25 Most Critically Acclaimed TV Shows Of All Time
3. The Wire
IMDb Score: 9.4
The Wire is a TV show that many have probably heard of but never seen. Despite its average ratings (when it was first broadcast) and never having won any major television awards to speak of, the crime drama is now considered to be one of the best TV dramas of all time.
Billed as a crime drama, but described by its creator as an exploration of American life in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire deserves praise for its unusually realistic portrayal of urban life and the impact the institutions it explores (schools, media, government etc) have on the lives of ordinary people.