Television Review: Fire, Part 2 (Homicide: Life on the Street, S4X02, 1995)

Fire, Part 2 (S04E02)

Airdate: 27 October 1995

Written by: Jack Behr
Directed by: Nick Gomez

Running Time: 48 minutes

The second instalment of Homicide: Life on the Street’s fourth season premiere, Fire, Part 2, exemplifies the series’ commitment to unflinching realism and narrative cohesion. This episode deftly resolves the arson-murder mystery introduced in Fire, Part 1 while integrating Detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond) into the Homicide unit without compromising the show’s signature grittiness. Retaining the handheld camera work, morally ambiguous characters, and procedural authenticity that defined its first three seasons, the episode avoids contrived melodrama, instead grounding Kellerman’s introduction in the bleak pragmatism of Baltimore’s crime-riddled streets. The result is a taut, intelligently structured hour that balances plot resolution with character development, reaffirming Homicide’s status as a pioneer of police procedural realism.

The plot intensifies as Lieutenant Al Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) faces mounting pressure to solve the “Red Ball” case involving two arson-related murders. With departmental promises of additional manpower contingent on closing the case, the discovery of a second victim—15-year-old Bonnie Nash, a former student of chemistry teacher Gavin Robb (Adam Trese)—sharpens the urgency. Detectives Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Bayliss (Kyle Secor) methodically trace clues, including a blue van and stolen toilet paper used as “trailers” to spread flames, but hit a wall during Robb’s interrogation. Enter Kellerman, whose unorthodox tactics—feigning resignation before springing a trap with the question, “Why did you kill the dog?”—exploit Robb’s affection for animals, prompting an inadvertent confession.

Giardello, impressed by Kellerman’s ruthlessness, offers him a permanent transfer to Homicide. Kellerman’s initial reluctance, rooted in self-doubt, is poignantly challenged during a visit to his father (played by Pat McNamara), a distillery worker resigned to life’s limitations. This exchange—a masterclass in understated characterisation—culminates in Kellerman’s acceptance, symbolising his transition from arson investigator to a detective willing to navigate moral grey areas.

Fire, Part 2 excels in fleshing out Kellerman’s duality: streetwise yet introspective, cocky yet vulnerable. His friction with Pembleton and Bayliss—initially dismissive of his “Arson Unit” credentials—evolves into grudging respect as he outmanoeuvres Robb, a villain whose veneer of civility masks chilling calculation. The interrogation scene subverts the “good cop/bad cop” trope, with Kellerman sarcastically dismissing the dichotomy before deploying psychological manipulation. By feigning incompetence (“I’m the dumb cop”), he lulls Robb into complacency, revealing a strategic cunning that rivals Pembleton’s intellectual rigour. This sequence, among the series’ finest, underscores Homicide’s knack for elevating procedural tropes into riveting character drama.

Robb’s portrayal as an “Affably Evil” antagonist—a chemistry teacher who aids the homeless yet murders to conceal a student-teacher affair—adds layers of moral ambiguity. His downfall, engineered through Kellerman’s exploitation of empathy for a non-existent dog, critiques the fragility of performative virtue.

While the episode’s core thrives, subplots like Detective Howard (Melissa Leo) and Munch’s (Richard Belzer) rivalry over a sergeant’s exam feel underdeveloped. Howard’s promotion arc—a recurring thread in Season 4—serves primarily to highlight workplace politics, but its resolution (Munch’s no-show) lacks emotional heft. Similarly, Pembleton’s anxiety about parenthood, though thematically resonant, is relegated to fleeting rooftop conversations. Yet these elements never overshadow the main narrative, instead reinforcing the ensemble’s lived-in dynamics.

Fire, Part 2 remains a standout episode, seamlessly integrating a new protagonist into Homicide’s bleak universe while delivering a psychologically nuanced mystery. Kellerman’s introduction—marked by moral complexity and tactical brilliance—exemplifies the series’ refusal to sanitise policing or humanise its villains. Though minor subplots dilute focus, the episode’s strengths—sharp dialogue, layered performances, and a refusal to romanticise justice—cement its place in Homicide’s legacy as a benchmark for televised realism. As Giardello might say, it’s a “red-to-black” triumph.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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