The Wire fingerprintMasterful craft, high energy.
Nerve-racking and violent
Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.
Deeply moving and melancholic
Much of it is about family.
Some sharp wit and dark humor
Not a comedy at heart.
Everyday modern life, crime, and society
Lived-in and easy to get lost in. Holds up on a rewatch.
Standout direction, performances, and storytelling
Layered plot that rewards full attention.
Standout cinematography, editing, and sound design
Nerve-racking and violent
Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.
The Wire is nerve-racking and violent. The story builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.
Deeply moving and melancholic
Much of it is about family.
Emotionally, it's deeply moving, melancholic, and cathartic. Much of it is about family.
Some sharp wit and dark humor
Not a comedy at heart.
Expect some sharp wit and dark humor.
Everyday modern life, crime, and society
Lived-in and easy to get lost in. Holds up on a rewatch.
Its world is built around everyday modern life, crime, and society. The setting feels lived-in and easy to get lost in. It holds up on a rewatch.
Standout direction, performances, and storytelling
Layered plot that rewards full attention.
The direction, performances, and storytelling stand out. The plot is layered and rewards full attention.
Standout cinematography, editing, and sound design
Look and sound: the cinematography, editing, and sound design stand out.
Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.
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Listen carefully.
Overall: Similar vibe.
Quick answers from GoodWatch data.
The Wire is included with a subscription to HBO Max in the United States. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.
Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 92/100 (IMDb 9.3, Rotten Tomatoes 94%, and Metacritic 91). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.
It's rated TV-MA in the United States. Content advisories: violence, strong language, drug use, disturbing imagery, and nudity.
5 seasons
It has 5 seasons with 60 episodes of about 60 minutes each.
Yes. Critics average 93 and audiences 94 out of 100, so both groups see The Wire much the same way.
It ran from 2002 to 2008 and has ended.
It was made in English, with some Chinese, Greek, Spanish. Produced in United States.
+103GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for The Wire in 117 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.
TV Tropes lists 5 storytelling tropes for The Wire, including Tropes M-R, Tropes E-L, Tropes A-B.
9.3
