City Homicide, l'enfer du crime

I've binged my way through many American, British, and a few Australian cop shows and this is one of the best. I'm about halfway through season 2.

If I could describe City Homicide with one word, the word would be "lean." The plots are interesting and the detective work is straightforward. Some of the police work is techie, but most of it is good, old-fashioned research, door-to-door canvassing, and just plain following up leads. And the show avoids injecting unnecessary tension into the process with false leads and red herrings. There's no fat in this show-- just good police work by a capable and compatible ensemble.

There are some character back stories, but they don't shove the crime story to the back burner (as happens in many programs).

I was 17 years late to this party, but it bore the years wonderfully. Both character and plot driven, this is a rare gem that will be just as enjoyable a decade from now.

Crime shows are among my favorites and this one is compelling watching start to finish, every episode. The core cast is strong, the crimes often creepy, the criminals eventually get their just desserts, even if it isn't in the courtroom. Most are stand alone episodes, and those that aren't always leave you with anticipation for what happens next.

In America, Law & Order SVU has been hanging on for two+ decades, and how I wish this Aussie drama were still giving us new episodes! I'm not going to say why I gave eight stars rather than ten, not wanting to influence others with my spoilers.

No one needs to watch this program out of desperation, because it's great entertainment, deserving more reviews than it has. Try not to miss this rare diamond.

Frankly, I'm an American watching this show "second hand" via the internet, 72 minutes at a time. This means my frame of comparison is typical American cop dramas.

I really like this show.

Unlike most US cop dramas, City Homicide is an actual ensemble show without a true "top billed" personality and a more realistic focus on the case, investigation, and legwork instead of the type of action real cops would call a SWAT team in for. Also, the plots suffer little in the way of "creep" towards outrageous plots like half of the CSI: Miami plots.

Another credit for City Homicide is the fact the actors don't come across like clothes models reading scripts. While most of the cast are attractive, they're believably so.

As far as characterization goes, City Homicide paints the characters as human with flaws that have to be lived with or worked around and not-- like many American shows--show up once out of the blue and are resolved in a single two-episode arc.

This is also a refreshing change.

If you like police dramas, give it a try. If you're an American and you somehow can watch this show, definitely give it a try.

(And don't worry, you'll pick up on the accent pretty quickly...)

I'm a big fan of Homicide life on the street and loved Detroit 187 and other shows like them. If you like those too you will live this. The first show almost lost me. It had really dorky music but a good story line so I watched a few more and fell in love.

This is a very real gritty cop drama. They only delve into the characters personal lives as proprietary. Like with Simon's intricate story line that plays out in a most impressive fashion at the end of season three through the begging of season 4.

The few Aussie shows I have watched before sucked. I thought this was British at first. This could have even done fine on USA TV. I've found it addicting.

I am always quite skeptical about Australian made dramas (and comedies for that matter). In my opinion it has never really been our forte, the writing talent hasn't been there. Fly-on-the wall, variety and reality: sure we excel but not in scripted stuff. But the times are changing, well on some networks at least.

City Homicide is a beautifully executed piece of television. In every way. The writing is strong, snappy and fast paced and is peppered with subtle Aussie humour. The dialogue is excellent. The acting (lead by Noni Hazelhurst and Shane Bourne) is first-class. This can be a real rarity on Aussie TV. The cinematography, editing and music is superb. I have never been so impressed. The Seven Network has done us proud with this production. All Saints isn't bad either, though it is no CH.

Compare all this to the tripe the Nine Network dishes up (and subsequently sells overseas): Sea Patrol. SP is the WORST piece of television I have seen. They spent records amounts of money on it, and for what? Writing? Doesn't appear to be any. Good dialogue? Next. Good acting? Not when Lisa McCune is around. Cinematography? Editing? Music? Mmm the less said about the first two the better and as for the music, it sounds like Mrs Hahn's year 8 music class did it on a synth keyboard. But wait the show is filmed on a real Navy patrol boat. Well then it must be good.

I digress. CH is excellent in every way.