
I began this summer between MA coursework with a list of things I hoped to accomplish, mostly books to read and stories to polish for submission. I’ve done some of that, but I found myself hooked on the HBO Wire seasons. The show came up a lot during our workshops, on the radio, talking to writers, conversations with friends–pretty much everywhere. We had a visiting writer come in and the first thing he asked us was “How many of you have seen The Wire?” I think most of us hadn’t, so he proposed, in jest, that we just spend our entire time watching it. He noted its complex characters and plot development as good study material. With that in mind, this isn’t really a confession of wasted time–I can’t say I’ve been watching thoughtless TV all these hours. It does serve a purpose.
I just finished Season 4 this afternoon, about the school system, and I feel the need to promote the show here on my blog to other writers, humanitarians, people who respect intelligence, etc…
I went to church today and after hearing a good sermon (about communion), I felt compelled to introduce myself to the pastor, which I hadn’t done yet though I’ve attended the church for a while. I hesitated because I’m an English teacher, and university English departments have a reputation for pushing liberal agendas on students. The pastor asked what I was doing here and I told him I was teaching and he asked if it was through the English department and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was worried… Probably a little surprised that I attend his church.
Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because I know I have a shameless liberal agenda and the Wire reminded me why. My political stance springs from my Detroit, or inner city, upbringing. I’m quite passionate about urban issues and my students know it. They debate with me, they make me angry sometimes, but I feel those suffering in America’s city, due to our failed institutions, should be a part of any academic experience.
The Wire’s writers share my convictions about wanting to introduce the public to the forgotten city in America. The show didn’t do too well, and in the commentary the creators (actors, writers, producers) gave a lot of reasons why, mostly that it’s a tough show. People go to the TV to escape from their problems and The Wire forces them to confront everything about our society they don’t want to know. Watching it reminds me of how much I want people to acknowledge these things, to see how complicated they are, and to recognize themselves in the brokenness.
I hear the word “agenda” among Christians quite a bit. It’s a negative term, it scares people. But we all have agendas. Let’s be honest about them. I can say that I just want people to read good stories, or that I just want to teach my students how to write, and it’s true–I do want these things and I do believe they are powerful. I also want people to understand life with God’s awareness, which I believe he offers freely to those who are serious about this love idea. I want my students to have courage when interacting with people who don’t come from the same background. I want my readers to ask why our systems fail.
Besides the fact that The Wire didn’t do so well with viewer ratings, it was completely overlooked by the Emmy Award committee. If you’ve seen it, you’ll know why this is such a shame. The acting is great, the writing is even better. Among the other things that I think the show can teach us, the series reveals that the public doesn’t want to confront life’s tough issues. As a writer and a teacher, it reminds me I need courage to tell the truth, courage because truth doesn’t yeild comfort (See The Four Gospels…) I recommend the show to anyone who holds similar convictions.