Shannon and the teenager who  was driving Gersel to the party, tell subtly different stories about the level of tension and the threat posed. Then we learn that Jim was once arrested  for attacking an Arab. This convinces Pembleton that the killing seemed racially motivated.

                           You could probably go either way on this--- until Tim takes Jim back to his home and sees Gersel’s blood on his front porch. Jim turns to his cousin and says: “Who’d have thought their guts would be the same color as ours? “ without any flinching at all. Than when Jim is brought before a grand jury, he seems genuinely repentant and willing to go to jail for his crime. He believes he was justified but he wishes that it hadn’t happened. As is usually the case with Fontana’s work the world is never painted it shades of black and white.

                           Tim is understandably upset that his cousin is being  charged, doubly so when he knows Frank is the primary. He is adamant that his cousin is a good man an  not a street killer and the idea that this is false  is almost as wrenching to him as the killing itself. He and Frank have had their differences before but never have we seen him quite so raw. In one of the more memorable scenes Frank begins to press Jim while Tim watches behind the one-way mirror. Every time Frank starts going over the line, Tim starts hammering on the glass--- eventually completely shattering it. We also get considerable insight into Tim’s characters—and not all of it’s pretty. When Gee  decides to back Pembleton in pursuing his investigation, Tim accuses them of this being ‘part of the brotherhood’. The when Frank talks to Danvers about prosecuting the crime, he is bitterly sarcastic at the fact that Frank has found  ‘another racially motivated crime’ These glimpses are brief but they are troubling as we realize that Tim, like most people has his prejudices and they color his judgment.  These prosecution puts a rift between Bayliss and Pembleton--- one that may never fully heal. They don’t bring it up again--- but some wounds are best never talked about.

                           And yet despite his shield at work, Frank does feel for Jim Bayliss as a homeowner and a husband. During the episode he has a discussion with Mary about security and protecting himself. As the episode shows in a montage near the end, in many Ways Frank and Jim are two sides of the same coin.

                           The episode’s themes are discussed even when they aren’t being dealt with by Frank AND Tim.. There are various discussions of color throughout the episode--- from Bolander’s opening monologue about perception of green to the discussion of color on the TV screen. Even  the jokes that Lewis and Munch make about the chef at the Waterfront have a vaguely offensive tone.

                           There are no easy answers to the questions poised by ‘colors’—if indeed there are answers at all. This is difficult to watch, but when you do you can barely look  from it. If ‘Homicide’ had  done only this episode on racism, it would be enough  to call it groundbreaking. The amazing thing, these episodes are just another days work for Tom Fontana.  That is almost as remarkable as the  episode itself.

My score: 5 stars.