By Curt Schleier

THE WIRE is the most critically acclaimed TV series never to win an Emmy or a Golden Globe or a People’s Choice Award.  (It did win a prestigious Peabody, but the Peabody is an entirely different prize category.  It would like comparing a Pulitzer to a Mystery Writers award – no disrespect intended.  I personally would take any award.)

I spoke to the show’s creator, David Simon, a couple of years ago, and his take on the lack of award recognition was this:

First, the series is shot in Baltimore, not exactly a hot bed of Emmy and Golden Globe voters. His theory: out of sight out of mind.  While there’s probably some truth to that, I’m sure there are series that are shot in Canada – or at least were shot in Canada when the U.S. dollar was worth 4 million Canadian – that were awarded golden statuettes. 

His second theory was that the show was overlooked because it was largely African American, in that it usually centered on poor black Baltimore neighborhoods, usually featured black gangstas and mostly black politicians and cops.  Although no one wants to admit that, there’s probably a certain truth to that.

But something he overlooked is that the show is much smarter than those that typically walk away with trophies.  Simon and his staff juggle almost 40 regular characters and multiple story lines; to do that, you have to assume that the audience is intelligent – which not many TV producers do.  And from the viewer’s stand point, it’s not just a show you watch.  It’s one you have to pay attention to.

That quality is apparent in this THE WIRE’s fifth and final season. Before I describe the premiere episode, let me tell you about a note from Simon that accompanied critics’ DVDs.  He pointed out that last season a review copy was somehow mislaid and a lot of details he’d hoped to keep secret until the shows actually aired wound up on the web.  He begged us to respect storylines, so if you find what follows a little sketchy, blame him not me.

Newly-elected Mayor Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) is Baltimore’s first white chief executive in decades.  His platform: improve education and cut crime.  He promised the cops raises and better working conditions.  And he could have pulled it off except for his ambition.  Maryland’s governor offers to help fund Carcetti’s educational reforms.  But the mayor really wants to be governor and doesn’t want to do anything that would give the incumbent credit for anything.  So he turns the offer down.

As a result, the cops suffer.  There are no raises, they get only chits and promises for all overtime and the equipment is so decrepit that in one case, Det. McNulty has to get to a homicide by bus.
Morale is low and newly promoted patrol Sgt. Carver (Seth Gilliam) feels the brunt of the cops’ anger at a role call.  They are on the verge of rebellion. 

Meanwhile, Commissioner Burrell (Frankie R. Faison) and his deputy William Rawls (John Doman) negotiate further cuts with the mayor, including disbanding the special unit that had been investigating 22 drug-related murders last year.  Instead of the task force, just two detectives are left to concentrate not on the murders but the more high-profile investigation to a crooked councilman.

There’s also a new story line been added involving the Baltimore Sun.  Simon was a Sun crime reporter before striking TV gold.  It’s where he picked up his knowledge of the city’s mean streets and apparently corporate maneuvering as well.  The newspaper has a corporate owner and is less concerned with quality than the bottom line.  City Editor Gus Haynes (Clark Johnson) tries to hold it all together in spite of cutbacks and layoffs and a new boss brought in by corporate owners.

As an aside, Johnson is a Simon veteran.  He was one of the detectives on Simon’s first foray into TV, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, as realistic a program as you’ve ever seen on broadcast TV.  He also directed the very first episode of THE WIRE and will direct the last as well.

So the ground work is set and there’s much good news.  THE WIRE has held up exceptionally well.  Simon has said that it was always his and HBO’s intention for the run to show five years, and he has planned accordingly.  This is a shame, because HBO needs THE WIRE now much more than ever.  Other good news is that with writer’s strike, the show faces no fresh scripted competition, so more people than ever will likely sample this, one of the best dramas on TV.