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One show that fans think everyone should watch before they die is crime drama The Wire. It has been widely regarded as "one of the best TV shows of all time", after its initial release in 2002.

The programme, which ran for five series and ended in 2008, was set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland. The idea for the show started out as a police drama loosely based on the experiences of creator David Simon's writing partner Ed Burns - a former homicide detective and public school teacher. The show sees Detective James McNulty and his team investigate crimes and try their best to bridge the gap between the drug kingpins and the law enforcement agencies. It introduces a different institution of the city and its relationship to law enforcement in each season while retaining characters and advancing storylines from previous seasons.

It explored all different themes that a lot of people can relate to, including the illegal drug trade, the port system, the city government and bureaucracy, education and schools, and the print news medium.

Now, 14 years after the show first came out, it is still a major hit with fans. Posting to Reddit, one viewer declared it "one of the best shows of all times" as they branded it a "masterpiece".

Another agreed, saying: "The writing is brilliant. The plot is almost hyper-realistic, no contrivances. The cast is an excellent ensemble that covers every base of the city's justice system.

"The cops, criminals, and politicians all act and seem like real people, with varying degrees of flaws and attributes."

One more person added: "While the show was obviously well made with some exceptional performances, I think what really made it great is that it said things people didn't want to hear."

While another described it as a "rare" find, writing: "It became a period piece after our lives wholesale changed after smartphones.

"Everything in it is perfect and the characters make sense. That's rare."

Someone else noted: "No show has done a better job of exploring nearly every major aspect of modern society. The only big topic they missed covering is religion."