The 'top crime drama of all time' is hailed as a 'masterpiece' by fans

This crime drama has been hailed by fans as a "masterpiece", and it is streaming on NOW TV. The Wire has been named "the best crime drama of all time" in a fan thread on Reddit. It is a crime drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon. The series premiered on HBO in 2002, and it ran for five series until 2008, comprising 60 episodes. It stars Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., and Wood Harris, among many others.

The series synopsis reads: "This series looks at the narcotics scene in Baltimore through the eyes of law enforcers as well as the drug dealers and users. Other facets of the city that are explored in the series are the government and bureaucracy, schools and the news media. The show was created by former police reporter David Simon, who also wrote many of the episodes."

Upon its release, The Wire received critical acclaim and two of its series have received a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics consensus for the fifth season states: "The Wire goes out with a suitably resonant bang in its final season, craftily maneuvering venturesome motifs and a colorful cast of characters to skillfully understated conclusion."

Andrew Johnston of Time Out New York named The Wire the best TV series of 2006, and said: "The first three seasons of David Simon's epic meditations on urban America established The Wire as one of the best series of the decade, and with season four - centered on the heart-breaking tale of four eighth-graders whose prospects are limited by public-school bureaucracy -it officially became one for the ages."

On Reddit, a fan named The Wire as "the top crime drama of all time", with many others agreeing.

One fan wrote a glowing review on the season's ending, stating: "Great show!! I'm from Baltimore & it's interesting to watch. I see all those places that most are now gone.

"They've been torn down, revitalised or commercialised as business parks, hotels, casino if you get close to the Harbor. The show has an amazing take on the drug trade & the toll it takes on every day life in Baltimore.

"It didn't skimp on the dark, dirty underbelly of gangs or the police. There was & is plenty of it to go around. This show really did bring a lot of great actors into the forefront.

"This is definitely worth the watch. I even binge it every so often. It's a great reminder on why as much as I love my hometown, I'll never live there again."

The Wire is available to stream on NOW TV.