1/16/08 Dicussing The Wire with David Zurawik

Baltimore is crazy for HBO’s critically acclaimed series The Wire.  I think that many citizens of Baltimore secretly enjoy the violent and criminal reputation of the city, that they are perversely proud of it in the way that New Yorkers were of their city before Giuliani cleaned it up. We think it makes us look tough or something.  The Wire is a part of that–almost our way of saying to the world, “See how messed up and tough our city is?  I bet you couldn’t handle this.”

 It’s also just such a great show.  Baltimore Sun television critic David Zurawik, who you also hear weekly on WYPR’s Take on Television, will be in the studio today to discuss the show.  We can also talk about the writer’s strike and what it means for the next year of entertainment.  Is any end in sight?

Join us, with your questions and comments for David.  What do you love or hate most about this new, final season of The Wire?  What television show are you going to miss seeing as a result of the writer’s strike?

Poll: What do you think of the fifth and final season of The Wire?

-Jessica

P.S. Aaron Henkin of The Signal, our weekly arts and culture show, did a great piece last week where he watched The Wire with former drug dealers and got their thoughts on how real or unreal the depiction of their lives is.  Listen to it here.