The Wire - TV-MA

Realistic drama about urban crime is NOT for kids.

TV Rating: TV-MA Network: BET, HBO, Syndicated Cast: Lance Reddick, Wood Harris Genre: Drama
Available on: DVD

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this dark, mature series offers a very realistic representation of urban crime and the other problems that affect inner cities (but, unfortunately, offers few solutions). It constantly deals with gang violence, drug trafficking, and murder and frequently criticizes law enforcement and government agencies. It also contains extremely strong language and some nudity -- all of which makes it strictly for adults only.

Families can talk about the realities of living in an urban area. Are all inner-city communities affected by drug trafficking and violent crime? What causes these problems? Are there any effective solutions? Families can also talk about the fact that while the media typically highlights drug-related crimes in urban areas, these problems also impact other types of communities. Issues surrounding race and class can also be discussed.

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Melissa Camacho

THE WIRE is an award-winning drama that powerfully addresses many of the complex issues plaguing America's inner cities. Presenting a gritty, realistic interpretation of urban life, the series underscores the idea that urban crime is a product of both a socially and politically flawed society.

Set in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire centers on the police department's ability to secretly gain access to criminal organizations through the use of electronics and wiretap surveillance. But technology aside, the series looks at government and law enforcement's inability to "win the war" against drugs, gangs, racism, poverty, and political corruption.

Boasting a large ensemble cast -- including Lance Reddick as Lt. Cedric Daniels, Dominic West as Detective Jimmy McNulty, and Wood Harris as drug lord Avon Barksdale -- The Wire features cops and criminals who aren't simply "good guys" and "bad guys," but rather multifaceted individuals who are struggling to both survive and succeed in a world that maintains its own set of values and exercises its own rules of justice. Meanwhile, the members of Baltimore's political circle -- including Mayor Clarence V. Royce (Glynn Turman) and Councilman Thomas Carcetti (Aiden Gillen) -- negotiate both the law and the streets.

While The Wire takes a much-needed critical look at the social problems and institutional ineffectiveness of urban America, it fails to offer gratifying solutions to those problems. But in many ways that's actually the strength of this unflinchingly violent, realistic show; its straightforward, uncomfortable portrayal of America's urban crisis makes the issues facing urban America difficult to forget.

Fans may also enjoy Law & Order, The Shield, and the classic series NYPD Blue.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Strong sexual content, including nudity. Explicit, gratuitous remarks about sex and sexual activity are frequent.
Violence Frequent scenes of people being murdered. Guns and other weapons are visibly used to cause bodily harm. There are also recurring discussions of violent acts as related to criminal investigations. Lots of gang-related fighting (including punching and kicking) resulting in bodily harm. Children engage in disruptive behavior in and outside of school.
Language Very strong language, including the continual use of "f--k" and other swear words. The swearing is often gratuitous.
Message
	Social Behavior Provides serious social commentary on the complex problems faced by inner cities. The cast is predominantly African-American but also includes Caucasians and Latinos. While criminal behavior is treated as negative, those who are fighting crime aren't always ethically motivated.
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Drug trafficking is prominently discussed and sometimes visible, but it's within context (drug dealing is a major theme of the show). Both adults and minors drink and use tobacco products.