A couple of weekends ago, HBO and iTunes finally started selling some of their shows via the iTunes Music Store. Of all the shows they’re offering, I was waiting for only one: The Wire. A few months ago, I read that Barack Obama named The Wire his favorite TV show. What was even more interesting, though, was that nearly everyone that wrote about his choice wrote about how good and how surprising a choice it was.

After watching the first season in its entirety a few weekends ago, I can say I understand why. The show is gritty, the language harsh, and the subject matter far from the blase Law and Order and Grey’s Anatomy answers offered up by Edwards and Clinton respectively. The show revels in the flaws of its characters. The bad guys are often good guys and the good guys are often bad guys and the whole thing is a screwed up battle of dysfunctional vs. dysfunctional. And that’s even before getting to the less important details, where two major characters are gay, including an African American hood named Omar. You often see two women kissing on shows, but two men, especially two black men… that’s rare, even today. The show takes risks, and that example isn’t even that significant in the scheme of the show.

The show is the brainchild of David Simon, a former Baltimore Sun reporter and the creator of another great show set in Baltimore, Homicide: Life on the Streets. I was an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins when that show was on the air and it captured the dynamic of the city very well. Baltimore is an interesting city that way, with clear dividing lines between the good areas and the bad, but all packed within a relatively small place. More on that some other time, but the key thing here is that it makes a great backdrop for a show like this. In fact, in The Wire, Baltimore’s troubles (high crime rate, relatively poor finances) are central themes in the larger story.

Consider this a hearty recommendation of the show. I’m impatiently waiting for iTunes to get Season 2. Season 1 of The Wire is the only one available, and much cheaper than the DVDs, which are running $59 or so. That’s a bit steep, even for my spendy ways. So, for now, I’m just trying to get Heidi hooked. This might kick me back toward Netflix if iTunes doesn’t get Season 2 soon.

PS. You can check out the products and other things (music, characters) featured on the show at Coolspotters. I’m still working on the entry, though I’ve gotten some help from the community. If you’re a fan, help fill it out!

Update 6/2/2008: Season 2 is out at iTunes. Go get it! (Click Season 2 on the “more seasons” box)