Strangled Not Stirred
Directed By: Jay Tobias
Story By: Anya Epstein and Julie Martin
Teleplay By: Linda McGibney
Ballard and Gharty investigate the murders of young women who had last been seen in bars, and come across Helen (Francie Swift) and Nick Montgomery (Jack Gwaltney), a couple who pick up women in bars and then murder them. The rest of the squad receives anonymous envelopes with tips that lead them to arrest other associates of Luther Mahoney. Giardello figures out Lewis was behind the envelopes, tells him Barnfather is willing to reinstate him, though he wants him transferred out of Homicide.
This episode contains examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch: At first, we're led to believe Helen is upset that Nick was with another woman, as well as horrified when she realizes Nick committed murder. However, when Ballard and Gharty get her in the box, she admits the real reason she was upset was because Nick committed murder without her.
- Berserk Button: Ballard doesn't like how the term "Saturday Night Hon" is used to describe single women who go out to bars.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Or, rather, murderer has a point. When Nick admits to kidnapping a victim but insists Helen was the one who killed her, Ballard doesn't believe it, but Gharty tells her they have to check it out.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The Montgomerys are based on serial killer (and rapist) Paul Bernardo and his then-wife Karla Homolka
. - Title Drop: When Ballard looks at the newspaper coverage of the murders and sees the headline "Martini Killer", Munch responds, "Yeah, strangled, not stirred."
- You Got Guts: When Giardello expresses confidence in Ballard's investigative abilities by saying she has "moxie", Ballard and Gharty have this conversation:Gharty: Moxie, huh? I always thought what you had was spunk.
Ballard: I hate spunk.
