Esteemed writer, producer, and visionary David Simon is the mastermind behind countless TV classics like The Wire, Generation Kill, and Treme.
Esteemed writer, producer, and visionary David Simon is the mastermind behind countless TV classics like The Wire, Generation Kill, and Treme. The decorated creator has crafted a dazzling catalog of critically-acclaimed television shows, with his first official project being the 1993 police drama Homicide: Life on the Street, which he based on his own award-winning novel. In the nearly 30 years since his debut on the small screen, Simon has steadily captured the attention and hearts of audiences all across the world with his gritty, emotionally-driven works that continue to attract new fans.
Undisputedly one of the most prolific and respected creators and producers in the entertainment industry, Simon began his illustrious career as a reporter for The Baltimore Sun before turning his attention and passion to storytelling anchored in real sociopolitical situations. The talented writer is admired for his ability to depict real life in a poignant and honest way, which is apparent in his television hits on HBO like We Own This City,Show Me a Hero, and The Deuce. Here is every one of Simon’s exceptional TV series, ranked.
The 2000 HBO drama miniseries The Corner is based on the novel David Simon wrote alongside frequent co-creator Ed Burns, and centers on the lives of a poverty-stricken family in West Baltimore as they struggle to combat their addictions and the dangerous drug market in their neighborhood. To prepare for the book and subsequent TV adaptation, Simon observed a single drug corner and became close to many of its regulars, including the real-life addict Gary McCullough, who passed away during the project’s creation. The critically-acclaimed series went on to win three Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Miniseries as well as a prestigious Peabody Award, and marked the first of many lucrative and lauded collaborations between Simon and HBO.
Adapted from the Philip Roth novel of the same name, the 2020 alternate history drama series The Plot Against America takes place in a world in which Franklin D. Roosevelt was defeated by Charles Lindbergh in 1940 instead of victorious, chronicling the xenophobic populist’s hypothetical rise to power. Depicted through the eyes of a working class New Jersey family, the program was conceptualized in 2016 following the election of Donald Trump as president, during which Simon believed Roth’s book had proven “perversely…allegorical.” Featuring great performances from Winona Ryder, Zoe Kazan, and John Turturro, and many more, The Plot Against America earned widespread praise upon its release, with its ambiguous and haunting ending being lauded.
David Simon’s first major television gig was for an adaptation of his own award-winning novel, for which he shadowed the Baltimore Police Department homicide unit in 1988. The 1993 police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street follows the work of a fictional homicide department in Baltimore as they strive to tackle the increasingly violent crimes in the city, with the show delving into the psychology of the detectives in the unit. Simon was interested in accurately depicting the attitudes and lives of law enforcement, making them more flawed and disillusioned by the violence they see every day. Homicide: Life on the Street ran for seven seasons and helped establish the career of lead Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), who won an Emmy for his portrayal. It remains one of the first TV series to feel genuinely real and authentic.
Chronicling the rapid rise and legalization of the pornography industry that first began in the 1970s, the 2017 period drama series The Deuce focuses on twin brothers Vincent and Frankie Martino (both played by James Franco) as they attempt to profit off the sex business after hooking up with the powerful mobster Rudy Pipilo. Maggie Gyllenhaal is phenomenal as prostitute-turned-sex worker Eileen “Candy” Merrell, a go-getter who sees the potential of adult entertainment and becomes a major player in the industry. The three season show also explores the rise of HIV, the drug epidemic plaguing the country and the surge in real estate; The Deuce would prove to be a hit with both critics and audiences, with the series premiere attracting 2.2 million viewers.
Oscar Isaac headlined the 2015 drama miniseries Show Me a Hero, in which he portrays former county police officer and New York politician Nick Wasicsko, who went on to become the youngest-ever mayor of Yonkers when he was elected in 1987 at age 28. David Simon adapted the program from the Lisa Belkin novel, with both projects focusing on Wasicsko’s efforts to establish and build public housing in a white, middle-class neighborhood and the intense uphill battle he faced.
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Simon wanted to focus on the breakdown of American politics and its flawed role in urban cities, with the writer having said that it “...addresses class and racial segregation in our society, is more about our calcified political processes than directly relevant to the core grievances underlying current events."
Chronicling the extreme rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force, the 2022 crime drama miniseries We Own This City brings to light the mass corruption within the unit while detailing the eventual conviction of eight officers convicted of an assortment of illegal behavior. Jon Bernthal stars as Sgt. Wayne Jenkins, the lead figure in Baltimore’s GTTF who was brought down for his crimes against the city and charged with racketeering in 2018; The Ringer declared that Bernthal gave “one of the greatest TV performances of this century.” Simon worked with frequent collaborator George Pelecanos to adapt investigative journalist Justin Fenton’s novel, with the limited series earning rave reviews upon its release.
Revered for its realistic portrayal of the vibrant culture of New Orleans, the 2010 drama series Treme depicts the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the residents of the colorful city as they struggle to rebuild and breathe life into their home once again. Featuring an ensemble cast including Rob Brown, Kim Dickens, John Goodman, Steve Zahn, and Khandi Alexander, the emotionally-driven program is named after the Faubourg Treme neighborhood in New Orleans, with many prominent real-life New Orleanians making appearances.
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David Simon set out to explore not only the music scene but heavy topics like the public housing controversy, the tourism industry struggles, and the criminal-justice system, with Treme having been filmed on location to help boost its economy. The series is so much more than a New Orleans variation of The Wire, though, with Simon bringing more joy and deeply human emotion to one episode of Treme than most TV shows convey in their entire runs.
Based on the Evan Wright book of the same name, the 2008 war drama miniseries Generation Kill delves into the writer’s experiences as an embedded reporter during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, during which Wright shadowed the US Marine Corps’ 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. David Simon and Ed Burns worked closely with Wright to adapt his novel, with the show covering the pivotal first 40 days of the invasion while featuring the brave soldiers at the heart of the phase.
Generation Kill was lauded by both critics and audiences alike, winning three Primetime Emmy Awards and being praised for its commanding performances and brilliant storytelling. USA Today called the series, “An honest, barely adorned, sometimes painfully vivid representation of life as we live it now. It's journalism converted to art, with both benefiting," and it remains one of the best miniseries of the 2000s and most important pieces of art about the Iraq War.
Widely regarded as one of the finest television shows of all time, the 2002 crime drama series The Wire takes place in Baltimore and depicts the city’s dangerous drug scene as observed through the eyes of drug dealers and the law enforcement working tirelessly to stop them, along with the politicians, proletariat, and reporters invested in Baltimore. The cast was legendary, including Dominic West, Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce, Lance Reddick, Amy Ryan, Aidan Gillen, Michael K. Williams (as Omar, President Obama's favorite TV character of all time), and countless more.
David Simon served as the creator, showrunner and executive producer for the groundbreaking program, with each season tackling a different institution of the city: the illegal drug trade, port system, local government, education and schooling system and print news media. The Wire had been hailed for its honest depiction of urban life and since its release has become a beloved show with a passionate following, with Rolling Stone ranking it second on its list of the 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.