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The Best Episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6

Every episode of Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6!

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An American police procedural chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit.

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  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 1 - Blood Ties (1)
    8.3/10(189 votes)

    #1 - Blood Ties (1)

    S6:E1

    Their rotation in robbery is up, Frank and Tim return to the homicide unit. They find that citations are being handed out to the unit and a delighted Gee, whose clearance rate is the highest it has been in five years. Kellerman and Lewis are also scheduled to return. Howard is still on assignment with the fugitive squad. Additions to the unit through rotated assignment include Det. Ballard who actually comes from a Seattle homicide unit, Det. Falsone and Det. Gharty. Falsone and Gharty worked with the unit on the Felton case last spring; however, nothing is mentioned about the status of that case. (Sharp-eyed viewers note that Felton's name is still in red under Pembleton's name on the board.) Meanwhile, Gee attends a black tie function honoring Felix Wilson, a respected member of the community. Because he grew up with them, Gee sits at a table with Felix, his wife and their family. Everyone attending the function at the hotel is kept late because the body of a woman is found dead in t

    Director:Alan Taylor
    Writer:Anya Epstein

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  2. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 2 - Blood Ties (2)
    8.3/10(180 votes)

    #2 - Blood Ties (2)

    S6:E2

    While Pembleton is still interested in the housekeeper's ex-boyfriend, Ballard still thinks that the Wilson family needs to be looked at more closely. Also, a body is found at Camden Yards during a game between the Orioles and the A's. Falsone questions Stivers about the Mahoney shooting and that begins to make her nervous. Tensions mount because there appears to be a leak to the press within the unit about the Wilson case. Orioles' security wants the case quickly resolved. Munch and Kellerman have only 48,000 possible suspects. The victim is discovered to be a dead Yankees fan. Tim gets his old high school French teacher to help them check out the whereabouts of the housekeeper's ex-boyfriend. He is cleared because of his current incarceration in a Haitian prison, which leaves the Wilson men as more probable suspects. Are Gee and Pembleton protecting Felix Wilson because he is a prominent businessman in predominately black Baltimore, as outsider Ballard suggests? Munch and Kellerman g

    Director:Nick Gomez
    Writer:David Simon

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  3. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 3 - Blood Ties (3)
    8.2/10(183 votes)

    #3 - Blood Ties (3)

    S6:E3

    The Wilsons go on television to offer a reward. The newspapers are making the Homicide unit look bad and Barnfather wants quick resolution to the case. The man (and his wife) who gave up Junior Bunk are murdered; Falsone and Lewis investigate. The only survivor, their young son, is brought in to find out what he remembers. His memories-- and a recorded phone message-- lead Stivers to believe a former member of the Narcotics unit is involved. The officer cops to a deal that implicates Georgia Rae Mahoney, though Giardella doesn't want to pursue that yet. Falsone's questioning of the Mahoney shooting leads Cox to doubt her actions at the time of the investigation. Incriminating evidence leads the detectives to Hal Wilson being their prime suspect. Frank goes to interview Felix and Hal Wilson; son and father confront some long-standing issues. Hal's confession is inadmissible in court, the Wilsons leave the Baltimore area, and the case remains officially open.

    Director:Mark Pellington
    Writers:David Simon, Anya Epstein

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  4. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 4 - Birthday
    7.7/10(162 votes)

    #4 - Birthday

    S6:E4

    A young woman is viciously attacked. Falsone and Lewis are called to the scene because the victim wasn't expected to make it. Stivers is working in Sex Crimes and is second to the scene; however, because Homicide was first it is technically their case. The attack is the third in three months and the bosses decide they'll work the case together. Frank's wife is overdue on her delivery. Tim recommends a restaurant whose salad has been known to ""kick start"" delivery in pregnant women. Frank gives it a try. Georgia Rae Mahoney meets Kellerman and mentions to him that she has a surveillance tape from Luther's condo. She tells him she'll keep in touch. Kellerman tracks down the old surveillance equipment from Luther's condo. A possible suspect is found in the rape case that doesn't turn into anything. A recanvas of the bars brings a new suspect to light. The salad might have worked its magic, because Mary gives birth, although there are complications that cause Frank to think about the job's

    Director:Alison Maclean
    Writer:Julie Martin

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  5. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 5 - Baby, It's You (II)
    7.8/10(231 votes)

    #5 - Baby, It's You (II)

    S6:E5

    Brittany's stalker in Baltimore is interviewed and says that he saw her being attacked by someone. When going to question the parents, the detectives discover that the Janaways have returned to Baltimore, so they make the trip to Charm City. They get the father in the box and he demands that they prove he did it. The attorneys fight over jurisdiction but the judge rules in favor of Baltimore and the two teams of prosecutors must work together. This crossover starts on Law and Order S08E06 Baby, It's You (I).

    Director:Edwin Sherin
    Writer:Jorge Zamacona

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  6. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 6 - Saigon Rose
    8.2/10(187 votes)

    #6 - Saigon Rose

    S6:E6

    Two Vietnamese teenagers witness the shooting of their parents and some friends. One of the friends was a cop and one of the shooters they say was another cop. That cop they discover failed her psyche evaluation but may have possibly gotten her job due to Affirmative Action; although strings pulled by her father proved to be her ticket into law enforcement. After they are able to implicate the cop in the shooting, as a bonus they discover the body of her string-pulling father. Ballard suffers from an allergic reaction to crabs. Falsone finds out that the case against Georgia Rae Mahoney is going to be dropped because of a lack of evidence. He suspects that the whole Mahoney thing is going to blow up in the department's face, because he knows the Mahoney shooting didn't go down the way Stivers, Kellerman and Lewis reported it. Kellerman debates with Cox about what he should do about the Mahoney situation.

    Director:Nick Gomez
    Writer:Eric Overmyer

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  7. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 7 - Subway
    9.5/10(681 votes)

    #7 - Subway

    S6:E7

    A man falls between the cars of a subway train in front of horrified witnesses. Was he pushed? While the man is still alive, the prognosis is he will be dead the moment they extract from the position he currently occupies: pinned between the train and platform. Homicide is called in light of this condition and the fact he may have been pushed. Pembleton questions the victim, and Bayliss questions the witnesses, especially a strange one named Larry Biedron. The victim has no relatives in the Baltimore area. He does have a girlfriend who is supposed to be jogging in the area; Lewis and Falsone try to find her to bring her to the scene.

    Director:Gary Fleder
    Writer:James Yoshimura

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  8. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 8 - All is Bright
    8.0/10(196 votes)

    #8 - All is Bright

    S6:E8

    Ballard and Gharty investigate the death of a man at a laundromat. The Waterfront Bar gets ready for the Christmas holiday. Munch's ex-wife, Gwen, shows up; her mother (a literary critic and author) has died. Tim goes Christmas shopping and runs into Julianna; he invites her to come to the Waterfront's Christmas celebration. Ballard and Gharty interview the victim's girlfriend (as listed in his address book). Cox informs Ballard and Gharty that the victim was HIV positive and she also convinces Kellerman to tell Lewis and Stivers about the Mahoney videotape. Munch gets his brother to give Gwen a deal on her mother's funeral arrangements. The victim's mother knew about his HIV status and about a girlfriend he didn't use protection with, whose name didn't appear in the address book. Ballard and Gharty find this woman and find that she has full-blown, terminal AIDS, and they bring her in for questioning. Ballard feels the woman has suffered enough so she is reluctant to a get her confessi

    Director:Matt Reeves
    Writer:Rafael Alvarez

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  9. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 9 - Closet Cases
    7.9/10(169 votes)

    #9 - Closet Cases

    S6:E9

    The semi-nude body of a man is found in a dumpster outside of a restaurant. Bayliss returns Cox a pair of her earrings that she'd left at his place the night before. Disturbed by him doing that in public and while at a crime scene, she suggests they take some time off, instead they decide to break it off. The owners of the restaurant thinks that this murder might be tied to another murder (one that Munch is working). Lewis confronts Kellerman about the Mahoney videotape and the need to let Stivers know that she is also ""in the soup."" Lewis tells Stivers about the videotape, so she demands a meeting with Kellerman. Falsone confronts his ex-wife about getting to see his son more often; however, they argue and he plans to pursue getting joint custody. Kellerman decides that he will try to force Georgia Rae's hand, since he doesn't plan on doing anything corrupt for her anyway. Kellerman tells Georgia Rae that she can do whatever she wants with the videotape, he doesn't care. Bayliss decid

    Directors:Leslie Libman, Larry Williams
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 10 - Sins of the Father
    7.9/10(165 votes)

    #10 - Sins of the Father

    S6:E10

    A white man is found lynched in a historic black section of the city; Falsone and Lewis investigate. The day after Tim's dinner date with the male restaurant owner that Tim was positive about, Frank is perplexed by Tim's interest in Laura Ballard. The autopsy reveals that the hanged man was also whipped. Gharty worries about Ballard getting involved with ""switch-hitter"" Bayliss. Lewis is convinced the lynching is related back to the victim's Civil War ancestor, infamous runaway-slave catcher and free-blacks abductress. Tim and Laura attend an art show.

    Director:Mary Harron
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 11 - Shaggy Dog, City Goat
    8.1/10(172 votes)

    #11 - Shaggy Dog, City Goat

    S6:E11

    Julianna wins the recognition of her peers. At dinner, Julianna and her colleagues swap stories about how they've cracked cases. Julianna relates a story that happened a few weeks earlier, a suicide might actually be turn out to be murder, when it is determined that the victim was shot in mid-jump. A bickering elderly couple proves to be the key to the crime. Meanwhile, Falsone investigates the legal possibilities of obtaining custody of his son. Ballard and Gharty investigate the death of a drug dealer, which takes them up into the hills of western Maryland in search of their suspects. Georgia Rae Mahoney sues Stivers, Lewis, Kellerman, Giardello, Cox, the department and the city for the wrongful death of her brother, to the tune of $60 million. Lewis confronts Georgia Rae and winds up with a suspension for his trouble.

    Director:Kyle Secor
    Writer:Eric Overmyer

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  12. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 12 - Something Sacred (1)
    8.0/10(166 votes)

    #12 - Something Sacred (1)

    S6:E12

    Kellerman is trying to find Lewis, who's disappeared since his suspension. Bayliss is on vacation. Stivers rotates into homicide and Kellerman isn't happy to see her. A priest is found murdered. Falsone attends a custody deposition hearing. A tape is delivered to Channel 11 that contains some startling information from a Swami about the priest's activities involving young boys. Munch and Kellerman seek out the two boys who were at the scene of the crime; meanwhile the other detectives seek out the Swami. Both are located, though the boys do not provide anything conclusive; they are held in protective custody. Kellerman searches for Lewis. Meanwhile, church members protest in front of the station house. Falsone gets his son for a weekend. Ballard and Gharty detain a corner kid who might be identifiable as one of three who had frightened a priest. Unfortunately, that priest (a monsignor) can't make a positive ID. Because of public pressure, the boys are released from custody to stay with

    Director:Uli Edel
    Writer:Anya Epstein

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  13. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 13 - Something Sacred (2)
    8.2/10(164 votes)

    #13 - Something Sacred (2)

    S6:E13

    With the addition of the latest murder, the ""red ball"" investigation continues full force. The detectives and the returning Bayliss pose as priests in an attempt to flush out any leads. Munch's cover attracts two young thugs, but they prove to be nothing. Gee is called upstairs, where his performance doesn't sit well with Barnfather. Lewis turns up and seeks some help from Falsone. Pembleton receives a call that the two missing boys have been found. Pembleton and Stivers travel to collect them. Meanwhile, Gharty and Ballard find the pawnbroker who had accepted a stolen chalice. Cox and Bayliss prevent a drunken Kellerman from driving home. Ballard and Gharty use the pawn-receipt false address to track down the corner kid with whom they'd previously had a run-in. They bring him into the box and Gharty loses his cool. The kid is tough to crack, but Pembleton has an idea involving the morgue and a trip to the shore. While stumbling home, a drunken Kellerman decides he doesn't like the loo

    Director:Uli Edel
    Writer:David Simon

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  14. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 14 - Lies and Other Truths
    7.9/10(162 votes)

    #14 - Lies and Other Truths

    S6:E14

    A slightly intoxicated man (driving with his wife) aggressively whips his car around a state-owned truck; the offended truck driver rams their car; their aggression results in a collision where both drivers die. The man's wife is in serious condition. Kellerman and Munch investigate this case. Falsone gets prepared for the final hearing in his bid for custody of his son. Meanwhile, the other detectives investigate the death of a man who made a mobile phone call from the coffin in which he had been buried alive. The coffin was buried in the parade ground of an old spy school. The victim might have remained alive if the lid hadn't been sabotaged to collapse. In the car / truck collision case, Cox's boss wants her to ""verify"" the results of the car driver's blood alcohol level to help protect the state from serious litigation. An old Russian friend of Gee's furnishes them with information that leads the detectives to the discovery of a group of men who couldn't make it as spies. (They cal

    Director:Nick Gomez
    Writer:Noel Behn

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  15. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 15 - Pit Bull Sessions
    7.8/10(171 votes)

    #15 - Pit Bull Sessions

    S6:E15

    Pembleton and Falsone look into the death of an elderly man who might have been killed by the pit bulls owned by his grandson. The other detectives hang out at the Waterfront and tell stories about stupid criminals they have met. The judge in the wrongful death suit of Luther Mahoney decides there is enough evidence to turn the suit into a jury trial. Kellerman suspects there might be something up, so he tries to go and see the judge.

    Director:Barbara Kopple
    Writer:Sean Whitesell

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  16. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 16 - Mercy
    7.7/10(172 votes)

    #16 - Mercy

    S6:E16

    Homicide is called in when a woman is distressed at the fact the Dr. Turner helped her brother stop suffering from his colon cancer by injecting him with a lethal dose of morphine. Other members of her family were comfortable with the way he died. Pembleton and Bayliss investigate the issue of murder or mercy. Ballard and Gharty spot their city goats at a shopping mall, where Gharty was using Ballard as a consultant in his purchase of a gift. Stivers and Falsone catch a case where a schoolgirl and the owner of a pizza parlor are murdered during the holdup of the pizza parlor. Kellerman confronts Judge Gibbons and tapes their conversation about his ruling in making the wrongful death suit a jury case. Ballard and Gharty round up their city goats after they confront their mother. Gee warns the rookie homicide detectives, Stivers and Falsone about the baggage that comes with working their first case involving the death of a child. Pembleton and Bayliss' investigation of Dr. Turner's pract

    Director:Alan Taylor
    Writer:Eric Overmyer

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  17. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 17 - Abduction
    8.0/10(167 votes)

    #17 - Abduction

    S6:E17

    A four-year-old boy is abducted while riding a merry-go-round in the park under the supervision of his mother. The Homicide unit, which helps in the investigation of all child abductions, is called in and Falsone is the primary. When the boy's father has an alibi that checks out, the detectives beginning to check on known pedophiles and later they receive a call from the possible kidnapper. When that doesn't pan out, they start over. The host of a nationwide television program, This Weeks Wanted, suggests that they hypnotize the little girl who was riding on the horse next to the boy. Hypnosis reveals a partial plate number and that leads to a lucky break. Ballard and Stivers discuss motherhood and Falsone checks on his son.

    Director:Kenneth Fink
    Writers:Julie Martin, Anya Epstein

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  18. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 18 - Full Court Press
    8.1/10(176 votes)

    #18 - Full Court Press

    S6:E18

    Munch and Gharty probe the death of a high-school athlete who appeared to have everything going for him. Pembleton and Bayliss have only one lead to a potential suspect, a pager number; however, Bayliss has a plan that should lead to the apprehension of their suspect. Kellerman and Ballard get a case with a drug dealer that Kellerman is less than enthusiastic to work. The victim is one of Georgia Rae Mahoney's lieutenants and there are four other unsolved murders in the last two weeks where the victims were members of the Mahoney organization. Pembleton and Bayliss apprehend the wrong suspect, but the fact the suspect was trafficking 200 Kg of narcotics gets them a commendation. Meanwhile, using the information provided to him by Falsone, Lewis has had members of the Mahoney organization under surveillance. Is Lewis involved in these murders? Kellerman receives some good news for a change; passing a tape of his conversation with Judge Gibbons onto the FBI won't be necessary. The FBI is

    Director:Clark Johnson
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 19 - Strangled, Not Stirred
    8.0/10(157 votes)

    #19 - Strangled, Not Stirred

    S6:E19

    Ballard and Gharty investigate the deaths of two single women who were bought drinks by a married couple. The victims were stunned and then strangled. The other detectives receive detailed information that helps them close the open Mahoney drug shootings. Their helpful informant turns out to be Lewis, who has a hearing coming up Ballard and Gharty get their suspect in the box and he claims to be the one to stun the victims, but his wife actually did the strangulation. Ballard is skeptical about the woman's involvement, but the evidence points to the couple.

    Director:Jay Tobias
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 20 - Secrets
    8.1/10(162 votes)

    #20 - Secrets

    S6:E20

    Ballard and Munch catch a case involving the death of a prominent businesswoman. Pembleton and Bayliss catch a similar case. Both deaths might be the suicides they appear to be, but as the detectives begin their investigations the facts reveal otherwise. Lewis attends his disciplinary hearing and receives his punishment and is allowed to return to duty in the Homicide unit. Falsone and Lewis investigate another Mahoney related death. The situation within the Mahoney organization may be getting out of control as jury selection begins in the civil suit. The judge dismisses the civil suit, just as he told Kellerman tbat he would. Kellerman confronts him after the trial about the FBI's investigation in front of several witnesses. Bayliss joins Ballard for dinner and he reveals some of his secrets.

    Director:Ed Bianchi
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 21 - Finnegan's Wake
    8.6/10(214 votes)

    #21 - Finnegan's Wake

    S6:E21

    Bayliss suffers from a recurring dream about the Adena Watson, his first homicide case and one that remains unsolved. An elderly man comes to the Homicide unit to confess to Bayliss that his father had committed a murder 66 years ago. Falsone is assigned to the case, only the case file is missing and found to be in the possession of retired homicide detective, Thomas Finnegan. Gee allows Finnegan's request to participate in the reopened investigation. Questioning the elderly man leads to the recovery of the gun that might close the case. Falsone, Finnegan, Lewis and Kellerman celebrate their potential victory as Bayliss recontemplates the Watson case.

    Director:Steve Buscemi
    Writer:David Mills

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  22. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 22 - Fallen Heroes (1)
    9.2/10(236 votes)

    #22 - Fallen Heroes (1)

    S6:E22

    Judge Gibbons has been stabbed. On their way to the crime scene, Bayliss and Pembleton talk about a book that Bayliss is reading, then Pembleton wonders if anyone would ever write a book about their Homicide unit. A probation officer is murdered in a drive-by shooting. The FBI gets involved with investigation of the Gibbons death. Agent Bauer mentions to Bayliss that Kellerman's confrontation with Gibbons probably got the judge killed. He wants Kellerman clear of the case. A fingerprint lifted from the Gibbons' crime scene points to Georgia Rae's son, Junior Bunk. Falsone and Stivers get a lead on their probation officer shooting case. As Junior Bunk is brought in for questioning, he eyeballs a handgun being put in a drawer. Pembleton and Bayliss get Junior in the box and he is no longer able to be intimidated. While waiting to be transferred to central booking, Kellerman, Lewis & Gharty harass Junior. Slightly freed up to make a phone call, Junior gets the gun out of the desk and begi

    Director:Kathryn Bigelow
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Homicide: Life on the Street Season 6 Episode 23 - Fallen Heroes (2)
    9.2/10(226 votes)

    #23 - Fallen Heroes (2)

    S6:E23

    The search for Georgia Rae and the war against her organization begin. Stivers, uncomfortable with the whole situation tells Gee about the Luther Mahoney shooting. Ballard and Gharty begin to deal with their recovery. A lead on Georgia Rae's whereabouts is uncovered. During the assault on the building, Georgia Rae's body is found and Bayliss takes a bullet that would have hit Pembleton. Gee asks Pembleton to get to heart of the Luther Mahoney shooting that started it all. Pembleton and Falsone start with Lewis and then they move onto Kellerman. The truth about the shooting comes out and Kellerman claims sole responsibility, Pembleton asks him for his badge. To protect Stivers and Lewis from prosecution, Kellerman resigns. Feeling remorse for the hesitation that caused Bayliss to take a bullet for him and with Gee's plans to cover-up the truth about the Luther Mahoney shooting, Pembleton decides it is time to resign.

    Director:Kathryn Bigelow
    Writer:Joy Lusco

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Season 6 Ratings Summary

"Blood Ties (1)" is the best rated episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" season 6. It scored 8.3/10 based on 189 votes. Directed by Alan Taylor and written by Anya Epstein, it aired on 10/17/1997. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "Blood Ties (2)".