The Wire is considered by many to be the greatest TV shows ever created, and for good reason. It is an intriguing look at 5 different aspects of Baltimore, the drug-trade (season 1), the seaport system (season 2), the city government (season 3), the school system (season 4) and the print news media (season 5).

The strong point of the show is the quality of characters. Be it, detective Jimmy McNulty, the slightly dysfunctional, disliked and unlucky cop who hardly catches a break, or Omar, the hurt loner, who has lost his boyfriend, and decides to take it out on the people who killed him, or Bubbles, the homeless addict, working undercover for the cops. The characters really are the driving force behind this programme.

The Wire is famous for its realistic portrayal of urban life in Baltimore and for the fact that the story is called a visual novel, due to its detailed stories.

There are downsides however, the show can be quite difficult to get into. If you do get through the first few episodes of the first series, you adjust to the way in which the characters speak and the frequent swearing, and also the story arc begins to develop further and you are rewarded with an exciting story.

Overall, this set is worth the money you pay for it. With interesting, contrasting and sometimes comic characters the Wire is enjoyable if you do not mind swearing. Once you watch it you will understand why it is so widely acclaimed, go ahead and buy the set.