Pop Vultures

I almost didn’t watch The Wire. I don’t mean this week’s episode; there was no way I’d miss that. Just in general. Five years ago, I sat through the first five minutes of the very first episode and decided it was a Homicide ripoff by someone who was really pleased with their ability to use the word “fuck” on TV. Then, I turned it off and forgot about it for another four years.

For the record, I’ve got to say it: damn, but I was wrong.

Now, of course, I know that The Wire is a Homicide ripoff in only the loosest sense, that being they’re both produced by David Simon. (Sadly, The Wire does not also contain Homicide star Andre Braugher, but I think that’s only because, if they added another insanely talented actor to the fold, they would exceed the Maximum Talent Level allotted to any one program. Viewers’ brains might explode from the utter perfection of the cast.) It’s not a ripoff, but rather an extension, one which explores stories the old NBC show never touched.

And extend it does. This isn’t just a police procedural; it’s the bastard lovechild of a cop show and a Russian novel. Stories and characters sprawl in every direction before circling back on each other, overlapping and blending and sometimes colliding. The show is meticulously crafted from start to finish. In four seasons, I can’t think of a single unnecessary scene.

It’s not a happy show, of course. Lots of good people suffer and lots of bad people get away with some really awful stuff. The relentless realism of the series ensures that there will be no happily ever after (though I’m rooting for one for Freamon, at the very least). No one is safe from sticky personal relationships and moral dilemmas that would make the devil himself nod approvingly. It’s a harsh land, this Baltimore. In fact, I’m sure the only people that could truly hate this show are on the Baltimore Tourist Board (new slogan: “Come to Baltimore! You probably won’t be murdered!”).

Season 5 is starting strong, though I’m sorry to see that the Major Crimes department has been disbanded yet again. Seriously, can we have one season where they make it through all thirteen episodes without becoming the victims of someone’s political maneuvering? Still, I’ll trust that Simon knows what he’s doing, because he hasn’t let me down yet, and the first episode’s references to season 2 suggest that he does, in fact, have a master plan. With only twelve episodes left, this season is bound to be a bittersweet one, each brilliant hour bringing this amazing series closer to its conclusion. When that day comes, this show will certainly take its permanent place on my list of the 10 Best Shows Ever. Still, that day can take its time getting here. Now that I’ve discovered The Wire, I’m in no hurry to let it go.