The shadow of "The Wire" looms large on this 2022 miniseries both in setting and in terms of creative and casting crossover. David Simon produces the series, based on the book by journalist Justin Fenton.
Two FBI agents, John Sieracki (Don Harvey) and Ericka Jensen (Dagmara Dominczyk) launch in investigations into the actions of the Gun Trace Task Force, a lauded Baltimore unit that is given wide remit to take guns and drugs off the street. The task force is led by Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) a charismatic officer, and who believes firmly that his success rate will cover any sins. Faith in the Baltimore police department is at an all-time low, following the killing of Freddie Gray. Nicole Steele (Wunmi Mosaku) an attorney in the civil rights division tries to instigate change within the department as a whole and, though she finds support, comes up against a system seemingly designed to maintain the status quo.
Excellent, if mortally depressing, series with a number of fabulous performances, but anchored but a truly great one from Jon Bernthal. Jenkins is another in TV's long line of charismatic villains, whose insecurities push him to commit greater and greater crimes, whilst the overall corruption of the department, the legal system and the conflicting priorities of politicians empower him, as his arrest rate is so good. Two of the many "The Wire" alumni also give strong performances, Darrell Britt-Gibson and Jamie Hector play two cops, caught up in the investigation, to various degrees.
The time jumping and the conceit of the computer screen being filled out to explain when we are, can prove a little confusing at first but if you just let the wash over you in the first couple of episodes, by the end the timeline is laid out for you again and scenes are revisited and, for me, everything made sense.
It's not light-hearted escapism. It's hard not to come away with the idea that, Baltimore at least, is broken beyond repair and its not a unique story but it terms of quality, of performance and story, it's excellent stuff.
