Now that Snowfall season 6 has officially ended, concluding the show's run, it's time to think about where it fits in the halls of TV history. The John Singleton series inspired by the crack cocaine epidemic that plagued Los Angles in the 80s, kept me fully invested from week to week, every season, and will sorely be missed. It leaves such a great legacy, that I'm ready to boldly say that Snowfall edges out The Wire as the better crime drama.
Yes, David Simon's The Wire provided a "blueprint" on how to effectively portray struggling communities, illicit drug culture and police corruption that shows like Snowfall and Power Book II: Ghost have borrowed from. Also, I'm fully aware that many TV experts place The Wire among the best shows of all time; What to Watch ranks it seventh our 100 best TV shows of all time list.
However, Snowfall achieved feats creatively in terms of storytelling, acting and consistency that just make it a cut above. Before you bring out the pitchforks, hear me out.
Snowfall's Damson Idris is phenomenal as Franklin Saint
The Snowfall cast as a whole offered some amazing TV moments with their characters that have made fans laugh, cry or scream at their screens in frustration. But Damson Idris as Franklin Saint was something purely special to watch, especially when looking at the character's transformation from season 1 to the finale.
Idris convincingly went from playing a curious 18/19 year old in search of a better life to this cutthroat kingpin thirsty for power and money. Both in his fits of rage and earnest moments, Idris made you feel some strong emotion about Franklin's actions, whether they be good or bad.
Zeroing in on Snowfall's final season, Idris delivered arguably his best onscreen work to date. Playing a desperate man spiraling out of control unable to save himself. His work was capped by a moving ending monologue that many fans feel should earn Idris an Emmy.
This is not to say that the acting in The Wire was subpar, because it wasn't. From Idris Elba to Dominic West to Michael Kenneth Williams to Lance Reddick, there was a lot of talent on that show. But given the format of the drama relied heavily on telling a number of different stories with more characters as a true ensemble series, it makes it harder to nail down specific moments from one actor that stand out.
Snowfall's storytelling transcends the underworld of the '80s
This is when my argument can get a little dicey, especially when you consider that again, the format of The Wire lends itself to being able to showcase an array of perspectives from dealers, law enforcement and everyone in between. So there wasn't just one main dealer or one cop or one innocent bystander in the community that viewers were watching, which made for intriguing episodes.
However, sometimes less is more. I appreciated the fact Snowfall limited the scope of character perspectives and focused on making each one's journey intricate, complex and relatable outside of their part in the criminal world. Looking at Franklin, he was a drug dealer thirsty for money and power, but he was also battling his issues with his absentee father and the latter's addiction, which was a relatable story for many outside of LA and beyond just those who grew up in the '80s.
Louie's (Angela Lewis) arc is another example of great storytelling. As much as fans love to blame Louie for the destruction of the Saint family, her journey as a Black woman wanting to be seen as an equal among men is again one that many viewers can resonate with apart from the drug game.
Snowfall's consistency never wavered
It's rare that a drama keeps me captivated from beginning to end. There are usually episodes or even an entire season that I muddle through with a hint of disinterest just waiting for the show to pick back up. Snowfall managed to keep me captivated from episode to episode for all six seasons, which once more, isn't an easy feat. Heck, I can probably attribute a few greys to the roller coaster ride of emotions I felt watching the show.
Then there's the series finale, which in my opinion is one of the best I've seen for a drama in recent memory. It was almost perfect in wrapping story arcs for characters years in the making. I also appreciated the fact that Franklin's ending wasn't predictable and was a full-circle moment. Often times when the protagonist is a criminal, he either winds up dead or in prison by the end, so Snowfall's deviation was appreciated. (It wasn't a perfect finale because honestly, what happened to Lucia?)
Looking to The Wire, while again an amazing show, it had episodes where I wasn't as vested in watching. Additionally, although the series finale appropriately wrapped plot points and left viewers to ponder in deep thought about what they watched, it doesn't surpass Snowfall in terms of shock value and wow factor.
In conclusion, this may very well be a Michael Jordan vs Lebron James type of debate, but I stand firm in believing Snowfall is the better series.
You can currently stream Snowfall on Hulu (Disney Plus in the UK) and The Wire on HBO Max (Sky TV in the UK).
