The Wire

[spacedoodoopistol]

The Wire is phenomenal. Really glad they ended it when they did, before giving it a chance to turn into shit like The Sopranos, The Shield, etc.

Deadwood and Rome are two other shows that I was really glad ended when they did.

Rome and Deadwood both could (were supposed to) go for a few more seasons....both quite unfortunately had the plug pulled early because they were expensive and HBO didn't envision the long life these shows soon achieved through DVDs and Netflix and such. Both so good.

I don't know whether I like Deadwood or The Wire more.....but The Wire is certainly the best show ever in terms of storytelling and exploring important themes in society. Season 4, which I think is the best of all, tells such an amazing and horrible story about how capricious circumstances can lead people in different directions, how some people get key breaks and others driven into the gutter....and unfortunately in Baltimore not many are getting the breaks.

 

[broncosmitty]

Shiiiiit, just got to season three and Marlo makes his first appearance. Probably my favorite character in the whole show.

MY NAME IS MY NAME

Omar and Bubs are my two favorites. But Id love to drink a few beers with Lester Freeman. Michael is a great character as well. It's such an impressive series I could name another 10 characters that should be somebody's favorite.

 

[cezero]

...both quite unfortunately had the plug pulled early because they were expensive and HBO didn't envision the long life these shows soon achieved...

you say unfortunately, but i see it as a good thing.

i was losing interest in most of the characters in both rome and deadwood by the time they ended, fantastic as the shows were. you can always tell when the creative force behind a show gets bored, and those were both there for me.

six feet under would've done well with one less seasons. dexter with 2-3 less. sopranos with at least 1 less. mad men is already stale. breaking bad got it just right.

one thing i like about the brits is that they know when to end shows...well, most of the time. i see sherlock lasting maybe 1 more season with an xmas special next year or something.

 

[wildturkey]

I couldn't get past episode 2. Turned it off bored as HELL.

The Shield blows it out of the water as far as cop shows are concerned. So does NYPD Blue.

Obviously. nothing beats The Sopranos on HBO.

That's your loss. The plot is slow moving but that's the structure. The characters, acting and writing are all fantastic. It takes some patience. The show takes a very realistic approach rather than over the top gun battles that simply don't happen like tv/movies make it seem.

Hockey is right. The series starts out slow, but that's because its doing what very few shows can successfully do; world build. Most shows have a plot about one character and build off that. The Wire, from the start, hits you with multiple characters because its a show about the city of Baltimore, not one character. It takes about 4 or 5 episodes but then it really hits you with how good it is and it leaves you wanting more after every ep.

I'd like to rewatch the series myself and I wish some cable channel like Spike or FX would syndicate it. I could easily buy the DVDs I know, but that would be a waste for me. I'm one of those people that's too lazy to watch a DVD of a movie I own but will watch that same movie every time its on TV.

 

[kramer1]

Hockey is right. The series starts out slow, but that's because its doing what very few shows can successfully do; world build. Most shows have a plot about one character and build off that. The Wire, from the start, hits you with multiple characters because its a show about the city of Baltimore, not one character. It takes about 4 or 5 episodes but then it really hits you with how good it is and it leaves you wanting more after every ep.

I'd like to rewatch the series myself and I wish some cable channel like Spike or FX would syndicate it. I could easily buy the DVDs I know, but that would be a waste for me. I'm one of those people that's too lazy to watch a DVD of a movie I own but will watch that same movie every time its on TV.

The Shield and The Sopranos didn't have any problems introducing their characters in a manner which intrigued the viewer from the get-go. The Wire, I guess, was a bit pretentious in that manner. That's a turn off, man.

 

[cezero]

The Shield and The Sopranos didn't have any problems introducing their characters in a manner which intrigued the viewer from the get-go. The Wire, I guess, was a bit pretentious in that manner. That's a turn off, man.

The Wire was intriguing from the get go for a lot of people.

It's called The Wire, and revolves around the problem of getting one set up in a politically corrupt dept like Baltimore's. It takes forever to get it up and running, and David Simon, very wisely, managed to get incredible exposition and character development in at a pace that perfectly coincided with getting the wire, its crew, and the perpetrators they were investigating set up. It does start off slow, and build in intensity. That's the show's MO, and it's brilliant to me.

Every subsequent season also revolves around...guess what?....getting a wire set up despite overwhelming forces that oppose it. Again, it takes a long time to get it up and running and for the cops to actually start doing something with it, and during that process, you get to know a bunch of characters and situations every single season.

It's a more cererbral approach to storytelling and character development than the Sopranos, but in no way does that make it inferior. And it's patently absurd to in any way compare character development in the fucking Shield to The Wire, btw. You really need to stop. lol.

 

[StanMarsh51]

The Shield and The Sopranos didn't have any problems introducing their characters in a manner which intrigued the viewer from the get-go. The Wire, I guess, was a bit pretentious in that manner. That's a turn off, man.

I have no idea how you come to that conclusion, since both the Shield and Sopranos are largely centered around a small group of individuals, which makes it easier to do that early on.

The Wire isn't like that. Throughout the Wire's 5 seasons, there are probably 30-50 characters that are 'main' characters and have a good amount of storyline. One person (or a select few) isn't really dominating the plot, so it's not really practical to introduce all of them in the first 2 episodes.

 

[kramer1]

I have no idea how you come to that conclusion, since both the Shield and Sopranos are largely centered around a small group of individuals, which makes it easier to do that early on.

The Wire isn't like that. Throughout the Wire's 5 seasons, there are probably 30-50 characters that are 'main' characters and have a good amount of storyline. One person (or a select few) isn't really dominating the plot, so it's not really practical to introduce all of them in the first 2 episodes.

Well, I only saw 2 episodes. So, I didn't know that.

I'll give it another go, though.

This thread did inspire me to run through Deadwood again. I'll try The Wire after that.

 

[Wazmankg]

I haven't gotten around to The Wire. BB followed by Mad Men & The Shield are my all time favorites. I grew tired of The Sopranos after around season 4 ... we watched them on DVD. Actually my wife grew tired of it. I thought Homicide - Life on the Street was wildly overrated, though, so I'll have to try to go into it with an open mind.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Omar and Bubs are my two favorites. But Id love to drink a few beers with Lester Freeman. Michael is a great character as well. It's such an impressive series I could name another 10 characters that should be somebody's favorite.

I'm still only in S2 but Omar and bubbles are also my favorites. Bodie and Wee-bey are awesome as well.

This is the first show(so far ) where i don't dislike a single character. There isn't one where I straight up dread scenes that they appear in

 

[SonnyCID]

Well, I only saw 2 episodes. So, I didn't know that.

I'll give it another go, though.

This thread did inspire me to run through Deadwood again. I'll try The Wire after that.

You should, it is a great show.

I felt the same way, I watched 2 episodes and gave up.

But then I went back a few months later and tried again. After 4-5 episodes I was hooked.

 

[broncosmitty]

I'm still only in S2 but Omar and bubbles are also my favorites. Bodie and Wee-bey are awesome as well.

This is the first show(so far ) where i don't dislike a single character. There isn't one where I straight up dread scenes that they appear in

Bodie and Wee-Bay get a lot better (Bodie really grew on me as the series went on. If you like him now, you'll love him later on) later in the series. Since you're only On season two I don't want to ruin anything, but you haven't got to TheWire's prime yet. Not even close. Cutty is another guy that grew on me as the show progressed. Fuck Cheese though, that A-hole is a bitch.

 

[broncosmitty]

I haven't gotten around to The Wire. BB followed by Mad Men & The Shield are my all time favorites. I grew tired of The Sopranos after around season 4 ... we watched them on DVD. Actually my wife grew tired of it. I thought Homicide - Life on the Street was wildly overrated, though, so I'll have to try to go into it with an open mind.

The later Homicide seasons, after the show was brought back on NBC, aren't nearly as good as the early seasons. (Lots of bs inter police love dramagayness in the later seasons). The early stuff was truer to Simons intent.

 

[broncosmitty]

Clark Johnson was my favorite on Homicide as Detrctive Lewis. On the Wire he comes in later as Gus, the editor of the Baltimore Sun. (He directed the pilot and final episode of TheWire as well.). Love it when in the final season when he and Munch run into each other at the bar. Universes collide right there.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Bodie and Wee-Bay get a lot better (Bodie really grew on me as the series went on. If you like him now, you'll love him later on) later in the series. Since you're only On season two I don't want to ruin anything, but you haven't got to TheWire's prime yet. Not even close. Cutty is another guy that grew on me as the show progressed. Fuck Cheese though, that A-hole is a bitch.

Yeah that's what I've heard regarding the show getting better and reaching its prime as well as Bodie becoming better as a character.

What's amazing is how everyone I talk to about this show say pretty much the exact same thing regarding when the show peaks, favorite characters, best moments etc..

 

[Doctor Krieger]

Binge watching majorly right now lmao....start work Monday and want to get through season 5. Just started S4E1...the season centered around the school and such (probably my favorite season).

 

[StanMarsh51]

Binge watching majorly right now lmao....start work Monday and want to get through season 5. Just started S4E1...the season centered around the school and such (probably my favorite season).

Poor Dukie...

 

[DragonfromTO]

 

[Doctor Krieger]

 

[wildturkey]

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