Homicide: Life on the Street
Narcissus
TV Flash files “Narcissus” as hour 75 of 122 in the TV Flash guide — Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999) on NBC, season 5, episode 20, aired 1997-05-02, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S05E20: listed hour 75 of 122 in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide, hour 20 of 22 in season 5. It aired 1997-05-02 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “Deception” (S05E19). Next is “Partners and Other Strangers” (S05E21).
Catalog log
Broadcast listing — not a TV Flash recap.
Just another midnight shift for the Homicide squad, with yet another shooting in West Baltimore. But this time there is a witness who is naming names. And at 4:00 a.m., why are Col. Barnfather and Capt. Gaffney taking such an active interest in the investigation?
Viewer FAQ
Where does Narcissus sit in the Homicide: Life on the Street guide?
S05E20 is listed hour 75 of 122 — hour 20 of 22 in season 5, season 5 episode 20.
When did Homicide: Life on the Street S05E20 air?
Narcissus aired 1997-05-02 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
Filed against
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- Kyle Secor as Tim Bayliss
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Melissa Leo’s Kay Howard walked Homicide: Life on the Street like Baltimore would not tidy up for sweeps — 1990s literary cop TV, handheld grit, a red/black board, Paul Attanasio from David Simon’s reporting. Interrogation as theater. TV…