The Wire

Some have called it "the best TV series ever." Shot on the streets of Baltimore, David Simon's The Wire stems from the same reportorial impulse as his previous shows, Homicide: Life on the Street and The Corner. It starts with the details of a murder investigation, and, over five seasons, shows us an entire city, from the hubris of the elites to the desperation of the drug-addled homeless. Some try to do good work; some just protect their own turf. All—dealer, addict, dockworker, cop, teacher, reporter—are working against a self-perpetuating bureaucracy, and they're all brought to vivid life by Simon's outstanding writers, directors, and actors. The Wire never lets us forget the big picture, while it stays focused on convincing details—from the comfort of two tired detectives razzing each other in a bar after work to school administrators keeping a classroom overheated so the kids won't act up to a dealer moving into real-estate development and finding it every bit as corrupt and perilous as his own turf. The gritty, densely plotted program doesn't offer an easy way in, but it rewards attention by telling a great story and painting an intricate portrait of urban life.