NYPD Blue (season 12)

NYPD Blue Season 12
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	22
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC
Original run	September 21, 2004 – March 1, 2005
Season chronology
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Main article: NYPD Blue

Season 12 was the last season of NYPD Blue.

Dress for Success

Original airdate: September 21, 2004

• Directed by: Jesse Bochco
• Written by: Matt Olmstead & Bill Clark

The precinct's hyper-controlling new C.O., Lieutenant Thomas Bale, alienates the squad. Meanwhile Ortiz is partnered with flirtatious rookie, Detective Laura Murphy, a "sexologist" and a homeless man are murdered, Clark drinks and womanizes after the suicide of his former girlfriend, and Sipowicz has a stalker.

Notes

• Bonnie Somerville makes her first appearance as a Detective Laura Murphy
• Currie Graham makes his first appearance as a Lieutenant Thomas Bale

Fish Out of Water

Original airdate: September 28, 2004

• Directed by: Jesse Bochco
• Written by: Bill Clark & Nicholas Wootton

Tensions rise when a dead pregnant woman leads Sipowicz and Clark to a possible adoption scam. Meanwhile, a woman married to an ex-con claims an intruder beat her and stole her grandmother's diamond ring, Sipowicz suspects his stalker poisoned his fish at the precinct, and Lieutenant Bale intrudes on Sipowicz's investigation.

Notes

• Mackenzie Phillips guest stars as a Lorraine Stuval

Great Balls of Ire

Original airdate: October 12, 2004

• Directed by: Mark Tinker
• Written by: Bill Clark & Tom Szentgyorgyi

Detective Sipowicz's son is abducted, and a reformed sex offender is murdered.

Divorce, Detective Style

Original airdate: October 19, 2004

• Directed by: Mark Tinker
• Written by: Bill Clark & Keith Eisner

A man reports that his son has been kidnapped for ransom; Sipowicz and Clark have a falling out; A young woman is found murdered in the closet of her apartment; Clark's testimony at a murder trial is impeached because he had sex with a girl involved, and a mysterious party continues to harass Sipowicz.

You're Buggin' Me

Original airdate: October 26, 2004

• Directed by: John Hyams
• Written by: Bill Clark & Greg Plageman

Sipowicz is shot while trying to help Clark home from a bar, and he finds the culprit — and a listening device planted in his car.

Notes

• Jonah Hill guest stars as a store clerk

The Vision Thing

Original airdate: November 9, 2004

• Directed by: Tawnia McKiernan
• Written by: Bill Clark & William Finkelstein

A man is stabbed while riding the bus with his family, a video store clerk is stabbed by a robber, a wealthy antiques dealer reports a suspicious burglary, and Medavoy takes a part-time job as security guard in a bar.

Notes

• Jimmy Smits makes an appearance as Bobby Simone
• Dennis Christopher guest stars as Mr. Prosser

My Dinner with Andy

Original airdate: November 16, 2004

• Directed by: Kevin Hooks
• Written by: Bill Clark & Tom Szentgyorgyi

A material witness in a murder case is beaten in an alley, Medavoy's job is at risk when he's caught moonlighting as a bar bouncer, and Jones wants custody of Michael — but so does the boy's felonious father.

I Like Ike

Original airdates: November 23, 2004

• Directed by:
• Written by:

Clark protects a court witness whose life is in danger; Jones shows up in family court, but Michael is missing and Michael's father accuses Jones of hiding him; Medavoy faces possible charges for moonlighting, and Sipowicz studies for the sergeant's exam.

The 3-H Club

Original airdate: November 30, 2004

• Directed by: Mark Tinker
• Written by: Bill Clark, Greg Ball & Steve Blackman

When Michael's father, Craig Woodruff, is shot dead — while Michael and Jones' home gun are missing — Sipowicz and Clark are forced to suspect Jones and Michael both. Meanwhile, Medavoy is tried and found guilty of moonlighting in a bar, and a boy is molested by someone driving a church van.

The Dead Donald

Original airdate: December 7, 2004

• Directed by:
• Written by:

The brother of a mentally disabled man is found dead, a con-man rents the same apartment to multiple parties and Greg likes a realtor named Bridget who was conned, Sipowicz and Clark clash with Bale when Bale decides to bust a nervous father for offering a bribe to drop drug charges against his son, and Sipowicz takes the sergeants' exam.

Bale Out

Original airdate: December 14, 2004

• Directed by:
• Written by:

Sipowicz finds Bale's credit card in a crime suspect's home and has to confront Bale with his findings. Meanwhile, a respected attorney is shot to death in his car, Ortiz and Murphy investigate a drive-by shooting at a basketball court, Clark accompanies A.D.A. Munson to a party honoring a lecherous judge, and Medavoy has a lunch date with Bridget the realtor.

Notes

• Chad Allen guest stars as Kyle Tanner

I Love My Wives, But Oh You Kid

Original airdate: December 21, 2004

• Directed by: Alan Rosenberg
• Written by: Bill Clark & William Finklestein

A young pregnant woman is murdered, and the cops find out the father is a bigamist whose two families hold the key to solving the case. Elsewhere, attractive young women who had just begun attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are being killed, and Andy leads the squad in an undercover investigation to find the killer, while Greg ends up closing more than one deal when he helps Bridget on a real-estate call.

Notes

• Corbin Bernsen guest stars as Bob Cavanaugh

Stoli With a Twist

Original airdate: January 11, 2005

• Directed by: Jesse Bochco
• Written by: Bill Clark & Tom Szentgyorgyi

Sipowicz and Clark investigate a serial killer who infiltrates AA meetings and preys on female members by strangling them and smudging their lipstick as his trademark. Ortiz and Murphy go undercover in a sting operation to catch the AA killer. Meanwhile, a man is found stabbed to death in his apartment, which is full of steroids, and the investigation leads Clark to face the woman he slept with earlier and wrecked a murder case over.

Stratis Fear

Original airdate: January 18, 2005

• Directed by: Bob Doherty
• Written by: Bill Clark & Keith Eisner

Sipowicz and Clark investigate the murder of a successful immigrant restaurateur with a taste for young girls, Ortiz learns the Joint Narcotics Task Force is after her cousin's boyfriend, and Jones finds himself probing a retired cop about the murder of his paralyzed son's wife.

La Bomba

Original airdate: January 25, 2005

• Directed by:
• Written by:

Sipowicz and Clark investigate the charred corpse of a big business owner with dealings in Colombia, and a teenage boy from a wealthy family is found beaten to death in an alley frequented by drug dealers.

Old Man Quiver

Original airdate: February 1, 2005

• Directed by: Ed Begley, Jr.
• Written by: Bill Clark & William Finkelstein

Sipowicz and Clark investigate when an elderly millionaire, married to a voluptuous wife 52 years his junior, is found smothered to death. Meanwhile Medavoy and Jones look into the death of a judge's elderly mother found murdered in a retirement home, A.D.A. Munson introduces Clark to her arrogant and powerful father, and Sipowicz is promoted to Sergeant.

Sergeant Sipowicz' Lonely Hearts Club Band

Original airdate: February 8, 2005

• Directed by: John Hyams
• Written by: Bill Clark & Tom Szentgyorgyi

When a U.S. Army sergeant is shot to death, Clark suspects the brother of a soldier killed in Iraq. Meanwhile, a homeless man is found dead in a dumpster, and Medavoy's girlfriend Bridget Scofield makes him an offer he can't refuse.

Lenny Scissorhands

Original airdate: February 15, 2005

• Directed by: Rick Wallace
• Written by: Bill Clark & Keith Eisner

Sipowicz, Murphy and Ortiz investigate the shooting of a fellow police officer; Clark and Jones, now partners, investigate the beating death of a woman whose newly religious husband owns a jewelry store; Bale is shot in the course of a murder investigation, and Medavoy retires from the job.

Bale to the Chief

Original airdate: February 22, 2005

• Directed by: Jesse Bochco
• Written by: Bill Clark, Tom Szentgyorgyi & Keith Eisner

With Bale hospitalized, the squad gets a new boss who's more interested in golf than crime solving. Meanwhile, when a young Muslim bride is found stabbed to death, Ortiz and Murphy suspect her husband; Sipowicz and Clark arrest the man who shot Bale; and Bale himself, permanently injured, recommends Sipowicz as new squad commander of the 15th precinct.

Moving Day

Original airdate: March 1, 2005

• Directed by: Mark Tinker
• Written by: Bill Clark, Steven Bochco & William Finkelstein

Two new rookies arrive to the 15th, Ray Quinn & Joe Slovak. Sipowicz is made squad commander and in this episode, clashes with his sergeant from the 25th precinct, who is now a retired two-star chief. Near the end of this episode, Lt. Thomas Bale and Sipowicz end the ongoing feud between them in previous episodes and hands the squad over to Andy knowing that he could manage the day to day affairs of the 15th.