‘The Wire’ showrunners say the show wouldn’t have been greenlit in the age of Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was one of the biggest shows of the 21st century. There has yet to be another show that comes close to the height of popularity the show enjoyed during its run of nearly a decade. The fantasy epic’s fame might have hurt the viewership of other shows, who faced stiff competition from George R. R. Martin’s ASOIAF TV adaptation. ‘The Wire‘ creators believe their show wouldn’t even have seen the light of the day if it was pitched during Game of Thrones’ run.

The show’s co-creators Ed Burns and David Simon recently talked to The New York Times on The Wire’s 20th anniversary. Burns said, “Now, it’s got to be ‘Game of Thrones.’ It’s got to be big. It’s got to be disconnected from stepping on anybody’s toes. I’ve watched a couple of the limited series on HBO, and they’re good shows, but they’re not cutting new paths. They are whodunits or these rich women bickering among themselves in a town. I don’t see anybody saying, ‘Hey, that’s a really great show.’”

“In fact, they were thinking about canceling it after [Season 3]. We caught that moment where networks were thinking, ‘Oh, we need a show for this group of people.”

Do you think The Wire would have aired during Game of Thrones’ run and still enjoyed the same amount of success? Tell us in the comments below!