The Wire

By now I am sure anyone with cable TV or a subscription to an Entertainment publication has heard of "The Wire", the spectacular HBO cop drama created by David Simon. It chronicles Baltimore from a number of different angles including the inner city drug trade and all its players, the cops, their families, the educational system, the political insiders and even the media. Being a huge fan of the Sopranos and other HBO series like Big Love and Curb Your Enthusiasm, I knew I would eventually make my way to The Wire, especially after the immense praise being lavished on it by so many viewers and critics. Well, having just finished the 5th and final season I can say that the unquestionably lived up to the hype.

In most great Television dramas, including my previous favorite The Sopranos, you have a few stellar characters that stand out week to week and keep you watching. When a show also has exceptional writers scripting these characters and it's not just the actors charm or looks or mannerisms that get you hooked, the show can move beyond a mere passion and evolve into an obsession, and that's certainly been the case for me and The Wire.

Over the years I have dabbled into a number of illicit substances, though I made sure to stay away from the injectibles, thankfully. However, I can't imagine it would be harder to quit Heroin than walking away from this show. By the middle of Season 1's second episode I knew that I was going to love the show, but at the halfway point I knew it was going to be a mild addiction. As that first season closed I was certain that a 12 Step program might be in order, otherwise I was in jeopardy of giving up work, bathing and even most frighteningly, sex, in order to keep watching this show. As the seasons progressed the addiction became worse, sneaking hour-long episodes in between client calls, banging out 2 episodes in a row first thing in the morning as the Pugs stared at me angrily wondering why their leashes were attached but they were yet unable to go outside and take a leak. The worst is the lying to the wife: "Yeah honey, I will look at that leak in the laundry room before you get back, definitely" only to find yourself elbow deep in a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, covered in orange pseudo-cheese and right in front of the TV when she returns.

The Wire is exceptional on so many levels that it would take 10,000 words and a thesaurus in hand to do it true justice. The brutal reality of it interlaced with eloquent moments of poetry. The subtle bits of clever humor blended with such over the top childish gags. The mix of strong, violent and even perverse characters with some of the most quiet and unassuming characters even seen on TV. The story lines are simple and engaging though at times cryptically complex, and the message(s) are often completely ovious and in your face yet sometimes subliminal and time-released. I could probably write an entire thesis on just "Bubbles", "Omar" or "McNulty" alone, a few of the shows standout and more popular characters. It wouldn't shock me if the Universities were already drafting course layouts for an in-depth study of this masterpiece of "fiction" already, and if so I am sure the classes will be full. In all my years I have never seen a show that not only captured the harsh reality of inner city life and painted it with such beautiful and intriguing characters, but one where the actual city portrayed became the true star of the show.

Do yourself a favor and either rent/buy Season 1 of The Wire and just let the stories unfold and feel yourself becoming captivated by its majesty. You've never seen anything quite like it, though it may even seem somewhat familiar and at times so real you feel you need to look away. It will definitely make you examine, or re-examine, your opinion and understanding of the inner city ghetto and it's impact and relationship to the rest of the country. It's truly mesmerizing and painful at the same time but it's also the most beautiful piece of filmed "art" I have ever seen. Let me know what you think...