The summary line comes from a line spoken in this episode. I was going to say where or when it's spoken,but that'd probably be considered a spoiler,so I'll refrain from it. If you've already seen this episode,you'll know EXACTLY what I'm referencing and meaning.
The last show of the reasonably successful,brilliant and (dare I say)innovative NBC crime drama series wraps innocuously enough as pretty close to business as usual: Shepherd and Bayliss(particularly Bayliss)are flummoxed by the technicality release of Luke Ryland,a.k.a. the Internet killer from about ten episodes previous;Munch is finally ready to tie the knot with Billie Lou;Lewis is still having difficulties forgiving Shepherd for the "beat-down" incident that put his life in danger and put her in the hospital;and Gee is finally promoted to Captain. But as the show plays out,you the viewer,particularly anyone already familiar with these characters and story lines,will sense that this show is wrapping up.
The following Winter NBC would release "Homicide:the Movie",which was to sew up any loose ends left over. I've only seen about a third of it,but what I know about the story lines and their treatment had me displeased(OK,someone accidentally gave away the ending)and wishing that producers Levinson,Attanasio,Finnerty and Fontana had either re-worked the movie or not made it at all. As arguably weak as the last season of the series was(and even as such,it STILL wasn't a total wash),it still didn't merit having an extra "coda" that the movie was implemented to do. It could be argued that this ep could've sufficed.
Back to this ep,it was arguably the best way to conclude this series,staying completely "in character" and knowing how to use its writing to finish a brilliant accomplishment.
