A little more than a week ago, several cast members of HBO's dearly departed, brilliant drama The Wire assembled to offer clips and give speeches about the drug epidemic thriving within the United States' urban environments. During the assembly, Attorney General Eric Holder not only praised the show for its honesty, integrity and aggression but also implored series creators Ed Burns and David Simon to continue with the product. Movie, season, mini-series, he didn't care, as long as there was more Wire somewhere in the near future.
Ten days later, David Simon's response has come, but something tells me Eric Holder won't like it. According to The Atlantic Wire, the counteroffer came by way of a statement, and in it, David Simon agreed to do another season, provided the US Government altered its drug enforcement policy. Take a look at the full text below:
“The Attorney-General's kind remarks are noted and appreciated. I've spoken to Ed Burns and we are prepared to go to work on season six of The Wire if the Department of Justice is equally ready to reconsider and address its continuing prosecution of our misguided, destructive and dehumanising drug prohibition.”
So, there that is. It'll be a cold day in hell before we see any more episodes of The Wire, but in the long run, that's probably better. Best to let something brilliant end in dramatic fashion rather than continue for one more go around past its prime. Not that I wouldn't trade mediocrity for an alteration in drug policy, but that's a two thousand word op-ed to save for another day.
