Attorney General Eric Holder Demands Another Season Of The Wire

by Jon Bershad | 12:08 pm, June 1st, 2011

» 12 comments

Finally someone in the government is standing up and fighting the good fight. Reuters is reporting that, yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder appeared at an event in the Justice Department with actors from The Wire where he used scenes from the series to illustrate the need to protect children from “endangered by drug abuse.” While there, Holder ordered the writers of the series to make another season, a statement that is sure to garner support across party lines for, as we all know, if you don’t love The Wire, you’re not a real American.

The event featured actors Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, and Jim True-Frost, otherwise known as Bunk Moreland, Kima Greggs, and Roland Pryzbylewski. However, Holder directed his comments at the show’s main creative forces, David Simon and Ed Burns.

From Reuters:

“’I want to speak directly to Mr. Burns and Mr. Simon: Do another season of “The Wire”,’ Holder said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience. ‘That’s actually at a minimum. … If you don’t do a season, do a movie. We’ve done HBO movies, this is a series that deserves a movie. I want another season or I want a movie. I have a lot of power Mr. Burns and Mr. Simon.’”

Laughter from the crowd? How dare they. This is a serious discussion about saving America’s television. You want to help discredit American exceptionalism? Then keep The Wire off the air while Two and a Half Men keeps chugging along. You know what they say about HBO? It’s not TV. It’s a fight for America.

Of course, some could say that the series had a completely satisfying ending and that much of the people behind it are busy working on the also-excellent Treme. Besides, doing a movie would be completely against the show’s slow-burn storytelling style. I mean, is George Pelecanos gonna come in and write the extremely depressing penultimate 10 minutes?

Still, maybe we shouldn’t question The Wire’s ability to continue. We need to be brave and put our trust in Simon. Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as Wire fans, in things season six we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.

(h/t The A.V. Club)

David Simon, Ed Burns, Eric Holder, George Pelecanos, Jim True-Frost, Sonja Sohn, The Wire, Wendell Pierce

fallenchicken

The Wire was great, but they wrapped it up rather nicely. Treme ain’t too bad, either.
Kitteh

Does Eric Holder know there’s a site inspired by “The Wire” and acted out by cats? Yep, cats. It’s called Kitteh Citteh! http://kittehcitteh.tumblr.com/
Barack Must Go

You Go Girl !!!!!
http://MsUnderestimated.com MsUnderestimated

Um, is anyone else here not bothered by the fact that a government agency is urging anyone to produce anything at the government’s behest? In jest or not, I do NOT like this!
http://MsUnderestimated.com MsUnderestimated

MsUnderestimated said:
Um, is anyone else here not bothered by the fact that a government agency is urging anyone to produce anything at the government’s behest? In jest or not, I do NOT like this!

P.S. Can you imagine what would be going on if Alberto Gonzales made the same overtures to the producers of “24″? Seriously, think about that for a minute. This is NOT a good thing for EITHER side to do.
Moderate

MsUnderestimated said:
Um, is anyone else here not bothered by the fact that a government agency is urging anyone to produce anything at the government’s behest? In jest or not, I do NOT like this!

National Labor Relations Board has brought s suit against Boeing. The aircraft maker is accused of trying to punish and intimidate the machinists’ union by opening a new factory in South Carolina, a right-to-work state.

The government telling Boeing where to build a factory bothers me even more.
Azarkhan

You know what they say about HBO? It’s not TV. It’s a fight for a leftist America.
Harry Flashman

I agree with fallenchickern (now, there, something most of us go though life and never say) – The Wire was great but they finished it with style. I don’t see how they could credibly bring it back, unless they did it with new characters. And the old ones will be hard to top.

On the other hand, they brought back Star Trek after bumping off Spock, so…..
Bill Huggins

The Wire was the best dramatic TV series ever. Full stop.
avoidswork

Azarkhan said:
You know what they say about HBO? It’s not TV. It’s a fight for a leftist America.

Really? Are you sure it’s not Showtime? Or Starz? Or Encore? Or Cinemax? Or or or…

I presume you either aren’t a fan of “The Wire” or have simply never seen it.

But your comment demonstrates you kind of don’t know anything about this topic.

MsUnderestimated said:
Um, is anyone else here not bothered by the fact that a government agency is urging anyone to produce anything at the government’s behest? In jest or not, I do NOT like this!

Well, actors from Battlestar Galactica appeared at a UN panel. The Wire has had more than its share of panels (whether Harvard or other).

In case you missed it, it was topical, meaning it was used “illustrate the need to protect children from “endangered by drug abuse.”” And I doubt Holder was being Very Serious, but rather acting as a fanboy. Because, The Wire is/was just that *good*.
billwhit1357

Coming out of the mouth of one of the Most Corrupt A$$wipes in America, Eric Holder! Anything this man likes has to be crooked, bad for America, or just plain stupid. It is a horrible day for America when our own DOJ refuses to prosecute people because they are black and, as Holder said, “His People”. Holder needs to see the inside of a prison for many years, and I think he would make someone a happy little bitch!
am_underground

The best, I LOVE the wire. To bad the Shield and Rescue Me had to go off on their little emotional love connections between the the cops and firemen and not stick to what garnered them the press of the 1st couple of seasons.

Bring the Wire back.