Homicide Life on the Streets: Season 3 Review (1 Viewer)

Well here's my Look at Homicide's 3rd Season which will be Streeting tommorrow 10/28.

There are Cop Shows and Then There's Homicide Life on the Streets. In 1993 the show Debuted after the Super Bowl to Rave Critical reviews, after which the show struggled to find a time slot, and Audience, and then Struggled to stay on the Air. After Two Seasons of which only 13 episodes were produced NBC committed to Season 3 and for the first time the series would have what almost would be considered a Complete season running 20 episodes. However NBC was not kind to the show and it's fans as it ran many of those twenty episodes out of order. Audienced struggled to make sense of the serialized stories because of this and ratings were still not kind. NBC even went as far as to play a show devulging that a major character had been killed before the episode dealing with his death. For this Set A&E has presented the episodes in the correct order the way the producers wanted, according to the back of the box set.

Season three was my favorite season some of the best episodes and Story Arcs were in this season. And it would be the Last Season before alot of the original Cast defections would occur. Many of the cast were just tired of waiting for the AX to fall so they moved on to other things. That AX held it's Swing for Seven Seasons, six of them good, before the show would end it's run.

The Set:

Season three is presented once again in a nice box that mimics the proceedural of the show. The Set consists of 20 episodes Spread out among six Disks with the special features presented on Disk six. The Disks are in Thin Paks as were the First Set. Important to Fans of the show is the fact that each disk is presented with a Song List of music used in the episodes of that disk. As Homicide Progressed it relied more and more on Music and this set reflects that. Kudos to NBC and A&E for getting Clearances for the music on the show and having it appear intact on this set.

The Video for this set is similar to what was found on the first set. Homicide was filmed for effect very Grainy with what appears to be almost a haze or film over the screen. This effect was lessened as the seasons went on and you can actually see the episodes get clearer as the year progressed. Several episodes has sections filmed in video portraying live newscasts and those look crystal clear so you'll see what I mean. The Audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 it's clear and sounds fine and even despite the prescence of alot of music in the series it serves this show not to get a DD5.1 makeover.

The Extras includes Interviews with Tom Fontana and Barry Levison the show's Producers narrated by Daniel Baldwin. Also Commentary with the Writers of the Superior episode "Gas Man" on that episode and an "About the Board" segment. You could say the shows Extras are it's achilles heel. For a $99.95 MSRP on this set more commentaries and participation with the show's stars should have happened. I guess we are lucky to get this series but I think a $69.95 MSRP is more in line with the what you get for your money. Still you can find this for as low as $53 bucks on the net so not a bad deal for Deal hunters out there.

While Not as Sensational as it's main Rival at the time, "NYPD BLUE" Homicide is still one of the best pure cop shows ever presented on Network TV. It was a show that was and still is unappreciated. It's Excellent Cast including Yaphet Kotto, Andre Braugher, Daniel Baldwin, and Ned Beatty were at the top of their game Here. This is a set not to be missed. And I challange any of you not to get choked up with the final scene of the episode "Crosetti"

it's kind of sad to see so little discussion of this set. i can't wait to pick it up!

I was pretty disallusioned with the show in the seventh year. I disliked many of the new characters they were focusing on. I never did watch the movie and have been meaning to buy it. But from what I've read on the plot I'm not sure I'll like it. As the season's moved on I did'nt like what they did to two characters Kellerman and especially Tim Bayliss. Kellerman was a great character that went completely nuts over the whole drawn out Luthor Mahoney thing. And Bayliss they had developments to him that I could not completely believe and in the end made him do something I don't think his character would've done. And I don't mean the Bisexual angle his character took.

Andre Braugher will forever be my favorite dramatic television actor....

Nice review, Dave.

Seasons 2 and 3 (and of course, the "Three men and Adena" episode from Season 1) ruined me for TV dramas forever. Nothing can hold a candle to these.

And I challange any of you not to get choked up with the final scene of the episode "Crosetti"

That's the truth. Maybe the best ending to a TV show ever.

-Reagan

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I have been too busy watching Homicide S3 to post. I have two episodes to go then I'll start jonesing for season 4. If you haven't already, be sure to watch the overvue of S3 on disc 6. It explains why Crosetti was killed.

Too bad S3 was Daniel Baldwin's and Ned Beatty's last season. I still loved the show, but it was a little emptier when they left.

I always thought the Actor that played crosetti
wanted to leave or perhaps they fired him becasue they wanted to add another female charcter i.e. russert into the show. I like crosetti

but have to admit I like Russert too . She was much better than either Callie Thorne or Micheal Michele that they added as window dressing later on.

I'll be on a strong lookout for this set this weekend.

Seems to be VERY expensive, (but certainly worth every cent). I too wish there were more discussion of the show as I fear low interest might halt future seasons from coming, but I'll hope for the best.

I will definitely be getting this soon. So glad to be able to replace all my VHS tapes.

I had a friend whose father was the real homicide detective who Ned Beatty's character was based on. Ironic thing was that a few years after the publication of the book that the series was based on, a new Commisioner took over. He instigated mandatory rotation which forced many older, experienced detectives to retire, including the "Big Man". The Homicide unit lost most of it's best detectives.

I started watching Homicide just because I had met my friend's dad and it became one of my favorite shows ever.

Richard,

just curious, how did your friend's dad feel about the show and the character that was based on him?

you can get the best price on this set online at Deep Discount $55. THey covered mandatory rotation on one of the eps of the series. THe third season Rocks I just finished Crosetti. The scene where frank is trying to get out of the parking space is fantastic, As is the ending of the show. So many good eps of this show I might even buy the lackluster Seventh year since i stopped watching basically after Frank Left. I hated Falsone and the rest of the new characters. But by today's low standards even awful homicide is better than most of todays tv.

you can order it for $55, but getting it is another matter... mine has been on backorder for going on 10 days now...

As a big fan of Homicide when it was on TV, I an VERY happy to see it on disc (at least the first four seasons). I got seasons 1+2 yesterday, and have not stopped watching it yet. The episode "Three Men and Adena" is superb.
Lou

It's a shame that Universal wasn't willing to work on an episode swap regarding the Homicide/Law & Order crossovers. I know A&E tried, but they couldn't pull it off :frowning:

Gord

I haven't been able to pick this up yet, I now have it on order. I can't wait! this is easily my favorite show off all time!

I'll be getting all of them! Season 7 wasn't all that bad. when did Homicide the movie come out on DVD? I've never seen it available.