I was born in small city Ontario to great parents who have supported me entirely despite all of my shortcomings, of which there are many (so...so many). Enough about my yawn-worthy place on this planet, the point is, my life has been pretty great so sometimes it’s important to see something to make me realize how lucky I am.
Watching The Corner makes me feel blessed.
The Corner was an HBO mini-series created by David Simon (who also created the spectacular The Wire, which I will cover in a later column) that chronicles the life of a family (and the people in their lives) torn apart by drug abuse on the streets of West Baltimore.
Gary McCullough (T.K. Carter)
As a young man Gary was an intelligent, hard worker who was forced to drop out of college in order to support his family. Despite dropping out, Gary was doing quite well for himself, beautiful wife, young son, sports car and a nice two story in Suburbia. Gary’s perfect existence is shattered when his wife Fran becomes a drug addict, dissolving their marriage. To cope with his depression, Gary too, turns to smack’s sweet embrace and loses everything. Gary is now roaming the streets of West Baltimore pulling scams and working angles all in the pursuit of sweet lady H. Gary is a tragic figure whose dramatic fall from grace is only tempered by his optimistic pursuit of a job so he can one day regain a meaningful life.
Fran McCullough (Khandi Alexander)
Fran was living the clichéd “American Dream” with her family, when her hard partying life-style caused her marriage to crumble. Fran started small, smoking weed then doing a little coke at parties, but she eventually moved on to heroin, lost her job and became withdrawn from her family. Fran moved into the “Dew Drop Inn” a dilapidated slum she shares with her youngest son, sisters and brother, who are equally addicted to heroin. After finally coming to grips with her own mortality, Fran decides to check into a treatment centre to exorcise her personal demons. In doing so she does something Gary is incapable of, she seeks outside help.
DeAndre McCullough(Sean Nelson)DeAndre is the eldest son of Fran and Gary McCollough, who, after his family loses everything, turns to the Corners of West Baltimore slinging (dealing drugs) in the open air drug market. His life becomes more complicated when his girlfriend Tyreeka becomes pregnant and he makes an attempt at earning a legitimate wage at a fast food joint (one that seriously resembles Wendy’s) and enrolls back into school.
DeAndre shows more sensitivity and intelligence than many of his contemporaries on the Corner, but feels respect is earned on the streets, not in the classroom.
DeAndre’s ascent into manhood is threatened to be derailed by an increasing drug habit.
Is DeAndre destined to be marred by the same mistakes that plagued his parents?
This miniseries is a real ensemble so it would be impossible to describe its entire eclectic cast of characters, I decided to stick with the central family members and let you discover the rest on your own.
When people who have seen The Corner describe it, their descriptions are generally rife with clichés like calling the show “gritty, realistic, unvarnished, and a slice of real life on the American streets” hell, they will throw the whole cliché book at you trying to make you understand how real it feels.
Truth is, all of these descriptive words being hurled in you general direction will be true. This story (unsurprisingly based on real events...the real Fran even makes an appearance) feels so genuine, that you can’t help but be engrossed into their existence as if you were watching the most even handed documentary ever committed to celluloid. These characters feel real. This is only bolstered by an incredible cast paired with outstanding writing and understated directing that trades flash for substance making you feel like you are just another person in Baltimore, observing from street level.
Viewers who are looking for an uplifting show should seek their wish fulfillment elsewhere. Sure this show has its share of poignant moments and personal triumphs but the series, much like reality, has more losses then it does wins. With serious drug addiction and poverty there are no easy answers, just difficult solutions and hard truths with most just doing the best they can with what they have been given.
Despite Gary and Fran’s problems being largely self created, you never give up hoping that they can overcome, even when you are certain that this is impossible. This is the true magic of The Corner, they made me care. A jaded 26 year old who couldn’t live further away from the reality of West Baltimore (not geographically of course) truly cared about these characters and was compelled (maybe pathetic is a better word here) to watch all six hour long parts consecutively.
Fans of The Wire...scratch that, fans of human beings in general should not wait to discover this miniseries. I’m not sure if they still show it periodically on HBO but it is available on DVD, I assume wherever DVD’s are sold (but don’t quote me on that, I’m not getting a cut of the profits anyway).
My next column I’ll reveal the greatest television Drama of all time!!! I’m going to let you wallow in the suspense...ok fine it’s The Wire, I’m going to talk about The Wire.
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