The Wire

On the surface, The Wire is a police procedural. However, it actually is a representation of the corruption within America and capitalism.

It takes concentration and patience to engage with the text. It is definitely not for an audience who are more geared towards instant gratifications.

Story lines in the plot are often not solved, there is not much closure and half of the time the police never catch or prosecute the people that they are after.

All five seasons take place in Baltimore exploring how the town has been corrupted.

The Wire is seen as a neo-realist text because of it's stylistics. For example, the real life representation of situations and the use of non professional actors and regional accents.

Jimmy McNulty = Drunken, womanising cop.

D'Angelo = The caring drug dealer.

Stringer Bell = The druglord who like to see himself as a businessman, in reality he is just a drug dealer.

Omar Little = Gay ganster who robs drug dealers (see more on gay representation)

Kima Greggs = Lesbian cop, (see more on gay representation)

Herc and Caver = Buddy cop relationship. "Work and play"