Rubbish bits of the Wire

latenia

Just to add some balance to the universal acclaim-what parts of the Wire failed to live up to the standard of the rest of the show?

Brother Mouzone-When he first appeared I was thinking that he'd be the coolest character yet; when he opened his mouth he just sounded like Chris Eubank, except gayer.

Dockers-Meh. Glad to see the back of them TBH.

The famous F*** scene with McNulty and Bunk. For a show which prides itself so much on its realism this just sounded stagey and forced. It almost put me off the whole series.

godtabh

latenia wrote: »

Just to add some balance to the universal acclaim-what parts of the Wire failed to live up to the standard of the rest of the show?

Brother Mouzone-When he first appeared I was thinking that he'd be the coolest character yet; when he opened his mouth he just sounded like Chris Eubank, except gayer.

Dockers-Meh. Glad to see the back of them TBH.

The famous F*** scene with McNulty and Bunk. For a show which prides itself so much on its realism this just sounded stagey and forced. It almost put me off the whole series.

I see you put a lot of thought and reasoning into this.

tvnutz

Ye,lot of thought went into that post. :rolleyes:

I'll slightly agree with Mouzone in that his character seemed a bit over the top and unrealistic,but saying "he just sounded like Chris Eubank, except gayer",stupid and immature reason.

The F word scene was one of the best scenes on television ever mainly because it did not seem forced at all! It was brilliant,they are just saying F*ck as they uncover how the investigation was messed up first time around.

Dockers? Any reason why you like to see the back of them? While season 2 had a different feel that first time around took a little getting used to,on 2nd watch it is a great season exploring the plight of the unions and what Sobotka resorted to so that they might get some work now and again.

Critical acclaim comes because there are so many clear cut reasons why it is a brilliant show. Your points have no explanation as to why they are really "rubbish". Can't take them seriously if you give no proper reasons as to why these scenes are "rubbish"

majiktripp

tvnutz wrote: »

While season 2 had a different feel that first time around took a little getting used to,on 2nd watch it is a great season exploring the plight of the unions and what Sobotka resorted to so that they might get some work now and again.

I totally agree with you here, just finished watching season 2 and onto season 3 now (second time watching them as catching the g/f up on the series!) and I did appreciate the 2nd series a lot more the second time round , especially now that they're throwing in cameo appearances in season 5!

mccafferty

Brother Mouzone did seem like a bit of a caricature.

I also agree to some extent about the f*ck scene. I don't think it was rubbish but it does feel a little more staged than other scenes. I think mcnulty says 'f*ckity f*ck f*ck f*ck' or something to that effect at one point towards the end that pushes it beyond the real to the stage. I still enjoyed the scene a lot but I can see where latenia is coming from.

I'm not too sure how I feel about mcnulty's main storyline in season 5. I initially felt that this might be the wire jumping the shark but as the episodes progressed it's working better than I originally thought. You really have to judge the wire over the 10 to 13 episodes a season takes rather than each episode on it's own. "All the pieces matter" as a wise man once said.

Sherifu

majiktripp wrote: »

especially now that they're throwing in cameo appearances in season 5!

I enjoyed those too.

Fremen

I hated the "F**k" scene, I thought it seemed totally unnatural and forced. On the other hand, it's good to see them trying something original.

I'd be inclined to agree with the OP that brother mouzone was a bit of a gimp. He didn't really ring true to me, seemed almost more cartoonish than the other characters.

I didn't like series two the first time around, but having watched it again, I think it's great. One of the things the Wire does best is show both sides of the story: people don't do bad things because they're bad, they do them because they have to. They managed to do this best in series two, if you ask me.

Chris and Snoop in series 4-5 are exceptions to that rule, but I'm willing to forgive that because they're so cool.

tvnutz

majiktripp wrote: »

especially now that they're throwing in cameo appearances in season 5!

Ye I am loving all the cameos in season 5,

not just from the docks but from other seasons as well.

jor el

tvnutz wrote: »

The F word scene was one of the best scenes on television ever mainly because it did not seem forced at all! It was brilliant,they are just saying F*ck as they uncover how the investigation was messed up first time around.

I too thought that scene was brilliantly done. Having a whole conversation using nothing but the word fu*k, and both of them understanding each other was pure genius I thought. I also didn't think it was unbelievable. Two police working closely together for so long would instinctively know what the other was thinking. Their commentary was just there to show how fu*ked up it all was.

tvnutz wrote: »

Ye I am loving all the cameos in season 5,

not just from the docks but from other seasons as well.

Wait for ep 7, you'll see

Munch from SVU

back in Baltimore!

jArgHA

can some1 tell me what cameos we've seen so far in Season 5?

the only ones I noticed/remember are:

* some guy from the docks who appears as a homeless guy
* the other guy from the docks (name) who was friend of Iggy - sorry it's been a while since I saw season 2. he appeared in a scene with the Mayor and started shouting abuse at him

dunno if I needed to spoiler those...

tvnutz

Well this includes up to episode 7 of season 5 so if you havn't seen that far don't read!

AS you said there was:

the guy at the docks who I can't remember his name who is now homeless. Then there was Nick Sobotka,Frank's nephew. Later we get Cutty,Randy and Ex-Mayor Royce for now anyway.

majiktripp

Isn't Royce helping Clay Davis with the investigation into his funds etc? He gave a rowsing speech on the steps of the courts I believe.

ixoy

jor el wrote: »

Wait for ep 7, you'll see

Munch from SVU

back in Baltimore!

Really liked the fact that it was a multi-layered in joke:

he mentioned that he owned a bar once - which he did in "Homicide: LotS". In fact his character owned it with Meldrick Lewis, played by Clark Johnson who playes the news-editor Haynes in "The Wire" who walked into the bar just as Munch said that line

unionman

jor el wrote: »

I too thought that scene was brilliantly done. Having a whole conversation using nothing but the word fu*k, and both of them understanding each other was pure genius I thought. I also didn't think it was unbelievable. Two police working closely together for so long would instinctively know what the other was thinking. Their commentary was just there to show how fu*ked up it all was.

Couldn't agree more. It summed up the relationship between Bunk and McNulty, showed how well they worked together and the fact that they are friends. Also, it exposes the suitably gallows humour of homicide detectives, which lends authenticity to the show (and its predecessor, 'Homocide LITS')

I only saw this scene for the first time last night, funnily enough, having bought seasons 1&2 last week. I used to watch it on TG4 before realising I was watching a show in its third season, and with all the recent attention figured it was a good time to see it from the beginning. Charlie Brookers various pieces in the Guardian spurred me on.

I've met two members of the cast...years before the show existed, so it hardly counts for anything. Just thought I'd throw it in there.

And OP, as for trying to pick holes in such a brilliant piece of tv (in the interests of balance? Give me a break!) - your moral outrage / indignation would be far better employed being aimed at the millions of hours of absolute rubbish that we have to wade through until something as sublime as The Wire comes along.

Yes, I'm talking about you, 'You're a Star'.

Peace out.

Jay Ru

i can honestly say i can't remember one bad episode, sure there was a handful of things that may have been done a little better but bow of them come to mind now. as far as t.v. goes this is as real as it gets, why wud u go looking for faults, just enjoy it while it lasts!

K4t

latenia wrote: »

Just to add some balance to the universal acclaim-what parts of the Wire failed to live up to the standard of the rest of the show?

Brother Mouzone-When he first appeared I was thinking that he'd be the coolest character yet; when he opened his mouth he just sounded like Chris Eubank, except gayer. You are judging him on his voice? I think this point is tells us more about you yourself as a person and not the 'Wire'. :rolleyes:

Dockers-Meh. Glad to see the back of them TBH.

Probably my second favourite season after Season5. Showed that it isn't only black people who suffer in Baltimore and in America. Very sad too seeing Frank dead and Ziggy in prison. What made it all so brilliant was the cameo of Nick Sobtka in Season5 where Carcetti is opening the Condo instead of that new 'peer' which Frank had devoted his life to getting. This decision, favouring big business and developers over the community tells a story in itself and shows how Carcetti has been consumed by the corruption and the system.

The famous F*** scene with McNulty and Bunk. For a show which prides itself so much on its realism this just sounded stagey and forced. It almost put me off the whole series. Now you're just being confrontational! That scene was pure genius. As another poster said, it showed the unravelling of the crime in actions (how it's done in real life) rather than the usual jargon you hear in the CSIs. Great scene and showed brilliantly the relationship between McNulty and Bunk.

Q. Which character from the Docks, Season 2 do we see as a homeless person in Season5? I never noticed?

DeepBlue

K4t wrote: »

Q. Which character from the Docks, Season 2 do we see as a homeless person in Season5? I never noticed?

Johhny Fifty played by this guy.
He's seen when McNulty and Freamon are interviewing homeless guys under some bridge or something in "Transitions" (episode 4 of season 5).

K4t

DeepBlue wrote: »

Johhny Fifty played by this guy.
He's seen when McNulty and Freamon are interviewing homeless guys under some bridge or something in "Transitions" (episode 4 of season 5).

Yeah I noticed him alright but didn't think it possible! He had a solid job at the docks though. He still had a job at the end of season2 I know. Did the whole place shut down or something?

Magpie!

K4t wrote: »

Dockers-Meh. Glad to see the back of them TBH. Probably my second favourite season after Season5. Showed that it isn't only black people who suffer in Baltimore and in America. Very sad too seeing Frank dead and Ziggy in prison. What made it all so brilliant was the cameo of Nick Sobtka in Season5 where Carcetti is opening the Condo instead of that new 'peer' which Frank had devoted his life to getting. This decision, favouring big business and developers over the community tells a story in itself and shows how Carcetti has been consumed by the corruption and the system.

Spoilers ****face :mad:

niallk

unionman wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. It summed up the relationship between Bunk and McNulty, showed how well they worked together and the fact that they are friends. Also, it exposes the suitably gallows humour of homicide detectives, which lends authenticity to the show (and its predecessor, 'Homocide LITS')

I only saw this scene for the first time last night, funnily enough, having bought seasons 1&2 last week. I used to watch it on TG4 before realising I was watching a show in its third season, and with all the recent attention figured it was a good time to see it from the beginning. Charlie Brookers various pieces in the Guardian spurred me on.

I've met two members of the cast...years before the show existed, so it hardly counts for anything. Just thought I'd throw it in there.

And OP, as for trying to pick holes in such a brilliant piece of tv (in the interests of balance? Give me a break!) - your moral outrage / indignation would be far better employed being aimed at the millions of hours of absolute rubbish that we have to wade through until something as sublime as The Wire comes along.

Yes, I'm talking about you, 'You're a Star'.

Peace out.

Lol.
I'm a Wire noob having just watched the entire 5 seasons in the last 3 weeks or so and didn't know what everyone was talking about with this F*** scene. Looked it up on youtube. I remember the scene well, I just didn't notice the amount of f***s. Guess my sensitivity to the word has been whittled down to nil over the years. Even my c***s go unnoticed at this stage.
F***itty F***.

K4t

Magpie! wrote: »

Spoilers ****face :mad:

What did you expect when you entered a thread entitled "Rubbish bits of the Wire" you stupid, pig ignorant bollix. FFS. Go watch the 5 seasons and then come back here if you don't want to know what happened. Otherwise, just stop reading the f**king threads and please stop posting.

****face :mad: :rolleyes:

Mr E

Spoilers added, Magpie! and K4t infracted for personal abuse and received 2 week bans from The Wire. Do it again and you'll be banned from the all TV Forums.

galwayfotogrfr

I honestly think season 4 while brilliant was hard going watching the kids getting dragged up. It was really difficult to watch their lives, though on the plus side Presbeluski ? got another job fair quick after killing a man.

bored@workagain

well i think in relation to brother muzone he is a breath of fresh air...not all muscle have to be the sterotype snoop or wee-bay and i imagine there is fellas like him in real life(well i think the wire is as real as tv gets!) the read the econimist but still no how to be ruthless and his knowledge of ammo and fire arms is fantastic
The f#ck scene is good but the best?? i cant see it mind you it has to line up in a bigger q than welfare in limerick(dont start crying if ur from limerick so am i)
Series 2 wasn't my favorite but the dockers give another aspect of american life that has changed in recent times like i said not my favourite but still better than anything else on..

Illkillya

I agree that Brother Mouzone could have been done a lot better. The way his character talks and acts make sense with him being in The Nation of Islam,with his thick Malcom X glasses, etc. But at the same time, they didn't have to make him such a nerd.

Also, I think the writers of The Wire were just too tempted to pit Omar against the Brother, and it was not a convincing scenario. I think it was a bit out of character for Omar to so readily take up arms against him based on Stringer's deception. Despite being clouded by rage, Omar would still have been naturally suspicious of Stringer and would have known enough about Brother Mouzone by reputation (or research) to suspect a set up.

K4t

Illkillya wrote: »

Also, I think the writers of The Wire were just too tempted to pit Omar against the Brother, and it was not a convincing scenario. I think it was a bit out of character for Omar to so readily take up arms against him based on Stringer's deception. Despite being clouded by rage, Omar would still have been naturally suspicious of Stringer and would have known enough about Brother Mouzone by reputation (or research) to suspect a set up.

I could be wrong but wasn't it Prop Joe who convinced Omar for Stringer? Omar would trust somebody like Prop Joe.

HL

I was thinking about rubbish bits in the wire a fair bit recently and I could think of very few.

In season 2 the bit where Ziggy puts a photo of his dick as the backround on the computer in that control room for the container depot and the guy see's it and shouts 'dammit Ziggy get your dick off my computer'' or something similar. It sounds really staged and the delivery of the line is just ****.

Eh that's pretty much it, I think the rest is consistently 10/10.
I think both the **** scene and Brother Mouzone are deadly

Johnny Storm

I thought Ziggy and his

duck

and his

dick

were pretty much the low point of the whole show. JIMHO.

Lazare

Just watched the final ep last night (stayed miles away from this forum until now lol).

Absolutely fantastic, I'm so envious of anyone starting out.

There was just one small issue I had...

given Marlo's incredible attention to detail and paranoia, I was very surprised he handed over his cell no. to Levy after discovering that Herc worked for him. He had to know there was a huge risk there. It was such a crucial thing I know, and they had to discover his cell no somehow, I just think they could've written another way to do it.

Penn

Illkillya wrote: »

I agree that Brother Mouzone could have been done a lot better. The way his character talks and acts make sense with him being in The Nation of Islam,with his thick Malcom X glasses, etc. But at the same time, they didn't have to make him such a nerd.

The thing about Brother Mouzone is that he is portraying a character. He wears the bowtie and glasses and suits in order to distinguish himself from everyone else, to gain a reputation. In the same way that Omar carries a big shotgun and whistles that tune (Farmers in the dell or something I think its called). People hear that, they know Omars coming. People see a nerdy guy with a bowtie and speaking very clearly, they know they're up against Brother Mouzone, and in most cases, nobody wants to go up against either of them based on their respective reputations.

Although he must really like reading those magazines cos he even does that in private