I was saddened to see HBO’s final episode of The Wire last Sunday.

As a career cop who spent 20 years on the street, I have never experienced a more accurate portrayal of police officers and their struggle with the political and social realities of the inner city. Unlike the stylized fantasies that characterize most police dramas, The Wire mugs you with reality.

If it was up to me, I’d make The Wire required viewing for all police recruits in America, and I’d make the final season required viewing for all aspiring public school teachers.

The writing, production, sets, cast and crew are remarkable.

In the final episode, there’s a heartbreaking scene between a homeless junkie named Bubbles and beleaguered homicide Sergeant Landsman. Hardly a word is spoken between them for two minutes, but those two minutes say more than all of the police shows, experts, talking heads, activists, or I could ever say. After viewing the entire series, that scene may be one of the most powerful I’ve witnessed on television.

The Wire does more than entertain – it is an indictment of every well-intended social program and over-funded public school in America. It is a memorial to millions of America’s children left behind - crippled by bullets and bureaucracy. It is a call to America’s voters to understand the importance of civic duties like voting, jury duty, and paying attention to one’s community.

Remarkable!

(If you missed it, you can purchase the first two seasons here. The final seasons are not yet available on DVD. It’s also available On Demand.)

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Clark Baker is a senior contributor to CaliforniaConservative.org. He is an author, filmaker, father and retired LAPD officer. You may read more of his work here and here.