J. H. Brodie
Encyclopedia
J.H. Brodie is a fictional character in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street
. He appeared in a recurring role in the show's fourth season and was a regular in the show's fifth season, after becoming an official crime scene recorder.
and Captain Megan Russert
to help solve a time-critical crime rather than wait for it to be shown on the evening news.
Recognizing that he had sacrificed his job in the pursuit of justice, Gee and Megan offered him a role as a crime scene recorder, a job that he took up with some gusto - although he continued to film for his own entertainment, eventually constructing a documentary about the homicide squad that was revealed in the episode "The Documentary".
Being young, shy and prone to getting caught underfoot, Brodie found himself struggling to gain respect in the office, something that bothered him throughout his time at the station. However, he would occasionally surprise the detectives by chipping in with some observation that they had missed. At one point, he correctly deduced that Det. Frank Pembleton
had stopped taking his stroke medication. Caught off-guard, Pembleton noted that he had underestimated Brodie. "Most people do," the cameraman replied. In Season 5, he insisted that Det. John Munch
not write off a shooting death as a suicide, believing that an arrogant graduate school classmate of his had to have been involved. Munch and Sgt. Kay Howard
investigated and began to share Brodie's suspicions, and he fabricated some video evidence that helped the detectives trick the classmate into exposing himself as a murderer.
Brodie left the squad between the fifth and sixth seasons; after his documentary won an Emmy, he moved to Los Angeles to develop his career. He next appeared in Homicide: The Movie, the TV movie that capped off the series, when he returned to Baltimore to visit Gee, who had been shot. His role in the film was small, and he spent most of his time off-camera, recording an operation. However, he had a pivotal scene at the very end of the film, when he informed the squad that Gee had died while in the hospital.
was horrified to learn that Brodie had looked in his medicine cabinet (it is implied that he stored cannabis
in there), Tim Bayliss
objected to Brodie's highbrow taste in television and Meldrick Lewis
was annoyed when Brodie instigated an argument with his wife.
Brodie eventually ended up sleeping in the squad's video room. Kay Howard
found out and offered him a place at hers, but Brodie turned her down because of an intense crush he harbored on her. Eventually, he moved in with an attractive blonde girl of his own age, and it was implied in several episodes that she had become his girlfriend.
David Simon, who Brodie is based on, is Jewish, and although Brodie's religion was never really discussed, in the episode "Kaddish", he was shown to have an intimate knowledge of the Jewish religion, suggesting that he is Jewish himself.
Homicide: Life on the Street
Homicide: Life on the Street is an American police procedural television series chronicling the work of a fictional version of the Baltimore Homicide Unit. It ran for seven seasons on NBC from 1993 to 1999, and was succeeded by a TV movie, which also acted as the de-facto series finale...
. He appeared in a recurring role in the show's fourth season and was a regular in the show's fifth season, after becoming an official crime scene recorder.
Professional life
Brodie first appeared as a trainee cameraman for a local news station, often intruding on crime scenes or getting in the way of investigating police in order to get the most dramatic shots possible. However, his career was cut short when he discovered that he had recorded evidence from a crime scene and chose to hand the tape over to Lt. Al GiardelloAl Giardello
Alphonse Michael Giardello, Sr. is a fictional character from the television drama Homicide: Life on the Street. The character was played by Yaphet Kotto...
and Captain Megan Russert
Megan Russert
Detective Megan Russert is a fictional character on Homicide: Life on the Street played by Isabella Hofmann. At the time of her introduction in the premiere episode of the third season, she is a lieutenant who takes charge of the homicide unit's second shift after the previous commander's retirement...
to help solve a time-critical crime rather than wait for it to be shown on the evening news.
Recognizing that he had sacrificed his job in the pursuit of justice, Gee and Megan offered him a role as a crime scene recorder, a job that he took up with some gusto - although he continued to film for his own entertainment, eventually constructing a documentary about the homicide squad that was revealed in the episode "The Documentary".
Being young, shy and prone to getting caught underfoot, Brodie found himself struggling to gain respect in the office, something that bothered him throughout his time at the station. However, he would occasionally surprise the detectives by chipping in with some observation that they had missed. At one point, he correctly deduced that Det. Frank Pembleton
Frank Pembleton
Francis Xavier "Frank" Pembleton is a fictional homicide detective on the television drama series Homicide: Life on the Street portrayed by Emmy Award winning actor Andre Braugher. He is a primary character of the show through the first six seasons...
had stopped taking his stroke medication. Caught off-guard, Pembleton noted that he had underestimated Brodie. "Most people do," the cameraman replied. In Season 5, he insisted that Det. John Munch
John Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
not write off a shooting death as a suicide, believing that an arrogant graduate school classmate of his had to have been involved. Munch and Sgt. Kay Howard
Kay Howard
Kay Howard is a fictional homicide detective from Homicide: Life on the Street. She was played by actress Melissa Leo. In the first two seasons of the show her character was the only female detective or member of the main cast. This was in keeping with the book and the actual Homicide unit in...
investigated and began to share Brodie's suspicions, and he fabricated some video evidence that helped the detectives trick the classmate into exposing himself as a murderer.
Brodie left the squad between the fifth and sixth seasons; after his documentary won an Emmy, he moved to Los Angeles to develop his career. He next appeared in Homicide: The Movie, the TV movie that capped off the series, when he returned to Baltimore to visit Gee, who had been shot. His role in the film was small, and he spent most of his time off-camera, recording an operation. However, he had a pivotal scene at the very end of the film, when he informed the squad that Gee had died while in the hospital.
Personal life
Brodie's quiet personality, coupled with his passion for serious film-makers and documentary directors, set him apart from most of the squad, who saw him as something of a nebbish. A humorous running storyline throughout season five saw Brodie kicked out of his apartment and being shipped from one detective's house to the next, upsetting each one in turn: John MunchJohn Munch
Sergeant John Munch is a fictional character played by actor Richard Belzer. Munch first appeared on Homicide: Life on the Street. Upon that series' cancellation, the character was transplanted to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the first spin-off of the Law & Order franchise...
was horrified to learn that Brodie had looked in his medicine cabinet (it is implied that he stored cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
in there), Tim Bayliss
Tim Bayliss
Timothy Bayliss is a fictional detective on Homicide: Life on the Street. He was a primary character, and was played by Kyle Secor. He was loosely based on the real-life Det...
objected to Brodie's highbrow taste in television and Meldrick Lewis
Meldrick Lewis
Meldrick Lewis is a fictional character on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street played by Clark Johnson. The character was in the series for its full run and had the very first and last lines of the series...
was annoyed when Brodie instigated an argument with his wife.
Brodie eventually ended up sleeping in the squad's video room. Kay Howard
Kay Howard
Kay Howard is a fictional homicide detective from Homicide: Life on the Street. She was played by actress Melissa Leo. In the first two seasons of the show her character was the only female detective or member of the main cast. This was in keeping with the book and the actual Homicide unit in...
found out and offered him a place at hers, but Brodie turned her down because of an intense crush he harbored on her. Eventually, he moved in with an attractive blonde girl of his own age, and it was implied in several episodes that she had become his girlfriend.
David Simon, who Brodie is based on, is Jewish, and although Brodie's religion was never really discussed, in the episode "Kaddish", he was shown to have an intimate knowledge of the Jewish religion, suggesting that he is Jewish himself.