I watched them all- Sopranos, GoT, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, etc. I do not know why I waited so long to see The Wire. My attitude going into The Wire was, "Meh, I'm not really into cop shows."
But boy, was I in for a treat. I'll go ahead and say it... The Wire is screenwriting at its peak. Each season's focus and issues matter, especially in this day and age. Every season is focused on a different aspect of life in Charm City. For example, season 2 is based on unions, dockworkers and drug/human trafficking. By the way, Chris Bauer as Frank Sobatka was absolutely brilliant. My personal favorites were season 4 and 5. The acting is too knotched. The actor that plays Omar and Bubbles were my favorites, along with Michael B Jordan. The only bad thing in my opinion is that Dominic West's British accent popping up every now and then (especially if he is telling or angry).
This show is a masterpiece. It shows the frivolousness of the War on Drugs. The Wire is a must watch show.