Homicide: Life on the Street: Season 4
Season 4 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Homicide: Life on the Street Season 3.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 4 Progress Shield
Fire (1)
Oct 20, 1995
Bolander and Felton are suspended for 22 weeks without pay for incidents related to activities at a police convention in Washington, DC. Howard plans to take the sergeant's exam. P
Fire (2)
Oct 27, 1995
The fire investigation continues. Bayliss' back is acting up and Kellerman is paired with Pembleton. Kellerman shows Gee something, so he is offered a transfer into the department
Autofocus
Nov 3, 1995
A gas leak causes the detectives to evacuate the building, so they relocate to an old bank building. Lewis is paired up with Kellerman on the murder of a woman. Sergeant Howard tri
Thrill of the Kill
Nov 10, 1995
The squad returns to the station. The FBI joins with the detectives to stop a ""thrill killer"" who's working his way north on I-95. Gee tries to reconcile with his daughter. The k
Hate Crimes
Nov 17, 1995
Pembleton and Bayliss investigate a murder that was committed in a gay neighborhood by skinheads and the victim's sexual preference is questioned. Brodie is hired by the department
A Doll's Eyes
Dec 1, 1995
Technically it's not a homicide; however, Pembleton and Bayliss investigate the ""murder"" of a small boy who's the victim of a stray bullet, which makes him brain dead. The parent
Heartbeat
Dec 8, 1995
Lewis and Kellerman interview a suspect and uncover a 10-year-old crime, which is assigned to Howard and Munch. Tim lets Frank's secret about Mary's pregnancy slip out. Howard and
Sniper (1)
Jan 5, 1996
Jay Leno stops by the Waterfront Bar while in town visiting his cousin Mary; Munch and Bayliss don't want to bother him. A new year starts out with a clean board and Brodie begins
Sniper (2)
Jan 12, 1996
The sniper continues the shootings and everyone returns to duty lacking sleep. The media starts to make their presence felt. Munch begins to worry about Howard's safety, fearing sh
The Hat
Jan 19, 1996
Gee is sent upstairs to see Barnfather and everyone speculates about the vacant Captain's position. Lewis and Kellerman are sent to Pennsylvania to extradite a woman back to Baltim
I've Got a Secret
Feb 2, 1996
Lewis and Kellerman try to subdue a large man who's gone on a rampage. The large man is finally subdued and they find him digging up his mother. This case brings out some informati
For God and Country (II)
Feb 9, 1996
Continuing the investigation in New York City, Egan's wife is questioned by Frank and Tim. Just a few hours later, Egan's wife is killed and Egan's son is seen running. Kendall is
Justice (1)
Feb 16, 1996
Russert and Munch are assigned to work a case together; they find a retired cop who was murdered near his wife's tombstone. The dead cop's son asks Lewis, whom he went to the acade
Justice (2)
Feb 23, 1996
Jake Rodzinski has trouble dealing with the verdict of the trial and takes justice into his own hands. Kellerman is back from a family wedding in Wisconsin picks up the case of the
Stakeout
Mar 15, 1996
The entire squad is put on 24-hour surveillance when a mass murderer has been identified, isn't at home and doesn't know that they know. Gee debates leaving the squad in the midst
Requiem for Adena
Mar 29, 1996
A young girl is murdered, in a style similar to Adena Watson's murder. Frank demands to work the case alone as Bayliss begins to think that the two crimes might be related. Bayliss
Full Moon
Apr 5, 1996
Kellerman and Lewis (with Brodie) investigate a shooting at the New Moon motel, where everyone there has a motive for the crime. They split up and canvass the denizens of the motel
Scene of the Crime
Apr 12, 1996
Lewis and Kellerman's investigation of a murder in a housing project puts them at odds with a civilian-patrol group, run by the Black Muslims. Munch is excited because Stan is sche
Map of the Heart
Apr 26, 1996
A prominent attorney is murdered and the murderer presents himself to Pembleton and Bayliss with a videotape that implicates him. Brodie works on increasing his self-image. Kellerm
The Damage Done
May 3, 1996
Lewis and Kellerman investigate a series of homicides that put them into the middle of a drug war. Kellerman suspects that Lewis is seeing someone, but he doesn't ""kiss and tell."
The Wedding
May 10, 1996
A trash-talking radio talk-show host makes a proposal to his listening audience. Lewis announces to Kellerman that he is getting married today, then he throws up. He motivates the
Work Related
May 17, 1996
Mary gave birth to a girl named Olivia; Tim is more excited about it than Frank. Their latest case involves a multiple shooting a restaurant. Lewis is back from his honeymoon, but