This description is based on what I was told by a huge fan of Homicide: Life On The Street. Apparently there was an episode where someone was in great need of medical aid. They were shown being put into the care of a doctor played by Mandy Patinkin in a quick cameo and a piece of the doctor's gear is clearly labeled "Chicago Hope". Mandy Patinkin at the time was playing Doctor Jeffrey Geiger on Chicago Hope.

    I describe this as an almost official crossover because I think it was meant as a quick wink at the audience from the producers of the two shows. It is never actually said that Mandy Patinkin is playing the same role but between him and the Chicago Hope gear... come on. Given the shows were on different networks so they probably figured this was as close to a bona fide crossover as they were gonna get. CBS had previously nixed a cross network crossover between CBS's Picket Fences and The X-files. Both Hope and Fences were David E. Kelly shows so he was already familiar with their feelings on these sort of crossovers. This crossover was just slight enough so as to not piss off CBS and also not piss off NBC. The idea that one of NBC's critically acclaimed shows would have a big formal crossover with CBS's Chicago hospital show instead of with their own Chicago medical drama ER probably wouldn't have gone down too well. So they slipped it in under the radar. Hee hee hee.

    Later, Homicide would actually score the first full crossover between shows on separate networks when NBC Homicide's Detective Munch did a guest spot on Fox's The X-files. Shortly after that, David E. Kelly would finally get HIS network crossover between Fox's Ally McBeal and ABC's The Practice. Then he did it again crossing Boston Public on Fox over with, again, ABC's The Practice. The lesson here, I guess, is if you want to do cross network crossovers avoid CBS. And you'd better be David E. Kelley.

Other Chicago Hope Crossover Links
Chicago Hope and Early Edition
Chicago Hope and Picket Fences
Chicago Hope and St. Elsewhere

Other Homicide: Life On The Street Crossover Links
Homicide and Arrested Development
Homicide and The Beat
Homicide and Law And Order
Homicide and Law And Order: Special Victims Unit
Homicide and The Lone Gunmen
Homicide and Oz
Homicide and St. Elsewhere
Homicide and The Wire
Homicide and The X-files

Click here to return to main Crossover List

Buy these shows on Amazon.com and support this site at the same time! Check out Homicide on DVD! The crossover discussed above happened in the Fourth Season Homicide Episode "A Doll's Eyes" available on DVD!




Poobala.com Main Page/ Email Me