Fiction is better than reality in The Wire
by With all of the reality shows cropping up on the set these days, I rarely get sucked into anything. But when I saw the first season of David Simon’s The Wire, I realized there may be hope for TV yet — mostly because I forgot I was even watching a show. Tackling every urban institution, from schools to police to news media and cops, there are truly no ‘good guys’, and after having lived in Baltimore myself on and off for ten years, it broadened my perspective on this city’s and other cities’ issues that lie beyond the newsfeed. In my opinion, it is hands-down the best-scripted and acted show I have ever seen. And now all seasons are available on DVD.
Tagged: tv shows
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YOU'RE SAYING (2)
Rob said | 31 August, 2008
I’m totally with you on this. I’m loving this series. All the HBO shows ive seen Sopranos, OZ and Big Love are good but I have to say The Wire stands out above these and in comparison to the other mediocre dramas that pass for standard television these days it comes accross as really clever yet entertaining. Gota love Omar and McNulty the perfect examples of the flawed hero.
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Paul Ryan said | 29 August, 2008
Couldn’t agree more. The Wire is right up there with The Sopranos in terms of plot/character development and multi-layered nuance. In many ways, it’s more rewarding. I’m half way through the third season and it just keeps getting better.
HBO shows are a great example of the kind of sophisticated art that can be created when mainstream advertisers are denied deity status by networks.