Sideshow
Directed By: Ed Sherin
Written By: David Simon
Part two of the Crossover with Law & Order.
Even though Chesley Purcell, the murder suspect, has herself been murdered, Briscoe and Curtis in New York, and Munch and Sheppard in Baltimore, continue their investigation into the murder of Jeanine McBride, and they discover it goes all the way to the White House. William Dell, the independent counsel, continues to thwart their investigation, as well as Danvers and McCoy's attempted prosecution, at every turn. Speaking of Danvers, he's in line for a nomination to the bench until a past indiscretion comes to light.
This episode contains examples of:
- Call-Back:
- After Munch tells the rest of the squad about the investigation so far at the beginning of the episode, Lewis cracks that it sounds like one of L.P. Everett's novels.
- Falsone and Lewis, and Ballard and Stivers, continue to talk about the beating Sheppard received, and Stivers admits first to Ballard and then to Sheppard she wasn't telling the truth she would have pulled her gun as Sheppard did.
- Falsone brings up to Lewis how he didn't act this freaked out after Junior Bunk Mahoney shot at him.
- Everyone Has Standards: Barnfather and the other African-Americans involved in the Homicide unit are okay with showing support to Danvers after his past indiscretion is revealed (see Hate Crimes Are a Special Kind of Evil below), but Barnfather tells Giardello there's no way they can support Danvers being nominated for a judge position, and he should withdraw from consideration. Giardello tells him Danvers is aware of this and will withdraw his name.
- The Guards Must Be Crazy: After Briscoe discovers Ned Burks, who killed Chesley Purcell, has hung himself in prison after Dell refuses to deal with him because he won't give him dirt that will help his investigation into the White House, Briscoe calls Van Buren from prison and says, "I specifically asked the shift commander to put him on suicide watch. Unfortunately, at Rikers Island that seems to mean they stand around and watch you commit suicide."
- Hate Crimes Are a Special Kind of Evil: Turns out when Danvers was a teenager, he was part of a gang that badly beat an African-American man. Giardello tells the other African-Americans in the unit when he tracked the man down, the man remembered how Danvers was the only one of the gang who apologized for what happened and who tried to make amends.
- Let Me Get This Straight...: After Little Walter reveals the terms of his agreement with Chesley Purcell:Munch: You paid a hitter with tickets to The Lion King?
Little Walter: Third row, orchestra. - Precision F-Strike: Sheppard tells Stivers when Lewis through his hat on her desk, it was his way of saying, "Bitch, you almost got me shot."
- Smug Snake: Bernard Abrams, Dell's chief associate, is like this, especially when he warns Danvers he's going to expose his past (see Hate Crimes Are a Special Kind of Evil above) if Danvers continues with indicting Little Walter.
- Tears of Remorse: Bernardi admits she may be responsible for Janine McBride's murder when both of them were involved with Katherine Rainer, who was also working at the White House, and Bernardi, through Dawkins, tried to keep McBride from telling Dell about the whole thing. After Bernardi admits the whole thing to Danvers and McCoy, she starts crying and begs Danvers and McCoy to tell Rainer she never meant to hurt Rainer.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Giardello gets extremely angry at Mike when he finds out Mike had given details of Jeanine McBride's murder investigation to an FBI supervisor, who in turn leaked the details to William Dell.
