Homicide: Life on the Street The Complete Season 4
May 2004 Reviewed by: Rad Bennett Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Two of the "name" stars of this police investigation show, Ned Beatty and Daniel Baldwin, did not return for the fourth season. Their characters were written out by putting them on suspension for carrying on at a law-enforcement party. So that every detective would have a partner, Reed Diamond entered the cast as Mike Kellerman. He is introduced in the first episode, as a cocky firefighter aiding the homicide crew in solving the mystery of a body found at an arson scene. In the second part of this two-part episode, he is asked to join the homicide division.

To further strengthen the investigative force, Isabella Hofmann’s character, Russert, was demoted mid-season from her role as the first woman captain of the Baltimore police force to being one of the detectives. There are other major changes. The bar owned by Lewis, Bayliss, and Munch becomes the location for an almost regular closing shot. There is more friction between the division and the "bosses," headed by the myopic Barnfather. Black humor reared its head in two episodes, "Full Moon" and "The Hat." Combat with drug dealers became a prominent theme, one that would become even more important in ensuing seasons.

But one of the things that might impress you most about this season is the study, from episode to episode, of partners at work. Lewis and Kellerman, Bayliss and Pembleton, and Munch and Russert all strike one much like married couples without sex. They develop deep bonds, yet argue over individual points; they can fight among themselves, yet defend each other when attacked from outside. The relationships depicted are very real and meaningful thanks to first-rate scripts.

The cast of this show literally lived in Baltimore for nine to ten months of the year and developed into an ensemble group that had uncanny rapport. Though each actor was capable of doing a virtuoso solo stand, the overall feeling is of a large family working together to solve Baltimore’s death-by-murder problems. Each episode is a finely polished gem, often quite different from the one that went before or the one coming after. Everyone is bound to have favorites. I like "The Hat," in which Emmy-nominated Lily Tomlin guest stars as a woman who has killed her husband. Lewis and Kellerman must transport her to Baltimore for arraignment. On the way, they learn a lot about each other and there are some good black-humor laughs, leading to a startling conclusion. The two-part "Sniper" hits a chord, but one must realize that it came four years before the recent sniper case in the Washington, DC, area. "A Doll’s Eyes" examines the devastating effect on two parents when a stray bullet renders their child brain-dead.

The DVD transfers of these excellent dramas are just fine. The picture is largely sharp and clean, only marred by an occasional artifact. The sound is quite remarkable. There is a lot of chatter in this show, both in the foreground and background, but every sound is distinct and clear. Though the box marks this set as "stereo," I got excellent, and arresting, full surround results when playing it in the Dolby Pro Logic II setting.

The extras are skimpy in quantity but good. The producers give an overview of the season, and, in a short featurette, they discuss the reasons for making various changes. There is a bio rap sheet on each major actor. And since Homicide most often used source music rather than specifically composed tracks, there are song listings for each show.

I hesitated when assigning the 4.5 rating to this show. A TV show that deserves a rating this good? Then I thought about the superb acting, the intelligent, involving scripts, the sure direction, the intriguing camera work, and the immediacy and impact of each story. Sure, because TV does not get better than this. Heck, drama itself doesn’t. If you missed this show on television -- and apparently, many people did, or it would still be running today -- now is your chance to experience the best detective crime show of all time. Seasons 1, 2, and 3 are already out in splendid editions, and Season 5 is promised for the fall. 

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