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Cold Case Season 3 Episode 3

Bad Night

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9.0

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 10/9/05

The 1978 murder of a young man is re-opened after the victim's mother finds a letter suggesting that his death wasn't random.

Fan Episode Reviews (6)

What can happen on a bad night.

8.5

By Femvamp, Jun 05, 2010

We all have them. Bad days (or nights.) If we can do it over again we'd do it differently. A young man's case is reopened when his mother comes to Lilly. It turns out he was murdered during the opening of "Scream" and the cops conclude it was just a copycat of the movie and quickly close the case. As the gang investigate they come across a tragedy involving a group of friends and a terrible accident that the boy was blamed for in which a young girl was left palalyzed. As they investigate they come to realize that maybe that maybe there were other forces at play in the accident and that is why the boy ended up dead. I won't give away the ending but it was a good one about forgiveness. How long to do blame someone for something that was just an accident? A bad day? Or a bad night?moreless
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After finding a letter written to her son the night he died in 1978, his mother pleads with Lilly to close the case before she moves out of the home she raised him in.moreless

9.5

By luckydagangsta, Jun 06, 2008

This episode had a lot going for it in the emotion department. It was sad to see what happened after the accident. Everyone blamed the poor guy and when he discovered the truth, he was killed because of it. At times it was a bit bland, but it would just get picked up in moments. I liked how at the end, they show what would have happened if the accidents could have been avoided because all the time when people get into accidents like that they always wish they could have just that one second back to avoid it.

The episode was also a chance to get a bit more information on the detectives lives. Jefferies's wife dying was mention in a previous episode, but this episode provided more information into it, through a flashback of course.

While it wasn't an extraordinary episode, it did hold it's own. It was just like a normal Cold Case episode, not too emotional, but just a enough. It was an excite set-up as to why he was murdered as well.moreless
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Halloween Episode!

7.7

By JPPT1974, Apr 28, 2006

The show focused on Rocky Horror Picture show as one

Of the stars from the original motion picture Barry Bostwick

Plays a suspect who murdered an young movie theatre worker by strangling him outside of the train station until the young worker couldn't breathe at all

Very classic as well as really a good acting and good writing make this a classic episode!
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The Way Back Machine meets Halloween 1978.

8.5

By danasdude, Oct 26, 2005

Movies are often inspiring. However, in 1978, the show describes murder motivated by the movie Halloween.

At first, I thought this was going to go the route of their Rocky Horror show. Instead they took a sentimental journey involving a car wreck and a fireman's rescue.

The before and after shots are usually well done, but for some reason I thought they were subpar this go around. The character of the motorcycle riding boyfriend seemed to have shrunk about 5 or 6 inches in his 40s. The mother of the deceased just changed the color of her hair and the way she wore it. But the music as always was spot on. Fading out to Dream On is never a bad idea.moreless
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The good and the bad... what I likes and what I didn't

8.5

By dragynflyqueen, Oct 15, 2005

I really liked this episode. I was kind of suprised, but it was definatly one of the best episodes so far this season. I liked the beginning a lot when the murderd boy's mother convinces Lily to take the case. I also liked the way the episode when through the various suspects till the revelation at the end. It wasn't overdone like some of the other episodes. I do think that the revalation that Will's wife was killed in a hit and run was a nice detail. Although I think that his reaction to some of Jo's comments were a bit overdone.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Danny Pino	Scotty Valens
Jeremy Ratchford	Det. Nick Vera
John Finn	Lt. John Stillman
Kathryn Morris	Det. Lilly Rush
Thom Barry	Det. Will Jeffries

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Alissa Dean	Donna (1978)	Guest Star
Jonathan Murphy	Angus (1978)	Guest Star
Hillary Tuck	Vicky (1978)	Guest Star
Sarah Brown	Josie Sutton	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Goof: When the car flips over, you can see that there is no one in the driver's seat.
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- Highlight for a spoiler:
  We find out that Det. Will Jeffries lost his wife in a hit and run.
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QUOTES (2)
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- Nick Vera: You still in love means you got the motive to get rid of your competition.
  Craig: You don't understand.
  Nick Vera: We're a little dim... Why don't you explain it to us.
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- John Stillman: Women love firemen. It's like a disease or something.
  Will Jeffries: Give a women a choice between a nice-looking detective and a mutt fireman, she'll take the dog every time.
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NOTES (4)
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- Angus Bistrong was murdered on October 29, 1978.
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- International Airdates:
  - Denmark: November 16, 2005 on TV3+
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- The young versions of Craig and Vicki are played by Dave Power and Hillary Tuck, who were both born in the year the episode takes place: 1978.
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- Music Featured in This Episode:
  - theme from the movie Halloween, composed by John Carpenter
  - American Girl by Tom Petty
  - Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
  - Baby Come Back by Player
  - I'll Let You Sleep by David May
  - Bitter Lies by Girth
  - Come Sail Away by Styx
  - Dream On by Aerosmith
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- The horror movie the teens are watching in the beginning of this episode is Halloween (1978), directed by John Carpenter and starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
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