One of television's most critically acclaimed programmes, "The Wire" challenges viewers with a 'cop show' unlike anything on air. And courtesy of HBO, this ratings juggernaut will be yours to own from Monday 8th December in a bumper box set including all five seasons.

The HBO series addresses the seedy side of Baltimore's Finest; prying into corruption, drugs, politics and murder. Told from the point of view of both the police and their targets, the series captures a universe of subterfuge and surveillance, where easy distinctions between good and evil, and crime and punishment, are challenged at every turn.

A study on urban life in one of America's toughest cities, each season of "The Wire" has focused on a different aspect of Baltimore, starting with the police force and the drug trade, then moving on to City Hall, the education system and concluding with the media. Over the course of five seasons, creator David Simon has endeavoured to build a city and delivered one of television’s most challenging, and rewarding, series.