<p>Husband and I started watching all 5 seasons of The Wire after one kid gave it to the other for holiday gift and we decided we’d get “hip” to it to. We became completely addicted and are now in withdrawal. Any suggestions on other HBO, etc. series that you’d found worth watching? (John Adams we’ve done…but that was another great run…) I’d love to know what people have found worth watching.</p>
<p>I feel your pain. 
Nothing else quite matches.</p>
<p>“The West Wing” for detailed politics, involved story lines, some moral ambiguity and phenomenal screenwriting. “The Sopranos” with the same attributes if you can take the violence and far more unlikeable (but not entirely unlikeable) characters. “Downtown Abbey” and its predecessor “Upstairs, Downstairs” for warm and not always fuzzy Brit landed gentry drama. “Foyle’s War”, another BBC series about a police officer investigating domestic crime during WWII.</p>
<p>I’d also love to see more suggestions.</p>
<p>Yep. “The Wire” is still our favorite TV series of all time in our house. Here’s some other thoughts: </p>
<p>HBO: Boardwalk Empire just finished its first season. Very good. We were big fans of Deadwood (soap opera for guys, ha). </p>
<p>Showtime: Dexter’s pretty good. </p>
<p>Free cable networks: Breaking Bad and Mad Men on AMC. And we are huge fans of Justified on FX.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, for Wire fans, there’s a BBC miniseries (5-6 episodes) called Luther. Luther is played by Idris Elba (aka Stringer). You get to see him on the right side of the law, with his natural British accent!!</p>
<p>Rome and the Tudors- but not for children</p>
<p>Breaking Bad - outstanding tv</p>
<p>In Treatment. Three seasons so far and it’s the best written and acted show I’ve ever seen on TV.</p>
<p>Sorry, nothing beats “The Wire.” Omar rocks!</p>
<p>“Breaking Bad” is good, though, and I like “Southland” too.</p>
<p>Definitely Southland. We’re kind of liking Blue Bloods on CBS, but it doesn’t match The Wire.</p>
<p>I liked the Wire too- but the West Wing was my favorite.
Deirdre Lovejoy/Rhonda Perlman had a recurring part on Bones- which is one of the few shows I watch. Nice ensemble acting.
Lance Reddick/Cedric Daniels is now starring in* Fringe* which I haven’t seen yet- ( but MIke McCready/ guitarist in Pearl Jam has been writing the music for a few shows)
I tried to watch the Sopranos but too violent for me.
I love 30 Rock-I know not a thing like The Wire- but we all need more humor.
;)</p>
<p>another HBO series, produced/written by the same team as “The Wire” is “Treme”. It’s set in post-Katrina New Orleans. A little preachy, but still very good, great music. Has some old Wire favorites, Bunk and Lester in new roles.</p>
<p>I loved “Deadwood,” and wished it had gone on for several more seasons.</p>
<p>I loved Treme on HBO. Im sure you can get the first season now on DVD. The second starts this spring. Its New Orleans after Katrina, the story told mainly through its musicians, so there’s lots of good music too. And for lagniappe, one of the leads in Melissa Leo, who just won an Oscar for The Fighter.</p>
<p>Agree with many of the suggestions here but also think nothing really compares. Now I’m sure you’ll find yourself getting as excited as I do whenever you see a Wire alum on another TV show or in a move–it’s like unexpectedly coming upon an old friend, and I feel unreasonably happy to see that they’re getting work.</p>
<p>Speaking of Wire alums popping up elsewhere, I have to toss out a vote for Friday Night Lights as another compelling drama with wonderful performances and the truest depiction of a marriage that I’ve ever seen on TV.</p>
<p>I’ve been liking Harrys Law. Also love Entourage but it isn’t for everyone and definitely R rated…</p>
<p><strong><em>Six Feet Under</em></strong>
Superb acting and writing</p>
<p>From the Archive:
Homicide:Life on the Street</p>
<p>Agree with Batllo, Homicide is definitely the closest thing, many of the same people (writers, directors) involved in both shows, both are filmed in Baltimore.</p>
<p>You guys are great! We have some hope now. My video store doesn’t have Treme yet, but maybe Netflix will…and some of these others sound great. I get cross-eyed when I actually go to a store or the Netflix list but these recommendations have got me humming again.<br>
Among the things I came to love about The Wire, besides just the ensemble over time, was the real effort to look at how some things Are. Most TV takes us away from what is; this somehow felt educational and like I was connecting to something rather than just escaping or being entertained.</p>
<p>Wife and I just finished “The Pillars of the Earth” this weekend off of Netflix streaming. If you like early England period pieces filled with intrigue, murder, lust etc. set against a backdrop of kings and castles, enjoy.</p>
<p>Political conflict, grand passions and epic ambition fuel this Golden Globe-nominated miniseries set in 12th-century England that centers on the struggles of Prior Philip (Matthew Macfadyen), who’s devoted to seeing the construction of Kingsbridge Cathedral. Meanwhile, civil war is roiling Britain as the result of a struggle for succession among King Henry’s heirs, with history’s outcome hinging on a portentous secret. Ian McShane also stars.</p>
<p>“Slings and Arrows” a Canadian series.</p>
<p>“The Wire” is still at the top for me. I loved West Wing. I appreciated Deadwood.</p>
<p>I watched every episode of the wire. I am a serial addict. The Corner is a 4 part miniseries with same themes, possibly same producer.
Here are others that I have watched. I recommend all, with some hesitation about a couple</p>
<p>Rescue Me - I think some of the seasons are on netflix. NYC firefighters post 911. very good, kind of shakespearean.</p>
<p>Six Feet Under
Big Love very good, very strange
Breaking Bad ( I had to stop after the first season, too dark)
Weeds (but also had to give it up after a while)
Parenthood
The Good Wife
Skins (the british version, not american)
Friday Night Lights (liked it almost as much as The Wire)</p>