Somewhere between the murky, bleak desperation of Baltimore's people and police in The Wire, and the earnest, justice-must-prevail! cleverness of Law & Order exists a cult classic that is still top class.
Both of those acclaimed series, and multi-award-winning NYPD Blue, too, took notes from the long-running police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street. Even the comedic series Brooklyn Nine-Nine echoed sharp-witted storylines and dialogue from its predecessor (plus both series featured the peerless Andre Braugher). Homicide was groundbreaking in so many ways: in its deadpan, dialogue-driven character studies that harked more to theatre stages than television; in becoming the first drama to win three Peabody Awards over its run; and to openly depict racist, misogynist, and class-driven prejudices in the police force.
Unlike so many American TV series that neatly wrapped up, in a single episode, a crime, an investigation and a tidy solution, Homicide refused the clear path. It also skirted the genres of comedy and drama with the sort of morbid humour that catches you unawares and sends you cackling off the couch.
The seven seasons-strong Homicide introduced us to the oddballs of Baltimore Police Department's homicide unit in 1993. The series was based on author and journalist David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, published in 1991 and based on a year Simon spent with the Baltimore Police's homicide unit, witnessing the underbelly of the city and the seeming ordinariness of gruesome crimes. If Simon’s name is familiar, he was later a highly acclaimed creator, executive producer, and writer on The Wire. Last year, Simon his delight that Homicide: Life on the Street would finally be able to appear on streaming platforms.
Back (L-R) Yaphet Kotto as Lt. Al Giardello, Melissa Leo as Det. Sgt. Kay Howard, Clark Johnson as Det. Meldrick Lewis, Reed Diamond as Det. Mike Kellerman, Richard Belzer as Det. John Munch, Michelle Forbes as Dr. Julianna Cox, Max Perlich as J.H. Brodie and front (L-R) Andre Braugher as Det. Frank Pembleton and Kyle Secor as Det. Tim Bayliss. Credit: Chris Haston / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
Simon is one of many familiar names bound to pique viewer's fascination. Like Law & Order in the 1990s, Homicide was a foundational training ground for so many of today's household celebrity names.
As young (sometimes barely recognisable) victims, suspects, family or witnesses, the series starred rubber-faced Steve Buscemi (future Law & Order: Criminal Intent star), Vincent D'Onofrio, The Sopranos' Edie Falco, Paul Giamatti, Donnie Darko's Jake Gyllenhaal, E.R.’s Julianna Margulies, (the incomparable) Robin Williams, Lord of The Rings' Elijah Wood, and Darth Vader himself, James Earl Jones.
Melissa Leo as Detective Kay Howard. Credit: James Sorensen / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
However, future stars aside, one of the major drawcards of Homicide is actor Melissa Leo, who played Detective Kay Howard through all but one of the seasons. She's since starred, without rest, in movies and TV series (including The Clean Up Crew in 2024, with Antonio Banderas). As Kay, Leo was a tough-skinned, quip-ready asskicker. She had to be, since she was surrounded by lazy, older male cops who didn't blink at another murder or another missing person. Her relationship with fellow detectives Ed Danvers, then Beau Felton, were grist for the mill when it comes to systemic misogyny and patriarchy within the Baltimore Police, but in refusing to submit to their snark, Kay proved her mettle over, and over, over again.
Andre Braugher as Det. Frank Pembleton. Credit: Chris Haston / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
In a largely white, middle-aged office, the necessity of proving one's mettle was also imposed on young, Black, snazzily-dressed Detective Frank Pembleton, played by the brilliant Andre Braugher, who won an Emmy for the role. Pembleton's whip-sharp one-liners, clever interrogations of suspects, and piercing takedowns of colleagues made him, arguably, the dominant heart of Homicide. A former Shakespeare stage actor, Braugher delivered his monologues in the series with such gravitas and pizzazz, he practically had stage lights illuminating his whole body. He moved with an almost urgent, restless pace, commanding attention in a workplace – and a city – in which drawing attention isn't wise. For this Homicide fanatic, it was Pembleton's guest star role in a 1996 Law & Order crossover episode, "Charm City", that was one of his most memorable outings. Was he gonna let some entitled New York city cops – Law & Order's Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Button) – try to take over his investigation? Not without a lot of sarcastic putdowns from Pembleton and fellow detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor).
Richard Belzer as Det. John Munch. Credit: Chris Haston / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank
Every series needs an Oscar the Grouch character: grizzled, grumpy, but ultimately lovable. That role is amply fulfilled by Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer), whose 'nothing fazes me' demeanour is alternately hilarious and frustrating to colleagues and viewers alike. But who could stay irritated with a man who drolly delivers the line, "Homicide, our day begins when yours ends", or his phone greeting during the Christmas shift: "Ho-ho-homicide!”
Ultimately, Homicide is believable, and eminently watchable, to this day. Crimes go investigated at length, and some ultimately remain unsolved. Evidence is flimsy. Detectives make mistakes. Sometimes, the same case runs for multiple episodes and very little progress is made, if any. To that end, Homicide is akin to stage play Waiting For Godot: there's not always a whole lot of momentum and narrative excitement, but that is more than compensated for with juicy dialogue, conflict between characters, insights into the personal motivations of a bunch of strangers thrown into the melting pot of an office. Without Homicide, there likely wouldn't be cringeworthy, reality-style series like The Office.
If you're still not convinced to invest in all seven seasons (plus the 2000 made-for-television Homicide movie), we offer in parting the wisdom of Detective Laura Ballard (Callie Thorne), who enters in season six. At the crime scene of a murdered priest, she announces: "Heaven can wait. Homicide can't." Amen to that.
Newly remastered, Homicide: Life On The Street seasons 1-3 are now streaming and will be followed by season 4 on 23 January and season 5 on 30 January. Seasons 6 and 7, and the Homicide: The Movie, will be available in February. Episodes will also be screening on Thursday nights on SBS VICELAND from 16 January (see the for times).
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Homicide: Life on the Street
