Television Review: Secrets (Homicide: Life on the Street, S6X20, 1998)

Secrets (S06E20)

Airdate: 17 April 1998

Written by: Yaphet Kotto
Directed by: Ed Bianchi

Running Time: 45 minutes

Homicide: Life on the Street, a landmark police procedural renowned for its gritty realism and ensemble storytelling, maintained a tradition of allowing its cast members creative agency behind the camera. Among its most iconic actors, Yaphet Kotto—whose portrayal of Lt. Giardello was a masterclass in flamboyant gravitas—emerged as a writer. After scripting the racially charged Narcissus in Season 5, Kotto returned to writing duties a year later for Secrets, an episode that doubles down on moral complexity while exploring the upper echelons of Baltimore society. This marked Kotto’s second foray into writing for the series, showcasing his ability to balance character-driven drama with incisive social commentary.

The episode opens with the discovery of Josephine Dalton, a high-powered businesswoman, found dead in her Mercedes, suffocated by carbon monoxide—a presumed suicide. Detectives John Munch and Laura Ballard initially treat the case as routine, but their suspicions escalate when another executive, Kenneth Alden, is found shot in the head in his office, also ruled a suicide. The coincidental timing suggests a connection, prompting the Homicide Unit to dig deeper. Clues emerge through Alden’s widow, Eleanor (Ava Lenet), who reveals compromising photos of her late husband in an incestuous relationship with his half-sister Jessie Metzger (Helen Hedman). Meanwhile, Dalton’s husband, Gregory (James Slaughter), produces photos of Josephine with her 17-year-old babysitter. Both executives were victims of blackmail, leading the detectives to Brenner Jones (Chris Paulik), the photographer who took the incriminating shots. Jones confesses to the photos but denies responsibility, instead implicating Remington Hill (Remak Ramsay), president of a country club frequented by the victims. Hill, a moral purist, admits to orchestrating the photos not to extort money but to shame the pair for their “immoral” behaviour. The case reaches a grotesque climax when Jones, overwhelmed by guilt, murders Hill in a half-hearted bid to “fix” his mistakes. In a subplot, Detective Bayliss confides in Ballard about his bisexuality, underscoring the theme of secrecy’s corrosive effects.

While the main narrative explores the elite’s moral hypocrisy, a secondary storyline resolves elements of the ongoing Luther Mahoney saga. Detective Lewis, who had a violent clash with Georgina Rae Mahoney (Luther’s sister and successor in a drug empire), receives a symbolic punishment: his suspension is revoked after a nominal reprimand, effectively restoring him to the Homicide Unit. Meanwhile, Detective Kellerman celebrates a win when Judge Gibbons dismisses Georgina Rae’s wrongful death lawsuit. Kellerman’s glee, however, turns risky when he brags to the judge about the FBI investigating him for corruption—a remark overheard by Georgina’s lawyers. These developments feel tonally mismatched with the episode’s darker themes, instead prioritising narrative convenience. Lewis’s swift reinstatement, in particular, smacks of fan service, ensuring a popular character’s return for potential season-finale fireworks.

Kotto’s writing in Secrets shifts focus from the racial tensions of Narcissus to the hypocrisy of Baltimore’s white upper class. Remington Hill, played with chilling detachment by Remak Ramsay, embodies a self-righteous moralist who believes he has the authority to judge others’ lives. His cold admission that he orchestrated the blackmail to “correct” the victims’ behaviour—while refusing to acknowledge responsibility for their deaths—underscores his delusional sense of entitlement. Conversely, Jessie Metzger defends her incestuous relationship with her half-brother with unapologetic defiance, refusing to see herself as immoral. The only character to grapple with guilt is Brenner Jones, whose feeble attempt to “fix” his role in the tragedy by killing Hill feels like a last-ditch moral reckoning. Kotto’s script critiques the dissonance between societal expectations and personal actions, particularly among those who claim moral superiority while failing to adhere to their own standards.

Secrets is a compelling watch, anchored by strong performances and Kotto’s sharp dialogue. Ava Lenet and Helen Hedman deliver nuanced portrayals of women entangled in scandal, while Remak Ramsay’s icy composure as Hill is unforgettable. However, the episode stumbles in its resolution. Brenner’s sudden moral epiphany and his ham-fisted murder of Hill feel overly convenient, undermining the show’s trademark realism. Unlike Homicide’s usual focus on ambiguity and human frailty, this twist leans into poetic justice—a narrative device at odds with the series’ gritty ethos.

The Luther Mahoney subplots suffer similarly from contrivance. Lewis’s reinstatement and Kellerman’s courtroom victory feel like rushed narrative patches, prioritising fan expectations over logical progression. The inclusion of Kellerman’s FBI investigation adds little beyond setting up future drama, while Georgina Rae’s lawyers overhearing his remark feels like a cheap plot device. These elements risk overshadowing the episode’s sharper critiques of wealth and morality, instead leaning into melodrama for the sake of a climactic finale.

Secrets is a flawed yet intriguing entry in Homicide: Life on the Street’s canon. Kotto’s script delivers bold commentary on class, morality, and hypocrisy, but its reliance on convenient resolutions and melodramatic subplots undermines its potential.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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