Maternal Instincts

Season 1, Episode 21, Aired
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Episode Summary

The 1989 case of a woman murdered in front of her 3-year-old son is re-opened. A psychologist asks Det. Rush to look into the case again when the son, now a 17-year-old teen, suffers from intense nightmares and troubled behavior.
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Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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  • just plain great

    10
    "Perfect"
    By ferriswheel01, Mar 12, 2008 Report Abuse
    I really enjoyed watching this episode as it seemed to have quite a bit of a personal touch for Rush. I liked that no matter what Sean did she was there for him despite the fact that he was putting up a front making it difficult for her. This is one of those episodes that just go to show that the detectives care. Did I hear correctly was Scotty engaged? Wonder what happened? The writing for this episode was great. The acting for this episode was great and the people involved with this episode that we don't know about were great.moreless

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  • Exactly why I watch!

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    By JPPT1974, Aug 21, 2006 Report Abuse
    This is why I watch the show as all cold case
    Crimes should never, ever, be forgotten as a young teen
    Wants to know who murdered his mom as she was murdered
    In cold blood. When he was only a three year old.
    You have to feel for the young teen as he lost his mother as a very, very, young age as he keeps getting nightmares and just really hasn't led a good life!moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • Goof: There is a period music error in the 1985 scene where Linda tells Vic she is pregnant. The music for the scene is Every Rose Has Its Thorn by Poison. This song was not recorded until 1988. Edit
    • Lilly went to high school together with Lindsey Dunlay, the psychologist in this episode. Edit
    • Rebecca Morgan was murdered on October 11, 1989. Edit

  • Notes

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    • International Episode Titles: Czech Republic: Mateřský instinkt (Maternal Instinct) Edit
    • International Airdates: Denmark: June 9, 2004 on TV3+ Edit
    • In the CBS press release for this episode, Susan Chuang's character is named Frannie Thomas. However, the character is called Frannie Ching in every other episode in which she appears. Edit

  • Quotes

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    • Lilly: (about Rebecca/Linda) She miscarried in September of '85 and gave birth in October of '86. She had to have gotten pregnant again fast. Nick: According to the way Silver described her, that would have taken all of an hour. Edit
    • Scotty: There she is, best and brightest physician in all of Philadelphia. Frannie: Shut up, Vaylens. Scotty: It's Valens. V-A-L-E-N-S. Edit
    • Rebecca: (to Kyle Silver) Don't you want to put your tongue in my mouth? Edit

  • Allusions

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    • This episode's case is similar to the real-life cold case of Cathleen Krauseneck. A young New York mother was murdered with an axe while her 3-year-old child was in the house with her. The crime scene was staged to look like a robbery. No one was ever arrested for the crime, although the police reportedly suspected the husband, a junior executive at Kodak at the time. The case also bears a resemblance to the Christa Worthington murder case on Cape Cod. In January, 2002, Christa was found stabbed to death and half naked on the floor of her house in Truro, Massachusetts with her 2-year-old daughter clinging to her. At the time this episode aired, the case was still unsolved but finally cracked in November 2006 when her garbage man was convicted for the murder. Edit

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