night dead living night dead living ninth episode season finale american police drama television series homicide life street originally aired nbc united_states march episode homicide squad works night shift summer evening calls come leaving detectives brood personal matters written based story wrote executive producer directed night dead living originally intended episode season nbc programmers moved end season felt slow pace lack traditional action inappropriate early series trying viewers broadcast schedule change led consistency time line errors homicide producers addressed adding words hot night september beginning episode actress makes guest appearance cleaning woman loses baby police station ratings homicide gradually declined season nbc announced decision series renewed depend nielsen ratings final episodes including night dead living seen million household viewers marking lowest season received generally positive reviews original broadcast mainstream television audiences turned minimalist approach marked original episode homicide months second season premiere gun episode won writers guild america award outstanding achievement television writing episodic drama plot summary episode begins unknown person lighting homicide detectives arrive night shift unusually hot september evening furious calls maintenance complain non working air learns shut night lewis try find secretly lights night blow number times ends lit noticing loudly complains girlfriend breaking detectives sweat complain heat calm comfortable wears tie drinks hot tea acts partner says found man named believes murderer case brings hill turns year old boy amusement detectives detectives shocked lack homicide related calls receiving night tries times night medical ask date build courage encouragement finally asks shocked accepts gets agitated daughter calls wants boyfriend sleep lets home care finds baby boy small animal carrier like cage floor police department baby popular detectives care wait social services arrive social services worker takes baby cleaning lady screams somebody kidnapped baby detectives baby talk life howard gets sister recently found breast sister learned husband having affair howard initially hesitant eventually surprises offering genuine words comfort drunken man dressed arrested threatening wife crowd people water pistol later detectives escaped custody department found falling ceiling landing desk discuss watson murder scene insists gone information repeatedly tells needs think outside box approach mind frame criminal later information realizes killer brought watson fire escape offering new lead case new day detectives assemble roof spray garden cool episode ends revealing lights night ones killed admits lit absence knew meant production night dead living directed written based story wrote executive director originally intended episode season nbc programmers felt slow paced run early season episode takes place entirely squad room lacks traditional action typical police series nbc executives felt appropriate early stage series trying viewers programmers preferred end series upbeat note final scenes night dead living includes detectives happily smiling laughing roof police department building relieve summer heat contrast originally planned season finale smoke gets eyes homicide producers felt sense resolving season storylines somber episode ended sad image quietly singing bar beer running episode sequence produced notable continuity errors example working murder stopped actively investigating earlier episode men additionally seen onscreen working healthy blinded earlier episode son gun result gunshot wound head forced leave police department consistency errors addressed homicide producers adding words hot night september beginning episode establishing events episode took place correct timeline series episodes shown order watson case depicted episode based real life baltimore chronicled homicide year killing streets non fiction book adapted homicide series night dead living displays concern safety welfare daughter revealed killed season episode viewers claimed suicide unrealistic character based feelings daughter displayed episode referred night dead living appear onscreen father death discussing mysterious lewis episode said generally cases physical evidence witnesses confessions investigating motives insight detective work consistent conclusions simon drew homicide year killing streets reviewers praised homicide realism portraying detective work perspective stark contrast typical police dramas best known point playing student activist nbc drama series fly away guest appearance night dead living cleaning woman wright cast role based performance drama film romance number songs play radios squad room night dead living music featured episode songs lay life believe city charles eddie little boy blues break ratings gradually declined series premiered response nbc announced fans decision homicide renewed canceled depend episodes season fared ratings including smoke gets eyes original american broadcast march episode watched million households according nielsen_media_research earning episode rating lowest ratings season homicide life street continuing downward trend season comparison previous episode smoke gets eyes seen million households season premiere gone watched million households lead super bowl homicide ranked low nielsen ratings compared shows week night dead living time slot competitor abc comedy ranked second week million household viewers time season finale aired homicide producers know renewed second season season finale homicide life street went hiatus network decided series renewed hiatus ultimately lasted months premiere second season premiere gun reception episode received generally positive reviews commentators author homicide life street unofficial companion said mainstream television audiences somewhat turned minimalist approach usa today writer gave episode stars comparing calling minimalist drama maximum impact wrote imagine crime crime occurs happens second counts chicago_sun-times gave stars wrote life street winds dead tonight episode victim low nielsen ratings superb actors squad know grand exit salt lake writer praised episode particularly excellent writing great acting super atmosphere rocky mountain news writer called series superb described night dead living fascinating character studies police officers squad room article writer included night dead living list excellent network television episodes dating years said episode proved acting good television strong writing acting reviews positive connor new_york_times praised series general said overlapping night dead living like santa suspect pre teen murder suspect cleaning woman missing baby felt like routines connor added won writers guild america award outstanding achievement television writing episodic drama night dead living script competed category homicide episode season premiere gone night dead living defeated scripts shows fly away life goes picket fences dvd release second season episodes included dvd box set homicide life street complete seasons released
Night of the Dead Living