In My Opinion: Best Television Series

Everyone is looking for a new television series to get into. Classics such as 24 and Lost are over, and let's face it the new shows on TV just are not as good. It is also a pain to wait in between shows and seasons like you must do to watch a show as it airs. The answer to this problem is to watch a television series that  has already come out, but you have yet to see. In the next few posts I am going to tell you about a few television series that have already concluded and are very good.

We will start with what is in my opinion the best television series ever created. That show is HBO's The Wire. In my mind the gap between the Wire and any other television show is very substantial. The Wire is a show about the different parts of the city of Baltimore and how they interact with each other. It deals with the drug war between the police department and the drug dealers, and it also covers the interactions between the white lower class and the cops. In addition to these things The Wire explores corruption in the police department and political circles of Baltimore. Seasons four and five of the five season series take a look at the schools and media of Baltimore. The Wire is a show with many different aspects and this is one of the reasons it is so great.

Another reason that I believe the Wire is the greatest television show ever is the characters. It is filled with not only excellent primary characters such as Omar Little, Jimmy McNulty, and Lester Freamon, but also amazingly deep complimentary characters such as Bodie Broadus, D'Angelo Barksdale, and Ellis Carver. All of these characters are extremely round and do not fit into any of the stereotypes you see in the usual melodramas that fill television today. There is no hero or distinct villain, but instead characters that make you ponder every word and interaction. With these characters the storyline of the Wire could be awful and people would still watch, but luckily the storyline is excellent also.

The last reason I will mention on why the Wire is such a great show is because of the excellent dialogue. It is filled with amazing quotes that you do just not hear in other shows. Many have called the script of the Wire Shakespearian. Each episode of the Wire begins with a quote. When you see these quotes remember that every word is important and listen closely while you watch this amazing show.

However, I will make one disclaimer. One of the things that makes the Wire such a brilliant show is the fact that it is so realistic. Characters are not changed to make people feel better, punches are not pulled to avoid stepping on toes, the Wire portrays life as it is. A side effect of this is that the language and violence that happens in inner city Baltimore is also seen on screen. You can expect some f-bombs and bloody scenes, but they are not thrown in simply for effect, they all have a purpose. So watch with caution but know that it is all worth it.

So there you have it. These are the reasons why, in my opinion, The Wire is the great television series of all time.