Favorite Episode

[Falling]

Name your top 5 fave episodes so far.
I'll start by adding mine. You can also describe why you picked them if you want.
1. Glued
2. Churchgoing People
3. Volunteers
4. Love Conquers Al
5. A Time To Hate
Lets keep this topic going!

[Naj]

Oh let's see. Here's a short recap to jolt our memories:

1. Look Again
Kathryn Morris stars as Philadelphia homicide detective Lilly Rush, who investigates long-unsolved crimes, otherwise known as Cold Cases. In the pilot episode, Lilly investigates a 1976 case involving a teenage girl who was beaten to death on a tennis court during a party at a plush estate. A maid to a wealthy family, Bonita Jakarta (Lillian Hurst), claims she witnessed the murder of teenager Jill Shelby (Kate Mara). Now dying of cancer, the maid who remained silent, wants the killer brought to justice. Rush reopens the case, in which two brothers were originally suspected but not charged due to their powerful society family.

Lilly interviews several witnesses Jill's best friend, Melanie (Lisa Waltz), and her boyfriend, Todd Whitley (D.W. Moffett) (who is now married to Melanie) and his troubled brother Eric (Michael Reilly Burke). The evidence points mostly to Eric, now a troubled alcoholic, but lawyer Todd has secrets of his own. Determined to uncover the truth, Lilly must force the Whitleys to confront their dark past despite resistance from everyone involved in the case, including the victims mother (Elizabeth Franz).


2. Gleen
The fiancé of a fireman asks Lilly to help prove that a convicted felon, about to be paroled on an unrelated crime, is responsible for the murder of the fireman's first wife. The Young mother was killed by a homemade bomb packed in a laundry-detergent box shortly before she was to testify in court against a man who exposed himself to her.


3. Our Boy Is Back
Lilly gets a mysterious letter that points to the return of a multiple rapist who stopped, leaving no trace in 1998. The letter mentions that the predator plans to return, and Lilly must find a way to stop him before he attacks another woman.


4. Churchgoing People
Lilly re-investigates the case of a murdered church organist, when his alzheimer's-stricken widow begins having flashbacks of the night in question. Lilly's investigation has both Mitchell's son, Ryan, and daughter, Tina, demanding Lilly close the search.



5. The Runner
After a drug addict brings in an audio tape she found on which a fatal shooting is heard, Lilly reopens a 1973 murder case involving the death of a 21-year-old rookie cop. The young officer was shot three times in the chest while responding to a call at a drug-infested housing project. Also on the tape are the victim's final words "Runner! Runner! Runner!"



6. Love Conquers Al
A petty crook, Ricky, hoping to get a reduced sentence, relates witnessing a young man washing blood out of his car the night a teen track runner was murdered. The young athlete, Paige Pratt, was found shot, and her boyfriend Al Clarkson was originally imprisoned for the crime.



7. A Time to Hate
Lilly investigates the case of Daniel Holtz, a college baseball player who was found beaten to death in an alley behind a gay bar in 1964. Daniel's mother comes to Lilly in the hope that his killer can be brought to justice before she dies. Lilly discovers the maltreatment gay victims received in the 60's, when her investigation discloses that it may have been a policeman's nightstick that made the lethal blows.



8. Fly Away
gs: Laura Regan (Rosie Miles) Aynsley Lemon (Toya Miles) Meera Simhan (Dr. Anita Khosla) Kathleen Gati (Irene) Christian J. Meoli (Angel Rivera) Don McManus (Josh Freely) Beata Pozniak (Tammy)

When a young woman, Rosie, wakes up from a coma, Lilly re-opens the fall in which her 6-year old daughter Toya died. Things get complicated when the mother remembers very little of that night, and Lilly feels especially motivated to find the killer, as Rosie was povertal and living on welfare, reminding Lilly of her own past, and giving her an emotional bond to Rosie.



9. Sherry Darlin'
gs: Merritt Hicks () Christina Cox (Sherry (Fox) Stephens) Lois Hall (Krystal Hogan) J.P. Pitoc (Brad Meyer (as J.P. Pitoc)) the one who's name we shall not say Buehler (Dana Meyer) Linda Castro (Joan) Brent Huff (Meade) Silas Weir Mitchell () Steve Seagren (Tommy Burke) Jake Bern (James Hogan (1989)) Merrit Hicks (Sherry Stephens (1989)) Brent Huff (Lonnie Gable/Hogan)

Lilly gets an anonymous phone call from a man claiming he killed an elderly woman back in 1989 and buried her body in the basement of a house. When Lilly checks the dwelling, a body is recovered, but the alleged murderer refuses to identify himself.



10. The Hitchhiker
Rush reopens the 1997 murder of a 20-year-old college student who, while hitchhiking home after a big gambling win in Atlantic City, was taken into a wooded area and shot to death. The case is reinvestigated when a similar homicide takes place in Delaware and matches another one in New Jersey, prompting police to believe that a serial killer may be responsible.



11. Hubris
gs: Jeffrey R. Nordling (Roy Minard (as Jeffrey Nordling)) Lisa Dean Ryan (Barbara) Kaitlin Doubleday (Holly Richardson) Elizabeth Greer (Monique) Tressa Pope (Gretta (uncreditied)) Blake Shields (Barry Tepler) Stacy Arnell (Trish) Larry Brandenburg () Mary-Kathleen Gordon (Susan Rickter) E.J. Callahan (Archie) Robert LaSardo (Jesus Torres)

A college professor, who lost everything, his career, his family, his reputation, after being suspected of murdering one of his female students in 1995, offers new information reguarding the case that he hopes will clear his name. He believes the student's death is connected to a copycat murder of a prostitute.

Rush investigates the woman who was killed and the men in her life in order to discover which one of them killed her.


12. Glued
Det. Stillman asks Lilly to re-open a case he couldn't solve, wherein an 8-year-old boy, Tim Barnes, was murdered in 1980, and the prime suspects included a catholic preist, 3 glue-sniffing teenagers, one elusive suspect, and the boy's own parents.



13. The Letter
Rush and Valens re-open the case of a 25 year old black woman who was murdered in 1939 after the woman's granddaughter comes forward with new information. The woman was assumed to be a prostitute murdered by a john, but letters written by the victim indicate that she was afraid of a milkman.



14. Boy in the Box
gs: Garrett M. Brown (Roger) Andrew Heald (Roger (1958)) Lyndon Smith (Gretchen) Blaire Restaneo () Johanna Watts () Samantha Eggar (Sister Vivian) Autumn Reeser (Sister Grace) Charles Noland (Walter) Gathering Marbet () Bruce Gray () Marisol Nichols () Jacqueline Scott () Ryan Tasz () Jason Frasca () Delaney Williams (Fred Banks) Johanna Watts (Sister Vivian (1958))

The 1958 death of an unknown 6-year-old boy found in a field inside a cardboard box is reinvestigated after a small suitcase with the child's picture and his old cowboy hat is left in front of a church. The new probe reveals that the rowdy boy lived at a Catholic-run orphanage and was adopted two days before his suspicious demise.



15. Disco Inferno
gs: Justin Chambers () Conor Dubin (Benny) Lorna Raver (Myra) Robert Maffia (Rosen) Ciara Hughes () Amanda Wyss (Sonya) Justin Meloni () Robert Cicchini (Paul) Robin Riker (Doreen) Joey Diaz () Josh Hopkins () Nichole Hiltz () Josh Hopkins (ADA Kite) Nichole Hiltz (Doreen Denova (1978)) Robin Riker (Doreen Denova)

Construction workers discover a skull with bullet hole under ruins of a disco club that burned in 1978. 22 people died in the fire. Rush and Valens come to the conclusion that the burning of the club was arson, meant to cover up a murder leaving them with not one, but 23 cold cases.


16. Volunteers
When the remains of a young black and and white woman are found under a building, Rush and Valens discover that not only did the 2 go missing in 1969, but that they may have been killed professionally for thier work in an underground abortion clinic.

[Naj]

In no particular order:

A Time To Hate (sensitive subject)
Love Conquers Al (character background)
Sherry Darlin' (cause Lilly got more screen time)
Hubris (Lilly and Kite cute stuff)
The Letter (shocking reality of bigotry)

and I have to include one more

Boy in the Box


~Naj

[Falling]

Could you refresh me on the character background aspect of "Love Conquers Al"?

[TVFan]

Here are my top five:

5. Time to Hate (well constructed story)
4. Volunteers (powerful episode/interesting material)
3. Boy in the Box (very powerful, tragic story/makes you think)
2. Glued (the Lilly/Kite developments - sorry I'm a sucker for romance)
1. Sherry Darlin' (interesting plot/Lilly's character development/powerful ending).

[MrsB]

1. A Time to Hate (Most definitely - very moving)
2. Boy in the Box (Very good one)
3. Volunteers (Loved the music too!)
4. Sherry Darlin'
5. Hubris

Now, my numbers 4 & 5 were good but I have to say I haven't seen all of the episodes as I had only discovered this show in the last couple of months or so. After reading the recaps listed above, several of the episodes that I haven't seen yet seem very, very interesting to me. I may have to come back and edit my favorites after watching all of the ones I've missed, which, of course, is something I really look forward to doing!!!

[panhandler101]

1. A Time To Hate (Great Story, gritty subject)
2. Look Again (c'mon guys and gals, this was the first one)
3. Volunteers (Another sensitive subject)
4. The Letter (the reality of racism)
5. Greed (Loved the Music, and it epitomized the money crazy eighties).

[mrb03]

1. Sherry Darlin'

2. Time To Hate

3. Boy in the Box

4. Resolutions

5. Lover's Lane

[trublucoldcasefan]

1. Sherry Darling (Lilly had a lot of great scenes in that one)
2.Glued(Lilly and Kite stuff*im a sap for romance, so what?*)
3.Maternal Instincts (Lilly seemed really invested in Sean, dont you think?)
4.Hubris
5. Lover's Lane

Pretty much anything with a good Lilly scene in it ;D

[ebron]

1. Maternal Instincts
2. Fly Away (Great background on Lilly...good fanfic material)
3. Glued
4. The Letter
5. The Boy in the Box

[krispy]

Okay, keep in mind that I have a really sucky memory, so it seems that after I see an episode either new or in rerun, it becomes my favorite. Sadly, I get them all confused and remember the bits I like.
1. Gleen (gritty little Lilly and a gritty story(
2. Disco Interno (sucker for disco groovin' and it gave us a chance to see the "lighter" Lilly)
3. Hubris (another chick who's a sucker for the kiss...and oh my @#* what a kiss).
4. Glued (good story, liked the bit with Stillman, and one of the best parts was the detectives doin' "NO DRUGS TODAY FOLKS".)
Can't think of any favorites at the moment....I like 'em all...except Lover's Lane, only because Kite breaks our Lilly's heart.

[misguided freak]

1. A Time to Hate
2. Volunteers
3. Hubris
4. Maternal Instincts
5. Glued

[Rita]

My 5 Fav. Episodes:

1 Glued
2 Boy in the Box
3 A time to hate
4 The Runner
5 The Letter

[blankregus]

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful choices. That so many episodes are credible picks shows how consistently strong CC is.

Here are mine (in order of appearance):

"A Time to Hate" - # 7
The first occasion when all the elements came together.

"Fly Away" - #8
Some plot holes, but for me an emotional tug like no other.

"Glued" - # 12
French fries, Cyclops and Tripod, and more John Finn than usual.

"Maternal Instincts" - # 21
Searing flashback images and a very committed Lilly.

"The Plan" - # 22
Script by Veena Sud, who also did "Fly Away." The scene between Lilly and a %#$%ly young suspect may be the season's high point.

[robinsox21]

Hey Everyone, Im new to the bored, glad to see everyone respects this great show.

My Top 5

5. Gleen
4. The Lost Soul of Herman Lester
3. Lovers Lane
2. Sherry Darlin
1. Love Conquers Al

Special mention to the Hitchhiker

[Tati]

now that I've finally watched all the episodes, I can give my top 5 list:

5. Volunteers - I really liked how they approached the abortion issue in a positive manner. I'm a pro-choice in a country where abortions are illegal, so... really interesting episode for me. Also, I love the 60's.

4. Sherry Darlin' - I was really amazed at Lilly's involvement (sp?) with this case. At the final scene in the basement, she's almost crying.

3. Look Again - Lilly's first cold case. I like to see how Lilly's personality changed during the season. And she was mad at Stillman for giving her this case!

2. Maternal Instincts - Another case that really touched Lilly's heart. Great twists on the story and a breathtaking personal scene with Lilly.

1. Fly Away - Touching story, amazing ending (I couldn't believe it!). I became a fan of Cold Case because of this episode.

[TVFan]

I'm going to follow Tatiana's lead and redo my top 5 since I have now seen all of the episodes as well. Here we go...

5. The Letter - this episode had some really moving elements, tragic elements, and personal moments. I really liked the way the granddaughter found out that "Sadie was a lady." I also liked the notes between the milkman and Sadie.

4. The Runner - great psychological episode. We really went into the mind of the killer. I loved how Lilly was so tough. It also broke the normal format, which I felt made it stand out.

3. Sherry Darlin' - great Lilly focused episode. Another psychologocal one too. Lilly had a wide range of emotions throughout the case.

I have a tie for first:
Glued - this episode just had all the great elements. There was tragedy, humor, personal aspects for Lilly and Stillman, great music, classic scenes, and poignant moments.

Fly Away - by far the most powerful episode of the series so far for me. This one really blew me away, and it stayed with me for a few days. Such a tragic, tragic story. The ending is the most powerful thing I've seen on television. Just incredible writing.

[Nikki B.]

I'd definitely have to say that my top 5 favorite episodes are:

Love Conquers Al: (the very first episode I ever saw! I was instantly hooked! foujylos.notlong.com [/IMG] )

The Plan: I'm not sure why, but I liked this episode.

Boy In The Box: This was I think the 2nd episode I saw, and I thought that this was pretty good as well.

Gleen: I guess I just thought that this was pretty interesting.

Fly Away: It had kind of an interesting twist to it.

But I'd definitely have to say that Love Conquers Al is my favorite episode ever. I've only seen it once, and I really want to see it again, but everytime they re-air it, I don't hear about it until after it's over with.


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[Ryebeach]

As of now, I've seen every episode except "Maternal Instincts"

Top 5:

1. "A Time to Hate" (First episode I saw - Also the most powerful episode of the season, hands down.)

2. "Sherry Darlin" (Best showcase of Kathryn's acting abilities from season 1 - Perfect ending song - When Vera took the picture of James' grandmother out of Lilly's hand at the very end and closed the box - Tears in my eyes) Takes a lot to make me cry.

3. "Glued" (My favorite character is Stillman and what a cool idea to have this be a case he couldn't solve years ago and how it affected his family - Loved how he saw Timmy at the end in the hallway - Complete closure for him and allowed him to connect to his daughter better - Another great ending song).

4. "Resolutions" (Liked the complexity of the case - Lots of characters - Also liked how they varied the ending with what happened to the killer).

5. "Greed" (Best music of season one eps - One of only two eps where I was absolutely shocked at who the killer was - other was "Churchgoing people" - Loved the ending in the bar when the whole team is there and her reaction to seeing Danville, or lack thereof, was perfect for the story).

[blankregus]

Ryebeach, you rock!

I'm also a hyuge fan of Stillman, and of John Finn in general. (Love the avatar.) "A Time to Hate" is for me the first episode (no. 7) where everything clicks, and head honcho Meredith Stiehm has said as much. Your reasoning impresses; the top three easily make my "six best."

I fear you're right about DVDs of season one. Hope we've all preserved our favorites on tape or disc.

I envy you your discovery of "Maternal Instincts." Some of KM's strongest work thus far.

;D