#3 – The Wire
The Wire ran on HBO from 2002 to 2008, and acquired a patient and dedicated fanbase along the way. It centres on crime, justice, and the lives of people just trying to get by in Baltimore, and has been praised for its gritty realism and dedication to detail. However, despite having won an Emmy, this show is notorious for being difficult to get into. Its slow pace and unusual narrative structure have led many potential viewers to give up after a season or two.
The internet loves The Wire as much as it loves Breaking Bad, and it shows. Tumblr has numerous fan pages dedicated to The Wire’s characters and notable events, and the show is consistently praised on discussion forums. If you want to get into this one you will need some patience, but it will be worth it.