Homicide: Life on the Street
Hostage, Part 2
TV Flash files “Hostage, Part 2” as hour 57 of 122 in the TV Flash guide — Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999) on NBC, season 5, episode 2, aired 1996-09-27, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E02: listed hour 57 of 122 in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide, hour 2 of 22 in season 5. It aired 1996-09-27 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Hostage, Part 1” (S05E01). Next is “Prison Riot” (S05E03).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
As the hostage situation at the school continues, the detectives debate their course of action and Pembleton experiences more problems while recovering from his stroke.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Hostage, Part 2 sit in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide?
S05E02 is listed hour 57 of 122 — hour 2 of 22 in season 5, season 5 episode 2.
When did Homicide: Life on the Street S05E02 air?
Hostage, Part 2 aired 1996-09-27 and is listed at 60 minutes.
What is it based on?
David Simon's nonfiction book about a year with Baltimore homicide detectives — reporting texture, not cop-show candy.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Baltimore detectives, handheld grit, and cases that refuse to tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio developed David Simon's reporting into literary cop TV: Andre Braugher's Pembleton turning interrogation into theater, a red/black board, and moral ambiguity as house style. The missing link between Hill Street and The Wire — network crime that reads like a novel.
The useful first thing *Homicide: Life on the Street* does is refuse catharsis. Baltimore detectives work murders with handheld grit, a red/black name board, and moral ambiguity that will not tidy up for sweeps. Paul Attanasio developed David Simon's nonfiction *Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets* into NBC drama (1993–1999). Andre Braugher's Frank Pembleton turns interrogation rooms into theaters of intellect and rage. Yaphet Kotto, Kyle Secor, Richard Belzer, Clark Johnson, Melissa Leo: the unit as a city…
Open the Homicide: Life on the Street package · Season 5 hub
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