The Wire: The Complete First Season

The show's split-perspective plotting is so richly layered, so breathtakingly authentic and based on finely drawn characters brought to life by a perfect ensemble cast, that it defies concise description. Simon, Burns, and their cowriters control every intricate aspect of the unfolding epic; directors are top-drawer (including Clark Johnson, helmer of The Shield's finest episodes), but they are servants to the story, resulting in a TV series like no other: unpredictable, complicated, and demanding the viewer's rapt attention, The Wire is "an angry show" (in Simon's words) that refuses to comfort with easy answers to deep-rooted societal problems. Moral gray zones proliferate in a universe where ruthless killers have a logical code, and where the cops are just as ambiguous as their targets. That ambiguity extends to the ending as well; season 1 leaves several issues unresolved, leaving you begging for the even more impressive developments that await in season 2. --Jeff Shannon

The Wire is the best of the HBO Original Series. And the most underappreciated. The only criticism one may have of The Wire is that it is too complicated. But in actuality, I think this is The Wire's best selling point. It's a rarity in television to find a series that compels the viewer to rise to the level of the writing instead of the typical lowering of the writing's quality to dumb it down to attract the most mass appeal to sell ad slots. That's the beauty of HBO - you've bought the service, so you get what you pay for or cancel your subscription. HBO is not targeting the unwashed masses to sell ads, it puts out quality television to attract subscribers. It's a beautiful system that I believe (you heard it here first) will someday become the norm in cable television (channel-by-channel subscription with no advertising).

HBO's format raises the quality and The Wire epitomizes the beauty of this system the most of all HBO Original Series. The plot is so complicated, so multi-layered that I keep watching over and over just to make sure I get it all. I feel that I am failing as a human being if I don't do The Wire justice and get the whole plot line straight. You can't criticize the Wire for being too complicated; it's quite refreshing to have a television show that challenges me as the viewer instead of spoon feeds me.

In 1961, FCC Chairman Newton R. Minow said that television was a "Vaste Wasteland." He was right. HBO wasn't founded until 1971 and The Wire didn't premier until 2002.


Miles Above and Beyond the Formulaic Cop Show   June 28, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The Wire is far above and beyond the typical police drama. Although I'm not a cop, I have a feeling that this show is about as real-life as any cop show on television. The Wire skips the typical, predictable (and wholly unrealistic) Law and Order formula of crime committed/stalwart cops take the case/case cracked/bad guys jailed--all in one action packed hour. Instead, The Wire builds a case over the course of a season. Instead of the formulaic good guys and bad guys (or even good cop and bad cop) characters, The Wire features a collection of well-rounded, lifelike people, each with their own flaws and strengths. The Wire also gives you both sides of the story--you get to know both the cops and the suspects they are after. And shockingly, these characters actually develop as the season moves along! Unlike the formulaic cop shows, where all the cops are single-mindedly focused on getting the job done, The Wire shows us how much incompetence, stupidity, corruption, and careerism influence police work.

All of this makes The Wire well worth watching--again and again. In my personal opinion, I rank it a notch below HBO's two best series, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, because it is sometimes confusing and hard to follow. But The Wire is far more interesting and worthwhile viewing than just about anything you'll find on network television. I can't wait for the second season to come out on DVD, too.


You'll Watch It Many Times   June 27, 2004
Bernie Chabel (Washington, DC USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I think The Wire, both the first and second seasons, represents the best television ever has offered. The plot is so intricate and plays out as a puzzle of fascinating pieces. Acting, brilliant writing, a boatload of memorable characters and moments -- The Wire has it all. It can be a bit confusing at first and it is best to watch the first two episodes in one sitting. Try it, you'll love it.