That anger has its place, and can co-exist with all the other emotions, even ones that are thirty years baking on low in the oven. You continue to treat human beings as they deserve in these pieces; with integrity, openness, vulnerability, and grace. We should all be so lucky to be written about like this. Also, hats off to Danny and Clark for the brilliantly executed scene in Season 2; Episode 2 ("See No Evil") where Meldrick throws Beau around the bathroom stalls and walls and delivers the epic line, "Don't you lie to me or you're gonna be LOOKIN' for your teeth in that toilet!" The scene is so short, yet explosive and a wonderful display of talent and range; also shot beautifully. And all done while one of the two actors was dancing with a bear. Remarkable.
As always, you not only continue to be an incredible writer but also master being incredibly kind in your reflections. There's not enough kindness in the world these days, so I have the utmost respect for anyone willing to extend that kindness, that grace, that empathy to others. A complete speculation on my part - and please tell me if I'm dead wrong - but I imagine that kindness, that grace, that empathy is sometimes much harder to give to someone else when their struggles mirror your own, remind you of your own. Because to give that other person grace means you have to give it to yourself as well. No easy feat -for anyone - reconciling one's past with one's present.
That all said, the same theme emerges and it's so true...the best actors were chosen for the parts, and their lives in that snapshot of time shaped the characters. I always enjoyed season 5 with Tim Bayliss the most, but I could never put my finger on precisely why. Then, you shared that it was the season you came back sober and with a renewed sense of purpose. Suddenly, it made sense. Tim was so strong, yet more insightful (and thus vulnerable) than ever, in that season, and it made me wonder if your personal journey was reflected in that.
Back to Danny, if we're allowed to calm him that. ;) He was yet another actor who could have ended up very one-note, one-dimensional, had it not been for both the writing *and* the actor. You could despise Beau sometimes - when he made that crass remark in "Bop Gun" about overtime, anytime his casual racism bled through, when he mocked Kay who opened up to him about her dreams/visions, his affair with Megan, his lack of attention to detail, etc. But, in equal measure, he also showed us Beau's humanity - visiting Kay in the hospital and holding her hand, the tremendous guilt he felt about letting Kay go first when they and Bolander got shot, following up on Kay's dream/vision despite mocking her for it, wanting to be there for her when she was upset about her sister, the love he had for his kids, trying to be there for Lewis when he finally broke down about Crosetti, the empathy (though misguided in terms of being a detective) he showed his friend whose father wanted to die, even tolerating Pembleton at his most egotistical and high-maintenance moments (the Pilot, anyone?), etc.
So very interesting to see - as it's been said - "behind the curtain." It just makes "Homicide" that much more fascinating to watch knowing all of these nuances as only someone who was truly there in the moment could. The show is both a snapshot in time and timeless all at once, if that makes any sense. I'm glad that the writers, directors, and actors all took such a realistic approach - there is no "one size fits all" prototype for any kind of job (including homicide detectives) nor person. Something I really appreciated that the show did - including Danny as Beau - was represent how incredibly hard it must be to be a homicide detective yet somehow maintain your mental and physical health, your marriage, your relationship with your kids, etc. In that vein, it didn't surprise me at all with how the characters broke down in their own ways - Crosetti's suicide, Beau's collapse of his marriage and relationship with his kids, Tim and Mike's downward trajectory, Frank's stroke, etc. What an incredibly dark, relentless, isolating, and depressing (yet absolutely needed!) job being a homicide detective must be. I think Tom may have been the one to say that, without Richard Belzer's Detective Munch, "Homicide" would have been relentlessly dark. No wonder the need for gallows humor, the incredibly tight bonds with one's partner, and the talks up on the roof to keep one's sanity. All of you captured that!
Also, really interesting article you shared, Kyle! Just goes to show that life is never as black and white as some really want to believe that it is. We all have the potential to do good and evil in the world.
Thank you so much for these peaks behind the curtain. They are very much appreciated.
To me, the characters of Crosetti, Bolander and Felton were so impactful and engaging that I often have to remind myself they appeared in less than one-third of HLOTS' run. Wonderfully complex and flawed characters, played by equally complex actors.
I was happy to see the entire gang back together for the TV movie, which was nice closure for the series... and the fans.
Thanks for reading Tim! Yeah they rocked it while they were around.
That anger has its place, and can co-exist with all the other emotions, even ones that are thirty years baking on low in the oven. You continue to treat human beings as they deserve in these pieces; with integrity, openness, vulnerability, and grace. We should all be so lucky to be written about like this. Also, hats off to Danny and Clark for the brilliantly executed scene in Season 2; Episode 2 ("See No Evil") where Meldrick throws Beau around the bathroom stalls and walls and delivers the epic line, "Don't you lie to me or you're gonna be LOOKIN' for your teeth in that toilet!" The scene is so short, yet explosive and a wonderful display of talent and range; also shot beautifully. And all done while one of the two actors was dancing with a bear. Remarkable.
As always, you not only continue to be an incredible writer but also master being incredibly kind in your reflections. There's not enough kindness in the world these days, so I have the utmost respect for anyone willing to extend that kindness, that grace, that empathy to others. A complete speculation on my part - and please tell me if I'm dead wrong - but I imagine that kindness, that grace, that empathy is sometimes much harder to give to someone else when their struggles mirror your own, remind you of your own. Because to give that other person grace means you have to give it to yourself as well. No easy feat -for anyone - reconciling one's past with one's present.
That all said, the same theme emerges and it's so true...the best actors were chosen for the parts, and their lives in that snapshot of time shaped the characters. I always enjoyed season 5 with Tim Bayliss the most, but I could never put my finger on precisely why. Then, you shared that it was the season you came back sober and with a renewed sense of purpose. Suddenly, it made sense. Tim was so strong, yet more insightful (and thus vulnerable) than ever, in that season, and it made me wonder if your personal journey was reflected in that.
Back to Danny, if we're allowed to calm him that. ;) He was yet another actor who could have ended up very one-note, one-dimensional, had it not been for both the writing *and* the actor. You could despise Beau sometimes - when he made that crass remark in "Bop Gun" about overtime, anytime his casual racism bled through, when he mocked Kay who opened up to him about her dreams/visions, his affair with Megan, his lack of attention to detail, etc. But, in equal measure, he also showed us Beau's humanity - visiting Kay in the hospital and holding her hand, the tremendous guilt he felt about letting Kay go first when they and Bolander got shot, following up on Kay's dream/vision despite mocking her for it, wanting to be there for her when she was upset about her sister, the love he had for his kids, trying to be there for Lewis when he finally broke down about Crosetti, the empathy (though misguided in terms of being a detective) he showed his friend whose father wanted to die, even tolerating Pembleton at his most egotistical and high-maintenance moments (the Pilot, anyone?), etc.
So very interesting to see - as it's been said - "behind the curtain." It just makes "Homicide" that much more fascinating to watch knowing all of these nuances as only someone who was truly there in the moment could. The show is both a snapshot in time and timeless all at once, if that makes any sense. I'm glad that the writers, directors, and actors all took such a realistic approach - there is no "one size fits all" prototype for any kind of job (including homicide detectives) nor person. Something I really appreciated that the show did - including Danny as Beau - was represent how incredibly hard it must be to be a homicide detective yet somehow maintain your mental and physical health, your marriage, your relationship with your kids, etc. In that vein, it didn't surprise me at all with how the characters broke down in their own ways - Crosetti's suicide, Beau's collapse of his marriage and relationship with his kids, Tim and Mike's downward trajectory, Frank's stroke, etc. What an incredibly dark, relentless, isolating, and depressing (yet absolutely needed!) job being a homicide detective must be. I think Tom may have been the one to say that, without Richard Belzer's Detective Munch, "Homicide" would have been relentlessly dark. No wonder the need for gallows humor, the incredibly tight bonds with one's partner, and the talks up on the roof to keep one's sanity. All of you captured that!
Sorry for any typos and for my stream-of-consciousness ramblings! LOL
Also, really interesting article you shared, Kyle! Just goes to show that life is never as black and white as some really want to believe that it is. We all have the potential to do good and evil in the world.
Thank you so much for these peaks behind the curtain. They are very much appreciated.
To me, the characters of Crosetti, Bolander and Felton were so impactful and engaging that I often have to remind myself they appeared in less than one-third of HLOTS' run. Wonderfully complex and flawed characters, played by equally complex actors.
I was happy to see the entire gang back together for the TV movie, which was nice closure for the series... and the fans.
Especially love the last sentence. Good article.
Nice essay.
But wait...
Was Johnny Eck on HLOTS?
I must have missed that. I know he lived in Baltimore but never knew he appeared.
Which episode?
Of course, my knowledge of Johnny is because he acted in one of the most fascinating movies of all time, Todd Browning's Freaks in 1932.