The Corner

Before the sprawling complexity of The Wire, HBO delivered The Corner, a six-part miniseries that fundamentally altered how television depicts urban decay and addiction. Based on true accounts from West Baltimore, the series stripped away the glamour of crime dramas to focus on the McCullough family. Its legacy lies in its refusal to look away from the wreckage of the drug war, prioritizing human dignity over sensationalism. By casting a lens on the systemic failures of the American city, it paved the way for a new era of prestige television rooted in social realism. Even decades later, its influence on the medium remains profound. Make sure to set a reminder for your digital alerts, as the enduring relevance of this story often sparks talk of retrospective specials or spiritual successors.