Down to “The Wire”

I very much enjoyed meeting author David Simon, George Pelecanos, and Laura Lippman at last fall’s Bouchercon in Baltimore, so I was excited to read about this last-minute addition to the rapidly approaching, 2009 Harrogate Crime Festival:

Special Event: The Wire with David Simon and George Pelecanos
11:30 a.m., Sunday 26 July
Crown Hotel, Harrogate

This year’s Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has a thrilling finale event lined up.

Festivalgoers will be able to see two of the creative masterminds behind the critically acclaimed American TV drama share the inside track on the off-screen story. Creator, writer and producer of cult U.S. television series The Wire, David Simon and scriptwriter George Pelecanos, will be talking to best-selling American author Laura Lippman to give a fascinating insight into a TV series which has been described as ‘the greatest of all time’.

A slow-burning television phenomenon, The Wire aired for the first time in 2002 on U.S. cable channel HBO, and ran for over 60 episodes until its final episode in March 2008. Praised for its realistic portrayal of urban life and challenging exploration of social and political issues, The Wire has become one of the first ‘sleeper’ television dramas, having found a wider audience, greater plaudits and an ever-increasing amount of international attention since going off air via the series DVD releases and by simple word of mouth.

If I were you, I’d book a ticket fast for Harrogate.