Something to See: The Replica 'Homicide: Life on the Street' Whiteboard in Kooper's Tavern - Entrepreneur Generations

Replica of Homicide white board inside Kooper's Tavern in Fells Point.

This sign appears to be gone off of the Fells Point building.

Homicide building, currently being renovated into condos.

The Wire (2002-2008), the best television show of all time, deservedly gets much acclaim, but Homicide: Life on the Street (1993-1999) was also a great show: literate, thought-provoking, gritty, and all done within the confines of network television. Long before I ever thought about Baltimore as a landing spot for my life, I watched Homicide, riveted, even taping it that season it was on against Picket Fences.

Homicide never got great ratings, and was often relegated to Friday nights, but it pushed on and broke through a lot of cop show conventions, and created some of the greatest television characters of all time, particularly Frank Pembleton (played by the great Andre Braugher, currently starring on Brooklyn 99), but also more, such as Kay Howard (played by Melissa Leo, who later won an Oscar), and Detective Bayliss (played by Kyle Secor), a detective who came out as bisexual during he series run, much before that sort of thing was commonplace on mainstream television. Based on David Simon's book of the same name, it wast produced by him: Barry Levinson, Paul Attanasio, and Tom Fontana created and ran the show (Simon wrote and edited a few episodes and produced the last two seasons). With The Wire, Simon kind of took the ball and ran with it, creating a nuanced work of art out of something that was already a masterpiece.

Unfortunately, we don't hear about Homicide: Life on the Street much today, partially because it has been overshadowed by more wide-reaching The Wire, but also, I think, because of availability. I read some press releases about a complete box set of the series being released, but I can't find it on Amazon, and individual seasons of the show are expensive, in the area of $60/season. And who buys DVDs anymore? They're not even Blu Rays. I haven't found it available on any streaming services.

The replica Homicide board in Kooper's Tavern

Walking in Fells Point the other day, I was a little dismayed to see that the "Homicide: Life on the Street" sign had been removed off of the old police station building on Thames Street, which is currently being converted into condos, I believe. This is the sign that you can see above, which read "In this building from 1992-1999 a group of talented people created a television legend." Currently, the sign is gone, at least of a couple weeks ago, and massive construction is being done on the building. Perhaps they'll put it up after the construction is done. Or, maybe it's gone forever.

I was happy, though, that recently I went into Kooper's Tavern, a solid Thames Street bar, and saw a replica of the Homicide: Life on the Street board up on the wall going up the stairs. I've been going to Kooper's for years, but had never noticed this before, so got pretty excited.

The board from the actual TV series

If I remember correctly from the series, the detectives often met up after work in the bar across the street, which I always thought was what now is Waterfront Hotel, but perhaps Kooper's has a connection as well. It's definitely in the right area. Regardless, I'm happy to see them carrying a torch for the old series, which hopefully someday will get the Blu Ray box release it deserves. When it happens, Homicide: Life on the Street viewing party at my place!

Regardless, fans of Homicide should head on into Kooper's and check out the sign. It's cool.

Baltimore really needs to embrace its history with The Wire and Homicide. Robert F. Chew (Prop Joe) is buried in a rundown cemetery a few steps from the roaring traffic of I-95, and now the Homicide sign is gone. Being the setting of two of the greatest television series of all time should be something Baltimore is proud of, not something to hide from. Thanks to Kooper's for the little nod, at least.

from Epiphany in Baltimore http://ift.tt/1MLNvNb Something to See: The Replica 'Homicide: Life on the Street' Whiteboard in Kooper's Tavern - Entrepreneur Generations

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