The best show nobody watches

In its third season, the drama will continue to expand its sociopolitical desciption of a fictional Baltimore by examining the city’s political component and its relevance to the problems confronting a post-industrial city.

That picture with Kima and McNulty looking out a car window, with Stringer and some new guy in the reflection is a classic moment from the series. The two warriors are getting ready to face down again.

But why aren’t people watching it? It’s written by top selling crime authors (recently added the author of Mystic River). It’s won some important awards. It has HBO’s endorsement. It has a very compelling and relevant story. While the show transcends genres it has plenty of police procedural elements, and those series own the network ratings. What stops it from being an HBO powerhouse?

It does not simplify the dialogue, and sometimes an episode ends without any resolution. These are points that I think are outside the mainstream and I wonder if that hurts the series.