The slow-burn cop show that became a classic

David Simon drew on his experience as a police reporter and as a writer embedded with the Baltimore police when creating The Wire.

There are a lot of characters and a lot of impenetrable slang you’d only be familiar with if you were either a Baltimore cop or a drug dealer. But stick with it because this expansive drama quickly develops into one of the all-time great TV series, endlessly quotable and with unforgettable characters. Dominic West (below) and Idris Elba are among the cast. Sky/NOW TV, available now