Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 31, 1993 TAG: 9301280053
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TOM JICHA FORT LAUDERDALE SUN-SENTINEL
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
`HOMICIDE' WANTS TO BE GOOD
There is much to like about "Homicide: Life on the Street." Most notable is its aspirations. The new NBC police drama wants to be another "Hill Street Blues."It doesn't hit the mark, but that's neither a surprise nor a disgrace. There probably won't ever be another series as magnificently crafted and executed as "Hill Street," which unfailingly delivered a weekly emotional wallop. "Homicide" provides more of an entertaining nudge.
Still, it's easier to form an attachment for a show that wants to be as good as it gets than one that wants to be, say, the next "Starsky & Hutch."
It's encouraging that NBC also has lofty expectations for "Homicide." There is no more forceful statement a network can make than to premiere a program in the motherlode of time periods, the post-Super Bowl slot.
The source work, the book "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" by David Simon, was strong enough to be pitched to Barry Levinson as a theatrical feature. The Oscar-winning director, whose credits include "Diner," "Rain Man," "The Natural," "Good Morning, Vietnam" and "Bugsy," felt Simon's characters were rich enough to merit more than one visit, so he pitched the concept as a TV show.
When a Barry Levinson comes calling, a TV network, especially a struggling network like NBC, asks only "When would you like to start?"
(Levinson wasn't the only one impressed with Simon's book. The atrocious CBS series "Angel Street" lifted so liberally from it that a plagiarism settlement had to be made.)
The clout of Levinson's name made it possible to assemble a potent ensemble, some of whom will be familiar although not for episodic TV.
Yaphet Kotto is the Frank Furillo of this piece as Lt. Al Giardello, the commander of a Baltimore murder investigation squad, who has a knack for knowing which of his people needs an ego massage and which needs a kick in the behind, and when.
The most important gauge he uses is the handwriting on the wall. Black ink represents cases closed; red signifies investigations still ongoing.
Kay Howard and Beau Felton have a checkerboard relationship. A combination of intuition and luck keeps her consistently in the black; he's drowning in red ink. Melissa Leo plays Kay, and Daniel Baldwin of the acting Baldwins is Beau.
Detectives Bolander and Munch are the customary good cop-bad cop tandem. Standup comic Richard Belzer is surprisingly effective as Munch, a jaded hothead, and the ever-dependable Ned Beatty is Bolander, who serves as the social conscience for the two of them.
Det. Frank Pembleton has an even bigger chip on his shoulder than Munch. A loner and a maverick, he's tolerated because of his ruthless efficiency. He really chafes when he's assigned a rookie partner, Det. Bayliss, an idealist fresh off the mayor's security force. Andre Braugher plays Pembleton, and Kyle Secor is Bayliss.
The most interesting pair of all, however, is Steve Crosetti and Mel Lewis. Crosetti, played by Jon Polito, has enough quirks and eccentricities to carry a show of his own. Among other things, he lies awake nights pondering Oliver Stone-like thoughts about a possible conspiracy in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
Lewis, played by Clark Johnson, indulges Crosetti while plotting his escape from the depressing drudgery of murder investigation. His scheme of the moment is a mail-order adult diaper service for embarrassed incontinents.
The trait "Homicide" borrows most liberally from "Hill Street" is the dark humor and irony found in the underbelly of urban America and the futility of hoping to have a meaningful impact.
Investigating murders is like mowing the lawn, one of the cops philosophizes. As soon as you finish, it's time to start over. "Homicide is the one thing this country is still good at."
Making TV shows about it is another. "Homicide" isn't the best ever, but it's in the upper percentile.