Favourite TV Shows #7: The Wire

My general preferences for TV are British Comedies and American Dramas, and this show is one of the origins of that.

Taking place in Baltimore, the series plays out like a police procedural. However, it is unique in two ways. Firstly, it follows an over-arching investigation rather than a different case per week. Secondly, it looks at life on both sides of the fence, both in law enforcement and in organised crime. What follows is an ensemble piece with many complex characters.

The show begins with Homicide Detective Jimmy McNulty, played by Dominic West, as he persuades a judge to arrange an investigation into the empire of Avon Barksdale, played by Wood Harris. What follows is a social commentary and critique of the numerous institutions of Baltimore, and how the rigidly structured systems hinder effective enforcement more than they help. The first series initially looks at the police and the drug trade, but the scope expands to the docks and trade unions, the city government, the schools, and the newspapers.

McNulty would be regarded as the protagonist at first. He's a good detective, but his skill is overshadowed by personal problems and insubordinate tendencies. On the other side of the fence, Avon Barksdale is a ruthless kingpin, while his right-hand man Stringer Bell, played by Idris Elba, is more of a businessman who favours profit over power. There are hundreds of other characters in the series, but there are no real heroes - everybody is flawed in one way or another.

However, I would have to say that my favourite character is Omar Little, played by Michael K. Williams. He's a stick-up man who frequently antagonises the city's drug dealers, but he also adheres to a strict code of honour, never targeting those who are not involved in the drug trade.

One thing to note though: There's a lot of slang used, which can be difficult to comprehend at times. I recommend subtitles. And some kind of phrasebook.

"It's all in the game, man. It's all in the game."