There's a bit about it in last week's saturday guardian - did you read it? If not, there's a few things in their review and interview with the creator, David Simon...
Quotes from David Simon:-
'Fuck the average viewer'
'...this whole notion of writing for the person who understands nothing, the average reader... he has to die! I can't have him in my head'
'I love people who get to the end of the first episode and say 'That's the show they're calling the greatest thing in television? What?'
From the interview:-
The startling narrative compression of The Wire means that no scene is ever a throwaway: miss a 10 second plot point in episode three and you'll regret it in episode nine, when it's suddenly crucial. "Even with shows that are somewhat sophisticated, you can take a phonecall, you can have have a conversation with your boyfriend or your spouse, and still pretty much grasp the show. The Wire will fuck you if you do that."
Isn't it arrogant to presume to retrain viewers in the art of watching television? "You know what would feel arrogant to me? What would feel arrogant to me would be asking you to spend 10 or 12 hours of your time a year watching my shit, and delivering something where we didn't hold that time precious..."
End quotes
Have you watching all the episodes consecutively? It's really hard to follow, but once you're hooked, it's just unbelievably good.