The Wire: The Complete Fourth Season

Reviewed by:
Gene Newman

HBO's last gasp of greatness is upon us. The Wire, which has only one season to go, has remained perfect through four seasons. So why the hell aren't you watching it? It's got murder, drugs, and harsh language. It takes us into neighborhoods we never see on TV, introduces us to characters that defy convention, and the story lines stick with you for weeks after only one viewing. The fourth season was when creators/geniuses David Simon and Ed Burns (no, not that one) tackled the Baltimore school system and why it's so f-ed up. We follow a group of kids all on different paths toward either failure or salvation. It may sound like a preachy movie of the week, but it's unlike anything you've ever seen. The same way Oz was more than just a prison show, there's more to The Wire than social messages. It's done so well, and has such a great sense of humor about itself that you won't even realize you're getting the message. If only real education was this entertaining and interesting maybe school wouldn't have sucked so much.

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