Since debuting in 2002, HBO’s The Wire has developed a devoted following, one in which friendships can be made and broken by how you answer the question “Which season is the best?” The opening sequence, scored by the Blind Boys of Alabama, became instantly iconic, and Bay Area designer Elliot Lim recently debuted his own animated take on it.
“The Wire hit me harder than anything else I had seen on TV,” he told the Daily Dot. “I loved the characters and the raw perspective that it offered, and I’ve always wanted to make something that showed my appreciation. That idea had been sitting with me for some time, but finally I was able to find the time and motivation to make it happen.”
Why has the show’s fandom endured for this long? Lim points out that the themes of the show extend beyond the screen.
“It’s a fantastic show, with amazing writing, great acting, great characters,” he said. “But to me the thing that keeps resonating is its illumination of the class struggle in this country, which is something that is clearly ongoing. What also struck me is how complicated the truth is; it’s not easy to pass judgement on anyone, no matter what preconceptions you might have.”
Screengrab via Elliot Lim/Vimeo