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One of the most critically acclaimed shows in TV history,
Homicide: Life On The Street reinvigorated a tired
genre by focusing on the gruelling work of solving murders
instead of an endless succession of bloody crimes and car
chases...
American
cop shows have always been popular and none more so then Homicide:
Life on the Street which ran for seven seasons, between
1993 and 1999, detailing the work of the Baltimore Police
Department. What made it stand out from the crowd was its
approach. It eschewed the more glamorous take on police work
which was the raison d'être of many of its contemporaries
to portray a fairly no nonsense look at what it meant to be
a detective.
This
impression was further enhanced with the use of actual Baltimore
locations, flat lighting and handheld camera work to augment
its cinéma vérité sensibility. Made by
NBC, it was the creation of director Barry Levinson (Diner,
Oz and The Perfect Storm amongst others) and
screenwriter Paul Attanasio (Sphere, Donnie Brasco
and House M.D.). This approach quickly gained it a
loyal following as well as four Emmys, nineteen other awards
and a staggering fifty nominations.
The
latest box set covers all twenty-two episodes, of Season
Three, spread over six DVDs. Now this may cause some fans
confusion, as in America Season Two only had four episodes,
so when it hit the UK seasons One and Two were
combined, making this Season Three in the UK but Season
Four in America. The season was originally transmitted
during the autumn of 1995. At this point in the show's history
the creative team had reached its stride, with thankfully
few defections by any of the main cast, including Richard
Belzer, Andre Braugher and Yaphet Kotto - though as time went
on this would change as it does for any long running show.
Seasons Three (Four in US) and Four (Five
in the US - I think I'm getting a headache) were a transitional
time for the show with the loss of Daniel Baldwin and Ned
Beatty, the show filled the void with both new characters
and new recurring guest characters.
A
show like this can generally be judged by the quality of its
writers, directors and guest stars and Season Three
was particularly strong in this respect. Kathy Bates, better
known as an actress, has also been secretly jobbing as a director
- a job she does well in Scene of the Crime. For guests
you can look out for Jay Leno in Sniper, Lily Tomlin
in The Hat, Chris Rock in Requiem for Adena
and the most excellent Bruce Campbell in Justice - Part
Two. Of course there are more to spot, but then if I recounted
them all this would be a list rather than a review.
It's
fair to say that the show continues to hold up even today,
the writing remains solid, the slightly gritty look perfectly
compliments the show's subject matter and the cast all turn
in solid and compelling performances. Of extras there are
none, with only an option for subtitles. The show appears
to have its original aspect ratio, a little annoying now that
widescreen TV's are becoming the norm, and sound is a very
clear two channel Dolby affair.
Many
other dramas would run with the look and feel of the show,
but few would do it as convincingly or as well as Homicide:
Life on the Street.
Charles
Packer
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£29.99
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£31.99
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£28.99
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£33.97
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£33.97
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All prices correct at time of going to press.
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