I’m glad to see a few folks finally catching on to The Wire. It is my favorite dramatic series ever, bar none. Far better, IMHO, than * The Sopranos* and just a little better than Deadwood, if only because it’s more realistic.
The basic message of The Wire is that the “War on Drugs” is futile. It demonstrates the brutal and heartbreaking consequences of drug prohibition with a realism and depth that no other show has ever approached and few have even attempted. Unlike most TV cop shows, both the cops and the crooks have their share of smart (if flawed) guys, dumb guys, and just plain assholes. Both sides have their occasional victories and losses, but the wins often come as much through luck as planning.
The Baltimore Police Department seen in The Wire is a bureaucratic and politically screwed up mess, just like every large organization you and I have ever worked in, and unlike other TV police departments, which always seem to have the latest high-tech equipment and unlimited budgets. What’s also interesting is that the criminal outfits are also political, and if not bureaucratic, exactly, have their share of incompetent workers who can’t follow orders.
I started watching The Wire because it is set in Baltimore, my home town. I was hooked within an episode or two, once I got a feel for the characters and saw how excellent the acting and writing were. One thing I love is that there’s a bit of bad in most of the good guys and a little good in most of the bad guys. They’re all complex, multi-layered, and well-drawn characters. Some of the crooks are more interesting and likeable than the cops.
Like most of HBO’s Sunday series, The Wire’s story lines are complex and multi-threaded. You have to pay attention and listen carefully. Watching each episode twice will often reveal important details you didn’t catch the first time. And don’t look away for a second: a character raising an eyebrow may speak volumes about what’s happening in the story.
Two other things about The Wire that I love, and that are rare in ordinary TV series, is that they never have a simple, neatly tied-up happy ending; and they occasionally kill off major characters that you really care about. This gives The Wire an unpredictable and realistic quality that is very compelling.
I’m thrilled that, after killing Carnivale and Deadwood, HBO hasn’t cancelled The Wire yet, even though it doesn’t seem to have gotten as much acclaim and attention as those shows. I suspect that one reason is that it must be much cheaper to produce than the period pieces.
I can’t just wait for season 4!!!
BTW, there’s an interesting book about the making of the series.