Drót

...all those reality shows and documentaries can go take a walk. Who would have said that the gray daily routines on both sides of the barricades could be depicted so convincingly. So much so that you absolutely understand the actions of both sides, while not identifying with either, although it is quite clear that that’s just the way it is. And not just in Baltimore, but also in circles not involved with crime or the police. You find no clichés here, either genre or series-related. But in spite of everything it works the same as what it is illustrating. Like an addiction that you can’t quit. And so I am becoming more and more addicted to the drizzly Baltimore weather that little fish, big bosses, regular cops and their superiors wake up to every morning, just to go out there and take shit again... It may put some viewers off that the separate seasons don’t work so much as individual episodes, but as a whole; like one long movie with lots of parts, so it’s understandable that if you watch this series in classic “one episode a week" style, you won’t have the stamina to last out to the very end. (2010.01.27)

Ed Burns, a former police officer and teacher, and David Simon, a journalist, have observed Baltimore’s streets long enough to know that most of them are dominated by the criminal business in any form, and the drug business in particular. Years of experience were put to good use in writing the books and also the script for this series. The result is an incredibly complex, sophisticated, and unfortunately also reflective-of-everyday-reality crime drama, pitting special units, assembled by superiors from the unpopular guys to show goodwill to politicians while possibly being able to sink them for their incompetence, against drug dealers. However, don't expect a tale about a bunch of losers who kicked everyone’s ass. This bunch celebrates partial successes but in fact also constantly struggles with how to avoid their feet being pulled from underneath them by the higher-ups, how to keep their temper within the limits of the law, and how not to lose their necks because the other side also suspects and acts. The sophistication of the two worlds, which are equally shared, is the main driving force behind the series. Elaborate characters, with whom you would normally have trouble shaking hands, uncompromisingly draw you into a whirlwind of action that certainly doesn't end with the clacking of handcuffs and the slamming of bars. If you like the CSI series, or anything similar, where the heroes are supplied by modeling agencies to catch a killer based on a forgotten hair or a perfectly focused photo from miles away, feel free to avoid this one. This shatters all romantic notions with unprecedented vigor. From my point of view, its definitely the best series I've ever seen. (2009.02.15)

I do not deny that in the ranking of the best crime series, I prefer Breaking Bad with its fascinating story of the moral downfall of its hero; The Wire, however, comes in second place right behind it. The greatest advantage of the thrilling battle between the black drug dealers and the members of the anti-narcotics unit of the Baltimore crime branch is its civility and credibility. The script, which draws you into the world of police officers, criminals, addicts, pushers, and the inhabitants of neglected tenement houses is among the highest quality works in the genre. The Wire can constantly surprise you, keeps you on your toes, and dispels even the last illusions about the functioning of justice in the complex system of American society, where the interests of various parts of the state apparatus, business, and political elite intersect. The victory of justice is often relative and tainted, and its price is high. The war against the drug industry has no end and consists of countless small conflicts, moral compromises, manipulations, and pressure. Watching each episode was a small television celebration for me, and I will definitely return to this series. Overall impression: 95%. (2019.08.05)