For me, season 2 of the Wire became very good retroactively. When the series was finished, I can appreciate the port as all being part of the puzzle and playing its role in the game.
BTW, I, as white person, had the same problem when it came to costumes. The best characters were black and while I wish I could dress up and become Stringer or Clay Davis, I am not touching blackface wit ha 10 foot pole. It's a shame because I really have the mannerisms and speech patterns of Clay davis down pat.
Speaking of the Wire; if HBO can get some of its Rome actors into GoT, I want some Wire guys. Make the Dornish black and give us Idris Elba as Oberyn. If there ever is a Brown Ben Plumm, give is Isiah Whitlock so he can lay it down like do "I'm gonna be real with you partner, you see a whole lotta old sell swoards, you see some bold sell swords but there ain't no soul in the world that seen an old and bold sell sword, you feel me on this partner?"