While few crime shows approximate the greatness of HBO’s seminal TV seriesThe Wire, fans of creator David Simon must flock to Showtime’sCity on a Hill. Set in Boston in the 1990s, the series starsKevin Baconas John “Jackie” Rohr, a revered retired FBI agent with a secret corrupt past. When Rohr is paired with the ambitious new Assistant District Attorney Decourcy Ward (Aldis Hodge), they uncover a citywide conspiracy that shakes Bostonians to their core.
AlthoughThe Wirefamously takes place in Baltimore,City on a Hillis overtly inspired byHBO’s landmark crime drama, focusing on the confluence of law enforcement, local politics, the education system, workers' unions, transportation, and the media, and how they converge to shape Boston’s legal framework. Beyond Bacon’s sizzling performance, few crime series boast the intelligent storytelling thatThe Wireintroduced over 20 years ago, likeCity on a Hill.
The Wire Changed the Face of Television
Along withThe Sopranos, HBO altered the course of television for the better withThe Wire.Created by former Baltimore journalist David Simon,The Wireexplores America’s war on drugs through the eyes of a select group of Baltimore police detectives. With equal attention given to the drug dealers and criminal informants helping the detectives, the series is a sobering account of how a city’s infrastructure is tethered to the drug trade.
Based on Ed Burns' experience as a Baltimore homicide detective, each season ofThe Wireaddresses a major municipal crisis. Season 1 begins with Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) and his partners trying to catch a powerful drug dealer poisoning the population. Season 2 explores the Baltimore ports and illegal rackets that occur in the harbors.
Season 3 highlights the corrupt Baltimore political scene delayed by constant red tape. Season 4 takes on the education system in Baltimore, with Season 5 concluding the series with a look at the death of print news and the birth of sensationalism. By the time the show concludes, the separate topics combine to form an artistic mosaic that elevates TV storytelling.
Extolled forits gritty realism, intelligent writing, honest account of both sides of the law, and outstanding performances across the board, few shows have reached the critical pinnacle ofThe Wirein the last 20 years. The show ranks #6 on IMDb’s Top 250 TV Shows and has a near-perfect 95% Rotten Tomatoes rating. While not quite as acclaimed,City on a Hillmakes for an ideal substitute.
We Wouldn’t Have ‘The Wire’ and ‘Law & Order’ Without This ’90s Police Procedural
Years before David Simon worked on ‘The Wire,’ his talents helped bring the 1990s procedural drama ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ to fruition.
City on a Hill’s Premise, Explained
Chuck MacLean createdCity on a Hillfrom a story he conceived with Ben Affleck, both of whom are Boston natives. The 2019 crime drama concerns Jackie Rohr (Bacon), a former FBI Agent mired in corruption, crass racial discrimination, and citywide violence. When a string of armed car robberies sets off a chain of crimes in the city, Rohr finds an unlikely ally in Decourcy Ward (Hodge), a young idealist Assistant District Attorney preparing to clean up Boston and reform its justice system.
Ridding the city of widespread corruption proves nearly impossible for Rohr and Ward, who find almost every societal pillar implicated in criminal activity. Much like McNulty inThe Wire, Rohr connects a gang of armed car thieves and illegal arms dealers to a local church, the education system,the prison industrial complex, and more.
With the consequential stakes elevated with each passing season,City on a Hillexpands to focus on the U.S. Justice Department, corrupt courts, the stifling bureaucratic red tape that prevents political change, and how each aspect combines to create the fabric of a city desperate for social change.
WhileThe Wirefocuses on the Baltimore crime scene in 2002,City on a Hilloccurs inBostonin the early 1990s, both exploring similar topics within ten years of each other. One key difference is the length, withThe Wireincluding 60 episodes over five seasons andCity on a Hilllasting 26 episodes across three seasons.
City on a Hill’s Critical Acclaim, Explained
City on a Hill’s Rotten Tomatoes rating indicates a show that has improved over time. For instance, in 2021, the show garnered a 76% RT score, with the site’s critical consensus suggesting:
“ThoughCity on a Hill’s meandering story can’t quite match its ambitions, it’s entertaining—and even occasionally riveting—to watch Kevin Bacon and company take on bureaucracy.”
Following Season 3,City on Hill’s approval numbers hiked significantly, now boasting 88% Tomatometer (critics) and 86% Popcornmeter (audiences) scores. While a new consensus has yet to be published, IMDb ratings also support the notion thatCity on a Hillends stronger than it starts. The series finale boasts the highest IMDb score of any season-ender (8.2), with the penultimate episode sharing an identical rating.
While the writing hardly eclipses the brilliance ofThe Wire’s David Simon, the magnetic performances by Bacon and Hodge are as compelling as any actor onThe Wire, including Idris Elba and the late Michael K. Williams, who played Stringer Bell and Omar Little, respectively.Bacon’s legendary acting career speaks for itself, while Hodge has gone on to star in Prime Video’s hit crime seriesCrossin 2024.
Beyond the riveting performances,City on a Hillowes a great debt toThe Wirefor laying out the foundational blueprint to tell a complex, sprawling crime tale that implicates municipal institutions, eroding public trust and calling for systemic reform. As such, anyone who enjoyed the unpredictable twists inThe Wirewill enjoyCity on a Hill’s complexity.
City on a Hillis available to purchase through Apple TV and Prime Video.
