The debate over which TV show can definitely be named the greatest of all time is ongoing, endless, and impossible to answer in one sitting. If anything, the Golden Age we’ve been living in for over a decade has made it harder than ever to define what makes a classic, but there’s a reason why. The wire it has stayed at the head of the pack for so long.

David Simon’s astonishing crime saga set the benchmark for generations of storytellers to follow on the small screen, with a cleverly woven narrative spanning countless characters that twist over the course of five phenomenal seasons and an astounding 60 episodes.

One person more than happy to share episodic recommendations with his Twitter followers is Stephen King, who regularly offers his thoughts on what streaming or network content he’s been using to revel in for better or worse. Although there are a plethora of options available at the push of a button, the horror icon has chosen to return to a classic.

I’ve put the new streaming stuff aside to rewatch THE WIRE. She hasn’t aged a day. It remains the series by which other streaming dramas are judged.

— Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 14, 2023

The era of “water cooler TV” may be over in the age of binge eating, but The wireSolo’s reputation seems to be increasing and solidifying over time. Countless claimants to the throne have emerged since the last installment aired in March 2008, but the fact that it’s still brought up every time the talk turns to attempts to name which show reigns supreme above all others that ever existed. it only serves to underscore its monolithic reputation.