It’s really good because it’s a wholly different look at people and culture than traditional tv. Standard issue TV focuses on individual character stories - stuff happens to them, they do stuff they grow. This is true in The Wire too, but the show looks at how all the characters intersect with each other + the cultural aspect of each season. It’s a look at the systemic structure of society, and it’s clarity and nuance is what makes it the best show.

Really only Season 2-3 Game of Thrones achieves this level of societal critique, not much else as effective.