The 5 Best Episodes of ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ (Now Finally Available to Stream)

Zhanna Slor August 20, 2:47 pm

HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, from left, Clark Johnson, Reed Diamond, Isabella Hoffman, Yaphet Kotto, Richard Belzer, Melissa Leo, Kyle Secor, Andre Braugher, 1993-99. ph: — Darryl Estrine/TV Guide/NBC/courtesy Everett Collection

Homicide fans, rejoice! All 122 episodes — remastered to HD and 4K — of the hit 1990s crime drama are finally, for the first time ever, available to stream on Peacock.

The award-winning detective series set in Baltimore was adapted from Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, a non-fiction book by then-Baltimore Sun police reporter David Simon, and even now, decades later, it is clear why the show was so successful. It’s not your typical police procedural, focusing more on characters and their existential musings on life than the crimes themselves, which, in Baltimore, are endless; more of a constant background than a focus.

>> ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Will Finally Be Available on Streaming

In the pilot episode, “Gone for Goode,” which introduces the eclectic, somewhat cynical crew of crime-solvers (including Richard Belzer as pre-Law & Order SVU Detective Munch and Reed Diamond as police officer Mike Kellerman) via a new detective’s first day (Kyle Secor’s Tim Bayliss), the characters note that working in Baltimore’s homicide unit is like mowing the grass; you may solve some murders, but there are always more murders. Working there is a highly Sisyphean task, as Baltimore is notoriously dangerous, although it’s currently #13 on the Top 20 list of most dangerous cities in the U.S., which is perhaps an improvement since this show and The Wire both aired in the 1990s.

Even though I was barely a teenager in the late 90s when it was one of the biggest hits of NBC, Homicide became one of my favorite shows, second only to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. (I don’t know what that says about me, other than I was an oddball and also clearly always meant to write crime fiction.) But now that it’s available to stream, I am already tuning back in! So far, I’d say the show has aged fairly well. Here are some of the best episodes to watch, if you haven’t already (or, if you’re like me, you want to watch it again):

Season 1, Episode 1: “Gone for Goode”

If you’re going to watch this show, it’s best to start with the pilot episode. The video quality, for some reason, is fairly low compared to the rest of the episodes, but the writing and characterization is still amazing, and it’s a great introduction to the world of Baltimore in the 1990s. Andre Braugher is great as the arrogant lone wolf Pembleton, and Melissa Leo, who plays Detective Kay Howard, has the best hair. Also: Did you know that Daniel Baldwin is one of the main characters? Did you know there is a Daniel Baldwin? I didn’t!

HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, from left, Daniel Baldwin, Melissa Leo, 1993-99. ph:

Paul Drinkwater / TV Guide / ©NBC / courtesy Everett Collection

Season 2, Episode 4: “Bop Gun”

Though he authored the book the show was based on, this was author David Simon’s first script and foray into screenwriting and showrunning, which would eventually lead him to creating another excellent show, The Wire. The episode was about a tourist (Robin Williams) whose wife is murdered while visiting Baltimore.

Season 3, Episode 4: “Crosetti”

Jon Polito, who played the Lincoln assassination conspiracy theorist and slightly grumpy detective Steve Crosetti in the first two seasons, was famously removed the series in Season 3. “The show went from art to mediocrity,” he said after being fired. But first, Crosetti got an epic send-off episode, when his character’s body is found floating in Chesapeake Bay. Peacock is placing the episode in the intended episode order (which is also what’s been on the DVD box sets), rather than the order in which NBC chose to air it. At the time, network executives worried that “Crosetti” was too depressing to air during the November sweeps period, so two later episodes aired ahead of it, one of which included characters discussing the death before viewers got to see it happening.

HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, from left: Jon Polito, Ned Beatty, Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, 1993-1999.

NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection

Season 3, Episode 10: “Every Mother’s Son”

Pembleton and Bayliss investigate the shooting of a 13-year-old boy, and the mothers of the victim and his killer wind up sitting together at the precinct before they find out what one of their sons did to the other.

Season 4, Episode 6: “Requiem for Adena”

The murder of a young girl brings back memories of Detective Bayliss’s first homicide case, which was never solved. Pembleton is the primary and is frustrated by Bayliss’ interference and obsession with the cold case.

HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, Andre Braugher, 1993-1999. ph:

Eric Liebowitz/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection