The dangerous streets of Baltimore?!

The good guys versus bad guys narrative is employed by most television dramas. Cop dramas obviously exploit this arc for all its worth, with the saintly cops keeping the streets safe from the evil criminals. The Wire does not go along with the standard narrative of cop shows. The show does revolve around cops and criminals, but the line between good and bad, right and wrong is unequivocally blurred.

The Wire is a complex series that chronicles the activities of the cops and criminals in the dangerous drug and murder filled streets of inner city Baltimore. The first season concerns the cops quest to bring down drug lord Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). This first season consists of only 13 episodes, but this series is not episodic and plays out more like a 13 part film.

The 'good guys'

We begin with drug dealer D’Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gilliard Jr.) being charged and then acquitted of murder after a key witness for the prosecution is bullied by cronies who work for drug kingpin Avon Barksdale. Homicide detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), furious at the development, complains to a judge, which spearheads the appointment of a task force to investigate Barksdale’s drug ring. As the investigation begins, McNulty comes under fire from his colleagues for complaining to someone outside the department. The popular consensus is to wrap up the investigation as soon as possible. In many ways the cops are more disorganised and inept than the criminals. Avon’s posse are well equipped and smart in the majority of their criminal activities. These supposed polar opposites of society mirror each other in many ways. The hierachy of the drug world is organised in a similar way to the police world and this similarity is explored to intriguing effect in this series.

The 'bad guys'

The Wire has a large ensemble cast with many players on both sides of the law. All the performances are flawless with Dominic West as the stubborn McNultry and Wendell Pierce as detective Bunk Moreland making a particularly impressive pair. One of the most memorable scenes in the first season involves McNulty and Bunk working an apartment crime scene. As the two observe the different elements of evidence in this five minute scene, the only words spoken are different variations of f**k and motherf**ker.

The Wire manages to successfully blend the different stories of the cops and the criminals and provides equal time exploring all the different aspects of the investigation. This is all due to the innovative writing which dishes out ample amounts of brutal reality, sarcasm and heart that could rival any other drama on television.

Dominic West as Det. Jimmy McNulty

The Wire is presented in the standard televisual 1.33:1 Fullscreen format. Unlike most other crime shows on the box, The Wire doesn’t employ flashy cinematography, but this transfer showcases the merits of the hard edged look. Colours are rich and vibrant with deep blacks exceptional, especially in night scenes. Skin tones are realistic and shadow details respectable. The overall look is generally clear and crisp. There are few instances of aliasing, but no other noticeable defects are present.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is problem free and an outstanding mix for a television series. Surround is well utilised for action sequences and the occasional musical overtone (only provided through incidental sources such as a car radio) creeps into the subwoofer to create an absorbing atmosphere. Dialogue is always clear and audible, so you can hear every swear word clear as a bell.

McNulty, D'Angelo and Bunk on the couch.

Audio Commentaries appear on the following episodes

• The Target
  (writer/creator David Simon)
• The Detail
  (Director Clark Johnson)
• Cleaning Up
  (writer/creator David Simon & writer George P. Pelecanos)

These commentaries are essential listening as a lot of information is provided that gives insight into every aspect of this series. Creator David Simon is a wonderful speaker, although he does seem very in love with his own genius. They are also great at explaining some of the confusing contexts of the first season. Some of the characters in the series are based on real people and plenty of detail is given about Simon’s inspiration in creating the show.

The Wire caught me completely off guard. I really only expected a show with a slight variation on the cop show formula but this is something else entirely. This show is completely stripped of glamour and cop show clichés. While the first season starts off very simply, as the layers and layers of densely woven plot elements are revealed, this series becomes nothing short of a television masterpiece. Listen carefully! This series is superb television drama.