Picket Fences

- Season 2

(1993)

Sheriff Brock is forced to arrest Mayor Pugen after he shoots and kills a carjacker that tries to steal his car, and the town's new District Attorney, John Littleton, a former lawyer from Detroit, faces an up hill battle as he prosecutes the case.

Douglas Wambaugh finds a loophole that might grant Mayor Pugen a new trial after he is convicted of the shooting of the carjacker. Meanwhile, a very religious Catholic couple, who share a birth-defect causing gene, look to Father Gary Barrett of the local Catholic church for help and guidance about the absolute necessity for birth control. Also, Maxine begins seeing Dr. Shreve, a therapist about her sexual problems about not being able to find a man to love.

Kenny and Maxine arrest a young high school math teacher who reluctantly admits that he was raped by a female colleague of his. Meanwhile, Sheriff Brock finds it difficult to get along with the new mayor, Rachel Harris, who is also an old friend Jill's. Also, Dr. Sherve tries to re-assert his control over Maxine after she refuses to see him again.

Littleton explodes in court over Wambaugh's questionable defense of a woman accused of driving under the influence. Meanwhile, the crafty Dr. Sherve uses Maxine's confusion over allowing the drunken driver to continue on the road to further separate Maxine from her friends and co-workers.

A deaf, quixotic bank robber, named Laurie Bey, and her tough, equally quixotic boyfriend, Cole, arrive in Rome and hold a group of people, including Sheriff Brock, Jill, their children, and other people hostage in the bank during a holdup. Afterward, Bey pays a visit to Zack in his classroom to ask for a way to help her get out of town.

A sexy young centerfold model becomes the controversial symbol for a dairy campaign. She turns out to have an abusive husband. Kimberly wants a breast implant.

At Christmas time, a comatose young woman is found pregnant although she is a virgin. Zach is told that Santa Claus is not real.

Jill becomes a central witness when a man suffering from a rare visual disorder is arrested and tried for the alleged accidental shooting of his own brother after mistaking him for a late night prowler. Meanwhile, Maxine learns about Kenny dating Mayor Harris, and Ginny acquires a charming suitor.

A locker search for drugs at the local high school leads to the arrest of Kimberly's best friend, Lisa Fenn. Meanwhile, a protected Federal witness turns up in Rome which leaves Sheriff Brock and his force concerned. Also, Carter has a melancholy reunion with his brother when he arrives in Rome for the funeral of their mother.

Jill's determination to uphold her Hippocratic oath collides with the religious beliefs of Christian Science couple who try to resist her assistance in a childbirth that has drastic results. Meanwhile, Zach announces to his parents that he wants to becomes Jewish.

Matthew's attempt to get revenge for a humiliation by some high-school bullies lands one of them in the hospital, which causes the teen's younger brother to seek his own revenge. Meanwhile, Mayor Harris' decision to roll back deputy salaries inspires a round of "blue flu" with Kenny and Maxine.

Littleton and Wambaugh go head to head again in the courtroom as Wambaugh argues that his latest client, Timmy Hendricks, was predisposed to violence because of his exposure to television and movies. Meanwhile, Sheriff Brock reacts with anger against Mayor Harris' attempts to impose a strong police presence in Rome, including fingerprinting all the citizens and random searches of vehicles for weapons.

Depressed over a recent incident with a cannon, Howard decides to end his own life by donating his healthy heart to his ailing son. Meanwhile, the transient known as Frank the Potato Man is discovered to be living in a cave near Rome and Mayor Harris becomes determined to go to court to force him to leave the area.

On Valentine's Day, the long day brings love and controversy to all age groups in Rome when Carter enlists Maxine's help to impress Stacey Halford, the Mourning Widow, so he can romance her. Meanwhile, Kimberly finds herself labeled as promiscuous when she expressed disdain for the new politically-correct sexual content rules, and Zach accepts a dare from his friends to kiss his chosen valentine.

Mayor Harris reads Father Barrett and Sheriff Brock the new riot act over a pre-game prayer session at the public high school, and in turn, Barrett and Reverend Novotny bring up her appearance in an old pornographic videotape before the town council.

Kimberly is kidnapped and held captive by unstable Rick Jennings, a man from sheriff Brock's past who wants revenge for what Jimmy did to him. A psychological game between the two begins.

Maxine questions the motives of a 500-pound obese woman who confesses to killing her allegedly abusive husband by sitting on him. Meanwhile, Wambaugh demands a Beth Din when Rabbi Levin finally has enough of the senile lawyer's tasteless remarks and jokes during a funeral service for the obese woman's husband and rescinds his temple membership.

The trial against an African-American drug dealer is set in Rome because the town has Littleton as their district attorney. Sheriff Brock is chosen to serve on the jury.

Jill Brock's father comes on an unexpected visit and stirs up the whole family.

A fire in the rectory reveals Father Barrett's extensive collection of women's shoes, prompting questions about his fitness to serve and a blistering condemnation by acting Mayor Buss on public access TV. Meanwhile, Kenny and Rachel Harris reevaluate their relationship.

A boy is dying from leukemia. The matter for Judge Bone is whether he will allow the request of the boy and his parents to cryogenically freeze him before the illness destroys his body in the hope that a cure can be found and he can be revived. At the school the children are questioning the adults about what happens after death.

A violent, humiliating incident with Howard leads to his son, Kevin, to shoot him, as Wambaugh claims, in self-defense. Meanwhile, Jill makes a decision in the operating room to not operate on a reluctant Christian Science man. Sheriff Brock has to decide if self-defense is murder.