Television Review: The Documentary (Homicide: Life on the Street, S5X11, 1997)

The Documentary (S05E11)

Airdate: 3 January 1997

Written by: Eric Overmyer
Directed by: Barbara Kopple

Running Time: 46 minutes

Brodie, introduced as a recurring character in Homicide: Life on the Street’s fourth season and elevated to regular status in Season 5, initially posed a challenge for the series’ creators. Conceived as a Gen X avatar to attract younger viewers, Brodie’s youth rendered him ill-suited for the gritty, procedural demands of a homicide detective. Consequently, he functioned primarily as a sidekick, a self-aware commentator akin to a Greek Chorus, whose storylines relied on clichés such as his transient crush on Howard or his perpetual homelessness—forcing him to crash on colleagues’ couches or endure evictions. Deprived of a meaningful narrative arc, Brodie’s character risked becoming a tiresome device until The Documentary, a mid-Season 5 episode, offered him a transformative platform. This unconventional instalment not only granted Brodie agency but also showcased the series’ capacity for inventive storytelling, redefining his role and the show’s self-reflective ambitions.

Eric Overmyer’s script for The Documentary cleverly leveraged the seasonal rhythms of 1990s network television. The episode aired on 3 January 1997, and its plot unfolds on New Year’s Eve—a time when the homicide unit, under Lt. Giardello’s leadership, experiences an unusual lull. The detectives gather at their headquarters, knowing the phones will soon ring with post-midnight chaos. This “calm before the storm” setting provides the narrative pretext for Brodie to unveil his labour of love: a documentary chronicling the Homicide Unit. The episode’s structure capitalises on the downtime to create a meta-narrative, allowing characters to reflect on their work and relationships. Overmyer’s choice to anchor the plot in this liminal space underscores the introspective tone, while also satisfying broadcast demands for a contained, character-driven story.

The documentary itself is a deftly constructed blend of character sketches, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and darkly comic interludes. Brodie’s film introduces the detectives through vignettes highlighting their personalities: A pivotal subplot involves the investigation of an elderly mortician, Bennett Jackson (played by Melvin Van Peebles), who confesses to killing a neighbour. The documentary also delves into the infamous “Box,” the interrogation room where suspects are broken down, with detectives offering sardonic advice to hypothetical offenders. This meta-layer not only humanises the characters but also invites viewers to consider the series’ own voyeuristic gaze into police work.

As a “film within a film,” The Documentary distinguishes itself as one of the most innovative episodes in the series’ run. By framing the narrative as a fictional documentary, the episode functions as a bottle episode, a clip show, and a meta-commentary on Homicide’s identity. The intercutting of Brodie’s footage with the detectives’ critiques mirrors real-world tensions between the show and its network executives, who often challenged its unflinching tone. A standout moment recreates a real-life incident during the series’ production, when a fleeing suspect crashed into the set—a gag here involves a criminal interrupting a scene directed by Barry Levinson, who plays himself. This self-referential flourish elevates the episode beyond mere parody, positioning it as a meditation on the porous boundary between fiction and reality.

The episode’s meta-ambitions extend to its literary roots. David Simon, the series’ co-creator and author of the 1991 non-fiction book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, is directly acknowledged: the detectives’ descriptions of the “Box” replicate his prose verbatim. This homage underscores the series’ fidelity to its source material, even as it toys with its own fictional universe. Near the end, the detectives express concern that criminals might exploit Brodie’s documentary to anticipate police tactics—a fear Simon himself had before publishing his book. This parallel deepens the episode’s self-awareness, suggesting that the line between entertainment and real-world consequence is perpetually blurred.

Despite its brilliance, The Documentary is not without flaws. Dr. Cox’s sudden appearance at the homicide unit to complete the cast ensemble feels contrived, particularly given her infrequent screen time in earlier episodes. Her presence is later shoehorned into a romantic subplot with Kellerman, which, while not uninteresting, strains credibility. Similarly, the revelation that the unit’s “lunch bandit” is none other than Captain Gaffney—a humorous but underwhelming twist—feels like a last-minute gag rather than earned character development. These moments, though minor, reveal the episode’s occasional reliance on formula over substance.

Barbara Kopple’s direction, meanwhile, balances the episode’s tonal demands with visual flair. The Oscar-winning documentarian infuses the episode with a blue-tinged, cinematic aesthetic that contrasts with the series’ typically grittier look. However, she occasionally succumbs to Homicide’s tendency to pad scenes with musical montages—a habit that occasionally disrupts the narrative flow. The score, though fittingly understated, sometimes overindulges in mood-setting, pulling focus from the dialogue-driven core.

The Documentary remains a high point in Homicide: Life on the Street’s five-season run. It not only rescues Brodie from his underused status but also exemplifies the show’s willingness to experiment with form while maintaining its sharp social commentary. Though its structural ambitions occasionally lead to uneven pacing and forced subplots, the episode’s meta-narrative triumphs, offering a witty, self-reflective homage to the series’ ethos. For fans and critics alike, it stands as a testament to Homicide’s daring creativity and its ability to balance character-driven storytelling with audacious innovation.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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