Was The Wire the best show on television? In the words of the Wire’s corrupt Senator Clay Davis, “Sheeeeeeeeet, yes”.
Having just devoured all five series on DVD, I’m inclined to agree with Clay and the critics. Simply put, this HBO drama is compelling. It’s as addictive as the G packs* being pushed on the Baltimore corners. Corners that I’ve spent more hours on (albeit from the comfort of my lounge) these past few weeks than I care to admit.
A show that will leave you thinking about it’s characters, their decaying city and crumbling institutions, long after the final credits roll at the end of Season Five. A testament to the strength of the writing and the acting; you’ll be left wondering and concerned for the fate of the characters (criminals and police alike). For a city that you may have no real desire to ever actually visit in person, it’s surprising how much you will miss those Baltimore corners.
The Wire isn’t just universally loved by the critics, but by ‘every man’ as well. Over at Amazon, customer reviewers are dealing almost exclusively in ‘five star’ ratings, and it’s perhaps telling that the few negative reviews seem hard pushed to find anything other than the packaging to complain about.
Did you miss the show when it originally aired? You may well have done yourself a favour. Each of the five series of The Wire share both a brilliant ensemble cast and pacing that slowly builds to a crescendo. Each episode provides the viewer greater reward than the one before; a TV drama that rewards the viewers investment. Now on DVD, you are no longer at the mercy of TV network programming. You can get your ‘fix’ in the time it takes to select the next episode on the disc.
Have you seen The Wire? Does it deserve it’s lofty reputation as the best show on Television? Leave me your thoughts in the comments.
Haven’t seen the show. What are you waiting for?
* A wholesaler’s package of 100 vials of cocaine
