The Wire (TV Series 2002 - 2008)

Years from now, when historians look to see what life in America was like in the early 21st century, The Wire is sure to come up. “Grim” and “gritty” don't quite cover the breadth of what's on display here. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the historian), neither does “honest.” As a portrayal of inner city malaise and the bureaucratic interference keeping the problems afloat there are few, if any, pieces of entertainment that even dare to come this close to the truth. What starts as a look at the drug trade of Baltimore and the cops chasing it soon expands beyond those borders, taking on one American institution after another, showing many for a sham, showing others as potentially useful but kneecapped by those in charge. But the show is as much a compelling drama as it is a bullhorn. The cops and the dealers and the politicians and the teachers are built and shown with a staggering amount of complexity, their relationships such that no character is ever a throw-away, and every move made can have immensely far-reaching consequences. It all lends itself to an amazing amount of authenticity, and topics that can and will make almost anyone uncomfortable. Make no mistake: this is bleak television. But for those with the stomach for it, it is unforgettably real, utterly compelling, and almost Shakespearian in its depths and its tragedies.

10 out of 10.