How accurate would you say "the wire" is?

[imported_goku]

In terms of violence and the troubles that baltimore or heck any struggling city like detroit or oakland encounters. How realistic is it? Seems like it's a very powerful and educational show...

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Wiki

Simon has stated that he originally set out to create a police drama loosely based on the experiences of his writing partner, ex-homicide detective Ed Burns, in working on protracted investigations of violent drug dealers using surveillance technology. Burns often faced frustration with the bureaucracy of the police department, which Simon equated with his own ordeals as a police reporter for the Baltimore Sun. Writing against the background of current events, including institutionalized corporate crime at Enron and institutional dysfunction in the Catholic Church, the show became "more of a treatise about institutions and individuals than a straight cop show."

The writers strive to create a realistic vision of an American city based on their own experiences. Central to this aim is the creation of truthful characters. Simon has admitted that most of them are composites of real-life Baltimore figures.

Simon chose to set the show in Baltimore because of his familiarity with the city.

 

[shortspanishguy]

It is pretty accurate. I have to travel to the worst sections of Baltimore at night because of my job. I have to do Southeast DC as well 🙁

Anyway, sometimes I get very nervous when I have to travel around Park Heights, Liberty Heights, The Alameda, Etc. @ 11pm.