HBO’s The Wire seems a case in point as to why the Emmys frequently ignore some of TV’s best work. The show has earned near unanimous praise from critics at EW and elsewhere for three seasons, but it’s only earned one Emmy nod to date: It’s up for a writing award at this year’s ceremony. Fans might speculate that Emmy voters have spurned the show because it’s too low-profile (it doesn’t have the ratings or buzz that HBO shows like Six Feet Under or even Deadwood have earned), but the truth may be even more appalling.
Talking to Variety, some anonymous Hollywood-based Emmy voters confirm one’s worst suspicions about their voting patterns, explaining why they ignored The Wire: They can’t relate to its drug-infested Baltimore milieu, they don’t see the actors and producers around Los Angeles because they shoot on location in Maryland, and the plots are too hard for them to follow. Guess Wire fans can take consolation in knowing that many couch potatoes offer some of the same excuses for avoiding the show — but then again, you’d think Emmy voters would hold themselves to a higher standard than that.
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The wire is the best show on tv.
This is one of the best shows on television and to ignore it because of proximity and ratings is a shame. Awards should be for the best, not for the most popular.
Exactly the same Emmy treatment and reasons for it were on display during the run of Homicide: Life on the Street. That series was also based in Baltimore, and had the same co – creator (David Simon) and similarly intricate plotlines.
The Sopranos is often taped on location in New Jersey and New York, and I believe the studio is on the East Coast. Why does the argument against The Wire not hold for The Sopranos?
best.show.ever.
The Emmys are worse than the Oscars — nothing but a popularity contest. Look at how many wins and nominations the determinedly mediocre “Everybody Loves Raymond” has gotten through the years. When brilliant shows like “The Wire” and “Rescue Me” are ignored by the Emmys, it helps you understand why so many crappy shows cycle through the network schedules; people in the industry are stupid, and they think viewers are, too.
I knew it, you knew it, and they’ve finally admitted it. Quality is rarely foremost in the minds of Emmy voters. An intricate, determinedly unglamorous show like the Wire goes unrecognized because it is off of the radar for those showbiz folks who think nothing is worthwhile unless it happens in New York or Los Angeles.
It’s just as well, I suppose. If Hollywood’s idea of a quality show is bankrupt junk like Will & Grace has become, better not to be part of it at all.
J Coop,
I can answer your question as to why this argument holds for the Sopranos and not the Wire; BECAUSE IT’S MOSTLY AN ALL BLACK CAST. The Emmy’s lost.
The Wire is the best “police show” on television. Instead, empty-headed viewers continue to watch the over-rated CSI programs with plastic acting (how come they get all these nominations for doing their best acting shining a flashlight on a dark wall?? the depth and complexity of its characters is unmatched. the subtle story lines about inept public servants is “right on” I think it’s just too much reality for a lot of people. This is what it’s like in our cities that struggle with out-of control crime. The character development is brilliant. Love it love it
This is just an example of how america works. The plight of the inner city is ignored, especially by people in power. It’s a crying shame, the wire is one of the best shows on tv.
I don’t have HBO, but watched season one on DVD and am now just two episodes away from finishing season two. I feel I was let down by the premiere of ‘Prison Break’ last night, in part because I’ve been watching ‘The Wire’ with its realistic, low-key and yet still high-intensity approach. It’s the best all-around show (acting, writing, directing, etc.) I’ve ever seen. And I’m in rural Iowa. Can’t relate? Why not be entertained.
Gosh, the Emmys, Oscars, and Grammys really don’t deserve to say that they honor the best in their respective areas when they continue to snub some of the best things out there and for stupid reasons like this. Get a grip!
@Jeff, the reason the Sopranos doesn’t suffer from The Wire’s curse is I believe mainly plot-based. The fact is that the plots on The Sopranos are a lot more self-contained than that of the Wire. Heck, to understand some of Season 3 of The Wire you had to have watched Season 1. With the Sopranos, that really isn’t ever necessary; you can watch an ep and not have it be all that “overplot”-ish.
Oh, and there is still the elephant in the room: the racial aspect.
Fans of “The Wire” will, unfortunately, have to content themselves with the knowledge that, after a hiatus of a few years, The Best Damn Show on Television is once again set and filmed in Balmer.
Fans of “The Wire” will, unfortunately, have to content themselves with the knowledge that, after a hiatus of a few years, The Best Damn Show on Television is once again set and filmed in Balmer.
Ray Richmond’s column for The Hollywood Reporter on The Emmy’s was the perfect summation of everything that went wrong with the nominations. He begins by noting, cooly, “the average age this year of a lead acting nominee in the six drama series, comedy series and movie/miniseries categories is 45.” Then, he adds, “(merging) the lead and supporting categories leaves you with an average age of 50 1/2.” He builds his case, “when you factor in guest lineups, the final age of all 80 nominated performers in Emmy acting categories is just shy of 54.”
The summation? “The reason I bring attention to this isn’t to bash the older and middle aged. Heck, I’m getting within sniffing distance of 50 myself. It’s not about sounding some sort of Emmy gong alarm to alert the world of any creeping codgerdom. Quite the contrary, anything that helps reverse the tide of age has to be viewed as positive.
“Yet I wonder if there’s any correlation between a Television Academy membership that would vote to honor such a collectively mature performer base and one that flat out refuses to pay heed to FX’s quality trio of “Rescue Me,” “The Shield,” and “Nip/Tuck” in the top drama category, or a hip series like HBO’s “Entourage” among the best comedies, or the aforementioned “Gillmore Girls” snub.
“can’t relate,” “don’t see,” and “too hard” are all code words for “don’t mess with my pay check.” Recognition for a show that is shot and produced in Baltimore holds no financial reward for the people in Hollywood who vote for Emmy. Craft and production people account for the most Emmy voters, and they vote with their wallets.
the reason why the wire is ignored is because it has a predominantly african american cast. I don’t care how politically correct we try to explain it, its simply because its about poor black people and a lot of americans can’t relate to that. If the show had a predominantly white cast, it would been as big as the sopranos. By the way, how did “weeds” get nominated ahead of this show? Shame on you Emmy’s.
the wire is the best show on HBO, but the emmys will not acknowledge a black cast with a black storyline relating to the true black culture. crap like sex and the city and six feet under that serves no particular purpose gets
praise…puhleeeaase. The cast of the wire, just keep doing what you’re doing, you got an international following. P.S. still mad you killed Stringer Bell and Bodie
The Wire is without a doubt in my mind, the best show that has been on TV.
I’ve become pretty fascinated by the Wire’s repeated snubbing. That Variety article pretty much sums up everything wrong with the industry. Honestly though, the show’s too good for it to matter. It’s one of the best shows in the history of television. An Emmy somehow seems like an inappropriate reponse to something as gorgeous and painful as the Wire.
But ya know, awards attention would have really made the show’s prospects of staying on the air a lot more stable than they were. And some of the AMAZING actors on the show really deserve the recognition.
Now that the last season is in production, we can all sigh a sigh of relief, knowing that David Simon is going to get to finish his masterpeice, and that the criminal neglect of the show didn’t manage to kill it. That would have really been a catastrophe.
I know this isn’t “Cheers” or “Friends”, But this is without a doubt the finest piece of tv production available today. Give it the credit that it is due. What is seen here is as real as it gets no matter what the zip code is. Emmy-UP!
Al
I know this isn’t “Cheers” or “Friends”, But this is without a doubt the finest piece of tv production available today. Give it the credit that it is due. What is seen here is as real as it gets no matter what the zip code is. Emmy-UP!
Al
The show is so good at showing today’s social problems with the drug game and government scandels that it should be nominated in the reality T.V. catagorey.
People are never ready to see the truth and rarely smile(award)it when it comes to light.
Another year…another diss
Plus, if you watched that Emmys show, you would be embarrassed to be affiliated with it in any way….
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