History of The Wire in Timeline
The Wire, created by David Simon, is a five-season HBO crime drama exploring the drug trade in Baltimore through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement. Each season expands its scope to include different facets of the city, such as the port, schools, city hall, and the media, illustrating how systemic dysfunction and institutional corruption perpetuate the cycle of crime and poverty. Inspired by the experiences of Simon and Ed Burns, a former detective and teacher, the show emphasizes realism and social commentary, offering a nuanced portrayal of urban decay and the human condition.
1987: Tom Waits Releases Franks Wild Years
In 1987, Tom Waits released his album Franks Wild Years, which features the song "Way Down in the Hole." This song would later be used as the opening theme for the TV show The Wire, with different recordings for each season.
1991: Simon's Book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is Released
In 1991, David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, which is set in Baltimore, was released. This book later served as the basis for the NBC program Homicide: Life on the Street, also set in Baltimore.
2000: Simon and Burns Collaborate on The Corner
In 2000, David Simon and Ed Burns collaborated on The Corner, a project that influenced the creation of The Wire. Simon aimed to create a police drama inspired by Burns' experiences and frustrations with the Baltimore Police Department.
June 2, 2002: The Wire Premieres
On June 2, 2002, The Wire, an American crime drama television series created by David Simon for HBO, premiered. The show was loosely based on the experiences of Ed Burns.
2002: HBO Aired Season One of The Wire
In 2002, HBO aired the first season of The Wire, introducing the show to audiences. New episodes were shown once a week, with occasional breaks for other programming.
2003: HBO Aired Season Two of The Wire
In 2003, HBO aired the second season of The Wire, continuing the weekly episode releases with occasional breaks. This season further developed the show's storyline.
2004: Entertainment Weekly Names The Wire Best Show of 2004
In 2004, Entertainment Weekly recognized The Wire as the best show of the year, highlighting its complexity and depth despite its low ratings. The Baltimore City Paper also expressed concerns about the show's potential cancellation.
2004: HBO Aired Season Three of The Wire
In 2004, HBO aired the third season of The Wire, maintaining the weekly release pattern with occasional breaks for other programming, expanding the show's themes and characters.
2004: Robert F. Colesberry Dies
In 2004, Robert F. Colesberry, the executive producer for the first two seasons of The Wire, died from complications following heart surgery. Colesberry, also known for his work on The Corner, played a significant role in shaping the show's visual style.
2004: The Wire Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award
In 2004, The Wire was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode "Middle Ground", acknowledging the show's writing quality.
2005: The Wire Receives Emmy Nomination
In 2005, The Wire received one of its only two Primetime Emmy Award writing nominations, despite critical acclaim and recognition of its lack of awards.
December 2006: Black Students Say The Wire "hit a nerve"
In December 2006, a Washington Post article quoted local black students saying that The Wire had "hit a nerve" within the black community. The students said they knew real-life counterparts of many of the show's characters, and the article expressed sadness about the impact of drugs and violence.
2006: Time Out New York Names The Wire Best TV Series of 2006
In 2006, Andrew Johnston of Time Out New York named The Wire as the best TV series. He credited the first three seasons as establishing it as one of the best series of the decade, noting season four was centered around four eighth-graders.
2006: HBO Aired Season Four of The Wire
In 2006, HBO aired the fourth season of The Wire. Subscribers to HBO On Demand could view each episode six days earlier than the broadcast date.
2007: The Wire Praised for Realistic Media Portrayal
In 2007, Brian Lowry of Variety magazine 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.
2007: Time Lists The Wire Among Best TV Series of All Time
In 2007, Time listed The Wire among the one hundred best television series of all time, acknowledging its significant impact and quality.
January 8, 2008: Soundtrack Albums Released
On January 8, 2008, two soundtrack albums for The Wire were released by Nonesuch Records. The Wire: And All the Pieces Matter—Five Years of Music from The Wire features music from all five seasons, and Beyond Hamsterdam includes local Baltimore artists.
March 9, 2008: The Wire Series Finale
On March 9, 2008, The Wire concluded its five-season run on HBO, comprising a total of 60 episodes. The series, created by David Simon, had premiered in 2002.
2008: HBO Aired Season Five of The Wire
In 2008, HBO aired the fifth and final season of The Wire. The show was also broadcast on American basic cable network BET, which added commercial breaks and censored some content.
2008: The Wire Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award
In 2008, The Wire received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for the episode "–30–", recognizing its high-quality writing.
2008: The Wire Receives Emmy Nomination
In 2008, The Wire received one of its only two Primetime Emmy Award writing nominations, despite critical acclaim and recognition of its lack of awards.
2008: BBC Buys Rights to The Wire
In 2008, the BBC acquired terrestrial television rights to The Wire in the United Kingdom. It was broadcast on BBC Two, but controversially at a late hour and without catch-up availability.
2009: FX No Longer Broadcasts The Wire
In 2009, FX stopped broadcasting The Wire in the United Kingdom. Previously, FX had been the primary broadcaster of the show in the UK.
2010: Mario Vargas Llosa Critically Reviews The Wire
In 2010, Mario Vargas Llosa, the Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate, wrote a positive critical review of The Wire in the Spanish newspaper El País, highlighting its cultural impact.
February 2012: Slavoj Žižek Lecture on The Wire
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, highlighting its intellectual impact.
April 2012: Video Essay on Style in The Wire Posted Online
In April 2012, Norwegian academic Erlend Lavik posted a 36-minute video essay titled "Style in The Wire" online, analyzing the various visual techniques used in the show's direction. The essay showcases the impact of the show's visual elements.
2013: The Wire Receives Multiple Rankings and Recognition
In 2013, The Wire received several accolades. The Writers Guild of America ranked it as the ninth best-written TV series. TV Guide ranked it as the fifth-greatest drama and the sixth-greatest show of all time. Entertainment Weekly listed it at No. 6 in their list of "26 Best Cult TV Shows Ever," praising Michael K. Williams's acting as Omar Little. Entertainment Weekly also named it the number one TV show of all-time in a special issue.
December 26, 2014: Remastered The Wire Debuts on HBO
On December 26, 2014, the remastered 16:9 high-definition version of The Wire debuted on HBO Signature and HBO GO. The remastered series was approved by creator David Simon, who worked with HBO to address visual issues.
2014: The Wire Available on CraveTV
In 2014, The Wire became available in Canada in a remastered 16:9 HD format on the streaming service CraveTV, offering a new way for Canadian audiences to experience the show.
June 2, 2015: Blu-ray Box Set Released
On June 2, 2015, The remastered version of The Wire was released as a complete series Blu-ray box set, offering fans a high-quality physical media version of the show.
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, recognizing its impact and quality.
September 2019: The Guardian Ranks The Wire Second
In September 2019, The Guardian ranked The Wire #2 on its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century, describing it as "polemical, panoramic, funny, tragic or all of those things at once".
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, recognizing its impact and quality.
2023: Variety Ranks The Wire Seventh-Greatest TV Show
In 2023, Variety ranked The Wire as the seventh-greatest TV show of all time, recognizing its lasting impact and critical acclaim.
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