Product Details

• Actors: Dominic West, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick
• Directors: Agnieszka Holland, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Christine Moore
• Format: Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 19
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• DVD Release Date: December 4, 2007
• Run Time: 3015 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000X25F7I
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,586 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Wire - Seasons 1-4" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Unlike most television crime dramas which neatly introduce and then solve a case all in the space of one hour HBO's THE WIRE follows one single drug and homicide investigation throughout the length of an entire season. Focused on the drug culture of inner-city Baltimore the series' ultra-realistic storyline unfolds from the points of view of both the criminals lording the streets the police officers determined to bring them down and occasionally the politicians who often obstruct the process. Created by writer David Simon (THE CORNER HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET) THE WIRE's multifaceted approach offers a profoundly humane and wonderfully nuanced view of every aspect of the drug trade and the complex morality of its participants. The first four seasons of the show are included here.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/HBO UPC: 026359794421 Manufacturer No: 97944

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars People will watch The Wire 100 years from now July 11, 2008

By Max Rottersman

Not a single tired cliche, characterization short-cut or unbelievable plot point. Not a single action motivated by anything other than the character's personality. If Dickens were alive today he would have been one of the writers.

The older I get the more critical I become of film/TV. I almost don't like anything anymore. It's easy for me to explain why so many other shows are poorly made. I wish it was easy to explain what makes The Wire so good.

It is violent, and season 4, because it deals with children, is very depressing. Everyone I meet, I ask them , have you seen it? And I ask them, 'what else do you think is as good as The Wire?' Perhaps there are shows I've missed. So far, everyone has said, 'such and such is good...but not as good as The Wire.'

What makes the Wire special is that it is more than entertainment. It is, excuse the hyperbole, a vision of truth. It is us. Laugh at me. I would too. Then watch. Start with Season One, Episode One.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Most valuable tv series ever January 7, 2008

By George Sands

As far as I am concerned, this is the best tv series ever. Not only is it great drama, it has meaningful social commentary. THe writing, acting, directing is top notch. How can it not be with writers like Pelecanos, Price and Lehane? I wish someone would pay attention to this series as it could help heal a multitude of cities with urban blight. Every college student should see this and high school and college courses should be given based on this series. It nails urban ills. Every sociology, education, poli-sci student should see this series before getting their degree. I mean it. I hope Baltimore can rise again. Last time I was there in the late 80s, it was just like the Wire. I had to submit a review because it sure deserves more than one star.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Deer Hunter of the inner-city drug crime era May 21, 2008

By Stephen Bramblet

I lived in Baltimore during most of the time depicted in this TV series, and it's dead-on accurate. It has always struck me as both odd and sad that some of America's most architecturally beautiful cities were also some of the most crime-ridden, and Baltimore is a shining example of this problem.
The series has some shining performances (despite a slightly weak lead in Dominic West) and, most of the time, is utterly engrossing.
Series one and three are my personal favorites, as series two is a departure from the main story line into a somewhat less intriguing (though no doubt accurate) depiction of the corruption and trouble along Baltimore's docks.
The series, in the end, is both utterly entertaining and a striking indictment of America's second failed attempt at Prohibition (this time drugs, rather than alcohol), and specifically it's severely adverse effect on the poorest segments of our population.

The Wire is, in my opinion, the best television series ever produced, and probably one of the most important.

As far as pricing is concerned, please be aware that these are hour long episodes and as such you are buying the equivalent of 5 two-hour movies in each season, which makes the street price of $40-60 really quite reasonable.
And no, I do not and have never worked for HBO, this series is really just that good.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars goodbye to a television classic February 27, 2008

By E. T. Higgins

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with only one episode left of 'the wire', i thought it would be appropriate to say goodbye and to thank everyone who had a hand in creating arguably the best drama in the history of tv.
that would include the genius of david simon(homocide:life on the streets),tom fontana(oz)and guest writers such as george pelecanos and richard price(clockers).also, a group of actors unmatched in the annals
of television. you can not replace a series like 'the wire'; you can only hope that the creative minds of simon and fontana can come up with another series down the road.that 'the wire' was not peppered with emmys,
demonstrates how far mediocrity is ahead of real art in this country, and i'm not just talking about television.
after 'the wire' is no longer, i will have only a few shows left to watch:
'the shield', 'rescue me','brotherhood', 'dexter', big love', 'real time with bill mahar', 'curb your enthusiasm' and 'the office.'
as you may notice, except for 'the office', there is nothing else i watch on major network tv.the reason: that's where most of mediocrity lives!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. September 13, 2008

By T. Bumpus

What can be said that hasn't already been said? The series is a complete knock-out that works on all levels (as compelling drama, as comedy, as character study). Best of all, the series operates as a shocking expose on the fraudulence of the war on drugs, a social study of the vicious cycles of Baltimore's inner city life, and a treatise on the ineffectuality of supposedly progressive governmental institutions. Disturbing and genuinely moving.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars we gotta keep the devil... September 3, 2008

By Kevin Buckner

Amazon Verified Purchase

when I was a kid (late '60's-early '70's), some students on the local college campus used to call me 'tv', because I could tell what was on every channel, every night of the week, in every time slot...suffice it to say, I watched way too much. This was before cable and the good stuff; 'Naked City', The Twilight Zone', etc., was few and far between, it always depressed me that the medium wasn't better used to enlighten the masses. All that wasted potential.

Fast forward to 2002...'The Wire', I didn't have HBO, I'd heard about The Sopranos, Sex and the City, OZ...good, but not really my cup. Fortunately, my wife's collegue loaned her season one...wow...I haven't been the same since. My faith in the possibilities has been restored. Let there be no doubt, this is the best television series...EVER. Many have said that on this page, it is not hype, while they changed a few names 'to protect the innocent', anyone, like myself, who has lived in the Washington-Baltimore region know who the players are. Truly, this is a sociological study for our times, Baltimore is simply the microcosm...America is in critical condition and the prognosis is not good. 'The Wire' is a biopsy we all need to pay close attention to and pray we have the will to acknowledge our collective state of disrepair and work towards recovery.

I ramble, I digress, yes indeed...doesn't change the fact that this piece is one for the ages...'we gotta keep the devil, way down in the hole'.