After years of anticipation, Homicide: Life on the Street will start streaming on Peacock on August 19, 2024. Originally airing on NBC from 1993 to 1999, the award-winning police procedural is based on David Simon’s book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.
The show follows the Baltimore Police Department’s homicide unit and features an ensemble cast including Andre Braugher, Kyle Secor, Yaphet Kotto, and Richard Belzer. It has received critical acclaim and has a devoted fanbase.
When and where to stream Homicide: Life on the Street?
For the very first time, all seven seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street will appear in high definition and 4K; it had previously only seen releases in standard definition on DVD. Remastering was possible after years of battling over music rights, which blocked the show's way to streaming. It will stream exclusively on Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service.
Homicide: Life on the Street won Emmy four times
Created by Paul Attanasio and based on David Simon's book, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, this series received 17 Emmy nominations and won four in its time. The show featured a strong ensemble cast led by Yaphet Kotto, Ned Beatty, and Melissa Leo, who joined later in her career. Its use of background music greatly contributed to its storytelling.
Andre Braugher starred as Detective Frank Pembleton and also won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor. It also spawned the character of Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, who would proceed to feature in Law & Order: SVU. The program received acclaim for its new way of storytelling and demystifying the job of police, hence setting itself apart from other procedurals at the time.
What was the impact of the music rights issues on the series’ availability?
Music rights significantly stunted how much of Homicide was available to stream. The show made great use of a lot of copyrighted music, thereby posing problems with clearance and the associated costs of licensing. Creator David Simon had spoken earlier about how difficult it was to replace the music without it affecting the integrity of the show—how deeply the scenes were steeped in music.
Streaming remastering has gone a long way to rectify these issues, and the show finally opens its doors to new and old fans alike in high definition. Thus far, the upscale from the old footage not only provides brilliant picture quality but also retains the original music integral to the atmosphere of the show.
How was this news received?
The news of Homicide's streaming premiere is met with some highly spiked interest among fans and critical circles. Longtime fans are eager to revisit the series, while new audiences will experience this seminal TV show for the first time. Social media comments express anticipation and nostalgia, praising the writing, acting, and innovative storytelling.
It's time to mark your calendars for August 19 and be prepared to once again hit the streets of Baltimore with Homicide: Life on the Street on Peacock.