Andre Braugher, beloved and Emmy-winning actor, died last week at the age of 61. Though he had a vast and diverse career, Braugher was best known for two shows, both about cops: Homicide: Life on the Street, the ‘90s procedural that catapulted him to stardom, and the comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The latter is available to stream on Peacock. But where’s Homicide? Nowhere. It’s one of many towering shows the streaming era has left behind. But that might change, eventually.
I have been informed by a reliable source that NBC/Universal is at last attempting, along with Fremantle on the overseas rights, to clear music rights on #Homicide for eventual streaming. Lot of work to do achieve that, however, I am also told.
Andre alone ought to rate such.
— David Simon (@AoDespair) December 17, 2023
Per The AV Club, David Simon — who wrote the book upon which the NBC show was based and was one of its writers in his pre-The Wire days — posted some good news a few days after Braugher’s passing.
“I have been informed by a reliable source that NBC/Universal is at last attempting, along with Fremantle on the overseas rights, to clear music rights on #Homicide for eventual streaming,” Simon tweeted. “Lot of work to do achieve that, however, I am also told.”’
He added, “Andre alone ought to rate such.”
In other words, don’t hold your breath. Music rights are a pain to clear. That said, it only took about six months or so for Moonlighting, the show that made Bruce Willis’ name and gave Cybill Shepherd a well-deserved second act, to appear on Hulu after its creator vowed to finally get it online.
In that case, news that Willis was suffering from aphasia, a disorder that robs one’s ability to communicate, inspired people to get his breakthrough on streaming stat. It looks like the same thing is happening with Homicide in the wake of Braugher’s death.
Over seven seasons, Homicide explored a fictional version of the Baltimore Police Department’s titular unit. Braugher played Detective Frank Pemberton, a legend in the department, and one of the primary characters amongst an ensemble cast. Along with NYPD Blue, which premiered later the same year, in 1993, it revolutionized the cop show, introducing gritty, handheld camerawork and deepening the moral ambiguities seen in earlier such shows as Hill Street Blues. Hopefully a whole new generation will finally be able to see it, and Braugher’s esteemed work on it.
Till then, please enjoy Braugher’s first scene on Homicide, which sets the bar way high.
From the HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET pilot. Our first real look at the mercurial Frank Pembleton, played so magnificently by Andre Braugher. May he rest in peace. I’ll likely be posting more of his standout scenes from Homicide in the coming days. He’s a legend. pic.twitter.com/RY2WqIcX67
— Jay Faerber (@JayFaerber) December 13, 2023
(Via
