Meldrick Lewis
Opinions vary and this is just my 11 cents but Meldrick is a popular character loved by many Homicide: Life On The Streets fans. Detective Meldrick Lewis is a good guy at heart and good murder pol-ice. Like all good character's Meldrick isn't perfect, he's done some things that might be questioned, but he's also done a lot of good and there's a lot to like about him. He's charming, charismatic, intelligent and good humored. His appearance is characterized by gorgeous caramel skin, dark sparkling eyes, and at times a mischievous grin. Meldrick's not afraid to rock the boat, he's shown that he's especially good at pushing Kay's buttons, but he usually knows not to go too far. Often cool and smooth he does have a temper when provoked. He has a key role in the war between the Mahoney family story line. On the job he's good at reading people and when he sinks his teeth into a case he's a force to be reckoned with. From Homicide's first episode "Good For Goode" to the last episode "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" Meldrick has been a crucial part of the Homicide unit and the program. In the Homicide Movie he is the one original character who remains a member of the unit. Homicide just wouldn't be Homicide without Meldrick working as murder police. Meldrick understands the reality of life, crime and the job. In addition to being a Detective he is a partner in The Waterfront bar along with fellow Detectives John Munch and Tim Bayliss. His work partnerships with Crosetti and Mike bring out his great character and sense of humor, but they've also lead to more emotional and dramatic times it hasn't been easy for him, what with Crosetti's suicide, Mike shooting Mahoney, and later on Rene's beat down. He fiercely defended Crosetti (after he'd died) when Kay criticizes the way he handled a case, and at first he covered for Mike after the Mahoney shooting, but Mike later confessed. Hostile after Rene's beat down Tim prompted him to reconcile in "Forgive Us Our Trespasses". His person life has includes a falling out with Tim after Emma Zoole fell for Tim rather than Meldrick ("A Model Citizen" and "Happy To Be Here"), a Thanksgiving date with a woman he charmed in "Hate Crimes", and his sudden marriage in "The Wedding". His marriage didn't go as planned, they started fighting almost immediately after and didn't consummate the marriage during the honeymoon, he later mentions going home to see Barbara when work reminds him he'd feel if he lost her, but the marriage continues to have problems, in "M.E, Myself and I" they're arguing but in "Valentines Day" they seem to have resolved the problem. In "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" he says "he blew it" when he's talking about marriage. He's attracted to Terri Stivers and unsuccessfully asks Rene out. Meldrick grew up in the projects, his first home being Lafayette Court which he saw demolished in "Blue Moon." He talks about Lafayette Court with a great deal of affection, they didn't have much space but it was home - the last place that felt like home as he's been "rootless" ever since. He still remembers his neighbors and at first doesn't want to see the demolition, he later exclaims "wow" and takes a brick from the building to keep in his locker. In "I've Got A Secret" we discovered that Meldrick's brother Anthony has mental problems. He was committed after he jumped out a window when Meldrick was 14 (making Meldrick 34 in "I've Got A Secret") - Meldrick didn't try to stop him and in 1996 he hadn't visited him since 1978, when he did go to visit Anthony didn't want to see him. Fans are invited to contribute information and opinions on or about Meldrick.
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