Homicide: Life on the Street

Homicide: Life on the Street is a groundbreaking police procedural genre that broke records, featured memorable characters, and launched careers. This TV Milestone, by Lisa Doris Alexander, uses Critical Race Theory to highlight how the show illustrated the impacts that racial politics can have on policing. The book discusses the Black-starring roles on Homicide in terms of being non-stereotypical and written and performed as well-rounded, complex characters. It also focuses on issues of race and racism and their impact on policing, as well as other power dynamics, such as class, political clout, and social standing, and how those dynamics intersect with race and the criminal justice system's perceived neutrality. Alexander argues that Homicide reflects the politics of the Black Lives Matter movement, which in turn highlights the fact that the issues brought up by the movement are long-standing and that the series affirms the critiques BLM activists make about the criminal justice system. Fans of David Simon and students and scholars of television studies and Critical Race Theory will enjoy this enlightening book.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 128 pages
\n Publication date: 07 September 2021
\n Publisher: Wayne State University Press
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Renowned for its unique visual style, Homicide: Life on the Street fundamentally changed the police procedural genre. The show broke records, featured memorable characters, and launched careers—most notably that of David Simon, whose own nonfiction book, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, inspired the series, and who went on to create both The Wire and Treme. Homicide was an anomaly in the 1990s for its honest and open portrayals and discussions of race, and in this TV Milestone, Lisa Doris Alexander uses Critical Race Theory as a lens to highlight how the show illustrated the impacts that racial politics can have on policing. Homicide is one in a long line of police procedurals that date back to the early days of broadcast television, with series such as Dragnet (NBC 1951-59), Hawaii Five-O (CBS 1968-80), and Columbo (NBC 1971-78). But because Homicide takes place and was filmed in the majority-Black city of Baltimore, it makes sense that many of the main and supporting cast are Black. This differentiated it from the other shows of its genre and time. Chapter 1 discusses the Black-starring roles on Homicide in terms of being non-stereotypical and both written and performed as well-rounded, complex characters. Chapter 2 focuses on issues of race and racism and their impact on policing. Chapter 3 looks at other power dynamics, such as class, political clout, and social standing, and how those dynamics intersect with race and the criminal justice system's perceived neutrality. In many regards, Homicide was ahead of its time. Alexander argues that Homicide reflects the politics of the Black Lives Matter movement, which in turn highlights the fact that the issues brought up by the movement are long-standing and that the series affirms the critiques BLM activists have made.

\n Weight: 120g\n
Dimension: 126 x 177 x 10 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780814348673\n \n