I am downing Season 3 of The Wire at a rapid rate and thought it best to share the love before the show gets the best of me. Anyone remember a masterful prison drama series called Oz that aired a couple of years back? The Wire runs in a similar vein. Both shows boast a gritty realism that is downright offensive but not the least bit gratuitous – the violence, sex and language are in tune with the brutal reality of a society motivated by the fight for survival in a ‘kill or be killed’ environment. It is not a surprise that the shows share many of the same cast and crew. (more…)