Currently finishing airing on BBC2 is HBO’s ‘reconstruction’ of the cop show, ‘The Wire’ (2002-2008), which for me has set a new standard in television drama. Not since ‘The West Wing’ have we seen such a rich and frankly rewarding series.

Co-created by an ex-Police reporter David Simon, HBO’s crime series ‘The Wire’ (set on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland) boasts a multi-layered narrative framework and an excellent ensemble cast, including British actors Dominic West as Det. Jimmy McNulty and soon-to-be-huge-star Idris Elba as the charismatic Stringer Bell (who in fact was tipped to be a future choice for James Bond in the G2 section of The Guardian a few months back). Not only does the show feature standout realist performances from each and every actor, but the show is brimming with a richness and depth not seen on the small screen in a long time. This may be due to the fact that the show is based on the real-life experiences of both of the show’s co-creators, Ed Burns (a former homicide detective) and the aforementioned David Simon – however, I feel the show’s potency is more than somewhat linked with what it expects from its audience. In comparison with other high-profile television drama such as ‘ER’ which presents the audience with a short recap of footage from previous episodes (“previously on <insert drama series here>…”), not once in its 5 seasons does ‘The Wire’ offer its audience a chance to refresh their memories.

It expects us to keep up with the complex and multi-layered plot strands and character arcs, and if we can’t, well tough. As odd and demanding as this sounds (and even damn right incongruous to the way we approach serialised television), this apparent expectation is certainly to the show’s credit. ‘The Wire’ knows it is an intelligent piece of drama, and therefore expects a certain intelligence and amount of concentration from those who choose to watch it.

Another area that the show excels in is the depth of its characters. Initial viewings may prove difficult, in that the sheer number of characters is slightly overwhelming, but after a couple of episodes it becomes easier to identify character from character and to understand the complex plot. But not only are the plots and narrative strands rich and multifaceted, the character development seen in ‘The Wire’ is next to none. In comparison with various other crime television franchises employing a black-and-white moral environment where the police are the upstanding heroes and the criminals are the ruthless villains, ‘The Wire’ refuses to subscribe to this outdated and essentially preposterous view. Instead, the show deploys a striking vision of moral ambiguity in the presentation of the citizens of Baltimore. In place of valiant and noble police we have a rag-tag group of officers, each with their own approach to their work (which often seems to serve only themselves) – leading to corruption and egotism throughout the force. On the street, the drug dealers and gang members are not the evil blackguards that other media has led us to expect; they often display more integrity and decency than the cops pursuing them. It must be said however, that the show is primarily male focused, which is a definite problem. Arguably the show features Sonja Sohn as Det. Kima Greggs as a key member of the police team, but really this does not make up for a distinct lack of female characters.

As acting goes, performances featured in ‘The Wire’ are second to none. British actor Dominic West (seen recently in ‘Breaking the Mould’ for BBC4 and ‘The Devil’s Whore’ on Channel 4) is excellent as Det. Jimmy McNulty, as are Clarke Peters and Wendell Pierce as Lester Freamon and Bunk Moreland respectively. The only major detraction in terms of the actors’ performances is that the language used by those portraying characters from the ‘street’ tends to be esoteric real slang and dialect specific to the Baltimore area – as a result it is sometimes difficult to understand just what it is they are saying. Therefore it is sometimes useful to watch the show with subtitles on so you can catch every word and keep up with what is undoubtedly one of the best, most sophisticated and engaging television dramas ever made.