This deeply descriptive and well researched book is a dream for both obsessive fans and scholars researching the effects of The Wire and it’s predecessors on culture.

I love The Wire, but there wasn't a lot of new information here. It was mostly regurgitation from other sources.

Pretty basic information and analysis, but Wire junkies like myself will still enjoy reading it, I just wish it was more comprehensive.

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley.

There are different types of shows. We don’t always need groundbreaking and thought provoking. There is a place for Law and Order. Yet there are few shows that seriously, consistently and in-depth address issues without preaching or being The Wire was one of those shows.
Ben Lamb’s Cultural History of the Wire looks at not only the development of the series but also the impact that the series had on various shows and the production staff as well.
If you haven’t seen the Wire, it details both the action of police, drug dealers, and addicts in Baltimore, with each season having a focus (schools, newspapers and so on). It introduced Idris Elba and Dominic West to American audiences.
Lamb starts his book with an introduction to the show, but then quickly moves to the Wire’s forerunners, allowing him to place the Wire in context of what came before, showing influences but also how the Wire pushed back. It isn’t just in terms of plot and character, but also in how the show was filmed. This focus on shooting style is also used in the following chapters, each of which details a season. This is particularly interesting in regard to the second season analysis. Additionally, his minute examination of how the sets is dressed in season four is fascinating.
But it is not just camera angles that get attention. Lamb also brings in theory, in particular as articulated by bell hooks. He applies it across all five seasons. It completely changed the way I looked at Bubbles. His use of analysis and criticism dealing with the development of Black boys in literature and media also stands out, in particular his drawing on the work of Claudine Raynaud. He has done more research than simply the media and technical side. He brings in real societal theory and history into his look at the seasons. His analysis of season five, in terms of populism, presents a different way to look at the final season of the show, the season that many fans consider to be the weakest.
Lamb includes information gleaned from interviews, but he is careful not to present everyone with rose colored glasses. Simon and his co-creators are presented warts and all. But people besides the cast, Ed Burns, and Simon get to shine. The book also details how working on the Wire influenced various actors and writers on the show to work to better Baltimore as well as their various rejections to BLM and other movements. There is also mention of the Wire being used in various courses. The book ends with a list of the best of episodes, which I am sure will cause debate.
If you enjoyed the Wire, this book will make you appreciate it even more. If you have never seen the Wire, this book will convince you to watch.

Great analysis and reflections on one of the best TV shows to ever be made. Really insightful!

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)