The Wire

[Guest guerillagenius]

I havent really seen any talk of this show on the board so I figured I would start a thread.

 

Quick rundown: Set in Baltimore, the plot revolves around a police investigation involving murder and drugs. Told from both the investigators' and the perpetrators' points of view, the series challenges viewers as it finds redeeming and not-so-redeeming qualities in each of its characters. Stars British actor Dominic West as detective Jimmy McNulty.

 

 

The first season was fantastic, the second was not quite as good and the show almost got cancelled. Luckily HBO renewed it and the third season is the best television I've seen.

 

If you havent seen this show do yourself a favor and check it out.

[Youth N Asia 0]

I just got in the first season. I just finished season 5 of the Sopranos, so I'm starting in on that next.

 

I would have loved to have tried the show sooner, but HBO shows are just too damn much on DVD

[Dangerous A 0]

I started a thread about this when the show first came out and nobody reacted to it. I own the first 2 seasons on DVD and will own the awesome 3rd season when it is available.

 

The Wire is like a novel. The whole season is one case and the season is built up tremendously. Folks here aren't ready for TV like this. The thing is you gotta watch it from the beginning. Awesome characters and awesome stories.

 

I actually liked Season 2 more than others, although not as much as Season 1. I think people didn't like the change of scenery from the projects to the docks and getting away from the drug dealers storyline, but they did hang onto it enough and the blowoff to the Barksdale investigation in Season 3 was the most satisfying TV experience I've ever had. Can't wait for Season 4 next year, which is to focus on the educational system and corruption. I've heard Marlo is expected back for season 4, but that's a rumor.

 

The Wire 0wns TV!!

[Guest guerillagenius]

Omar is the man.

 

The Cheese Stands Alone.

[Dangerous A 0]

This show has so many characters I love that it's hard for me to pinpoint my fav. Omar is about as complex a charcter I've seen in TV. Stringer Bell has to be the man for me though. Avon is right underneath as well. D'Angelo is a great tragic figure and if anyone is more unique than Omar, it's Brother Mouzone.

 

On the cops side, McNulty and Freamon are tops for me. Bunk and Prez aren't far behind. Daniels has great moments, especially in Season 3. Herc and Carver are pretty much just comic relief, but they are good as well. Kima doesn't really do it for me though. Again, just too many characters to sift through that were just the shiznit.

[Guest guerillagenius]

The Standoff Brother Mouzone and Omar had in that alley was my favorite scene in this whole series. Two men who know exactly what each other can do and talk it out, a rare occurance in their field indeed.

[Dangerous A 0]

While it will take me a bit to recall all the great moment The Wire has provided me, I know the one that comes to my mind right now is Season 1 where Wee Bay is being questioned and starts ponying up for all the murders the Barksdale gang has committed just to take them because of the deal he brokered with the cops, then saying he'd tell them where one of the bodies was hidden if he could get more horseradish for his sandwich! Classic!

 

Levy, Barksdale's attorney was also very effective throughout the series.

[Tim Cooke 0]

The Wire is the BEST HBO TV Show I have seen (among Carnivale, Deadwood, Curb, Larry Sanders, etc.)

 

Will respond later with more thoughts. I can't wait for January 2006 for Season 4.

[Black Lushus 0]

I've been meaning to latch onto this show, but for some reason I never get a chance to catch it...the only HBO shows I've faithfully followed were Oz, Carnivale and currently, Entourage...

 

question, did they kill off the character played by the kid from The Waterboy (the kicker that befriended Adam Sandler)?

[Dangerous A 0]

I have to agree with Tim, pound for pound, The Wire is THE BEST HBO TV show I've ever seen, and I've seen them all. I thought it would be tough to best Sopranos and Six Feet Under, but The Wire is leaps and bounds better.

 

Season 4 can't come soon enough.

[NoCalMike 0]

I have to agree with Tim, pound for pound, The Wire is THE BEST HBO TV show I've ever seen, and I've seen them all. I thought it would be tough to best Sopranos and Six Feet Under, but The Wire is leaps and bounds better.

 

Season 4 can't come soon enough.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Six Feet Under is pretty good, but Sopranos is overrated big time, even though I thoroughly enjoy it. Oz ownz both of those shows though.

[Tim Cooke 0]

Prior to seeing The Wire, the best TV shows that I had seen that weren't comedy:

 

24

The Shield

Carnivale

 

Never watched Homicide: Life on the Streets (though am now a big fan after getting The Wire and following David Simon related projects).

 

The Wire was a brand new experience to me, with no music for dramatic effect, just great acting with storylines that are as tightly written as anything I have ever seen or read.

 

I am a huge 24 fan and think the show is incredible. But The Wire is superior if just because it is so close to reality. Jack Bauer is a GOD, but he isn't a real person. Neither is Vic Mackey. The cast of The Wire are people you work with or pass by on the street everyday.

 

The character build is extraordinary. I thought Prez was a total moron through the first 3 1/2 episodes. Then I see him make a photo copy of the phone in a "throw away" scene (which I thought was a throw away scene at the time but there are no throw away scenes in The Wire) only for the end of Episode Five to have him crack the code with other "useless at the time" Lester Freamon.

 

Fast forward to Season 3 when he accidently shoots the cop. It made my stomach sick, that is how powerful the show is. Especially the bad mouthing in the station afterwards. Prez was a shitty on duty cop but in behind the scenes roles using his brain, he was awesome. Incredible emotion.

 

I have never watched Six Feet Under or The Sopranos but I can't imagine either coming close to The Wire.

 

Tim

[Dangerous A 0]

For all 3 of you Wire fans, what have you heard on Season 4?

 

From the website, the story will focus on Baltimore's educational system. I've heard the mayorial hopeful from Season 3 (his name escapes me right now) will be back and I've heard from a hip hop site that Marlo might be back.

 

The way Season 3 ended, it looks like they wrapped up the characters of McNulty, Omar, and the entire Barksdale crew. I could see some of the other police stepping in to take the lead (either Lester Freeman or Daniels) I wonder if they'll go with a new lead detective?

 

And after viewing Season 2 on DVD, I have much more appreciation for that season. I can see where people were turned off by it since viewers were conditioned to think The Wire was all War on Drugs. Instead, they branched it out and it really worked well for me. It's still not as good as Season 1 or 3, just for the fact that Barksdale and his crew were flat out fascinating to watch. They really gave them layers as opposed to just street thugs.

[Tim Cooke 0]

All I have heard is what you said- Baltimore Education system. The HBO forum members seem to think Marlo will head up the main drug dealing scene but to me, that seems to predictable. I think it may play a role but I think Simon and Burns are too creative to go down a normal path.

 

Really, I just don't know and that is what has me so excited. For all we know, it could be an almost all new squad of police, with a few regulars mixed in at points.

 

I am hoping that they can pull a decent rating and get the fifth season so the show can wrap up like it was meant to. Carnivale being cancelled only 1/3 of the way through its story is killing me and I don't think I could take that with The Wire.

 

Has anyone read or seen "The Corner" which Simon/Burns wrote and Simon did the producing for on HBO? I am guessing we will see numerous elements from this in relation to kids and the Baltimore City Educational System.

 

Tim