Ranking Every HBO Miniseries From Worst To Best

The direct follow up to David Simon’s masterpiece The Wire is this gritty and gripping eye level tour of Iraq during the second gulf war. Collaborating with The Wire’s Ed Burns along with journalist Evan Wright (on whose non-fiction book the series is based, and who is portrayed by Lee Tergesen of Oz fame), the series is replete with Simon’s usual political musings, though is refreshingly apolitical when it comes to its view of the soldiers themselves.

Our key characters are Staff Sergeant Colbert and Corporal Josh Ray Person, played by Alexander Skarsgård and James Ransone (The Wire’s Ziggy Sobotka) respectively. Filmed during the second gulf war, its key attribute is its realism: no doubt assisted by having someone who was on the ground in the writing staff, it resolutely refuses to glamorise or dramatise the war.

There are dicy moments, but much of what we see here is the sheer boredom, the hours of travel and downtime, and the camaraderie of the troops who have only one another to keep themselves entertained. In spite of its incredibly serious subject matter, it’s one of the most upbeat things David Simon has ever made.