The Wire is a slow-burn crime drama created by David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun journalist, that examined the systemic failures of American urban institutions — the drug trade, the police, the docks, the schools, the city government, and the press — across five seasons. Often called the greatest American TV show ever made by critics and academics, The Wire was largely overlooked during its original run but grew into a cultural institution through word of mouth and critical reassessment. Barack Obama named it his favorite TV show, and it is taught in sociology and criminology courses at universities worldwide.

Reference:

Wikipedia: The Wire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire