Yes, we can: 10 shows that challenge America to be better

The Wire

What it’s about: The mother of all “we need to be better, America” series, The Wire chronicles the drug trade in Baltimore through the eyes of the dealers and the cops. As the series goes on, it also sets its sights on the city’s political leaders, working class, schools and local media.

What it fought for: There are only a few truly villainous characters on The Wire; most of the players are doing their best with the cards they’ve been dealt. So, among its numerous interweaving storylines and Dickensian connections, I believe the show’s main message is one of empathy. Baltimore is in a bleak state, but there’s no one cause or culprit. To quote the character Lester Freamon, “all the pieces matter.” And they all deserve attention and compassion.

Similar to Orange Is the New Black, The Wire mostly refrains from assigning blame to anyone or anything besides the American system, an ouroboros of poverty, drugs, crime, and punishment. For example, inner city schools are underfunded, meaning kids don’t receive adequate education or opportunity. That means they often end up as corner boys (low-level dealers), and will do a stint in prison at some point or another. If more money goes to the schools, that means less money is allotted to the police force, and the cops will have an even harder time keeping the community semi-safe. The less safe the community is, the more influence drugs will have on individuals.

And that’s just one piece of The Wire’s humongous puzzle. Throughout its five seasons, the series demonstrates myriad other reasons why Baltimore — a microcosm for our country — has stagnated and why progress is so unbelievably difficult. According to The Wire, the only way to fix America is to start from scratch.

Where to watch: The complete series is available on HBO Go and HBO Now, as well as Amazon Prime.