The Wire (2002-2008)

Brandon Young, Tom McCarthy, Clark Johnson and Michelle Paress on The Wire. (Photo: Paul Schiraldi Photography)

Starring: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba

Drama which follows police officers in Baltimore as they tackle a single drugs-and-murder crime investigation case per season. Season one depicted the national drug war through the microcosm of a West Baltimore housing project. Season two chronicled the deindustrialization of America, focusing on the toil of a longshoreman's union to survive in an ever changing economic terrain. In the third season, Baltimore's political leaders played a key role in the examination of reform and the problems confronting this post-industrial city. Season 4 looks at a quartet of inner city boys dealing with the harsh realities of their environment and the educational system.