Most people don't realize Homicide is the spark of peak TV. A sharply written, uniquely shot, incredibly acted drama that somehow is allowed to live for years on primetime 90s NBC.
The showrunner's constantly bumping heads with the network leads to him seeking something with more freedom and ended up starting HBO's first original drama, OZ, using most of the crew from Homicide & also shot in Baltimore. OZ's success leads to Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, etc...
Homicide's based on the book by David Simon, who later joined the writing staff on the show. In seeing Tom Fontana's success w/ OZ in telling a story that network TV can't tell, he starts working with HBO first on The Corner & then the Wire (both also shot in Baltimore).
FX, seeing how original quality content is great business for HBO, feels they can rebrand and build their channel being that quality content hub for basic cable starting with The Shield. The Shield's pilot & finale were directed by Clark Johnson, who also directed the pilot & finale for The Wire and was one of the stars of Homicide. Off the Shield's success, FX became a powerhouse for quality content and led to the rush of other cable stations jumping on their original programming and finally networks stepping their game up as well.
It all comes back to Homicide.
I watched this show in elementary school and I'm in my late 20s and kids is still watching Pokemon
