As a result, you often hear people making damning, melodramatic criticisms of TV shows they ostensibly like. You hear a lot of sentences that begin, “I love Mad Men, but . . .” or “The first two seasons of The Sopranos were great, but . . .” And whatever follows that “but” is inevitably crazy and hyperspecific. This is especially true among people who prefer The Wire. There’s never been a more obstinate fan base than that of The Wire. It’s a secular cult that refuses to accept any argument that doesn’t classify The Wire as the greatest artistic endeavor in television history. It’s almost like
...more
