From its premiere episode in 1992, “Homicide: Life on the Streets” struck a chord with audiences with its ultra-realistic documentary feel. The use of hand held cameras, quick edits and real location shooting on the streets of Baltimore added to the gritty ‘you are there’ feel. It was a new breed of cop show, where the good guys don’t always win. I was hooked on this series from the start. Creators Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, based the series on David Simon's Edgar Award-winning, non-fiction book ‘Homicide: A Year on the Killing.’ Their idea was to create a police drama that didn’t fall back on the overused stereotypes of the genre. As opposed to the obligatory car chases and shoot-outs, they wanted to deliver a well-written show that offered a look at what went on after the crime. Not in the way that “C.S.I.” does, but from the viewpoint of the detectives who have to solve the case. There were only nine episodes in the first season, but the series went on to gain critical acclaim, winning two Emmy Awards in 1993.

Unfortunately, the network was only interested in the ratings, which weren’t very high. They only ordered four episodes for the second season. This seemed like the mark of death for the show, but miraculously the show survived and continued on though seven terrific seasons.

Aside from the great writing, one of the things that really sold the show was the incredible ensemble cast the creators pulled together. They decided to go with a mix of well known (Ned Beatty, Yaphet Koto) and not so well known (Andre Baugher, Kyle Secor) actors to flesh out the characters. One of the surprise bits of casting came in the form of comedian Richard Belzer. But he was perfect in the role of the brash Detective John Munch. His character has even made a few guest appearances over the last few years on other series, including an episode of “The X-Files.”

I can’t tell you how excited I was to see “Homicide: Life on the Streets” being released on to the home video market. A&E Home Entertainment’s 4-disc set offers up all thirteen episodes of its 1st and 2nd season. The added bonus being that they are presented here in the order they were meant to be seen, as opposed to the jumbled up order in which the network originally aired them. All of the episodes are excellent, but one in particular stands out as especially heart wrenching. “Bop Gun”, which was the 2nd season finale, starred Robin Williams as a man vacationing in Baltimore only to have his wife murdered during a holdup. When Williams turns on his serious side, his performances can be chilling.

What makes the set even more worthwhile for fans of the show is the inclusion of well thought-out extras. Instead of just throwing little tidbits of info on to the discs, some of the extras have particular significance. The commentary by Levinson and Fontana offers up an entertaining hour of information about the series. The documentary, “Homicide: Life at the Start” covers a lot of ground about what it took to get the show up and running. Everything from the casting to the decisions of the show’s direction is covered through interviews and clips from the show.

One of the more difficult features to watch was the episode of the A&E series “American Justice” that focused on real life homicide detectives. The show introduces the viewer to three different case and the precincts that had to deal with them. Some of the crime scene photos were very grim, but it helped me to appreciate even more what these officers have to go through. It’s honestly a job I don’t think I could handle.

“Homicide: Life on the Streets” is, in my book, one of the best police dramas ever. And judging from the numerous awards it was nominated for and took home, I’m not the only one who thinks so. If you’re at all a fan of the genre, this is the DVD set to have. It has easily earned a spot on my ‘must-have’ list for 2003.

Starring: Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, Clark Johnson, Yaphet Koto, Melisa Leo, John Polito and Kyle Secor
Extras: Commentary with Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana on the pilot episode, “Homicide – Life at the Start” – An Interview with Levinson and Fontana, “To Catch a Killer: Homicide Detectives” – Episode of A&E’s Signature Series ‘American Justice’, Superbowl XXVII Commericals for Season One Premiere, Song Listing, Cast and Crew Biographies
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: A&E Home Entertainment
Release Date: 5/27/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Homicide - Season 1 & 2 an A.