The Wire - Complete Collection (DVD, 2010, 24-Disc Set).
From David Simon, creator and co-writer of HBO's triple Emmy-winning mini-series The Corner, this unvarnished, highly realistic HBO series follows a single sprawling drug and murder investigation in Baltimore. Told from the point of view of both the police and their targets, the series captures a universe of subterfuge and surveillance, where easy distinctions between good and evil, and crime and punishment, are challenged at every turn.
The series' first season concentrated on the often-futile efforts of police to infiltrate a West Baltimore drug ring. Seasons Two and Three introduced new story lines as the drug investigation escalated, adding the pressures on the working class and the city's political leadership to the city's mounting problems. Season Four explored the public school system against the backdrop of a new drug empire and mayor, while the fifth and final season centred on the media's role in addressing or failing to address what was really going on in the city.
Industry Reviews
'The writing is impeccably sharp and measured, letting its secrets slowly unfold without sensation or histrionics, and is delivered with worn-down chagrin by a cast of largely unfamiliar faces.' - William Thomas, Empire Magazine
'A richly textured universe unto itself, populated by detectives, drug dealers, longshoremen, politicians and lawyers who have motives so diverse, surprising and complicated, each scene seems to reveal a new layer of depth and complexity.' - Heather Havrilesky, Salon
'The Wire resists having a single theme or hero or even one purely good guy.' - Caryn James, New York Times
'The Wire is the best crime related show on TV... and maybe even the smartest show on television - period.' - Dan Iverson, IGN
'If there's one problem with The Wire, it's that, five seasons in, too many beautifully realized characters fight for too little room - a gem of a complaint to have.' - Gillian Flynn, Entertainment Weekly
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