Do you love fast moving story lines? Do you love a jaw-dropping spectacle? Do you
love all of the things that made the “golden age of TV” so great? If so, then The
Wire is going to be a hard sell.
In a world of short attention spans and TV shows that constantly use “big moments” to keep the audience hooked (not mentioning any names), The Wire seems a bit like Steve Rodgers… misplaced in time in a world where he is no longer relevant. But, if you are willing to accept the challenge, this is a show so rewarding in its depth that it will hook you. Not only with excellent set ups, but with payoffs that won’t just “blow you away”; it will leave you deeply, emotionally shaken.
The Wire is, at its core, about American society; but more specifically, it’s about the war on drugs and the effect this has on the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It follows detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) as he pursues “the Barksdales,” a crime family led by Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) and his ruthless right hand man Stringer Bell (Idris Elba).The Wire however, differentiates itself from other crime dramas by showing us the workings of both sides of the law. The Barksdales and the Baltimore PD are presented as rival institutions, both of which have their own leaders, internal systems of power, enforcers, and people inside and out that seek to challenge their rule often with little success. With each season a new element of American society is introduced, and with it a new cast of characters, and we are shown how “the game” affects that element. For example, Season 2 focuses on a group of struggling dock workers, while Season 4 focuses on a local school.
Despite this wide scope,The Wire maintains some of the strongest characterisation of any show on TV. This is a series where you will have two characters in direct opposition and still want both of them to somehow win. Someone you loathe in Season 1 will be your favourite character by Season 5. So, if you want a slow burn drama that effectively tackles social issues that are relevant to this day and has you still talking about it 10 years later, then The Wire is a must watch. Piece of advice: use subtitles until your ear tunes into Baltimore.
“Dominic West (6577113511) (cropped)” by Ian Smith from London, England is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.