Directed by James Whitmore Jr.
Written by Tyler Bensinger
The team reopens the investigation into the 1978 fire that killed 22 and burned down a disco club after discovering that Benny, one of the fatalities, had been shot in the head, leading them to believe the fire was a cover-up for his murder.
Tropes for the episode:
- Anachronism Stew: A mild case- "After the Love Has Gone" by Earth, Wind & Fire" hadn't even been recorded, let alone released, in February 1978, when this episode's cold case takes place. "Way of the World" or "Fantasy" by the same band would have been more accurate choices for the segment when it's played. Gloria Gaynor's anthem, "I Will Survive" and Alicia Bridges's "I Love The Nightlife" are 1978 songs but weren't released until later in the year.
- Crippling the Competition: Sonya's disco dance opponent Doreen was so furious at the thought of her potentially winning the competition, especially since Sonya was teamed up with Benny, who boasted of great dancing skills, that she tasked someone else to break Benny's leg to give herself and her dance partner at the time a better chance at winning. Said someone else ended up trying — and failing — to do the deed, only to kill Benny and instigate a fire in a fit of rage in the ensuing confrontation.
- Fiery Cover Up: The detectives come to this suspicion about the disco club fire upon discovering the bullet wound to Benny's skull.
- I Have No Son!: David's last words to Benny were renouncing him as his son for not following his expectations on how he should live his life.
- Karma Houdini: Doreen. She was the one who started the chain reaction that caused the nightclub fire (simply to win the contest), retained the information for over two decades, and isn't charged with anything.
- Never My Fault: Paul blames Benny for his own death, because when Paul attacked him Benny fought back and then said that Paul was not a good dancer, so Paul shot him.
- Parting-Words Regret: Benny's father laments that the last words he said to his son were "I... renounce... you."
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Doreen. In addition to being a Jerkass, the flashback to 1978 has her calling her dance rival Sonya, who's Polish-American, a "polack" to her face.
- Ripped from the Headlines: Based on the 2003 Station nightclub fire
. - Scars Are Forever: Sonya survived the fire at the disco but not without a burn scar covering half of her face.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Doreen seduces the impressionable Paul to cripple Benny, so he'd drop out of the competition she wanted to win. Paul ends up failing at his task and is recognized by Benny, who in anger insults his dancing skills, and Paul retaliates by shooting Benny dead and setting the fire to hide the murder.
