On New Year's Eve, the detectives sit back in the quiet of the evening and watch a documentary that Brodie has made about them and their work. In this documentary, entitled ""BACK PAGE NEWS: Life and Homicide On The Mean Streets Of Baltimore"", one of Frank and Tim's cases is covered where some ""lies and hidden truths"" are revealed. During a sequence about one of Mike and Meldrick's cases, they chase a suspect right into the filming of something called ""Homicide"" by director Barry Levinson and his crew. Mike and Julianna agree to try a date. Also, the identity of the ""lunch bandit"" is revealed to be Gaffney. Brodie reveals that the documentary has been sent to PBS and gives his reasons why. As the new year rolls in, things return to normal as the phones start ringing.

Pembleton and Falsone look into the death of an elderly man who might have been killed by the pit bulls owned by his grandson. The other detectives hang out at the Waterfront and tell stories about stupid criminals they have met. The judge in the wrongful death suit of Luther Mahoney decides there is enough evidence to turn the suit into a jury trial. Kellerman suspects there might be something up, so he tries to go and see the judge.

In Stivers and Falsone's case, a man is found shot dead in his bed, with no signs of a struggle. Gee lobbies Barnfather to find a way to get them the ability to have some control over their FBI liaison, so they don't experience the same problems they had with the Janine McBride case. Barnfather lets Gee know that there is Captain's position opening up and he should be inline for it with no catches. Lewis lets Ballard accompany him on a bar stabbing, when she accuses him of being afraid to work with a female, since the incident with Sheppard. While she does get to help him with the initial investigation, Lewis manages to work the rest of the case on his own, leaving her to handle the details. Meanwhile, Ballard's usual partner Gharty spends a ""mental health day"" at the Waterfront Bar, drinking and proposing to Billie Lou. Stivers and Falsone discover their victim had a bad breakup with his ex-wife Eleanor Burke, and she admits to committing the crime; however, as an assistant US attorne