As a TV writer, I hear a number of questions repeatedly. Why are quality shows so darkly lit? Why do TV writers put so many curse words in the characters’ mouths? And: Where can I find “Homicide: Life on the Street,” the police drama set in Baltimore that ran on NBC from 1993 to 1999?
The excellent series, based on the book “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets” by David Simon, the writer-producer who went on to make “The Wire,” “Treme,” and “The Plot Against America,” has never been available to stream. The reason for that has been the cost of music rights. Last December, after the death of “Homicide” star Andre Braugher, Simon mentioned its streaming absence. “There is a lot of licensed music in the show from a vast array of artists,” he wrote, and during its 1990s run, “they didn’t pay for future platforms. And do you know what? Artists deserve to be paid for their work earning money for corporations on various platforms.”
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But now, according to Simon, it’s on its way to a streamer. On social media, Simon wrote, “Word is that NBC has managed to finally secure the music rights necessary to sell ‘Homicide: Life on the Streets’ to a streaming platform.” He added, referring to some of the actors on the show who have passed away, “Andre [Braugher], Richard [Belzer], Yaphet [Kotto], Ned [Beatty], and so many others who labored on that wonderful show on both sides of the camera will soon regain a full share of their legacy. Stay tuned for more details.”
The most obvious streamer for “Homicide” would be Peacock, due to the NBC connection. Wherever it winds up, I do hope it finds a large, appreciative audience. Like “The Wire,” it didn’t get the love it deserved during its first run, even as its tough-minded and unromanticized approach helped TV drama grow up.
Matthew Gilbert can be reached at matthew.gilbert@globe.com. Follow him @MatthewGilbert.