These cops do "real" police work on TV.
The Basics: What does Baltimore have that Las Vegas doesn't? In terms of fictional cops on TV, at least it's got realistic police work going on. Forget about CSI and its multitude of spin-offs and rip-offs, or even the venerable Law & Order franchise. On the HBO series The Wire, created by the team responsible for Homicide, there are no little mysteries, no singular crimes that can get solved during the course of an hour. Like life, the scenarios are big and complicated, and the good guys don't always win right away.
The Catch: Complications work great in an hour-long show with no commercials. Just like with HBO's supreme Sopranos, this format gives the writers a chance to develop characters, keep plots moving and even have some fun. Unlike that particular show, however, The Wire doesn't focus on one central figure. Loner detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) is a start, but dapper gang leader Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) is just as charismatic. And even though this show's universe is male dominated, there's room for strong, uncompromised women. Kima (Sonja Sohn) is never just "the girl cop," and state attorney Rhonda (Deirdre Lovejoy) is way more than the sexy lawyer on the team. This season's best female character hardly says a word, but sits in the cops' bunker and clips coupons while listening to the wire taps. When the officers can't figure out what the criminals are talking about, she translates in a hilariously deadpan fashion.
This season, it's even less about personalities and more about the chase as the special wiretap division is desperate to stop the drug trade that continues to ruin the city, even as the crime rate goes down elsewhere in the country. They're back to chasing Stringer's crew and the other local gangs, who have organized all the criminal activity into a cooperative. A rogue police captain has had a similar idea and has unofficially legalized drugs in his sector, creating open-air shooting galleries in secluded areas to keep the streets clean for regular folks. But despite the social engineering, bodies keep falling.
Why It's Good: As we get closer to Christmas, the only new things to watch on TV are holiday specials and the finales of reality shows. The Wire has two episodes left in its stellar third season (December 12 and 19), and plenty of fireworks on tap as the cops close in on a showdown with Stringer and his crazed partner, Avon, who's fresh out of jail and ready to risk going back in.
iVillage Mood Meter: Gets your heart pumping
Stars: Dominic West, Idris Elba, Lance Reddick
Air dates: 9pm ET, December 12 and 19
Network: HBO
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May be the term you use "over the pond". From an uneducated brit, who stays well clear of hoods and detectives for similar reasons, this show is fantastic. A speculative purchase on the strength of other HBO stuff, from the amazonian land, this really is good writing/acting, something which exposes all the interesting character developments, that some wirters have the courage or knowledge to actually pull off. This show is funny, clever, daring (ish) classy and ashamed to say very american (in the best possible way), us brits are still too stuck with james bond and dixon of dock green....typically british i mean, even though we could have a go at something similar.....thinking liverpool/leeds/manchester/bristol.....lets copy this shit and do an english version.........nah!!! Shame the ratings are apparently poor globally, shows you a little whats happening to t.v at moment (safe) Anyway rant over (carnivale) also good from hbo by from over here
--Posted by Munz, birmingham ,uk
definitely the most realistic stuff i've ever seen. compelling characters, strong emotions, it's so sad the show might take an end because of a low audience rate...
--Posted by yohann, lille, france
this show holds no punches in portraying a portion of our world.The acting is superb-there are no stereotypes.Leave it to HBO to take risks,it is truly a shame that this show isn't recognized at Emmy time.Thank You HBO for this jewel!!!!
--Posted by PantherGalactus, Santa Rosa, CA
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This is absolutely the best show on televsion. It is not for the faint of heart nor the viewer wanted to be led to the big pay off. This show has too much integrity to be that type of "entertainment". Instead it trusts the intelligence of the audience, in fact it depends on it. It is smart and real and funny and sad and complicated and ultimately very human.
--Posted by Ftray, philadelphia, PA
The best show on cable. . . . . .
--Posted by Denise, Carson, CA
The writing is excellent, the acting is beyong believable (they have to get some of those people from the streets of Baltimore) and the story line is intriguing and realistic. There is also something for everybody.
--Posted by Michelle, Washington, DC
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i've watched it since the beginning and i think it's great. i thought last year episodes was a little strange but i still watched it. and besides what else is there to watch on a sunday.
--Posted by buggs666, jersey shore, PA
photo credit © HBO