Genre: TV Series
Grade: A+++
Notable People: Dominic West, Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick, Dierdre Lovejoy, Sonja Sohn, Michel K. Williams Created by: David Simon
Title: The Wire
Review: This phenomenal HBO show ran from 2002 to 2008…and I missed it. Like many, either the hype or the nature of the show put me off. Watched a few episodes at the time, but never got hooked, partly because I was tired of listening to all my friends in Baltimore tell me that it was the bomb. What a mistake. Pandemic comes, and I made the time; took a few shows to get the rhythm, but then it took off like no other before or since. Arguably the best show ever to be on television. Gritty, dirty, real, strangely funny at times. A set of characters unparalleled and an acting ensemble for the ages. Simon originally created this from his years reporting street corner drug work in Baltimore for the Baltimore Sun. He is just brilliant and took many of his themes and many of the key actors to his next project, Treme (another not to be missed and greatly underappreciated series). The character development in this show is probably the best ever, the dialog is riveting, cinematography magnificent……every hour goes by in a flash. A few characters will be remain indelibly etched for me forever…. especially Omar (Williams_…an all-time best). We dragged out the last season for not wanting it to end. The final season five dragged a bit in my mind, searching for a way to bring a mish mash of story lines to closure …but only minimally. This IS THE BOMB. If you watched, you know…if you didn’t, give it a shot for at least three episodes to get the flow. Does not get any better than this. Feel like I’m suffering from postpartum depression after the end.