HBO is finalizing a deal with BET to make the black-oriented cable channel the syndicated home of its critically acclaimed original series "The Wire," sources said.
Neither company would comment, but the pact is expected to give BET all five seasons of "Wire," which would amount to 62 episodes. HBO recently ordered a fifth and final season of the drama series, which is four episodes into its fourth season.
Sources indicated that BET is looking to begin airing one episode per week in primetime as soon as the first quarter next year, with multiple runs for each installment. The Viacom-owned network is expected to put a substantial marketing push behind "Wire."
No specific price tag could be determined, but "Wire" likely would fetch a low sum by syndication standards, perhaps in the range of $100,000 per episode. Although HBO has racked up hundreds of millions of dollars in alternate revenue with such big off-network sales as "The Sopranos" to A&E and "Sex and the City" to TBS, "Wire" has met little ratings success, and its story lines are heavily serialized. Its grim tales of urban blight aren't likely to thrill advertisers, either.
However, the series has been deemed a television classic by many critics, who have praised creator/executive producer/writer David Simon for his gut-wrenching storytelling and authentic re-creation of Baltimore's mean streets.
"Wire," which boasts a predominantly black cast, makes sense for BET, which has been trying in recent years to upgrade its profile in original programming. "Wire" is not BET's first syndicated acquisition from HBO; the network also purchased the critically acclaimed miniseries "The Corner," which, like "Wire," chronicled the harsh realities of inner-city life.
BET might have to edit "Wire" episodes for sex, violence or language, though cable networks typically are willing to put risqu� programming on at 10 p.m. or later.
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Andrew Wallenstein writes for The Hollywood Reporter.
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