# The Wire Named No. 2 TV Show of 21st Century

> The Wire, HBO's Baltimore crime drama, ranks second on The New York Times' list of best TV shows from the 21st century.
- Title: The Wire Named No. 2 TV Show of 21st Century · The Banner
- Summary: The Wire, HBO's Baltimore crime drama, ranks second on The New York Times' list of best TV shows from the 21st century. The Wire was named No. 2 on The New…
- Keywords: the wire, new york times, hbo, baltimore, tv show, emmy awards, breaking bad, succession, fleabag, mad men, david simon, wesley morris
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/culture/film-tv/baltimore-the-wire-new-york-times-best-tv-shows-list-VPEG6ZH7TRAXZK3IU6HWKQ56YY
- Author: Wesley Case
- Published: 2026-09-25T14:17:06.878+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: the wire, new york times, hbo, baltimore, tv show, emmy awards, breaking bad, succession, fleabag, mad men, david simon, wesley morris
## The Wire named No. 2 TV show
The Wire, the unflinching HBO crime series set in 2000s Baltimore, was named No. 2 on The New York Times' list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.

> The Wire was named No. 2 on The New York Times’ list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century
## No Emmy wins despite acclaim
Despite critical acclaim, The Wire earned only two Emmy nominations during its five-season run and never won an Emmy Award.

> Despite critical acclaim, “The Wire,” the unflinching HBO crime series set in 2000s Baltimore, famously never won an Emmy Award and earned only two nominations during its five-season run.
## Top five TV shows
The top five TV shows on The New York Times' list include Mad Men at No. 3, Succession at No. 4, and Fleabag at No. 5.

> The top five also included “Mad Men,” the 1960s period drama created by Baltimore County native Matthew Weiner, at No. 3, “Succession” at No. 4 and “Fleabag” at No. 5.
## Pulitzer critic praise
Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Wesley Morris called The Wire a miracle that should never have worked, made by white people dreaming up Black life.

> Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Wesley Morris wrote of “The Wire” in the final results. He also called it “a miracle that should never have worked,” in part because it was made by “white people dreaming up Black life.”
## Baltimore's complex relationship
The Wire created a complicated relationship between the show and Baltimore, with critics saying it presents a too-narrow vision of the city.

> While widely heralded, “The Wire” and its success have created a complicated relationship between the show and Baltimore. Its critics say the series’ laser focus on often violent drug crime and its cascading effects on a city presents a too-narrow vision of Baltimore to the rest of the world.
## George Pelecanos' reaction
George Pelecanos, a producer of The Wire who earned an Emmy nod for co-writing Season 3, said the rankings are kind of silly and subjective.

> George Pelecanos, a producer of “The Wire” who earned an Emmy nod for co-writing the Season 3 episode “Middle Ground” with Simon, said he was happy to see the series so high on the list. He had no issue with “Breaking Bad” at No. 1, but was also quick to call the rankings, and top lists in general, “kind of silly.”
## Over 500 ballots cast
More than 500 ballots were cast by actors, showrunners and TV industry experts for The New York Times' list.

> More than 500 ballots were cast, according to The New York Times.
## Premiere date and impact
The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, and presented a sweeping view of Baltimore ravaged by the war on drugs.

> Having premiered on June 2, 2002, “The Wire” presented a sweeping, kaleidoscopic view of an American city ravaged by the war on drugs, seen through the eyes of a wide range of players entangled in a largely futile battle.
## Low ratings but lasting impact
The Wire had low ratings, with the 2008 finale watched by a little more than 1 million viewers, but its cultural impact grew through streaming.

> The Wire was never a huge ratings hit, the 2008 series finale was watched live by a little more than 1 million viewers, compared with 11.9 million for the end of “The Sopranos” the prior year, according to ScreenRant.
## Cast members' deaths
Several cast members died this past year, including Bobby J. Brown and Isiah Whitlock Jr.

> Several cast members have died this past year. In May, Bobby J. Brown, who played a police officer, died at 62 in a barn fire in St. Mary’s County. In December, Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played the indelible politician Clay Davis, died at 71, while James Ransone, who played the loose cannon Ziggy Sobotka, died at 46.
## Local connections
Other Baltimore-connected shows on the list include Veep, House of Cards, Broad City, and The White Lotus.

> Some other local connections found in The New York Times’ list: “Veep” (No. 7) and “House of Cards” (No. 48) were both filmed in Baltimore and Maryland.
## Key takeaway

The Wire was named No. 2 on The New York Times' list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century based on votes from industry experts.