Left Field Cinema

Mike,
Based your coverage, I purchased seasons one and two of "Homicide" and finally finished watching the last episode a few nights ago. I had not seen any portion of this series before (nor do I watch the NCIS, CSI or Law and Order shows). "Bop Gun": Wow. It caught be off-guard and I was blown away by it. I thought that it was truly first rate television; a virtual essay on the crime of murder, with subtlety, multiple points of view, real depth, and a realistic (not neat or completely resolved) ending. It was all the more impressive because it featured Robin Williams - an talented individual who, like Eddie Murray, can't seem to say "no" to crap scripts - in a very nuanced and pain-ridden performance. I was also surprised by the brief but great performance from what must have been about a 14-year-old Jake Gyllenhaal, an actor I generally can't stand. Anyway, this episode makes me believe in the occasional power TV has to transport and enlighten, and I have you to thank for the introduction.
Scott