The Wire, one of television's most acclaimed series, will be aired on high quality HD on DIRECTV's The 101 Network starting July 18. Viewers can watch all five seasons (60 episodes) of The Wire uncut and commercial free, according to DIRECTV.

DIRECTV's The 101 Network provides viewers with the uncut and commercial-free exclusive entertainment. It also provides sneak peeks from premium programmers like SHOWTIME and HBO and exclusive performances by the hottest musical artists.

The Peabody Award-winning series is a portrayal of the decaying infrastructure of American urban life and is set in the city of Baltimore. The Wire is a deep exploration of sociopolitical themes, examining the effect these institutions have on the inhabitants of the city with each season focusing on a different facet of the city (the drug trade, the port, city government and bureaucracy, the school system and the print news media).

"Thought provoking, powerful series like The Wire are few and far between. By adding The Wire to our Sunday night lineup, we are further cementing The 101 Network's reputation as a destination for the most highly acclaimed dramas on television,' said Patty Ishimoto, vice president and general manager of DIRECTV's The 101 Network. 'We are confident that our customers will be captivated by the amazing storytelling in this series"

First aired on HBO in 2002, The Wire was created by David Simon with Simon, Robert F. Colesberry and Nina Kostroff Noble as the executive producers. =Directors included Joe Chappelle, Ernest Dickerson, Daniel Attias, Ed Bianchi, Clark Johnson and Steve Shill. Series writers include David Simon, Ed Burns and George Pelecanos.

Recently, the company, in partnership with Panasonic (News - Alert), announced that it will dedicated 3D channels to its customers, beginning in June 2010. Millions of DIRECTV HD customers will receive a free software upgrade to view, initially, three dedicated 3D channels and ESPN (News - Alert) 3D on their 3D television sets. DIRECTV has more than 25 million customers in the U.S.