Cold Case

True Calling

Season 6, Episode 2, Aired 10/5/08

Episode Summary

The team re-opens the 1991 case of a young inner-city schoolteacher whose death was originally ruled as a carjacking-gone-wrong.

8.6

EPISODE RATING: Great

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Cast & Crew

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John Finn

Lt. John Stillman
Jeremy Ratchford

Nick Vera
Thom Barry

Will Jeffries

Fan Episode Reviews (7)

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A well-meaning, earnest young teacher is murdered outside her inner- city school. Ever seen Dangerous Minds? Stand and Deliver? 187? Freedom Writers? High Schhol High?

3.5

"Bad"

By luv2teach, Jul 03, 2010 Report Abuse

I am seriously wondering if Cold Case has finally run out of gas. I love too many episodes from the first four seasons to list them here, but last season was dull (with a slight uptick at the end thanks to "The Road") and leading off with an uninspired, warmed-over ep like this one doesn't give me hope.

The storyline is hackneyed: a well-to-do, young, pretty white woman takes a job as an inner city teacher to "make a difference"--which, of course, she does. The characters should have numbers on them so you know what color to paint in: the victim is completely dedicated and earnest; the other teachers are irredemably jaded and hostile; the students are all thugs with hearts of gold just waiting for someone to "make a difference." The resolution comes after a couple of pointless twists that lead nowhere, and ultimately feels predictable.

There is absolutely nothing new, fresh, or even particularly interesting about the episode. The only part I liked was the introduction of the acerbic Carla as a foil for Vera--but we even saw that before (Toni Halsted?). "True Calling" was the kind of filler episode good series that have run too long inevitably make. I am sure Cold Case will come back with a few solid eps later, but with each passing season, I expect fewer and fewer "The Road"s and more and more "True Calling"s.moreless

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1 5
this is one of the best episode ever. a young girl called laura kinsley, from a family with good eduction and jobs, choose to give lessons on a smake choices. and to work for their future. and than she got killed. "luckely" not by one of the kids.moreless

9.5

"Superb"

By wiggle47, Jul 03, 2010 Report Abuse

het is waar een ieder heeft op zijn of haar school een leraar of lerares gekend dat heel veel betekend heeft tijdens de schoolperiode. ik heb ok zo een lerares gehad. in deze aflevering van cold case wordt het zeer genuanceerd gelanceerd. perfect geacteerd. tevens laat deze aflevering zien dat je als mens -waar een wil is is een weg - jezelf kunt op stijgen uit je milieu. laura kinsley deed dat met haar zeer moeilijke klas. kinderen die geboren zijn zonder ooit een eerlijke kans in het leven te hebben gehad. geboren bij asociale ouder(s), zonder opleiding, proberen hun hoofd boven water te houden. en dan komt er een miss laura, en alles verandert. goede rol, zeker ook van die van renaldo, de jongeman die door haar doorzettingsvermogen toch nog enige prestatie heeft geleverd.moreless

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The only Cold Case episode that nearly made me cry

9.5

"Superb"

By NoahGoucher, Jul 03, 2010 Report Abuse

Seriously. This is one of those episodes where you can't help but get a little emotional (unless you have the emotional range of the Q key on my keyboard). I get the whole, "This is a total cliche'" argument, but some of the best episodes are cliches worked to be made better. This is one of those things. The best part is that this is one of those episodes that is about relevant issues no matter when it takes place; this could've taken place in 2000 and no changes would have been needed. (Not to say that era-specific episodes aren't good). Bravomoreless

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Lilly and the team reopen the case of the 1991 death of a well meaning inner city school teacher named Laura McKinney. The official ruling was that Laura died in a carjacking gone wrong, but new evidence suggests otherwise.moreless

6.0

"Fair"

By meathead704, Oct 07, 2008 Report Abuse

Another reviewer of this episode pretty much hit the nail on the head. If you have seen such movies as "Dangerous Minds," "Stand and Deliver" and "Lean on Me" you have seen this episode. That's the main reason why I have given this episode and average rating. What I did like about it however is that the acting is quite good and I have to admit that I was hooked on the story as to where it would go (Though the conclusion is not all that surprising). Another good point is that Lilly's "boyfriend" does not appear in this episode.moreless

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2 1
Laura McKinney wanted to make a difference, even if it's with just one student, ultimately she reached two.

7.0

"Good"

By saleblanc, Oct 07, 2008 Report Abuse

Laura being a first time teacher at her first post, a tough one at that, and her greenness definitely showing. She tries her best to find ways to reach her students. She wouldn't give up on anyone of them even when other teachers had. Renaldo Ramos was the lost cause that Laura was trying to save. Darnell Brent was the student with potential that Laura did reach. She protective of both of them. Then you have Kenny Yates a teacher at the same school with Laura. She discovers that Kenny is using Renaldo to score drugs for him. She threatens to out him if he doesn't resign. That threat ultimately costs her her life. Laura McKinney was a teacher for a short time but made a difference that is long lasting.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Laura McKinney died in November 1991. Edit
Notes
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- International Airdates: - Denmark: November 29, 2008 on TV3+ - Norway: December 8, 2008 on TVNorge - The Netherlands: February 21, 2009 on Net 5 - Finland: March 10, 2009 on MTV3 - Czech Republic: March 11, 2009 on TV Nova - Slovakia: November 10, 2009 on Markiza - Turkey: February 25, 2010 on CNBC-e - Belgium: April 13, 2010 on RTL-TVI Edit
- Music Featured in This Episode: - Right Here, Right Now by Jesus Jones from Doubt (1991) - Here's Where the Story Ends by The Sundays from Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (1990) - Where Is My Mind by Pixies from Surfer Rosa (1988) - Quiet on Tha Set by N.W.A. from Straight Outta Compton (1988) - Crazy by Seal from Seal (1991) - Half a World Away by R.E.M. from Out of Time (1991) Edit
Quotes
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- Stillman: Victim's father coming in? Lilly: Taking the train from New York. Still blames himself for getting her the car. Vera: If I had kid going to teach at that school? I'd give them a .38. Edit
- Margaret: We had an unexpected change in faculty. One of our U.S. History teachers, Mr. Hack, had an incident. Laura: Incident? Margaret: A run-in with some seniors last year, nothing for you to worry about. But you'll cover his class this year. Laura: I'm supposed to teach English. (Margaret gives her a look.) I'm not... familiar with U.S. History. Margaret: Neither are the students. Edit
- Nick: Fresh scones, assorted flavors. A little thank-you for all your hard work. Carla: Looking to kill me!? I have celiac disease. I'm allergic to wheat. Nick: Uhh, Carla... I'm tryin' to play ball here. I need that ballistics report. I'm begging ya, what's it gonna take? Carla: (a beat) I like musicals... Edit
Allusions
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- Nick: (waving the ballistics report around) This cost me big. Two tickets to Wicked and dinner. Wicked is a box-office breaking Broadway musical with songs and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is a re-telling of the classic story of The Wizard of Oz, only from the witches perspective. Edit