Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Directed By: Alan Taylor
Written By: Tom Fontana
Luke Ryland goes free because his trial gets delayed for too long, which makes Bayliss upset. Giardello finally gets promoted to captain, but at the last minute, he decides not to accept it. Falsone and Lewis catch a drug-related murder, which brings up Lewis' continued issues with Sheppard. Billie Lou and Munch get married.
This episode contains examples of:
- Armor-Piercing Response: After Lewis, to his amazement, hears that Sister Mary Catherine (Jessica Hecht) is willing to forgive the man who killed her biological sister:Lewis: Forgiveness - it's a hell of a concept, huh?
Falsone: You should ask Sheppard that. - Artistic License – Law: When Russom, Ryland's lawyer, points out Ryland should be set free because of how long it's been since his arrest without a trial, he brings up the Hicks ruling
. That ruling actually has to do with the Fourth Amendment (which guards against unreasonable search and seizures) and not the Sixth Amendment (right to a fair and speedy trial), whereas Barker v. Wingo would have been the appropriate case to cite. - Blipvert: As Bayliss is looking around the homicide unit before leaving near the end, we see a speeded-up montage of scenes from the previous seasons.
- Call-Back: A number of them:
- Lewis still hasn't gotten over Sheppard's beating.
- Bayliss tells Munch he's been thinking a lot about Gordon Pratt, and he always thought Munch was the one who killed Pratt.
- When Bayliss accuses Lewis of not being able to let go of Sheppard's murder, Lewis brings up Adena Watson.
- When Lewis and Sheppard are investigating Ryland's murder at the end, they have a dialogue exchange similar to the one Crosetti and Lewis had at the beginning of the series.
- Disproportionate Retribution: When Bayliss finds out Ryland has gone free, and Danvers is blaming him for it, he gets so angry he shoves Danvers down a staircase.
- Karmic Death: Ryland ends up getting murdered by the end of the episode.
- The Loins Sleep Tonight: Munch admits to Lewis he was suffering from this on his wedding night with Billie Lou.
- Off on a Technicality: Because Ryland has spent a long period of time in jail without a trial, by the time of the third time the judge delays the trial, Russom, Ryland's lawyer, asks for the case to be dismissed, and the judge does so.
- So Proud of You: As Giardello is getting ready for his promotion ceremony, Mike tells him, "I've never been prouder of you than I am right now."
