Picket Fences / Season 1

Season 1 of Picket Fences
Episodes	22nd
Country of production	United States
First broadcast	Sep 18 1992 - May 6, 1993 on CBS
German-language first broadcast	Jan 5, 1995 - May 31, 1995 on Sat.1
Season 2   ▶
► Episode list

The first season of the American television series Picket Fences - Tatort Gartenzaun consists of the 90-minute pilot film and 21 additional 45-minute episodes. It was first broadcast in the USA in 1992/93 and in Germany in 1995. For this season, the series won the Primetime Emmy Award in 1993 in the category of best drama series .

action

No. ( total )	No. ( St. )	German title	Original title	First broadcast in the USA	German language first broadcast (D)	Director	script
1	1	The death of the tin man	pilot	Sep 18 1992	0Jan. 5, 1995	Ron Lagomarsino	David E. Kelley
During a theatrical performance, the teacher Phil Banks, who is costumed in tin armor, is found dead. It turns out that he was poisoned by an injection of nicotine and that he had a sexual relationship with another teacher's young daughter. When Sheriff Brock directs the investigation against the girl's father, the murder victim's widow confesses to Jill Brock that she murdered her husband out of jealousy. Breaking her medical vow of silence, Jill reveals to her husband hinting that the girl's father could not be the killer. This tells Sheriff Brock that the widow must be the murderer. However, the prosecution is unsuccessful in indicting the widow as a murderer as her confession is subject to confidentiality. A little later the widow is found dead in her dishwasher . It turns out afterwards that it is not the widow who murdered Phil Banks, but the father of the schoolgirl who also murdered the widow. Their joint plan to cover up the first murder had failed because Jill broke her confidentiality.
2	2	Secretly	The Green Bay Chopper	25 Sep 1992	0Jan. 9, 1995	Michael Pressman	David E. Kelley
A schoolgirl finds a severed hand in the ditch and presents it to school. The suspicion arises that the hand could come from a victim of the previously undetected serial hijacker "Green Bay Hacker". That's why the FBI is investigating in Rome. After Carter Pike has determined that the person who got the hand was already dead before he was mutilated, Rome's police force legal proceedings against the FBI to allow them to search for the killer themselves. The victim is a dentist who was suffering from syphilis at the time of death . Based on these findings and the fact that the hand showed traces of cucumber juice, Maxine independently determines the murderer, who is actually the serial hijacker. The FBI and the police are finally able to find him, with Maxine shooting him in self-defense. Meanwhile, Jimmy has his daughter put under police surveillance for fear of her having unprotected sex.
3	3	Mr. Dreeb is coming to town	Mr. Dreeb Comes To Town	0Oct 2, 1992	Jan. 16, 1995	Jeremy Kagan	David E. Kelley
The short circus worker Dreeb kidnaps an elephant from the circus because the animal is being mistreated there. In Rome there is a trial between Dreeb and the circus, in the course of which Dreeb beats the opposing lawyer after he had insulted him because of his height. A veterinary report confirms Dreeb's claim, so Bone decides that the elephant cannot be returned to the circus. Maxine ends her relationship with Dreeb because of the size difference. Meanwhile, the music school teacher, who had a brain tumor, was fired after having delusions in class. The Brock family, who were friends with him, pleaded unsuccessfully against the dismissal. Eventually the teacher dies in the high-risk brain operation.
4th	4th	The election battle	The Autumn Of Rome	Oct 16, 1992	Jan. 23, 1995	Tom Moore	David E. Kelley
While Rome is campaigning for mayor, Mayor Bill Pugen has a traffic accident that sets a vicious circle in motion in the city. The police find evidence illegally obtained on Pugen's behalf without his intention. Pugen is publicly discredited by his opponent Douglas Wambaugh, among other things because of his obesity. The arrogant businessman charged with the evidence intimidates an important witness so that he no longer wants to testify against him. Deputy Lacos then illegally intimidates the businessman. Part of the community sees the solution to all problems in nominating Jimmy Brock for mayor. However, he refuses because he wants to become a better sheriff first.
5	5	Crime scene bathtub	Frank The Potato Man	Oct 23, 1992	Jan. 30, 1995	Ron Lagomarsino	Mark B. Perry , David E. Kelley
In Rome there is a burglar bathing in the bathtub of the break-in location. Soon in the city, the homeless Frank Teacher, called "Frank, the potato man" because of his apparently voyeuristic and sexually harassing behavior prejudiced and - after the realization that he earlier because rape was arrested - arrested with extremely scanty evidence. Wambaugh pays the bail, so Frank can be released. Shortly afterwards, District Attorney Wood, who reluctantly accused Frank, dies in the bathtub of the elementary school principal due to stray currents . It is now clear that Wood is the series bather. Frank leaves the city because of the prejudice.
6th	6th	Everyone loves Rosemary	Remembering Rosemary	Oct 26, 1992	0Feb 6, 1995	Donald Petrie	David E. Kelley
Ten years ago, Rosemary Bauer, wife of Joe Bauer, fell to her death in front of the common house maid Karina, who from then on was understood as suicide. Since then, Karina has suffered from elective mutism . Now, strangely enough, she speaks the word “murder”, so that Maxine, contrary to the wishes of Mayor Pugen, who is worried about his re-election, starts a murder investigation. Together with Carter Pike, they find evidence that suggests murder is the cause of death. The exhumation that was initiated as a result shows that the body is not in the coffin at all. Instead, the police find the body in Joe's closet, who has kept it there for 5 years to be close to his wife. It turns out that Joe pushed his wife out of the window out of jealousy and because she was in love with Karina.
7th	7th	The challenge	The Contenders	Oct 30, 1992	Feb 13, 1995	Mel Damski	David Assael , David E. Kelley
Jill Brock, a member of the women's association of Rome, is running as a candidate for mayor's office in order to compete with the incumbent Pugen and thus force him to approve the association's claims. However, Jill does not withdraw her candidacy after Pugen has accepted the demands. As the election campaign continues, the press confronts Jill with discrepancies from her private past. Meanwhile, Kenny organizes a charity boxing match for prisoner and ex-boxing champ Jeffrey so that he can afford a lawyer. Eventually Jeffrey wins the fight against Kenny and Pugen, the election against Jill Brock and Wambaugh.
8th	8th	The angel of death	Sacred Hearts	0Nov 6, 1992	Feb 20, 1995	Tom Moore	David E. Kelley, Mark B. Perry
The principal's aunt, suffering from leukemia , is found dead with a whole orange in her mouth. It turns out that the orange contained poison and was given to her by a Catholic nun who was seen at the scene and used it to help her die . The nun is arrested and confesses to the police that she acted out of pity. Soon there were protests against the police and the arrest in Rome, as well as controversy over the pros and cons of euthanasia. Judge Bone also declared the law against euthanasia ineffective from personal experience, acquitted the nun and thus set a precedent . Meanwhile, Howard Buss learns that he has Alzheimer's disease .
9	9	Holiday crises	Thanksgiving	Nov 13, 1992	Feb. 27, 1995	Michael Pressman	David E. Kelley
Lawyer Wambaugh catches his wife red-handed with another man and reports her to the police for adultery , albeit unsuccessfully. He then spends Thanksgiving day with the Brocks. Jill's 74-year-old father is visiting there, who, to everyone's surprise, appears with his only 26-year-old fiancé Susanne. Because of the age difference and the risk that Susanne only wants to marry him for financial reasons, there is a dispute between him and Jill. After Jill and her father found out that Susanne had cystic fibrosis , they were reconciled.
10	10	The snake woman	The Snake Lady	0Dec. 4, 1992	13 Mar 1995	Mel Damski	David E. Kelley
A young woman is found dead in her bed with a head shot wound. The police first determine that it was suicide and later that the woman wanted to murder her husband, but accidentally a fatal shot was fired. Eventually Maxine found out that the dead woman's sister had conspired with her husband to commit the murder.
11	11	Where is your brother?	Pageantry	Dec 11, 1992	06th Mar 1995	Joan Tewkesbury	David E. Kelley, Mark B. Perry
A rabbi legally ensures that the birth of Christ may not be performed in elementary school as part of the annual nativity play because this violates the separation of church and state . The police accidentally find out that elementary school teacher Louise Talbert, who is slated to play the role of Maria , is transsexual and has not been a man anymore since she had a sex change , but a woman. There is therefore a public controversy in Rome as to whether Talbert's transsexuality speaks against her teaching profession. Because Talbert lied about her sexual identity , the school board dismissed her. However, Bone declares the committee decision to be ineffective because it is insufficiently justified. Nevertheless, some parents are against Talbert as a teacher, so she is not allowed to play Maria after all. During the performance, the children speak a different text on their own initiative and speak out in favor of not discriminating against Talbert any further.
12	12	The festival of love	High tidings	Dec 18, 1992	20 Mar 1995	Oz Scott	David E. Kelley
During the Christmas season, Jill and Jimmy Kim caught sex for the first time, after which Jimmy granted her house arrest and an argument broke out. Kim calls on her birth mother, Lydia, who is involved in the dispute. Finally Kim decides against her initially expressed intention to move to Lydia. Meanwhile, a mentally disturbed man in a Santa suit is being taken hostage at the police station.
13	13	The frogman	Frog Man	0Jan. 8, 1993	29 Mar 1995	Michael Schultz	David E. Kelley, Mark B. Perry
In Rome a stranger commits crimes and always leaves a frog at the crime scenes, which is why he is called a frogman by the police. The police have suspected the zoo dealer Lebek, who thinks he is a frog and keeps frogs at home. His son Milton is teased as an outsider at school. After Lacos was shot in Lebek's shop by a person wearing a frog mask, Maxine had Lebek arrested. Although Lebek admits his guilt, the lawsuit against him is dismissed because his arrest was made without a warrant. Eventually it turns out that Milton is the frogman and that his father confessed to protect him.
14th	14th	Critical years	Bad Moons Rising	Jan 15, 1993	0Apr 5, 1995	Alan Myerson	David E. Kelley
Carter Pike is in romance with divorced Alice Freeman. Shortly after she physically assaulted Carter for his alleged intrusiveness, she murdered her husband by running a steamroller over him . In the trial, her defense attorney, Wambaugh, argues that her behavior can be explained with insanity due to the climacteric . Wambaugh proves in the trial that the gynecologist, who is supposed to testify against Wambaugh's allegation as an expert in the sense of the indictment, is not credible. Eventually, Freeman is acquitted of insanity by the jury, setting a precedent. A little later, however, Carter notices that Freeman is in a relationship with the gynecologist. Meanwhile, Matthew realizes that he is now through puberty .
15th	15th	Home Sweet Home	Nuclear meltdown	Jan. 22, 1993	Apr 12, 1995	Jeremy Kagan	David E. Kelley
Kim learns from her pregnant friend that she has a sexual relationship with her father. The police arrested the man for incest . Only in the court process does it become apparent that the pregnant woman is not the daughter, but the wife of the man who, as a Mormon, claims to live in bigamy within the framework of his freedom of belief . Bone then recommends that the man dissolve the marriage to the pregnant woman so that a national model trial on the pros and cons of polygamy can be avoided. Meanwhile, Kenny falls in love with a woman who, shortly afterwards, happens to meet her twin sister in Rome, from whom she was separated as a baby. At the same time, Maxine investigates a case of animal killing, which turns out to be an accident and is also related to freedom of belief.
16	16	Vital	The Body Politic	0Feb 5, 1993	Apr 19, 1995	Mel Damski	David E. Kelley
Sheriff Brock discovers that the gay community dentist Paymer is HIV- positive, but is hiding it from his patients. Therefore the dentist loses his job. In the court case regarding the question of whether the city's decision was justified, Bone decided in favor of the dentist, whose HIV infection posed no risk to his patients for statistical reasons. Meanwhile, the police discover that a man is artificially keeping his brain-dead wife, who is three months pregnant, alive in order to let the baby grow up. Although the woman had decreed not to take any life-prolonging measures, Bone decides that her willingness to donate organs does not stand in the way of her husband's desire to use the woman's organs to help the baby thrive.
17th	17th	Cupid shoots sharply	Be my valentine	Feb 12, 1993	Apr 26, 1995	Dan Lerner	David E. Kelley
Maxine concludes that Sheriff Brock was hit in the buttocks by an arrow, on the renewed appearance of the serial killer "Amor", who is now up to mischief in Rome. During her undercover investigation with Kenny, she unexpectedly receives support from the ex-FBI agent Jenkins, whose wife was murdered by "Amor" and who seeks revenge. In addition, the FBI agent Morrell who was called to help is also hit by an arrow. The suspect Ben Sasha finally turns out to be the perpetrator, but not as the sole perpetrator, but as an accomplice of Jenkins, with whom Sasha is also homosexual .
18th	18th	The visitor	Fetal Attraction	0Apr 1, 1993	0May 3, 1995	Martin Davidson	David E. Kelley
The neurosurgeon Dr. David Williams, Jill's ex-lover, comes to Rome to operate on and cure a patient who is unable to speak due to Parkinson's disease . To do this, he plans to remove tissue from dead fetuses that arise after abortions . Since the surgical method is experimental, the local hospital forbids him to operate. Doctor and patient are suing the court against the hospital's ban. Church representatives are in favor of the operation ban because they fear an increase in abortions . After Bone has dismissed the lawsuit, David and Jill arbitrarily ignore the ban and operate, which is why they are then imprisoned for days. At the same time, Jill and David kiss, so Jimmy gets angry with Jill.
19th	19th	I can see what you can not see	Sightings	0Apr 8, 1993	May 10, 1995	Elliot Silverstein	Kimberly Costello
A male Jewish corpse is found in front of the Brocks' house. Also because it has burns, Carter Pike concludes after the autopsy that the dead person was contaminated in 1955 in the crash of a UFO , the existence of which the government denies. After Carter believes he has seen a UFO in the sky, he officially justifies the cause of death in a press interview with the UFO crash. Sheriff Brock sees Carter's credibility lost and dismisses him. Carter is litigating this decision. Finally, it emerges that a NASA representative who had joined the company had deliberately placed the body in Rome to provoke the trial and thus draw attention to the UFO crash. So Carter is hired again.
20th	20th	Human dignity	Rights of passage	Apr 15, 1993	May 17, 1995	Michael Fresco	David E. Kelley
A lawsuit by an Indian tribe against the city of Rome's plan to sacrifice an Indian cemetery for a golf course is dismissed. Thereupon the Indians, humiliated, declare war on the city and hide themselves armed in the courthouse to protect their culture. Talks between the chief and city representatives to settle the dispute peacefully are fruitless. After the city's ultimatum expires, both sides shoot each other. When the Indians want to give up, the chief is shot and dies shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Jill treats what her mother considers to be a young boy with hormones to accelerate growth. As a small woman, Ginny feels humiliated and organizes a demonstration with several midgets , but it is unsuccessful.
21st	21st	Temptations	Sugar and Spice	Apr 29, 1993	May 24, 1995	Alan Myerson	David E. Kelley
Kim tries to kiss each other with her teenage friend Lisa. Indiscretion spreads rumors among friends and family that the two of them are lesbian . The parents of the two are very concerned. Finally, Kim realizes that she is not a lesbian. Meanwhile, Sheriff Brock is shortlisting his deputies Maxine and Kenny for the vacant position of his deputy. Jimmy refuses Maxine the job because, as a woman, he thinks she is too weakly equipped to command lots of men. Among other things, Maxine feels sexually discriminated against and successfully sued the sheriff, so Kenny doesn't get the job. However, Maxine does not receive it either because the sheriff considers her immature because of her complaint.
22nd	22nd	Motherly joys	The Lullaby League	0May 6, 1993	May 31, 1995	Michael Pressman	David E. Kelley
To the delight of everyone, Zach is allowed to accompany a well-known singer on the trombone. During the performance, however, the woman collapses and is taken to the hospital. Seriously ill with the liver, she needs a new liver. Since no human liver is available, she is temporarily transplanted with a pig liver, for which a sow must first be brought to the hospital. Meanwhile, Maxine stops a heavily pregnant speedster and helps her with the birth of her daughter on the side of the road. Maxine becomes a surrogate mother when the birth mother wanted by the police suddenly disappears. When this reappears, however, Maxine has to part with the baby with a heavy heart.

Web links

• Episode list in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• List of episodes at fernsehserien.de

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b} The 90-minute pilot film is counted here as one episode, elsewhere also as two episodes.