Quote of the day

"To present a television show as the real Baltimore is to perpetuate a fiction that dishonours our city. It is as pointless as boasting that Baltimore has a per capita homicide rate a fraction of that in the popular UK television show Midsomer Murders."

Mayor of Baltimore Sheila Dixon responds to Tory MP Chris Grayling's comparison of parts of Manchester to the Baltimore of The Wire. Er, except she didn't and the Guardian was among those taken in.

This is vaguely topical as we're going through another Midsomer Murders spell - nearly halfway through the third series. What's that? I should be watching The Wire instead? I rather think not - I prefer my crime dramas to be gritty, hard-hitting and realistic thankyouverymuch.

(Thanks to Rob for the link.)