Murder in the First Information

Murder in the First is an American detective anthology drama television series that airs on TNT. The series was created by Steven Bochco and Eric Lodal, and stars Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson. Set in San Francisco, the show follows a single case across an entire season. The series premiered on June 9, 2014, and has aired 32 episodes through three seasons. On October 11, 2016, the series was cancelled by TNT, after three seasons.

Overview

In the first season, Homicide Inspectors Terry English and Hildy Mulligan investigate two seemingly unrelated murders only to learn that both victims have ties to a Silicon Valley prodigy who is darker than anyone realizes.

In the second season, as San Francisco recovers from a deadly school bus massacre, English and Mulligan investigate the death of a fellow officer and uncover a conspiracy that shakes the city to its core.

In the third season, English and Mulligan juggle investigating a football player's murder and dealing with their own personal issues while District Attorney Mario Siletti reels from a tragedy that jeopardizes his career.

Cast and characters

Main cast

• Taye Diggs as Terry English: a homicide inspector with the San Francisco Police Department who struggles to cope with his wife's death.
• Kathleen Robertson as Hildy Mulligan: English's partner and a single mother who juggles raising her daughter and doing her job.
• Ian Anthony Dale as Lieutenant Jim Koto: the squad's no-nonsense supervisor
• Raphael Sbarge as Inspector David Molk: a philosophizing SFPD homicide inspector
• Lombardo Boyar as Inspector Edgar Navarro: a dedicated SFPD homicide inspector, Molk's partner
• Currie Graham as Chief Prosecutor Mario Siletti
• Mimi Kirkland as Louise Mulligan: Hildy's inquisitive eleven-year-old daughter.

Supporting cast

• Jamie McShane as Justin Burnside: a forensics technician from the Medical Examiner's office.
• Camille Balsamo as Kami Keefer: the homicide squad's technology expert who has a crush on Hildy Mulligan.
• Jamie Luner as Cassie Siletti, Mario Siletti's wife

Season 1

• Tom Felton as Erich Blunt: a young Silicon Valley prodigy who is suspected by the SFPD of murdering his biological father and his latest personal mistress.
• Steven Weber as Bill Wilkerson: Blunt's long-time friend, chauffeur and pilot whose marriage is put in jeopardy following Blunt's arrest.
• James Cromwell as Warren Daniels: a well-known yet unscrupulous criminal defense attorney who is hired to represent Blunt.
• Richard Schiff as David Hertzberg: Blunt's personal and corporate attorney.
• Bess Rous as Ivana West: the chief technology officer of Erich Blunt's company and one of Blunt's personal mistresses.
• Nicole Ari Parker as District Attorney Jacqueline Perez, who is having an affair with Jim Koto; she resigns when it becomes public.

Season 2

• Laila Robins as Jamie Nelson: a professor of law and a famous criminal defense attorney
• Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sergeant Raphaelle "Raffi" Veracruz: a gang unit and special operations officer who is a veteran of the Israeli Army
• A. J. Buckley as Inspector Marty "Junior" McCormack: a special operations officer and Hildy's brother, who transfers to Homicide from Vice
• Mo McRae as Anthony "Suger" Cascade: the kingpin of an African-American gang, dealing with the accidental death of a member of another gang during an unsanctioned warehouse heist.
• Marcus Hopson as Fatty B, Sugar's right-hand man.
• Mateus Ward as Dustin Maker: one of two high school boys participating in the bus shooting before being captured by the SFPD. He is later given the death penalty for his role in the crime.
• Jimmy Bennett as Alfie Rentman: the second boy participating in the shooting, who escapes capture but is later killed.
• Spencer Garrett as Dr. Frank Rentman: Alfie's father, a psychiatrist who diagnoses Alfie's mental illness.
• Laura Regan as Mary Rentman: Alfie's mother, who appears to be in denial about Alfie's mental state.
• Adam O'Byrne as Det. Kaleb Peat: a member of the squad and Walt Martins's partner, who commits suicide after Martin's funeral.
• Inny Clemons as Det. Walt Martin: a member of the squad, and Peat's partner, who is presumed to be shot by Alfie Rentman, but was actually shot by a cop.
• Jade Tailor as Alyssa: a stripper with whom Det. Milk becomes involved.

Episodes

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Production

TNT ordered 10 episodes on September 19, 2013, which premiered on June 9, 2014. On September 12, 2014, TNT renewed Murder in the First for a 12-episode second season, which began on June 8, 2015. On November 12, 2015, TNT renewed Murder in the First for a third season, which was set to premiere on June 19, 2016, but was pushed back to the following week due to the delayed third season premiere of The Last Ship.

Critical reception

Murder in the First scored 68 out of 100, in its first season, on Metacritic based on 20 "generally favorable" reviews. Its second season scored 67, based on four reviews. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes currently reports a 73% "certified fresh" critics rating with an average rating of 6.8/10 based on 22 reviews. The website consensus reads: "Murder in the First fits happily into the over-arcing season-long murder mystery mold, offering pleasurably typical twists and natural, attention-grabbing characters".