Both The Wire and Homicide were based on Simon's book, which was based on real stories from police officers.

I prefer The Wire version, but this was a good show.

Simon of course also had a direct hand in The Wire. They got way better writers, too.

damned penile stustification.

And one day it will be repeated as a smartphone app.
This version is special because of how dreary the rest of the series was. I don't think any other cop show comes close to using so much non-action to drive home the mental degeneration of its characters.

Damn straight.

Listen, if your complaints about a complex, realistic police-show are that it depicts a dreary, non-active bureaucracy? Consider yourself a moron with pre-conceptions.