The Wire

The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002 and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising 60 episodes over five seasons.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) It's timeless and universal.
 * 2) Its analysis of human behaviors, power structures, and struggles fit with almost any period in human history.
 * 3) Vibrant, detailed setting and world building.
 * 4) It has a very realistic depiction of the school system.
 * 5) Each season is self-contained, building into a larger narrative.
 * 6) It's brilliant in its apparent simplicity, a beautiful counterpoint to every other show that feels the need to fill in the blanks with ham-fisted expository and authentic dialogue that distracts rather than engages.
 * 7) Has deliberate and careful storytelling.
 * 8) It was shot entirely in the show's setting of Baltimore.
 * 9) The following cast members such as Lance Reddick (Cedric Daniels), James Ransone (Ziggy Sobotka), Felicia Pearson (Snoop), Robert F. Chew (Proposition Joe), Maria Broom (Marla Daniels), Melvin Williams (The Deacon), Gary D'Addario (Gary DiPasquale), Jay Landsman (Dennis Mello), and Rick Otto (Officer Kenneth Dozerman) are Baltimore natives while Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (D'Angelo Barksdale) was raised there. Also Thuliso Dingwall (Kenard), Jermaine Crawford (Dukie Weems), Chris Clanton (Savino Bratton), and Darrell Britt Gibson (Darius "O-Dog" Hill) are from other parts of Maryland.

The Only Bad Quality

 * 1) Many have complained that the dialogue at points is incomprehensible without subtitles.