Cold Case (2003)

About Cold Case

Cold Case is a drama television series that aired from 2003 through 2010 on CBS. The series follows the life of a single detective, Lilly Rush, who works for the Philadelphia Police Department. Rush is the only detective in the department who is dedicated to investigating cold cases - unsolved crimes that are sometimes decades old. Her relentless pursuit of the truth and the justice she seeks for victims is what sets her apart and makes the show immensely engaging.

Making / Production

The series was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with CBS Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Meredith Stiehm, who had been a writer on NYPD Blue and ER, created the show. Her skilled storytelling evident in more complex character scenarios and plot twists keeps viewers wanting more.

Actors

• Kathryn Morris as Lilly Rush - The core of the show. Her nuanced portrayal of a determined detective is commendable.
• John Finn as John Stillman - He plays the role of the supportive supervisor, who often lends a helping hand on difficult situations.
• Jeremy Ratchford as Nick Vera - Plays the part of a street wise, seasoned detective who aids Lilly on her many investigations.
• Danny Pino as Scotty Valens - He is Lilly's partner who, while dealing with his own personal demons, helps solve cold cases.
• Tracie Thoms as Kat Miller - She joins the team in later seasons, adding a fresh perspective to the investigations.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Every episode title, apart from the pilot, is a song title.
• The show's theme music is an excerpt from E.S. Posthumus's track "Nara".
• Most episodes follow a structure where the crime is re-enacted in flashbacks as the detectives learn about what happened.

Awards

In its 7 year run, the series was nominated for a number of awards, most notably it won an ASCAP Award in 2004 and a BMI Award in 2005, both for "Top Television Series".

Quotes

• "Sometimes the hardest thing to believe is the truth." – Lilly Rush
• "People shouldn’t be forgotten. They matter." – Lilly Rush
• "Everything's a crapshoot. Doesn't mean we stop trying." – Scotty Valens

Music

Cold Case is notable for its use of contemporary music in the context of the time of the case being investigated. This contemporary approach made the series distinctive.

Soundtrack

• "Nara" by E.S. Posthumus
• "Blackbird" by Sarah McLachlan
• "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz