Homicide: Life on the Street

Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department's Homicide Unit. 
The series was originally based on David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets (1991). Many of the characters and stories used throughout the show were based on events depicted in the book.
It ran for seven seasons (122 episodes) on NBC from January 31, 1993 to May 21, 1999, and was succeeded by Homicide: The Movie (2000), which served as the de facto series finale.
The show inspired the spin-off Homicide: Second Shift, which was shown exclusively online and did not include the regular cast.
==Canon==
See also: Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets for the book canon
===Characters===
* Frank Pembleton
* Tim Bayliss
===TV Series===
In the first episode, we see Tim Bayliss join the Homicide department, and get assigned a very reluctant partner, Frank Pembleton. The cast was large and talented, and other characters had important episodes, but in the first five seasons, Frank and Tim's relationship is the focus of the show. When Frank's character leaves at the end of 5th season, most agree that the show never recovered. 
Tim evolves more as a character than most stars do; he was gradually led from generic cop homophobe to questioning bisexual, even going on a date with a gay man at one point.
===Television film===
Former homicide Shift Commander Al Giardello is shot just as he's about to start his campaign for Mayor of Baltimore, so the former and current homicide detectives work together to find the culprit.
===Spin-off===
Homicide: Second Shift was an Internet web series presented in a static script/comic book format (there was no streaming video). The web-show started 21 February 1997. The show featured detectives of the homicide squad that worked the second shift, after the television detectives went home for the day. Several of the characters from Homicide: Second Shift had cameos on Homicide: Life on the Street, and the web series had one story crossover with the television show.
===Misc.===
Due to the friendship between Tom Fontana and David Simon, which started in 1980s while working as writers in the same building, HLTOS canonically crossed over with both Law & Order, St. Elsewhere and The X-Files (Munch met the Lone Gunmen). Over the course of the seven seasons, several characters left the show, some later reappear - including some who died - in the 2000 movie or The Wire series that was also based on the book that inspired Homicide.
==The Fandom==
alt.tv.homicide; multiple mailing lists w/ splits and controversy (including one called the "Schism mailing list"); conventions; remaining archives
===Shipping===
The characters Frank Pembleton and Tim Bayliss were clearly the fan favorites, and they had all of the intensity that tends to foster a slash fandom. The fact that Pembleton was the only detective to maintain a marriage in the show may be something that discouraged fan writers who envisioned a sexual Frank/Tim relationship. 
The fandom (as was the show itself) was popular with crossovers, and Tim was memorably slashed with X-Files' Fox Mulder, due South's Ray Kowalski, and Law & Order's Mike Logan, as well as Chris Rawls, a gay man that Tim dated in one episode.
Frank appears in far less crossovers. Some fans wonder if the fact that Frank is played by a black actor had anything to do with this, and of the small size of the fandom. See also Racism in Fandom.
==Fan Comments==
===1995===
===1996===
===1998===
===Comments About the Chris Rawls Episode===
The episode which aired January 2, 1998 was called "Closet Cases". It featured the guest star, Peter Gallagher, as a gay man. Despite the fact that many fans wanted it to be an arc, or a continued storyline, it was a one-shot.
One scene is here.
==Fanfiction==
===Homicide: Life on the Street-centric===
* When I Try To Speak.... a novella by Suzan Lovett (Chris/Tim; Frank/Tim) (published in the zine Entr'Acte) (1999)
* Homicide: Life on the Side, novel by Pam Rose: see Homicide: Life on the Side (Bayliss/Pembleton) and Shadow Self (Bayliss/Pembleton, Bayliss/Chris Rawls) (1994)
* Permanently Offline by Jeff and Saundra Mitchell (where the actual show's characters were the "real characters" working for the Baltimore PD, having to deal with the actors, and the fans, of a popular show based on their activities) (unknown date)
===Crossover Fanfiction===
* Forward Slash/Slash-Evidence series (X-Files/Homicide crossover by Saundra Mitchell) (unknown date)
* Homicidal Tendencies by by Swikstr, crossover with The X-Files (1994 or before)
* Comfort and Joy - Part 1: Comfort by Meridian (crossover with The Professionals (published in the zine Variations on the Theme of B and D (1999)
* Hawks and Hands by Dira Sudi (crossover with due South) (2000s)
* Lunar Eclipse in G Minor by by Wax Jism (crossover with due South) (2000s)
* The Sestina Series by basingstoke (crossover with due South) (2001)
* Surprising Developments by Meridian St. James, crossover with Highlander, printed in Crossed Swords & Senses (2002)
*Going Under by shell slash, crossover with Hard Core Logo (Billy Talent/Tim Bayliss) (2002)
* Like a House on Fire by Beth H. and Kellie Matthews (crossover with due South (2002)
* a vignette by Speranza for the The Inappropriate Elf Challenge (2003)
==Meta==
* The Slashy Response to Have a Conscience: How Can Anyone See a Sexual Encounter After a Suicide Attempt? by by Hayley Douglas (1999)
* by The Divine Adoratrice, May 9, 1998, revised May 10, 1998 ("There's a good reason why it's not out there.") + the follow-up in January 1999: Homicide Redux. (1998-99)
===Vids===
* So Pure by Katharine Scarritt and Pam Rose (Media Cannibals) (2000)
*Crucify by Katharine Scarritt and Pam Rose (Media Cannibals) (1998) streaming at the Internet Archive
*Losing My Religion (Homicide Life On The Streets vid) by Katharine Scarritt (1998) streaming at the Internet Archive
====Vid Comments====
===Art===
Art: very little print art was created for the series as the small fandom took root at a time when most fans were moving their activities to the Internet. 
File:Entraart2.jpg|Frank portrait, Suzan Lovett, from Entr'Acte
File:Entraart1.jpg|Tim portrait, "Bayliss Chronicles", Suzan Lovett, from Entr'Acte
File:lovershybrids.jpg|"Lovers and Other Hybrids", Suzan Lovett
File:Goingunder.jpg|cover of Going Under, artist is rusty
File:Swirl.jpg|banner art by The Theban Band Tim Bayliss is second from the left (for Multifandom Merry-Go-Round, 2000 or before)
==Archives & Communities==
===Archives===
*11 Cents
*Schism (archive for the Schism mailing list, closed since February 2002)
*Slashonthestreet Archive
*Autofocus
* Beth's Slash Emporium
===Communities===
*Homicide: Life on the Street at newbieguide
*Homicide: Life on the Street Overview at crack_van
===Conventions===
* HomiCon (1995-99)
==Mailing Lists== 
* Homicide Life on the Streets Chat and Fic archive link Description: 	"In my humble opinion, there is by far not enough fiction about Homicide, Life On The streets. Soooo, here's another chance to discuss the show and post a bit of fluff. General friendship, hetero or slash fiction is encouraged. We welcome smarm through the rough and tumble BDSM and beyond. By joining this list you declare to one and all that you are above the legal age. Any fiction posted, will be automatically archived, unless the author includes a "Do NOT Archive" addendum." 
 
* Homicidal Maniacs archive link Description: 	"Consider this club as an extension of SaveHomicide.com, where Homicidal Maniacs can discuss ways of bringing back the show."
	
* Autofocus archive link Description: 	"Autofocus is an adult mailing list for Homicide: Life on the Street fanfiction and discussion."
	
* Homicide 2 archive link Description: 	"Welcome to Baltimore's Homicide Unit! Feel free to sit down at any of the Detective's desks & discuss any old, new or ongoing cases."
	
* The Waterfront Bar archive link Description: 	"The Waterfront is a place were we are free to discuss, bicker and debate about The Best Damn Show On Television, Homicide Life On The Street! So take a good long pull on your drink and be prepared to defend your position! Bad poetry and song parodies encourged here on Open Mike Night."
* 99 HomiCon archive link Description: 	"Planning for HomiCon - an annual gathering of Homicide: Life on the Street fans in Fell's Point, Baltimore. Visit our website http://homicon.tripod.com"
	
* Homicide: LotS (mailing list) archive link Description: 	"For viewers of the best damn show on television, Homicide: Life on the Street. Subscribers know that Homicide is better than Law and Order, E.R., The Practice, and every other critically heralded drama. If you're interested in fan fiction, please subscribe to autofocus. If you'd like to discuss the actors, filmmakers, crew, locations, and storylines of Homicide: Life on the Street, then this is the list for you."
	
* Law Dogs [offline] Description: 	"Slash oriented list for fans of the television dramas Homicide and Law & Order."
==References==
Category:Homicide:Life on the Street