Cold Case (TV Series) Saving Sammy (2006) User Reviews

Saving Sammy episode

[jnmil3 · 9/10 · 11 December 2006]

A couple is shot to death in their car on their weekly 'take out' night. The only witness is their autistic son, whose ability to remember times, days, and places associated with them is impaired. The child's ability to remember things like numbers in a sequence is his only ability that proves helpful once the case runs cold.

The title refers to the child's pet Siamese fighting fish from his parents' tropical fish store. If placed in a tank with other fish, it will not survive very long. One of the key players, when the fish in his bag was dropped on the floor, picked him up, thus 'Saving Sammy'.

Detective Valens' compassion for and willingness to learn about the young witness' condition is part of what made this episode appealing. The young witness' gift showed that the autistic have their own abilities in spite of their difficulties communicating and comprehending what most of us take for granted.

Rain boy

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 1 March 2010]

The Harris family did everything on a schedule. Their son Brent, being autistic, had his own routine where meals were eaten at a certain time, for instance. That way, Brent's mind functioned at its best. He also hated the color yellow, but he cared deeply for his pet fish, a rare species from Thailand. As with children suffering from this condition, Brent had a photographic mind that recorded such small details that they come to play later on as the police investigates the murder of Ruby and Steve Harris.

As the Cold Case unit begins to patch up the facts involving in the murder, they interviewed Doug Sommer, the boyfriend of Lisa. He was always nice to Brent, who feels grateful for having saved his pet fish. The Harris had to take Brent from the school he was attending because of the bullying he experienced by other students that were cruel to him. Placing him in a private institution had a big price tag because of the bribe its director wanted from them, something they could ill afford.

The Harrises decided to move to Vermont where there was a school for autistic children that was free. As they are making preparations to leave, they meet foul play and they are killed in their car one rainy night. Brent, who was in the back seat, holds the key for solving the crime that puzzled the investigators.

Directed by Paris Barclay, a frequent director of the series, and written by Tyler Bensinger, another contributor of the show, this episode presented a case which was credible as well as well developed. In this installment, Lilly comes to a decision to let Ray go. He is planning to go away, but she feels she doesn't want to. At the same time, being with Ray brings her romance with Joseph to an end.

Unfortunately, this was a realistic portrayal of the special Ed programs I saw in blended schools

[rpl-22837 · 9/10 · 12 January 2023]

Contrary to what another reviewer stated, I found the portrayal of special Ed programs in regular schools all too realistic. I worked in both a school for special students and a regular high school that had special education programs embedded in it. Too often I saw special education students being bullied in the hallways and no matter how often I reported it, it didn't stop. Too often special students didn't get all the help they were entitled to because it would have cost too much. More needs to be done to make sure all students get the educational support they need, and are promised by law, to be successful. When a public school cannot provide necessary support, they must pay a private school that can.

Amazing how inaccurate it is for 2006

[cbouchard-53837 · 8/10 · 8 August 2020]

I love this show but there are a LOT of times they use terms or stereotypes way too much...this episode is no exception. The inaccuracy of how they described or portrayed people with ASD is pretty bad for 2006; I was surprised. Also not an accurate portrayal of special education.

A good episode

[LtlHippo · 7/10 · 23 August 2022]

This was a good episode. However, it was crazy that the dad just sat there in the car with a gun pointed at him and his wife. I can't figure out why he didn't just step on the gas at the stoplight! I guess we wouldn't have an episode then. Hahaha.