The Wire has a deserved place in television history as one of the greatest shows of all time. The crime drama ran from 2002 to 2008, getting deep under the skin of Baltimore from a variety of angles. Even two decades on it remains a must-watch show, and though some of the technology used is obsolete, the themes of institutional inertia, drug policy, and the morality of law enforcement are still extremely relevant.
Horror master Stephen King seems to be rewatching the show at the moment and has singled out one specific aspect that sets The Wire aside from most others: it doesn’t have a traditional non-diegetic musical score.
Throughout The Wire, the show used music naturally, whether it be listened to by characters as they drive, played in a club, or — most memorably of all — whistled by Michael K. Williams’ Omar to announce his fearsome presence to gang members. However, as King notes, the show did sometimes use music to bookend a season.
Season one ends with McNulty memorably wondering “what the f**k did I do?”, followed by a montage showing how each character is moving forward. This is soundtracked by Jesse Winchester’s song Step By Step, with the show expertly editing in time with the music.
Beyond all the juicy thematic stuff, The Wire is a masterclass in smart storytelling and it’s clear why King likes it so much. So, if for some reason you haven’t seen it for yourself, why wait? The entire show is available on HBO Max and we guarantee you won’t be disappointed.