This book offers the only examination of the television writing of David Milch and David Simon as significant contributions to American culture, literature, and social realism.David Milch and David Simon are two of the most prolific and successful television drama writers in the last 30 years. These talented writers have combined real-world knowledge with wild imaginations and understandings of the human psyche to create riveting shows with realistic environments and storylines. Minch and Simon's writing have resulted in television series that have earned both critical acclaim and millions of viewers.The Wire, Deadwood, Homicide, and NYPD Blue: Violence is Power is the most comprehensive text yet written about Milch and Simon, and documents how television dramas of the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s mirrored American culture with unprecedented sociological accuracy. The author explains how both individuals are not only capable dramatists, but also insightful cultural critics. This book also examines the full range of Milch's and Simon's authorial careers, including Milch's books True Blue: The Real Stories behind NYPD Blue and Deadwood: Tales of the Black Hills and Simon's Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood.

AcknowledgmentsUsage NormsIntroduction: Prime-Time Realism: David Milch, David Simon, and Television Drama1 Peaks and Valleys: David Milch and Hill Street Blues2 Blue, Black, and White: David Milch's NYPD Blue3 Red Balls: David Simon and Homicide: Life on the Street4 Street Talk: David Simon's The Corner5 American Savagery: David Milch's Deadwood6 All the Pieces Matter: David Simon's The WireConclusion: The Two Davids: Television AuteursNotesBibliographyFilms, Television Programs, and Songs CitedIndex