Be Excellent To Each Other

Homicide: Life on the Street...

This is a show that started more on the ball than any other in any TV show I can think of - and I think I include The Wire in that. For The Wire perhaps threw too much at the viewer in the first episode, allowed no easy window. Homicide not only manages that, but opens with one of the bleakest and most devastating cases of the entire run and yet balances it with such humour, insight and humanity amongst its cast of characters that you want to stay with them.

The wise heads of the internet state that series 1 and 2 are the best, and from memories on what I saw of and heard about the latter seasons - although containing the odd gem - I suspect this may be the case. Essentially 1 and 2 are realistic, slow burning and idiosyncratic. Series 3 begins to tamper with a winning formula that was ironically proving bad for ratings, and swing it towards a show with a younger, more characters-with-problems element. In essence it became less real, less about the civil servants who solve crimes and try to cling on to humanity and more about handsome, dramatic, younger detectives having shocking plot developments like getting shot, going undercover, facing corruption charges, etc.

Series 1 and 2 only lasted 13 episodes combined, series 3 lasts 20. By series 4 and 5 the episodes were straining reality a little (though nowhere to the degree of CSI or even NYPD, the show was relatively honest) and by five through seven had replaced great character actors with young ratings-garnering and rather uncharismatic, boring lookers.

If you've never seen the show then definitely buy the UK DVD of 'Series 1', which is actually '1 & 2', and then if you like go for series 3 which is very good, but feels to me a slight betrayal of the values of the superlative preceding episodes.

Homicide had at its start an amazing cast. Yaphet Kotto as the fatherly, passionate, Sicilian blooded African American who is protective of his detectives. Ned Beatty is the sentimental, patriotic and hapless old veteran who is the best detective on the force, paired with Richard Belzer as John Munch, a cynical, taunting Bill Hicks type. Andre Braugher burns up the screen as Pembleton, the supercilious, coldly intelligent and alienating lone wolf. Jon Polito as Crosetti, the little 'salami brain' with his arcane obsession for conspiracy theories and his friendship with his Meldrick, the down to earth warm hearted guy played by the vastly under-rated Clark Johnson. Then there's force rookie Tim Baylis played by the fresh faced Kyle Secor, who's hopelessly naive if determined. Rounding of the cast there's Daniel Baldwin as Beau Felton, a detective great with banter but discovering that his home life is being torn apart by his work and finally the tetchy, open-hearted, sardonic, spiky, wonderful Kay Howard played by the staggeringly excellent Melissa Leo.

Once that cast began to leave the show, it was doomed frankly. But while it lasted, Christ it was brilliant.

Why am I posting this now? I've just seen the devastating Series 3 Episode 4, simply titled 'Crosetti', and I cried.





Homicide, best straight forward cop show without a doubt. Sure, The Wire's better - but that's not really a cop show, is it?

Rubbishy cop shows. What happened to decent spy dramas?

Ooh, you troll! *Shakes fist*

It is indeed excellent. TV Guide describe Kotto as the 'best actor on TV' during the show's run.

We're more of a Law & Order household (except SVU, which I hate as they're all so fucking self righteous, well, except Munch who I think looks like he should be in the Gestapo) but Homicide is always worth a watch when it's on.

I'e always quite enjoyed it when I've remembered to watch it.

The book the series is based on is brilliant as well (it also tells you which characters are based on which real coppers / villains frim Baltimore in both Homicide and the Wire).

It was indeed a thing of excellence, and far superior to the more celebrated (at the time) NYPD Blue. I mention and endorse it whenever the opportunity arises, and it surprises me just how few people in the UK have even heard of it. Though from what I recall about its scheduling, it was on quite late and was sometimes erratic.

The series was based on the writings of David Simon, who also writes/produces The Wire, so I'm not surprised you're a fan of both.

Oh, and for the record, I'm not a massive fan of The Wire. To be frank, it bores me slightly, and my mind often wanders half way through an ep. It's good, it's just not as great as many would have you believe.

What did you think of The Shield?

Well some of us think that Hugh is not as great as many would have you believe.

I watched a couple of the later seasons of NYPD Blue pretty religiously when I was at uni.
But, thinking about it, it's more of a soap opera in police setting - the storylines weren't nearly as dramatic or drawn out as they are in The Wire, it was more "murder of the week". Still, I liked it, you watched it to see how the new rookie gets on in the tough department, or watch Andy Scipowiczszs-wz beat a despicable perp about the head, all that. Last year I downloaded the first season and watched that.. it was *not* what I remember - very dated, cliched and the acting is stilted. Gets better towards the end but I was disappointed enough not to download season 2!

Homicide, on the other hand, I've only ever seen a few episodes of that and did like them a lot, but as someone said the scheduling must have been odd because I wasn't able to keep track of it. So, given this thread, I may well obtain it now.

The public will only watch it if there's vampires in it. Being all sexy and emo.

I haven't seen any of The Shield. Is it good?

Pass me their names and I'll take care of it.