I've been rewatching Homicide: Life on the Street for the first time in
a few years and, as usual, I'm watching it in sequence. Even though I've
seen all the episodes several times each, I'm struck by how very very
good all of the actors were. What am amazing job of casting they did!

It's sadder than it used to be watching it this time because so many of
the actors are gone now. Crosetti, G, Bolander, Munch, and, of course Pembleton. But I still get to enjoy great performances: the actors
really are immortal in that sense.

I've also discovered a podcast called Homicide: Life on the Set. One of
the two presenters was apparently on the crew of the show. It looks like
they are making the effort to talk to the surviving members of the cast
and even the crew. I'm currently listening to a lengthy interview with
Isabella Hofmann, who played Megan Russert. I see a Kyle Secor episode
as well which I'll bet is interesting too. I'm going to have to look
into the podcast further to see who else they have.

I thought I'd mention all this in case any of you were looking for a
great show to rewatch or a podcast that touched on it.


--
Rhino

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On 2025-08-15 11:43 PM, Rhino wrote:

I've been rewatching Homicide: Life on the Street for the first time in
a few years and, as usual, I'm watching it in sequence. Even though I've
seen all the episodes several times each, I'm struck by how very very
good all of the actors were. What am amazing job of casting they did!

It's sadder than it used to be watching it this time because so many of
the actors are gone now. Crosetti, G, Bolander, Munch, and, of course Pembleton. But I still get to enjoy great performances: the actors
really are immortal in that sense.

I've also discovered a podcast called Homicide: Life on the Set. One of
the two presenters was apparently on the crew of the show. It looks like
they are making the effort to talk to the surviving members of the cast
and even the crew. I'm currently listening to a lengthy interview with Isabella Hofmann, who played Megan Russert. I see a Kyle Secor episode
as well which I'll bet is interesting too. I'm going to have to look
into the podcast further to see who else they have.

I thought I'd mention all this in case any of you were looking for a
great show to rewatch or a podcast that touched on it.

I've had a bit more of a look at the Homicide: Life on the Set podcast
and see that they've got episodes featuring lengthy interviews with:
- Kyle Secor (who played Tim Baylis)
- Melissa Leo (who played Kay Howard)
- Toni Lewis (who played Terri Stivers)
- Reed Diamond (who played Mike Kellerman)
- David Simon (who wrote the book the series was based on and then wrote several episodes of the series)
- Tom Fontana, Julie Martin, and Jorge Zamacona (who each wrote or
co-wrote several episodes)

They also talk to a bunch of crew members, including Directors of
Photography, Assistant Directors, gaffers, sound guys, etc.

Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/@HomicideLifeOnTheSet

--
Rhino

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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Rhino <[email protected]> wrote:

I've been rewatching Homicide: Life on the Street for the first time in
a few years and, as usual, I'm watching it in sequence. Even though I've
seen all the episodes several times each, I'm struck by how very very
good all of the actors were. What am amazing job of casting they did!

It's sadder than it used to be watching it this time because so many of
the actors are gone now. Crosetti, G, Bolander, Munch, and, of course >Pembleton. But I still get to enjoy great performances: the actors
really are immortal in that sense.

Yaphet Kooto has always been my example of why there's nothing wrong
with colorblind casting. It's a challenge to create a character that
ain't you. Kotto, clearly, was up to the challenge. It was disappointing
in later seasons in which there was an episode with dialogue to address
why the black actor playing an Italian. The character was retconned as
mixed race, which didn't work either as Kotto sure as hell was not mixed
race. The audience could suspend disbelief to see a white character.

. . .

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On 2025-08-16 2:07 PM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:

Rhino <[email protected]> wrote:

I've been rewatching Homicide: Life on the Street for the first time in
a few years and, as usual, I'm watching it in sequence. Even though I've
seen all the episodes several times each, I'm struck by how very very
good all of the actors were. What am amazing job of casting they did!

It's sadder than it used to be watching it this time because so many of
the actors are gone now. Crosetti, G, Bolander, Munch, and, of course
Pembleton. But I still get to enjoy great performances: the actors
really are immortal in that sense.

Yaphet Kooto has always been my example of why there's nothing wrong
with colorblind casting. It's a challenge to create a character that
ain't you. Kotto, clearly, was up to the challenge. It was disappointing
in later seasons in which there was an episode with dialogue to address
why the black actor playing an Italian. The character was retconned as
mixed race, which didn't work either as Kotto sure as hell was not mixed race. The audience could suspend disbelief to see a white character.

. . .

Actually, the episode where G's heritage was explained as being mixed African-American and Italian was in Episode 6 of Season 1. He and a
colleague (played by Michael Constantine) are walking the colleague home
home somewhat tipsy from the colleague's retirement party when G
reminded the colleague that one of his parents had lived in the same
Italian neighbourhood as Constantine's character still lived and his
other parent came from just down the street in the Murphy Homes, a
notorious ghetto. (I've already forgotten which parent was black and
which was Italian.) G also made a point of using the odd phrase or
expression in Italian which had the effect of bolstering his
authenticity. That's some fine acting because, as you say, he was not
mixed race or at least not black and Italian. I don't really know
anything about Kotto's parents but assume they were both black; I know
he had some Camerounian heritage and was actually reckoned a prince but
I don't if that was from his father's side, his mother's or both. (Or
maybe it was a tall tale meant to embellish his resume.)

Or are you talking about the Season 7 episode where G's son Mike starts
working with the Homicide squad as an FBI liasion? I vaguely remember
some talk about the Giardello heritage being discussed then. I also
recall someone saying that Giancarlo Esposito was the real deal, unlike
Yaphet Kotto: a guy of mixed black and Italian heritage.

--
Rhino

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Rhino <[email protected]> wrote:

Actually, the episode where G's heritage was explained as being mixed >African-American and Italian was in Episode 6 of Season 1. . . .

Was it that early? My error.

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