The Wire: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 636 Ratings

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9.3

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9.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 636 Ratings

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The Wire

Now Playing: The Wire

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: June 2, 2002

Starring: J.D. Williams, Lance Reddick, John Doman

Summary: In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern KentuckyIn chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, in writing about the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s, can also be used to illuminate some of the central premises of the show:"There is precious little difference between those people who society designates as respectable and law abiding and those people society castigates as hoodlums and thugs. The world of corporate finance and corporate capital is as criminogenic and probably more criminogenic than any poverty-wracked slum neighborhood. The distinctions drawn between business, politics, and organized crime are at best artificial and in reality irrelevant. Rather than being dysfunctions, corporate crime, white-collar crime, organized crime, and political corruption are mainstays of American political-economic life."Tim Goodman, the television critic for The San Francisco Chronicle, summed the show up perfectly when he wrote: "This show is precisely the reason you pay for HBO."In New York's Newsday, Diane Werts says: "Most TV crime series aspire to John Grisham's level. 'The Wire' aspires to Dostoevsky's."Season ThemesSeason One centers around a family of drug dealers and the innerworkings of their empire. It also follows the detectives who are trying to catch the high members of the empire. Season Two steps away from the drug trade (while still mentioning characters from the previous season) to a case of dead prostitutes which turns into a look at the corruption surrounding the Port. Season Three investigates politics and finishes the main stories that were left open in season one. Season Four focuses on four middle school students and their journeys through the public school system and continues to address the politics of an inner-city and the issues of an election. Season Five is rumored to be about the media's role in Baltimore. Season Five will be the show's final season.Theme MusicIn the Season One opening credits, the Blind Boys of Alabama did Tom Waits's "Way Down in the Hole". The Season Two opening credits feature Waits's version of the song. According to creator David Simon, "It was our way of saying: This is the same show (song) but this year, the tale itself (singer, tonality) will be different." The Neville Brothers's version of the song opens Season Three. The theme which plays over the end credits was composed by the show's music supervisor, Blake Leyh.

International AiringsAustralia -- Monday at 12:00 p.m. on Ch.9. Currently airing Season 3.
New Zealand -- Wednesday at 11:40 p.m. on TV2, beginning December 15, 2004.… Expand

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E13. Sentencing
Air Date: September 8, 2002
tbd
S1:E12. Cleaning Up
Air Date: September 1, 2002
tbd
S1:E11. The Hunt
Air Date: August 18, 2002

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Ken Tucker

Jun 14, 2013

It's loose and rambling; its dramatic climaxes don't coincide neatly with the conclusion of any given episode. Its dialogue, overseen by creator David Simon ... is so good it often sounds improvised. One criticism of the show I've read is that it's repetitive (in showing the slow process of how the police bring down bad guys). But what those critics don't get is that those qualities are exactly what make 'The Wire' the funkiest cop show on TV. Read full review

100

Steve Johnson

Apr 29, 2013

Spellbinding...The Wire is compelling in its complexity, heart-rending in its humanity, and surprising in the ways it finds to spin the conventions of cop drama. [31 May 2002, p.4]

Tom Shales

Apr 29, 2013

It's to the network's credit that it undertakes projects that aren't necessarily big crowd-pleasers but have a palpable artistic integrity and social significance. [1 June 2002, p.C01]

Matthew Gilbert

Apr 29, 2013

The Wire is a cop drama from top to bottom. It does take a systemic view of the issue, like "Traffic," Steven Soderbergh's drug-trade saga. But it never sacrifices drama and character for lecture. [31 May 2002, p.E14]

Mike Duffy

Apr 29, 2013

Though it's extremely well done, The Wire lacks the signature HBO kick of discovering something brand new, that giddy feeling of freshness that immediately attached itself to "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under." With The Wire, there's a less-exciting echo: Same old, same old. Been there, done that. [31 May 2002]

James Poniewozik

Jun 28, 2013

It slowly develops into an engrossing look at the methodical nature of police work and the limits of individualism. Read full review

David Bianculli

Apr 29, 2013

After watching five hours of preview tapes, I'm interested to see how The Wire turns out. But without characters to care for, much less root for, I'm not exactly burning with curiosity -- the way I am with most of HBO's other series...When it comes down to The Wire, this show falls short.

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User Score

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9.3

User Reviews

Treehearne

Mar 3, 2012

I've watched many, many television shows, and I can confidently affirm that The Wire is by far the greatest achievement in the history of TV. I won't bother typing up a long and well thought-out review because I'm sure the previous users have done a fair enough job of describing this show,I've watched many, many television shows, and I can confidently affirm that The Wire is by far the greatest achievement in the history of TV. I won't bother typing up a long and well thought-out review because I'm sure the previous users have done a fair enough job of describing this show, but I will say this: no other television series compares to The Wire, and it will be a long time before another one does.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

MorriBey

Jun 28, 2011

Great show. A near to reality that you will ever see. Its not as good as Sopranos but in my ways; it is actually better. Just feels more real....the drug scene, the killing......Love the show.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

gmoore

Dec 30, 2011

Why can't I say just say "best TV show ever" rather than having to type out 150 characters to just say "The Wire is the best TV show ever"? And, by the way, did I mention that The Wire is the best TV show ever. (Hope this is 150 characters!). :)

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

joeyperez

Jul 19, 2013

simply the standard by which all other shows are judged. i have the sopranos slightly higher, but the wire holds quality quite well throughout and the quality is simply incredible. this is the story of a city told from the ground up. the first season is a dive into an immense world that justsimply the standard by which all other shows are judged. i have the sopranos slightly higher, but the wire holds quality quite well throughout and the quality is simply incredible. this is the story of a city told from the ground up. the first season is a dive into an immense world that just keeps getting deeper and deeper until you realise we are all part of the world beyond the wire and yet the city rolls on.

this first season is judged on its own merits, easily a 10, and no amount of idiot middle class who love it because they were told to, despite never seeing the show, or counter counter culture descreditors are going to make me forget that.

1 is a ten based on its own merits.
the series is a 10 based on its own merits.
the weaker seasons are a 10 based on the fact they are that much better than anything else on tv, at what they do, with a very few key exceptions.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Zortalak

Oct 2, 2015

I cannot describe how wonderful this show is.

Characters are so real. Script is fantastic. It is a kind of tv show that forces you to choose a side between street gangs.

I would like to write lots of things here but I do not want to spoil even 1 second of the series.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

podaddy

Feb 10, 2011

The greatest achievement in television history. In five years, I never heard one single exchange of dialogue in this show that wasn't wholly believable. I have had my fill of cop, doctor and lawyer shows over the years,but The Wire is so much more than that. It navigates complex story linesThe greatest achievement in television history. In five years, I never heard one single exchange of dialogue in this show that wasn't wholly believable. I have had my fill of cop, doctor and lawyer shows over the years,but The Wire is so much more than that. It navigates complex story lines between the drug dealers, the school system, the entrie heirarchy of the police force, the politicians, addicts, media and what have you with tremendous ease. Best show ever.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Sitcom_Canuck

Sep 26, 2016

Came into the wire quite late, 2014/2015 maybe. Was taken by the series right away. Something about ugly people on TV, makes you kinda feel the story has some reality to it. The last season really could have been left out but it did complete the cycle for the show.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 67 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

91

Series Overview
Season 5

89
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: January 6, 2008
Season 4

98
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 10, 2006
Season 3

98
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 19, 2004
Season 2

95
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 1, 2003
Season 1

79
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: June 2, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E13. Sentencing
  Air Date: September 8, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E12. Cleaning Up
  Air Date: September 1, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E11. The Hunt
  Air Date: August 18, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E10. The Cost
  Air Date: August 11, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E9. Game Day
  Air Date: August 4, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E8. Lessons
  Air Date: July 28, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E7. One Arrest
  Air Date: July 21, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Wire
  Air Date: July 7, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E5. The Pager
  Air Date: June 30, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E4. Old Cases
  Air Date: June 23, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E3. The Buys
  Air Date: June 16, 2002
- tbd
  S1:E2. The Detail
  Air Date: June 9, 2002
- 7.8
  S1:E1. The Target
  Air Date: June 2, 2002