History of The Wire in Timeline
The Wire, created by David Simon, is an American crime drama television series that aired on HBO from 2002 to 2008, spanning five seasons and 60 episodes. The series explores the complexities of Baltimore's drug trade through the perspectives of drug dealers, law enforcement, politicians, educators, and the media. Each season focuses on a different facet of the city, revealing systemic issues and the interconnectedness of its institutions. Inspired by the experiences of Simon and Ed Burns, The Wire offers a realistic portrayal of urban decay, corruption, and the human cost of the war on drugs.
6 hours ago : US and Israel conflict escalates amid Gaza tensions and Iran ceasefire efforts.
The US and Israel face criticism over the ongoing conflict and Gaza situation. Securing a ceasefire with Iran requires abandoning ideological war. Israelis reassess Iranian front amid broader regional tensions.
1987: "Way Down in the Hole" Written by Tom Waits
In 1987, Tom Waits wrote the gospel-and-blues-inspired song "Way Down in the Hole" for his album Franks Wild Years. This song became the opening theme for The Wire, with different recordings used each season.
1991: Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
In 1991, David Simon wrote the book "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets," which was set in Baltimore and later adapted into the NBC program Homicide: Life on the Street.
2000: The Corner
In 2000, David Simon created the police drama loosely based on Ed Burns experiences. Burns, a former homicide detective and public school teacher worked with Simon on projects including "The Corner".
June 2, 2002: The Wire Premieres on HBO
On June 2, 2002, The Wire, an American crime drama television series created by David Simon, premiered on the cable network HBO.
2002: HBO Aired Season One
In 2002, HBO aired the first season of The Wire, beginning the weekly broadcast of new episodes. Occasionally, the broadcast skipped a week or two in favor of other programming.
2003: HBO Aired Season Two
In 2003, HBO aired the second season of The Wire, continuing the weekly broadcast schedule, occasionally skipping weeks for other programming.
2004: Entertainment Weekly Names The Wire Best Show of the Year
In 2004, Entertainment Weekly named The Wire the best show of the year, describing it as "the smartest, deepest and most resonant drama on TV."
2004: HBO Aired Season Three
In 2004, HBO aired the third season of The Wire, maintaining the weekly broadcast schedule with occasional interruptions for other programming.
2004: Robert F. Colesberry Death
In 2004, Robert F. Colesberry, executive producer for the first two seasons of The Wire and director of the season 2 finale, passed away due to complications from heart surgery.
2004: Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Writing
In 2004, The Wire was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode "Middle Ground."
2005: The Wire Receives Emmy Writing Nomination
In 2005, The Wire received one of only two Primetime Emmy Award writing nominations it ever received.
December 2006: Local Black Students Relate to The Wire
In December 2006, a Washington Post article reported that local black students felt The Wire "hit a nerve" and that they recognized real-life counterparts of the characters, expressing sadness about the impact of drugs and violence on their community.
2006: Time Out New York Names The Wire Best TV Series
In 2006, Andrew Johnston of Time Out New York named The Wire the best TV series, praising its epic meditation on urban America and the heart-breaking tale of four eighth-graders in season four.
2006: HBO Aired Season Four
In 2006, HBO aired the fourth season of The Wire. Starting with this season, HBO On Demand subscribers could view each episode six days earlier than the regular broadcast.
2007: Time Lists The Wire Among Best TV Series
In 2007, Time listed The Wire among the one hundred best television series of all time.
2007: The Wire Praised for Realistic Media Portrayal
In 2007, Variety magazine's Brian Lowry described the fifth season of The Wire, which portrayed a working newsroom at The Baltimore Sun, as the most realistic portrayal of the media in film and television.
January 8, 2008: Soundtrack Albums Released
On January 8, 2008, two soundtrack albums for The Wire were released on Nonesuch Records: "The Wire: And All the Pieces Matter—Five Years of Music from The Wire" and "Beyond Hamsterdam."
March 9, 2008: The Wire Series Finale
On March 9, 2008, The Wire concluded its five-season run on HBO, ending its broadcast of 60 episodes. The series was created by David Simon.
2008: HBO Aired Season Five
In 2008, HBO aired the fifth and final season of The Wire, continuing the practice of making episodes available early to HBO On Demand subscribers.
2008: The Wire Receives Second Emmy Writing Nomination
In 2008, The Wire received its second Primetime Emmy Award writing nomination.
2008: Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Writing
In 2008, The Wire was again nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode "–30–."
2008: BBC Buys Terrestrial Rights to The Wire
In 2008, the BBC bought the terrestrial television rights to The Wire.
2009: BBC Acquires Terrestrial Rights
In 2009, the BBC acquired the terrestrial television rights to The Wire. The show was broadcast on BBC Two at 11:20 pm, though catch-up was not available on BBC iPlayer.
2010: Mario Vargas Llosa Reviews The Wire
In 2010, the Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate, Mario Vargas Llosa, wrote a very positive critical review of The Wire in the Spanish newspaper El País.
February 2012: Slavoj Žižek Lecture
In February 2012, Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek gave a lecture at Birkbeck, University of London titled "The Wire or the clash of civilisations in one country."
April 2012: "Style in The Wire" Video Essay
In April 2012, Norwegian academic Erlend Lavik posted online a 36-minute video essay called "Style in The Wire" which analyzes the various visual techniques used by the show's directors over the course of its five seasons.
2013: The Wire Receives Multiple Rankings
In 2013, The Wire received several accolades, including being ranked the ninth-best-written TV series by the Writers Guild of America, the fifth-greatest drama and sixth-greatest show by TV Guide, and being listed at No. 6 in Entertainment Weekly's "26 Best Cult TV Shows Ever."
December 26, 2014: Remastered Series Debuts
On December 26, 2014, the remastered 16:9 HD version of The Wire debuted on HBO Signature and HBO GO, after being remastered to improve visual quality and resolve technical issues.
2014: The Wire Available on CraveTV
In late 2014, The Wire became available in Canada in a remastered 16:9 HD format on the streaming service CraveTV.
June 2, 2015: Blu-ray Box Set Released
On June 2, 2015, The Wire was released as a complete series Blu-ray box set, providing a high-definition physical media option for fans.
2016: Rolling Stone Ranks The Wire Second
In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked The Wire second on its list of the 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
September 2019: The Guardian Ranks The Wire #2
In September 2019, The Guardian ranked The Wire #2 on its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, praising its writing and performance.
2022: Rolling Stone Ranks The Wire Fourth
In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked The Wire fourth on its list of the 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
2023: Variety Ranks The Wire Seventh-Greatest TV Show
In 2023, Variety ranked The Wire as the seventh-greatest TV show of all time.
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