The Wire: Livin' a 'Treme' second life?

So, this show is set to debut in April. Why does that matter? Well, that’s because David Simon is the individual spearheading it. Why should that matter? Well, that’s because the last show David Simon spearheaded was, by some accounts, the best television show to ever grace the small screen. Come on, now. College courses have been developed and taught around the very premise of The Wire. Be fair, Sopranos fans. Before you go and renew your treasurer’s card for the Paulie Gualtieri fan club, consider how less of a shot Simon’s creation was given (time slot, amount of seasons, etc.) and consider the amount of acclaim his show received. There aren’t many Wikipedia entries that have six citations by the sentence “The Wire has been described by critics as the greatest television series ever made.”



Excited? Of course. Reluctant? That’s got a Sarah Palin “You Betcha” written all over it. Reason one: John Goodman plays a prominent role in the trailer. Reason two: Simon just can’t get enough of Lester Freamon and Bunk Moreland and now, for a reason not even Officer McNulty could figure out, the creator wants to turn both into credible musicians in New Orleans (let’s be honest. To look and these dudes and not think they are working for the good guys is like looking at James Gandolfini and thinking Where The Wild Things Are instead of Tony Soprano). Oh, and did we mention John Goodman plays a prominent role in the trailer?  

Cool: Kermit Ruffins is set to play himself in the series. Who’s that? This may help. A mainstay in the New Orleans music scene for decades is only going to give more credibility to the show. That said, the one thing Simon may never need help with is gaining points on the credibility meter after creating the most raw, in-your-face television show of the 2000s, if not ever. 

Be careful, former newspaper man. We know you know that genius only comes once in a blue moon, let alone for five seasons. Capturing that again may be harder than it was trying to convince us McNulty was actually a good guy deep beneath the cheating heart and alcoholic exterior. Tread carefully along those New Orleans rivers.

- The Unusual