The Wire

Marvel’s first foray into street-level heroism drew comparisons with The Wire, but Luke Cage may much more accurately wield the title, per showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker. The Netflix series boss opens up on the “sophisticated” approach with a dash of ‘90s hip-hop, while Mike Colter promises a familiar sight for comic fans.

You can’t take five steps on TV these days without running afoul of some cast reunion, but The Wire fans were surprised to have one sprung on them during the Super Bowl last night. The Sobotka boys look to be doing all right, as fans’ arguably least-favorite season got an unexpected shout-out by Toyota Prius.

HBO’s The Wire famously shifted focus to different corners of Baltimore between seasons, but did you know creator David Simon based the series on his real-life time as a police reporter? Or that many real public officials and criminals actually played themselves? Get ready to hit them corners, as the 37th episode of ‘You Think You Know TV?’ goes all in the game for HBO’s The Wire!

Sad news for appreciators of Melvin Williams and The Wire alike, as the actor, inspiration, and former real-life Baltimore drug kingpin behind one of HBO’s most enduring dramas has passed away. The ex-criminal and David Simon collaborator was well-remembered as a source in the creator’s journalistic exploits, and eventual inspiration for The Wire, even taking a minor role.

The only unfortunate thing about Show Me a Hero is the realization that David Simon’s latest HBO enterprise is a limited series. Simon, who also created The Wire (aka the best television series of all time), returns to the network with Show Me a Hero, starring Oscar Isaac as a mayor struggling to do the right thing in a city that doesn’t want to let him. Oh, and he also has a real great mustache.

Emboldened by many recent successes, HBO has a reputation for buying and developing a great deal more programs than other networks, two of which may now include follow-ups to some of HBO’s most iconic shows. Not only is The Wire creator David Simon developing a ‘70s set porn drama centered in Times Square, but so too is HBO considering further seasons of docu-drama The Jinx.

Must be nice when the most powerful man in the world wants to interview you.

Regardless of your feelings about HBO’s remastered version of ‘The Wire,’ it’s wonderful to see the greatest show in the history of television (to me and other awesome people, anyway) being discussed and revisited so much lately. 12 years after it first premiered on HBO, the channel has been airing a marathon of ‘The Wire’ all weekend. And if that’s not enough for you, you should definitely check out these great before and after photos of some of the most notable locations from the series.

Long renowned as one of HBO's crowning achievements in drama, David Simon's Baltimore crime saga 'The Wire' is getting a major facelift for 2015. Not only will the network premiere a high-def digital remastering of the series in late December, but digital and Blu-Ray updates of 'The Wire''s remastered set will be available after the new year.