Devil Music

Season 5, Episode 4, Aired

Episode Summary

EDIT
9.0
out of 10
EPISODE RATING: Superb
110 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate Now!
The team re-investigates the 1953 case of a talented 19-year-old rock'n'roll singer when new evidence comes forth, suggesting he wasn't killed in the place where his body was found.
WRITE A REVIEW

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Episode Reviews (10)

See All

  • An out of towner comes to live with his uncle and his family when his mum and dad die. He never really fits in because he was brought up singing Rock and Roll. Life in squaresville is revealed to be less then perfect.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By 13Cat13, Jun 14, 2009
    This episode was so good. I loved the whole breaking out of the stereotype of who you were supposed to be. Bingo was such a great singer and he definetly would have made it big. The way Rock and Roll was looked at back then was completely dumb. Most of the music on t.v. would never began if it wasn't for Rock and Roll. This episode kept you wanting more. The cahracters were hilarious and the soda shop scene was so realistic, made you feel like you were there. I would of liked to know what happened to Bingo's family and how the girlfrieds life turned out, but all-in-all it was awesome.moreless

  • Great stuff

    10
    "Perfect"
    By ferriswheel01, Mar 14, 2008
    This episode was fantastic. I loved every minute of it and wow was Bingo good ... wrong he was great. I found myself smiling everytime he came on. He just made the room shine. He was exceptionally talented and it was just a shame that somebody ended his life before his talent touched more lives. I am a huge Scotty fan so I kinda liked the whole him acting like a jerk because he thought one of his friends/co workers ratted him out. I thought it was hilarious when Vera was talking to some guy about looking for a bullet. Great stuff.moreless

  • Going back a generation or two "Devil Music" touches on some good issues that although resolved now, were quite controversial back in 1953.

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Freedom42, Nov 21, 2007
    The 4th episode of Cold Case Season 5 goes far back in time to an era that a person of my age finds hard to relate to, yet I can still understand the ideas that it expresses. "Devil Music" as the name suggests works on the discrimination issues of American society, and white people's distaste for music that was considered 'only for blacks.' It's really interesting to see the conflicts and arguments that took place back then, from Aces being fired mainly because he was black, to the adult's sheer resentment of the movements and sound of Bingo's music. Another form of discrimination that was displayed was the idea that men would always be the source of all the family's income, and the women would always be housewives. A good quote from the episode that Bingo said was; "Don't let anybody stop you from doing what you love" or something along those lines. At the end of the episode I came to realise, despite the fact that the episode was set way before my time, it had every little bit of relevance to me as "Running Around" did because it was delving into the idea that times were changing, and they were. Those were the times when people were dancing and singing and crossing over the borderlines of what's black and what's white, they were right in the pinnacle of a massive revoloution for our freedom. And we take for granted every day the things that happened back then, because back then they didn't have equal rights or equal freedom. Women were discriminated, black people were discriminated, even Bingo was discriminated because people didn't want him to do what he loved. It's so hard to believe now because times have changed, but "Devil Music" really put things into perspective for me, and even though it was set so long ago, the themes the episode touched on are just as important to me as it would have been to my grandfathers.moreless

  • ok episode...

    7.8
    "Good"
    By Fwirrel, Oct 21, 2007
    The team investigates the murder of a 19 year old boy that was into the new type of music. It turned out that his cousin killed him becasue the cousin wanted everything to be back to how it was before he came. So, in my opinion, the case was not that interesting. I liked the culture stuff and the time period, but the main character and his story wasn't that interesting. There was some good characterization in this episode, especially with Scotty. Overall, not the best episode, but not that bad. Ok case, good character development and an overall ok episode.moreless

  • An unsolved 1953 murder is the structure for a story of race relations and the role of women in the middle of the twentieth century.

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By george91910us, Oct 18, 2007
    Never having watched this series, I just happened to record on my VCR so I can't comment on the ongoing themes but the story that was woven about race relations and a woman's place in white middle class American society was right on.

    I grew up a little past the time on this story but the attitude toward pop music and race relations were textbook. Ed Valentine's attitudes could have been quoted from my father and the lack of opportunities for women that effected Mrs. Valentine and Miranda's view of her future were still the constraints imposed upon my female classmates in high school. (A women's place is in the home ,,, etal).

    Life is much more complicated today. We can all be thankful.moreless
WRITE A REVIEW
 

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

See All

FILTER BY TYPE

  • TRIVIA (2)

    ADD TRIVIA

  • QUOTES (9)

    ADD QUOTES

    • Scotty: So why come forward now? Lloyd Jordan: I'm losing my eyes. The doctor said I've got two years. I thought if I tell about what I saw, it might make things right. Scotty: I can't fix your eyes, but I'll try and make it right.

    • Bingo: Nobody should stop you from doing what you love.

    • Store Owner: (to Det. Vera) Goji berry? They make you happy! Eat enough, you never stop smiling!

    • Nick: 'Cause if I find out that you tampered with evidence, I'll stick you in the slammer with guys who ain't familiar with Buddhist teachings. Store Owner: You do and karma will be all over your ass, pal! Nick: I will be all over your ass, pal! With a warrant!

    • Scotty: I don't get it, Will. I was a good shoot. Jeffries: You did the right thing. Scotty: Then why are they coming after me? Jeffries: I dunno. But you gotta hang tough. Circle the wagons. And stop acting like such a jackass. (Both smile.) Jeffries: Alright then, I... maybe I should scream or something so they don't think we're in here hugging. Scotty: Make it sound good.

    • John Stillman: My family wouldn't have approved of me going out with an "Elvis Girl". I guess I was a square. Will Jeffries: No man, you were a cube.

    • Mrs. Valentine: Bingo drove the girls wild with those swiveling hips of his. Disgraceful!

    • Miranda Allison: I didn't want to end up like my mother. Lilly Rush: Nobody does.

    • Scotty Valens: You sayin' you witnessed a murder? Lloyd Jordan: Kinda. I mean, sorta. Scotty Valens: Which is it, Lloyd?

  • NOTES (2)

    ADD NOTES

  • ALLUSIONS (2)

    ADD ALLUSIONS

    • Two newspaper headlines are shown in the beginning of the episode: Supreme Court Calls for Reargument of Brown V. Board (1953) and Brown V. Board Revisited? (2007). Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) was a landmark case of the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled that separate public schools for black and white children were no longer permitted.

    • JP Valentine: Dad, can I watch Bandstand? Mr. Valentine: No one wants to watch kids dance. That show's gonna be yanked! American Bandstand was a television show that showcased emerging music performers. Contrary to Mr. Valentine's prediction, the show did not get yanked but ran from 1952 to 1989.

Cold Case Forums


Add a Topic See All
Last Activity
Replies

Related Shows

Season 5 Episodes

See All
Ep 18
Ghost of My Child
Ep 17
Slipping
Ep 16
Bad Reputation
Ep 15
The Road
Ep 14
Andy in C Minor
Ep 13
Spiders
Ep 12
Sabotage
Ep 11
Family 8108
Ep 10
Justice
Ep 9
Boy Crazy
Ep 8
It Takes a Village
Ep 7
World's End
Ep 6
Wunderkind
Ep 5
Thick As Thieves
Ep 4
Devil Music
Ep 3
Running Around
Ep 2
That Woman
Ep 1
Thrill Kill

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings
TV.com Properties | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use