Winner 1997

Homicide: Life on the Street

NBC, Fatima Productions

With three citations in the past five years, Homicide: Life on the Street has the distinction of being the most recognized dramatic series in the history of the Peabody Awards. Episodes like “The Subway,” presented in December of 1997, continue to return Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and their exceptional group of producers, writers and performers to the podium at the Waldorf Astoria. Written by James Yoshimura and directed by Gary Fleder, “The Subway” tells the harrowing true-to-life story of a man trapped between a subway car and the platform. Vincent D’Onofrio is typically brilliant as the victim, as are Andre Braugher and Kyle Secor as detectives Frank Pembleton and Tim Bayliss. Unfolding in excruciating real time, the detectives try to unravel the case and seek, in vain, to locate the victim’s girlfriend before he dies. While the Peabody Board makes special mention of this episode, the Peabody acknowledges the series’ sustained excellence, led by executive producers Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana; co-executive producer Jim Finnerty; producers Julie Martin, James Yoshimura, Gail Mutrux, Eric Overmyer, David Simon, and Anya Epstein; and arguably the best ensemble cast in series television, including Yaphet Kotto, Andre Braugher, Kyle Secor, Clark Johnson, Jon Seda, Michelle Forbes, Reed Diamond, Richard Belzer, Peter Gerety and Callie Thorne. For its ongoing record of distinction and achievement, a Peabody to Homicide: Life on the Street.