All the Pieces Matter

November 15, 2017
An oral history of the acclaimed HBO police drama.After a five-year run, The Wire ended in 2008. Other than two Emmy nominations for writing, the show never garnered much critical acclaim. In this detailed history of the show, Bleacher Report contributor Abrams (Boys Among Men: How the Prep-to-Pro Generation Redefined the NBA and Sparked a Basketball Revolution, 2016, etc.) writes that the series "is now celebrated as one of the greatest television shows ever made." Producers, writers, directors, and actors speak for themselves via the many interviews the author conducted. Along the way, Abrams includes commentary and behind-the-scenes reflections. There never would have been a show if not for David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun police reporter whose two nonfiction books, Homicide (1991) and The Corner (1997), covered the topics that The Wire would explore. Simon had worked with network TV before, but he felt HBO would be the best place for his edgy tale about Baltimore police officers and drug dealers that would focus on a wiretapping sting operation. Chris Albrecht, the CEO of the network, agreed: "We were trying to distinguish ourselves from what else was on television." Simon worked with co-creator Ed Burns to put together a mostly black, little-known ensemble of actors. The Wire's story was complex and slow-burning; like reading a novel, it "allowed its audience space to interpret"--and pay attention. As Detective Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters) said in the first season, "all the pieces matter." The creators drew on some of the best directors and writers, and Simon always gave detective novelist George Pelecanos "the penultimate episode of the season" in which "people got killed." Richard Price "really dug the characters," and novelist Dennis Lehane felt the show changed TV: it "pushed its borders a little further than where they'd previously been positioned."Filled with revealing information from the participants, intriguing tidbits, and show trivia, this compendium will have fans scurrying back to their DVD sets.

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December 18, 2017
Lovers of HBO’s The Wire rejoice: journalist Abrams (Boys Among Men) delivers a comprehensive study of what goes into creating an acclaimed TV show. In what is essentially, aside from some contextual summaries, an oral history, Abrams displays his thoroughness, interviewing many of The Wire’s actors (Idris Elba, Michael B. Jordan, and Dominic West to name a few) as well as the series’ creators and writers, and even HBO’s chairman. Abrams explores the creative decisions that set The Wire apart from other programs, among them creator David Simon’s decision to have the series play out like a novel and the decision that no character would be a pure hero—all of the show’s characters have many faults. Abrams’s access to the show’s players gives new insight, as when actor Andre Royo tells him: “People ask me what was the best character on the show. I always say Baltimore.” Abrams indisputably has created a thorough examination of The Wire’s conception, production, and lingering cultural afterlife.

January 1, 2018

With the premiere of The Deuce on HBO, interest in the work of David Simon has been reignited, and The Wire is his magnum opus. Journalist and author Abrams (Boys Among Men) delves deep into the show's creation and enduring legacy through interviews with the actors, writers, and producers who brought the show to life. Whether it's Dominic West reflecting on the allure of his character Detective James McNulty or actor Michael B. Jordan discussing the lasting impression of being in an ensemble cast of primarily black actors, Abrams underscores the indelible mark the show has left on actors and audience alike. Weaving all the interviews together is the enduring connection between the city of Baltimore and the creators of the show, a city that David Simon and the writers of The Deuce recently visited for inspiration. VERDICT Building upon Rafael Alvarez's The Wire: Truth Be Told, the author further underscores the reasons why the show is often referred to as the greatest of all time.--Joshua Finnell, Hamilton, NY

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