HBO
This Drama was aired 2002 through 2008 and sported a incredible cast through all 5 seasons. The show centered around the drug trafficking business in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. All those in the cast that deserve special recognition number nearly 40, and I am quite serious. And although most of these actors had never been seen much before this, The Wire was one of the most remarkable acting ensembles I have ever seen. Every single character was a jewel that was brought to life flawlessly.
Even though it's more complicated than just "the good guys" and the "bad guys" that is the easiest way to explain the situation. The cops are made up of Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty (played by Dominic West), the primary protagonist. His partner is Detective William "Bunk" Moreland played by Wendell Pierce (and I must say having spent 26 years of my life in law enforcement, this is the most believable how-it-really-is performances I've ever seen on TV). They have a half-dozen other detectives working around them, all a dysfunctional mess. Finally McNulty pulls a stunt blabbing to a judge about a bunch of unsolved drug murders. The Judge raises a stink leading to several of the detectives being exiled to a special surveillance unit to track a couple of drug kingpins.
On the bad guy side the big drug kingpin is Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris), and his close second-in-command is Stringer Bell (Idris Elba). Avon also has a nephew D'Angelo who is running the low rise projects for Avon. And it takes many others to make this operation tick. Not to mention all the rival crews.
Season One is called "Listen Carefully" and it is all about setting up the surveillance team, and the action that that entails. The new team gets stationed into the basement of a crummy, broken down building, probably due to McNulty running his mouth. Although every season has drugs and drug trafficking running through it, each season takes on it's own focus: Season 1: Setting Up Surveillance 2. Drugs, Unions and Dock Workers 3. Drugs and Politics. 4. Drugs and the Education System 5. Drugs and the Media i.e. Newspapers.
Even though HBO was in a love-fest with that piece of crap television "The Sopranos" during this time, following that on Sunday nights was this TV masterpiece. I cannot say enough about what great TV this was. But I must bring attention to 4 characters that heretofore have not been mentioned. They are, in no particular order: Omar Little. What an interesting character. A truly bad guy, secure in his homosexuality and in the knowledge that he will not live very long. I was totally shocked at how he went out. One of my favorite characters. Omar was played masterfully by Michael Kenneth Williams. 2. Marlo Stanfield. What a truly creepy guy this character was. Ice water in the veins kind of guy. Jamie Hector, you may never play a role this intriguing again. 3. Chris Partlow, played by Gbenga Akinnagbe. Marlo's hired assassin. Very creepy in the way that he assures the one's he's about to kill that "it won't hurt." 4. "Bubbles" Cos. Andre Royo brought this junkie snitch to life. So convincing that if I ever met him, I'd wonder if he's high. 5. Felicia "Snoop" Pearson. I went two seasons still not knowing the gender of this person. Idris Elba apparently met her in a club in Baltimore and was intrigued by a. He could not discern her gender, and b. she didn't ask for a part on the show. He recommended her to the producers and there she was. She did a couple of very memorable scenes...notably one in a Home Depot buying a nail gun.
The only reason that The Wire is not higher on my list is because although Season 1 and Season 2 were very strong, in Season 3 it started to fade and Seasons 4 and 5 became very weak in comparison to the standard set by the first two seasons. But still in all a show that deserves recognition and should be watched all the way through by anyone interested in great televison drama.
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