I think there is a reason why The Wire is considered by many the best tv show. Everything in that show had a place in it.
slightly off topic and not wanting to start a huge a debate, but:
I feel TV has regressed (if that is the rigth word to use).
I was watching first season MacGuyver last month *waits for people to roll eyes* and was thinking that while Obama talks about gun-control, those of us in favour of such a move lost the fight a long time ago, when from a pacifist secret agent, who'd use his brain to solve problems and who commented how he never thought he'd ever find use for a gun, when he used one as a wrench, our favourid shows, that we cheer for their progressiveness, became the current HBO culture.