Ep. 5.08 It Takes a Village

[TVFan]

LILLY AND THE TEAM HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER AFTER A BOY'S BODY IS DISCOVERED IN A STORAGE UNIT ON "COLD CASE," SUNDAY, NOV. 11

Tony Award Winner Cleavant Derricks ("Dreamgirls," "Sliders"), Ja'Net DuBois ("Good Times") and Montae Russell ("ER") Guest Star, Respectively, As a Storage Unit Employee, a Victim's Grandmother and Another Victim's Father

Lilly Rush: Kathryn Morris
Scotty Valens: Danny Pino
Lt. John Stillman: John Finn
Nick Vera: Jeremy Ratchford
Will Jeffries: Thom Barry
Kat Miller: Tracie Thoms
Edna Johnson (Aug./Nov. 2007): Ja'Net DuBois
Charles Hollister (2007): Montae Russell
Lloyd (2003, 2007): Cleavant Derricks
Shemar Reynolds (Aug. 2007): Justin Martin
Lorraine Henderson (2007): Aisha Hinds
Malik/Theseus (2003, 2006, 2007): Jamil Walker Smith
Malik (1986): Stevie Wash
Akon Dupree (2007): Mustafa S. Shakir
Byron (Aug./Nov. 2007): Sy Richardson
Corey Middleton (2006, 2007): Terrence Hardy
Dr. Ben Breslyn (2007): Bob Morrisey
Dr. Ben Breslyn (1986): Brian Silverman
Kadija Hobbs: Chaz Monet
Wilford Grimes (2007): Kevin Ramsey
Wilford Grimes (1986): Ryan O'Neil DeSouza

WRITTEN BY: Erica Shelton

DIRECTED BY: Kevin Bray

[Naj]

Well, I must say that was some story. I did figure the person was older before it was revealed but that was the only thing I figured out. My eyes were glued to the tv on this one. It's get's a "best of" vote.

Not sure what happended to Vera's hair at one point. He had that Peanuts/Woodstock look going.

[Tox]

Wow. I usually lurk but that episode freaked me out so much (I mean that as a compliment) that I had to post. Intense!

[longislanditalian2]

i loved this episode, reminded me of " Mindhunter" , but I liked the twist at the end. I loved how Lilly held the kid and looked away when the guy killed himself. Very good episode all around

[pealee]

That was really good. I was kinda distracted looking for KM icons but it was pretty intense. Esp the end. I don't think I breathed the whole time Lilly was talking the psycho down. Creepy!

[boxman]

Wow!

[babyv16]

I really enjoyed the ep. Gave it an excellent. ;D

I loved how they made you sort of see through the killer's eyes, what he went through as a kid and such. Really intense ep, I loved it! ;D

Lilly seriously scared me when she started talking about dying alone. Did anybody else notice how much she brought it up?

[The Reverend Bizarre]

I have to say that this episode ranks right up there with Thrill Kill for best episode of the season. I loved the certain focus on mythology, and just about everything.

The only part that bothered me was when they called that a game an RPG. Normally they don't have RPGs in Arcades, save for the Gauntlet series. This game was a fighting game.

An RPG is generally a game in which you assume the role of someone else and have them journey through these lands completing quests and tasks. They do not involve trying to punch your opponent into a pit. -_-

Other than that, I gave this episode a best of.

[boxman]

Ha ha ha.... About seven years ago, I was hired to consult for a NYC company for about a month. They put me up in an executive apartment on the Upper East side. (Rent for that place was about $4000/month!) There wasn't a single night that I didn't sing the Jeffersons' Theme Song when heading back to my apartment at the end of the day! This was before 9/11. Oh, those were "Good Times" back then.

[boxman]

It was so nice to see Janet DuBois again. I didn't recognize here at all!! I really liked how her character, Edna Johnson, was written. She was angry, frustrated, disappointed, sad and so forth... And throughout the experience of losing her grandson, she kept her civility and dignity. In fact, every parent did; but she really had me moved at the beginning of the episode when the three parents were interviewed at the Philly PD headquarters. I thought the opening scene was very powerful, but it was the interview with the three parents right afterwards that really stuck a knife in my heart.

I found a couple things interesting in this episode:

--Of course an obvious reference to Greek Mythology and Culture once again. Cold Case episodes are nearly all tragedies, plus the show tends to emphasize it's strength in the writing (as opposed to special effects like in other procedurals). It always seems to me a nice acknowledgment to Greek tragedies and literature when they do this kind of allusion to the Greeks.

--The hardship that children endure with the loss (or absence) of one or more parents is also a long-running theme in this show. It was a bit of an interesting twist to see the absence of one or both parents in both the victims and the doer in tonight's episode. (Usually, it's just one or the other.)

--Also peculiar to note how the number "17" was pivotal to the doer, as he chose rooms that were related to that number through addition. Yet at the same time, when you add "1 + 7", you end up with "8". The number "8" appears with significance every now-and-then in this show, as in the episode "8 Years" (which took place in both 1980 and 1988). Also, from "Saving Patrick Bubley", we find that 1999 was Lilly's first year as a homicide detective. 2007 is her eighth year as a "murder cop"; and of course, we now know that it became a rather significant year for her. And this episode, "It Takes a Village", is the eighth episode of the season....

[coldfan74]

i voted this as best episode thus far this season. very powerful. darker than anything ive seen before this sesaon. instead of the back and forth of the story unraveling through flashbacks..its more like the flashbacks are offering little clues to reveal the mystery killer and the story itself instead of the usual whodunnit and why.
i instantly recognized janet dubois. her voice was unmistakable as well as her eyes. i think it's interesting given that her good times character wilona who adopted penny (janet jackson) would reprise a similar role in this episode.
i have to disagree with reverend bizarre. i dont think the episode thrill kill nearly had the same impact as this one. there was a deeper, sicker side to the reasons for the serial killings. thrill kill was too rushed at the end for me.

[The Reverend Bizarre]

Actually I was saying that in my opinion ITAV was just as good as Thrill Kill for me.

I wasn't saying Thrill Kill is the best ep. There's a huge difference.

[longislanditalian2]

I noticed it as well, when Lilly talked about dying alone. Even Scotty didn't noticed and I'm suprised about that considering he saved her. I liked how Lilly turned away while holding the boy in her arms; reminded me of " Saving Patrick Bubley" in a way.

[eurache]

This ep was a wowie for me! Very intense

[coldboneslove398]

This episode was the best!! I believe "Cold Case" is heading back on the right track . Like LII said, reallly reminded me of George ;D....I wished they left us hanging and then continued it xD.

[LillyKat]

This was a gripping episode. It definitely brought back fond memories of S2’s "Mind Hunters." The story was really, really good. Totally different. Not something I'd seen prior. Kudos to writer Erica Shelton for creating such a deeply layered and solid backstory whilst giving us a true mystery to solve with present day Malik. I also give kudos to the fact this was a different take on serial killers given Malik was a young black man.

But I think what I liked most about this episode was the majority of it took place in the present. I think this set it apart from just about any other CC ep, and I really enjoyed watching the detectives do sort of the old fashioned crime solving to get the bad guy who was a) still out there; and, b) still was committing the crime. We don’t often get that type of thing given the nature of the sho, but I am a sucker for the good ol’ get-the-bad-guy cop show stuff. This one delivered – even with the little things like seeing the CC gang go out, bust down some doors, draw their guns, etc. Obviously this doesn’t (and can’t) happen every week. But, every once in a while, I appreciate when they change it up.

This ep also had what I guess I will call the “pace factor” – that sense of we-need-to-get-this guy NOW, especially with all of the previous victims families looking for answers whilst simultaneously disgusted with how PPD previously handled the disappearance of the four missing (and dead) boys. Really well done.

Had some nice visual flash backs to "Mind Hunters" as well – with the awkward, shielded reverse angles of Malik in the arcade. And the ending was just a wowza … I actually was kind of going, ‘Scotty, Lil’ … somebody … shoot the guy. Please don’t just let him drop the knife and surrender.’ LOL! He didn’t, and the suicide made it all the more powerful. It was one of the stronger endings I think I’ve seen in a while – leaving things settled, and yet somewhat unsettled.

Really strong ep.

(On a side ntoe: I will say Lil' was starting to get a little trippy-Twilight-Zoney with the whole "die alone" thing. LOL! I know this was meant to be a VERY serious part of the ep, and key to the major issues facing her at the moment. But for whatever reason, I had to kind of laugh at her a little bit as she stared blankly at the videotape, sort of talking to herself ... I either wanted to cue the Twilight Zone theme or yell that line by Cher in Moonstruck - "Snap out of it!" )

[coldfan74]

xuchilbara said:

Actually I was saying that in my opinion ITAV was just as good as Thrill Kill for me.

I wasn't saying Thrill Kill is the best ep. There's a huge difference.

I understood what you meant.

"i have to disagree with reverend bizarre. i dont think the episode thrill kill nearly had the same impact as this one. there was a deeper, sicker side to the reasons for the serial killings. thrill kill was too rushed at the end for me. "

[Naj]

I didn't equate this ep with Mind Hunters as some did but thought they did a superb job. I'm ambivilent as to whether they will ever top that episode. Unless Lilly has a nightmare about George. That's always been an idea I've realished and now is the perfect setup of circumstances for that to ocurr with Lillys PTSD. So--will they capitalize?

[littlelaura1992]

OMG!! What a powerful episode that was! I was glued to the screen all the way through it. Of course, I'm only supposed to be on the computer because I'm revising for my exams but after reading all your comments I was like: 'I need to watch it!'. Needless to say, my mum found out that I was watching cold case. It's not many people who cry while going over chemistry notes is it? ;D
But oh my god, I can't get over how powerful an episode that was. How could anyone be so horrible to those children.
Did anyone think that Lilly seemed very 'maternal' whilst holding that boy? Or is it just me?
And did you see Scotty's face when Lilly started talking about dying alone? Oh, it broke my heart I just kept saying 'Awww!'
What a fantastic episode though!

[Naj]

Hi littlelaura,

Yep I saw maternall Lilly. I was rather surprised!!! ;D It was a great moment though. At least she got out of the mess after the Thesius guy sliced himself. Poor Scotty. I'm gonna rewatch this one.