When this was first shown on TV in the UK it never attracted the viewing figures such an innovative and well made programme should have done. It was recently shown on ITV4 having originally been broadcast in the 1990s on Channel 4.
The series is set in Baltimore and the first and second series were based on actual events in cases in a book written by a journalist who had spent a year alongside homicide detectives. This means it is probably the most closely linked to reality American cop show that has been on TV. At the time it was unique inasmuch as it focussed on the day to day routine of police work and had no flashy car chases or gun fights and how crimes actually got solved - or not.
One of the things that originally put some viewers off is the fact that it is all shot on hand held cameras - who hated the fast moving camera work - but for most addicts of the series this added to the feeling of veracity and danger. And watching it now you can see its influence throughout most modern television. It was probably also the first show to make use of the idea of playing music over a montage of scenes to help move the action on..
Producer and writer Barry Levinson who won an Oscar for directing Rain Man comes from Baltimore and the familiarity with the city comes through the series. Also important in its creation were Paul Attanasio (Quiz Show) and Tom Fontana (Oz).
One of the great things about the series is that it is an ensemble cast of really great actors including Richard Belzer as Det John Munch - who now turns up in Law & Order Special Victims Unit as the same cop. Other cast members include Ned Beatty (Deliverance, Superman II), Andre Braugher (Poseidon), and Yaphet Koto (Alien). So unlike a British TV cop show which might concentrate on one or two detectives then you have a whole host of different personalites whose stories evolve over the 13 episodes of the series. The team confronted often by the vile viciousness of human nature retain a black sense of humour that permeates through the series.
One of the signatures of the whole series is that cases are kept track of on a board, with open cases under the primary detective's name shown in red ink and when the case is closed the red is replaced by black ink. You never see the crime being committed you only ever follow the investigation
On the whole Homicide Life on the Street was ahead of its time the critics loved it and it won several Emmys and other awards over the years but it struggled to find an audience so if you love CSI and Law & Order (in any of their formats) and missed this the first (or even second) time round get the DVDs and find out what you missed.
Homicide: Life on the Street - The Complete First Series
4 Disc DVD Box Set: £24.99 (RRP)
Release Date: 26th February 2007
Running Time: 13 episodes x 45 minutes
Certificate: 15
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Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.
