This weekend, the TV Addict finally made use of the ON Demand services he pays his cable company (Rogers) far too much for by spending a few hours with HBO’s critically acclaimed drama THE WIRE.
Yet rather than wax poetically about the gritty realism and incredibly layered story (that I loved by the way), this TV Addict will simply say this. THE WIRE: Certainly not brought to you by the Baltimore Tourism Bureau.
Now don’t get me wrong, in ‘reality’ I’m sure Baltimore is a beautiful city. Unfortunately, we’re talking TV, reality has very little to do with it.
Often, when the only way you’ve experienced a city is on the big and small screen, perceptions can be incredibly skewed. Thus, in my mind right now, when I think Baltimore I think overworked/underpaid police force, corrupt politicians and the obligatory drug dealer on every corner.
Which naturally begs the question: Has a television series ever painted a worse picture of a city? Sure Dexter Morgan has given Miami a slightly bad rap, but at least his victims are bad guys. And while all three incarnation of LAW & ORDER usually start off with a gruesome crime, you can generally count on ‘order’ prevailing come the forty-four minute mark.
Is the TV Addict nuts, or do you too have a city you’re a touch wary to visit based on what you’ve seen on TV. Surely I’m not the only person who’s creeped out by LOST’s mysterious island? And still punishing Cincinnati for that whole JOHN FROM CINCINNATI debacle! 