THE WIRE HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN

"All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward." Ellen Glasgow said that and so did the writers, actors and directors of HBO's epic television series THE WIRE.

From start to finish, we saw that as much as things changed, they stayed the same. This was a cop show with no peers. While THE SOPRANOS showed everyone that good, cutting edge TV that didn't talk down to it's audience could be created. THE WIRE upped the ante and dare I say, perfected it. THE WIRE told not the story, but the epic tale of how "everything is connected" in the drug game in Baltimore and essentially, urban America. This was a Greek tragedy that told the story from all points of view --- from the streets (that deliver the drugs to the people), the docks (that delivers the drugs to the dealers), the school system (that supplies the drug workforce), the media (that supposedly covers the drug epidemic) and last but not least government (that's supposed to be trying to stop the drugs). All these entities were indicted on the show with extreme objectivity and you found yourself accepting a usually harsh or uncomfortable reality of life by the end of an episode. This discomfort factor is probably the same reason the show has not had the success of THE SOPRANOS. THE SOPRANOS, while realistic had a still glamorous and seductive feel to it. THE WIRE was a giant, floor to ceiling mirror held up to society for it to look at itself-- warts, moles and all.


It showed us insights to people that were easily seen as disposable pieces of the human condition. The dope fiend we see on the corner begging, the child gunman in the newspaper or the drug dealer on the nightly news were finally given faces, personalities and hearts. Bubbles was a heroin addict and a man that dealt with his demons daily, even though he was trying to con you or rob you blind. Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell-- something like the Ron Howard and Brian Grazer of drugs in West Baltimore-- Avon was a true to the streets drug dealer and Stringer was a drug dealer, who wanted to use their illegal doings to become a legitimate businessman like The Kennedys (i.e. - rum running). Wallace (from season 1), Michael and Dukie were all innocent children, forced to make adult choices, even if they were ready or not. Omar, the gay stickup man with his code of the street ethics, robbed only drug dealers and "no civillians" (his words not mine). These people were not painted in black and white, no we truly saw the many shades of gray in these people-- and I stress people. Because that's what they were. In the past these two dimensional, stock black characters have passed through cop shows and viewers have said after an hour of TV viewing, "yeah, that's how it is and that's how they are". THE WIRE took them and made them whole, while never sanitizing them or giving them fairytale endings. It gave you a real ending as the creators David Simon and Ed Burns gave to us in the series finale. We saw a cycle of change over these past five seasons. We saw Sydnor become the new McNulty, DuQuan become the new Bubbles, Michael become the new Omar, Slim Charles become the new Marlo and so many more as evident in the montage in the finale's final minutes. Now the machine hasn't changed but the players have, but at least now we know why the players are who they are. I know they say television can't change society, but if enough people watched THE WIRE, I surely think it changed their views.

Now follow me to freedom!