No wonder The Wire has a distinct authentic feel to it’s plot, environment and personalities. The Wire’s creator David Simon was a famous crime reporter at the Baltimore Sun in the 80s and 90s. His book “A Year on the Killing Streets” was also the inspiration for the series Homicide: Life on the Street (which I am yet to watch), which is also set in Baltimore.
Simon’s been Emmy nominated for the Wire, and also won one for co-writing the mini series “The Corner”.
I lift my hat for you mr. Simon
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For accuracy’s sake: Only one Emmy nom for The Wire to date, but Simon won two Emmys for The Corner, which also got an Emmy for the director, Charles Dutton.
Hey Kima, thanks for that. fixed!
Don’t underplay what Edward Burns adds.
Ed Burns was a police officer in the Baltimore PD, who retired to become a public school teacher (reminiscent of anyone?). Avon Barqsdale is loosely based on Melvin Williams – who Burns put away – and is an ‘actor’ on the show (the reverend in season 3 and 4). These two have lived in Baltimore all their lives (or close), and have a book you should check out called The Corner ( http://www.amazon.com/Corner-Year-Life-Inner-City-Neighborhood/dp/0767900316/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-4650333-8597751?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181609151&sr=8-2 ) that all true wire fans should read.
There are a lot of gems like that hidden around if you look – there are a lot of reasons why this show has such an authentic feel…
peep these…
http://www.hbo.com/thewire/interviews/ed_burns_intro.shtml
and this, which is insightful if a little (very little) divergent from the show itself
http://www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/gang/pfv.html
the wikipedia article isn’t bad either, tho always verify your sources there.
if i swing this way again maybe I’ll add some more…
You’re absolutely correct. As a matter of fact I got two books late last week, The Wire: Truth Be Told, and The Corner, which I’m about to start reading.
I think Ed Burns deserves his own blog post soon
I am a HUGE Wire fan, I think the level of depths this series goes to are truly unparalleled by anything on TV. I tried to push it among my friends (I’m Israeli, and not many people have heard of it here) and someone asked me “well, how come it’s never won any Emmys?” I said: “at this point an Emmy would be an insult – this show doesn’t deserve an Emmy, it deserves a Nobel prize!”
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HEY IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO KNOW DAVID SIMONS WHERABOUTS IN THE DC/MD/VA AREA LET ME KNOW, THAT MEANS YOU PAPARATZI!!!!! I HANDLE ALL HIS TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.