The Wire
The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002 and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising 60 episodes over five seasons. Set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire introduces a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season. The show is lauded for its literary themes, its uncommonly accurate exploration of society and politics, and its realistic portrayal of urban life.
About The Wire in brief
The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002 and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising 60 episodes over five seasons. Set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire introduces a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season, while retaining characters and advancing storylines from previous seasons. The five subjects are, in chronological order: the illegal drug trade, the seaport system, the city government and bureaucracy, education and schools, and the print news medium. The large cast consists mainly of actors who are little known for their other roles, as well as numerous real-life Baltimore and Maryland figures in guest and recurring roles. Although during its original run the series received only average ratings and never won any major television awards, it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time. The casting of the show has been praised for avoiding big-name stars and using character actors who appear natural in their roles. The looks of the cast as a whole have been described as defying TV expectations by presenting a true range of humanity on screen. Most of the casting is African-American, consistent with the demographics of Baltimore. The show is lauded for its literary themes, its uncommonly accurate exploration of society and politics, and its realistic portrayal of urban life.
It is also known for its portrayal of Baltimore police officers, including Detective Bunk Moreland, Detective Jimmy McNulty, and Lieutenant Dennis Mello, a longtime police officer who inspired the same name of the series’ technical commander, Lieutenant Dario Dario Mello. Several real life Baltimore figures, including former Maryland Governor Robert L. Reid III; radio personality Frank M. Elich Jr; former police chief and editor Ed Norris; Virginia County Executive Ken Ulman; and former mayor Kurt Schmoke, have appeared in minor roles despite not being professional actors. Simon has said that despite its framing as a crime drama, the show is really about the American city, and about how we live together. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed. Simon chose to set the show in Baltimore because of his familiarity with the city. He hoped the show would change the opinions of some viewers but said that it was unlikely to affect the issues it portrays. He wanted to avoid a repeat of these conflicts and chose to take The Wire to HBO, because of their working relationship from the miniseries The Corner. Simon wanted to create a police drama loosely based on the experiences of his writing partner Ed Burns, a former homicide detective and public school teacher who had worked with Simon on projects including The Corner. Simon saw similarities with his own ordeals as a police reporter for The Baltimore Sun.
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This page is based on the article The Wire published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 05, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
