The Wire is superb, and one of the finest TV series I've ever seen. It makes zero concessions and refuses to dumb anything down, demanding the viewer keep up with and get used to the lingo and minutiae of wire-tapping, drug-dealing, and the various other elements introduced over five series. Characters are brilliantly drawn in complex shades of grey, and the programme evolves from cops and drug dealers to being the story of a city, incorporating local politics, education, media, and other matters.

I particularly enjoyed the moment when local cops are thrilled to get FBI assistance. The sequence stands in stark contrast to cop movie cliches, where cops are seen as working class salt of the earth types who resent snooty FBI bureaucracy. Plus some surprisingly funny moments (one investigative scene consisting entirely of the repeated use of a popular four-letter word). All things considered, The Wire ruined television drama for me - especially police thrillers - because everything I watched afterwards seemed so glib and superficial in comparison. :)