TV this week: ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ is finally available for streaming

What TV critic Neal Justin is watching this week.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 16, 2024 at 1:00PM
"Homicide: Life on the Street" chronicles a fictional version of the work by Baltimore Police Department's homicide unit. (NBC)

‘Homicide: Life on the Street’

The greatest network series about cops not called “Hill Street Blues” is ready to impress a new generation.

For years, “Homicide” topped the list of the best shows not available for streaming. Squabbles over music rights was one of the main reasons it stayed in storage. But its delay was also due to the fact that the ‘90s drama series never was super popular or flashy. Bullets rarely flew.

Instead, the action depended on its superb cast, which included Melissa Leo and the late Andre Braugher, exchanging random thoughts about films, furniture, conspiracies — anything to distract them from the gruesome nature of their jobs. If you never saw the original series, or want to relive a time when networks took chances, “Homicide” is the binge-watch of the year. Monday, Peacock

‘OceanXplorers’

James Cameron hosts this six-part docuseries in which a group of overly eager environmentalists capture footage of hammerhead sharks, humpback whales and polar bears with gadgets straight out of a James Bond movie. Despite attempts to make the research look like scenes from an action flick, this outing is strictly for science-and-nature geeks. 8 p.m. Sunday, National Geographic; streams Monday on Disney+ and Hulu

‘The Abyss’

Cameron’s fascination with the ocean didn’t start with “Titanic.” This 1989 adventure film, in which Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio play explorers who have an unexpected encounter deep underwater, underwhelmed at the box office, perhaps because of its spiritual tone. But this is Cameron’s most moving work — one well worth rediscovering. Hulu, Paramount+, Apple TV+

‘Knox Goes Away’

Michael Keaton is the star and director of this 2023 thriller in which an assassin with a rare form of dementia tries to set things right before he completely loses his memory. The story has a lot in common with 2000′s “Memento,” directed by recent Oscar winner Christopher Nolan, but it lacks that film’s clever twists and urgent pace. Still, it’s always a pleasure to watch Keaton stretch himself, especially when he’s doing it with co-stars like Al Pacino and Marcia Gay Harden. Max

‘Untold: The Murder of Air McNair’

This documentary about the death of NFL quarterback Steve McNair is a mystery and sports profile rolled into one. The story of his rapid rise with the Tennessee Titans is shared alongside details about his murder. Upcoming subjects under the “Untold” banner include soccer icon Hope Solo and the University of Michigan’s sign-stealing scheme. Tuesday, Netflix

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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