List of awards and nominations received by The Wire

Awards and nominations received by The Wire
The words "The Wire" written in stylized block text
Totals[a]
Wins16
Nominations60
Note
  1. ^ Certain award groups do not simply award one winner. They recognize several different recipients, have runners-up, and have third place. Since this is a specific recognition and is different from losing an award, runner-up mentions are considered wins in this award tally. For simplification and to avoid errors, each award in this list has been presumed to have had a prior nomination.

The Wire is an American crime drama television series created by David Simon and broadcast by the cable network HBO. It premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising sixty episodes over five seasons.[1][2] Set in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire follows different institutions within the city, such as the illegal drug trade, the education system, and the media, and their relationships to law enforcement.[3][4] The series features a diverse ensemble cast of both veteran and novice actors; the large number of black actors was considered groundbreaking for the time.[3][5]

The Wire has been widely hailed as one of the greatest television series of all time.[4][5][6] Despite the critical acclaim, however, the show received relatively few awards during its run. It was nominated for only two Primetime Emmy Awards – both for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series – and did not win any. Many have called its lack of recognition, especially in the Outstanding Drama Series category, one of the biggest Emmys snubs ever.[7] Some have argued the lack of recognition was due to the show's dense plots and a disconnect between the setting and Los Angeles–based voters.[8][9]

Outside of the Emmys, The Wire won a Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Dramatic Series in 2008, as well as a Directors Guild of America Award for the episode "Transitions" in 2009. It was thrice named one of the top television programs of the year by the American Film Institute and received a Peabody Award in 2004. The series was nominated for sixteen NAACP Image Awards but never won one. It was also nominated for ten Television Critics Association Awards, with its only win coming in 2008 for the group's Heritage Award.

  1. ^ Hendel, John (May 31, 2012). "10 Years After Its Premiere, 'The Wire' Feels Dated, and That's a Good Thing". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (March 10, 2008). "So Many Characters, Yet So Little Resolution". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Lynskey, Dorian (March 6, 2018). "The Wire, 10 years on: 'We tore the cover off a city and showed the American dream was dead'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 27, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Weisberg, Jacob (September 13, 2006). "The Wire on Fire". Slate. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Jones, Emma (April 13, 2018). "How The Wire became the greatest TV show ever made". BBC.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  6. ^ See also:
  7. ^ Examples:
  8. ^ Levine, Stuart (August 21, 2005). "Voters explain why they're not high on 'The Wire'". Variety. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Higgins, Bill (August 17, 2019). "Hollywood Flashback: Now a Classic, 'The Wire' Was Overlooked by the Emmys". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 18, 2021.