The Wire

[Seymour_Glass]

Has anybody seen this show? It's an HBO series about cops and drug dealers in Baltimore. But each season it expands its scope to include the dock workers, politicians, schools, and media. It's been called the best TV show ever by quite a few critics, and I have to say that I agree.

[Seymour_Glass]

:cry:

[Seymour_Glass]

You guys should all watch The Wire.

[Seymour_Glass]

ARRRRGGHHH!!!! WATCH THE WIRE!:shoot:

[Ruthful]

Nyet, comrade.

[Seymour_Glass]

What? Why?

[Ruthful]

I don't know. It might be a decent show-I'm sure it's worth watching-but all of the hoopla surrounding it is absolutely ridiculous. The people who pump it up make it seem as if it's better than Six Feet Under, or The Sopranos, which is completely absurd. It reminds me of the people who were slobknobbing The West Wing, which was probably one of the most self-righteous, tedious programs in the history of NBC drama.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/

The producer was interviewed by Terry Gross last year, and all I could think was "give me a break." It felt like I was listening to that douche Phil Donahue, only we're in the 21st century, not the '70s.

Now, The Shield, on the other hand, that is prime-time, compelling drama!

[Django]

Just finished season two day before yesterday. Top notch television there.

[Seymour_Glass]

Thank you Django. It only gets better.

And Ruthful, this is one of the very few cases where the hype is justified. It's completely different from 6 feet and the Sopranos( and I love both of those), too. And it's never boring, unlike the West Wing.

[DoctorDodge]

Ok, over 3 years on since the last post in this thread, but it's been reopened (thanks to Heather) because I needed a place to post some thoughts on it. In the middle of season 2 atm, and, while I was a little hesitant towards the whole show at first, due to its very slow and deliberate pace, it's rapidly becoming one of my favourite US shows. Will post thoughts whenever I can as I go through the series, ep by ep, hopefully.

And it gets even better Seymour? Fuck! Ok, now I'm really glad I bought the whole set!

[Brice]

I'll be closing this thread shortly. It's only had one post in the half hour since it's reopening. Obviously noone wants it. :P

[DoctorDodge]

No you won't, Brice. If you want me to continue watching Carnivale any time soon, that is. :evil:

Btw, here's a key thing that got me into the show: a review from one of my favourite crtics and tv writers who somehow avoids coming across like a pretentious git and is usually worth listening to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ2iGYwdEi8

[alkanto]

I've heard many recommendations for this show...I'll have to watch it at some point, I think. Admittedly, that will be easier once I can use my Netflix account again, but I'll get to it. Just keep reminding me, James...or maybe we could add a few eps to our "To Watch" list? I'm we could find some time in July. :D

[DoctorDodge]

I'll leave you to watch it in your own time, Pond. It's one of those shows where really, you need the complete set handy to watch it. The first season has its own story across about 12 eps, with a beginning, middle and ending. Even if it we just watched 4 eps, we'd still just watch the beginning of that story. No, I think our time is best served with Doctor Who, Trigun, more Doctor Who, British sitcoms, and oh yeah, Doctor Who! :D

Btw, watched the ep Stray Rounds last night. Holy shit, that was awesome! Had one of the best and most shocking opening scenes I've watched in a show, one that really sucked you in due to just how realistic the show's been so far and how it continues to be, and there was a lot of development, as all the story strands that have slowly been building across the past 8 episodes finally start merging and kicking into high gear, something I adored about series 1 and am loving even more with series 2. Oh, and a dead duck, that was funny as fuck! :lol:

[Merlin1958]

This was and is a truly great show!!!!! You gotta give it more time. Rent the seasons, folks you will not be disappointed!!!

[DoctorDodge]

I've just finished season 2. Holy shit, that was awesome! Not since Life on Mars have I seen a show with so many layers, only while LoM was a very internal show, psychologically speaking, The Wire is a lot more external, a true epic, really. I'm gonna have to gather some thoughts and type a full length review, but yeah, definitely one of the most complex and rewarding dramas I've seen.

[Merlin1958]

I've just finished season 2. Holy shit, that was awesome! Not since Life on Mars have I seen a show with so many layers, only while LoM was a very internal show, psychologically speaking, The Wire is a lot more external, a true epic, really. I'm gonna have to gather some thoughts and type a full length review, but yeah, definitely one of the most complex and rewarding dramas I've seen.

Did I tell you or, what? Better yet, it comes full circle with a planned ending in season 4 or 5 I forget which it is. Each season is kinda like a "Chapter" from a book almost.

[Brice]

Wait! James is watching tv that isn't British? :panic:

[DoctorDodge]

You say that like it's something new, Brice. Fact is, I do watch a lot of US shows. Only reason I talk about UK ones more is that, like The Wire, most people on the board don't know how awesome those shows are!

[Brice]

James, you do know I'm just fuckin' around I hope. :P

[DoctorDodge]

I would hope so, too. :P

[Brice]

I'd be extremely disappointed if it wasn't your first expectation of me. LOL

[Nick Stefanos]

My favorite, and vote for best, series of all time. I don't know of any show that successfully managed a created world this complex.
"All the pieces fit." - Lester Freamon

[Merlin1958]

My favorite, and vote for best, series of all time. I don't know of any show that successfully managed a created world this complex.
"All the pieces fit." - Lester Freamon

Well, "Breaking Bad" was pretty freaking awesome, but did not have the benefit of pay cable programming content. Nevertheless, "The Wire" was perhaps the most awesome "Cop" drama ever created.

[Nick Stefanos]

Well, "Breaking Bad" was pretty freaking awesome, but did not have the benefit of pay cable programming content. Nevertheless, "The Wire" was perhaps the most awesome "Cop" drama ever created.

No doubt and another favorite of mine, but BB dealt with a far smaller set of characters. Not a bad thing, but it's the scope of The Wire I find so amazing.

[DoctorDodge]

Agreed. I'm only 3 seasons in, and plan on watching season 4 soon, but I love the wide scale of it, especially with each season adding a different focus, like 2 did with the docks. One of my favourite cop shows along with Life on Mars, partly because both shows were so much more than that.

[Nick Stefanos]

especially with each season adding a different focus, like 2 did with the docks.

And then bringing that new focus into the larger picture to make clearer the whole of Baltimore. Season 3 is really the lynchpin, setting up both the City Hall factor and expanding our knowledge to the entire Baltimore drug trade instead of mostly the West side. Much of the rest of the series rests on that.

[WeDealInLead]

I just finished the entire series. Outstanding.

[fernandito]

Yup. Outstanding. It's tied with Breaking Bad for my own personal greatest TV show of all time.