How did you discover 'The Wire'?

ixoy

Given this show was severely under the radar up until (arguably) this final season, how did you - and indeed when did you - discover 'The Wire'?

I saw it mentioned in 'The Irish Times' as a new show starting up on TG4. It wasn't the premise that caught my eye so much as the fact it was from the creator of 'Homicide: Life on the Street'. So I dutifully tuned in and didn't look back. It does mean that I've watched it from the first airing of the very first episode on TG4 - anyone else there from the start or was it word-of-mouth?

timbel

word of mouth - a mate told me about it.
Hadn't seen it on the TV at all, but spotted the 1st season down video shop.
recently finished watching season 3.
I saw season 4 on ebay - is that the latest??

ojewriej

I saw it mentioned here on boards couple of times, so when they run out of Shiled in my Xtravision I rented The Wire. Best 10 Euro I ever spent.

timbel wrote: »

I saw season 4 on ebay - is that the latest??

Season 5 is the latest. And you can rent S4 in some Xtravisons as well.

Lainey

Had heard about it from few people in college and when seen series one in video shop i ran with it (yes literally ).. hooked from the very first episode.. The Avon/Stringer era def my fav. Looking forward to tonights episode

Hrududu

I was vaguely aware that there was a show called The Wire on TG4 but I had no idea what it was about. It was only when Charlie Brooker started going on about it in his column in the Guardian that I became properly aware of it. Then one day when I had HMV vouchers that I needed to spend (they were about to expire) I spotted season 1 on sale. I bought it and then left it sitting on the shelf for a month or so. It got to the point where there was absolutely nothing to watch on TV so almost grudgingly I put it on. I think I had it in my head that I wouldnt really like it but that it would be worthy. Which is the reason it sat there so long.

It pretty much hooked me in from episode 1. I watched all the following seasons on DVD and am now very much looking forward to season 5 starting tonight.

Sherifu

I heard about it from a friend. It was during season 3 or 4 I heard about it afair. I caught up in time to watch season 5 as it happened.

corcors

I fractured my ankle back in 2005 and one of my mates dropped around the boxset. Was hooked straight away absolutely loved the 1st series and haven't looked back. Can't believe its only really coming to the fore now. I've read more articles in the last month about it than I have in the last 3 years!

stevoman

i was living in america and used to watch sunday nights on hbo

redbhoy1888

Was in Limerick for the weekend in 2004 and spotted it in HMV.Read only good things about it so decided to take a punt on it.I can honestly say it has changed my viewing habits.

Saw an episode of series 2 on th4 one night. I thought this is good, must watch more. Totally forgot about it the next week of course. :rolleyes:
Then one day my brother comes up with the dvd boxsets. I got into it then. I was watching season 2 and I was thinking during one episode-I've seen this before!:D

herbieflowers

Heard an interview on Newstalk with one of the creators, and for once a programme-maker didn't come across all high and mighty, he was actually really humble and intelligent.

MayoForSam

Saw it being discussed on here a few months back, then FX began showing it again from the beginning and started watching it then.

So far I've seen the first 3 series, must rent out the 4th soon. Will leave the 5th until when the winter nights start rolling in. Excellent show.

Jay Ru

i had seen a bits and pieces of a few ep's on tg4 but i still didn't know much bout it. then one day i was in hmv in Cork killing some time while my better half was clothes shopping, i came across series one and i've been hooked ever since!

Tristram

Watched first season on TG4 back in the day. Seems like a long, long time ago now. Think I just came across it by chance. Had caught The Corner before then late at night on Channel 4, used to have some great stuff on at ungodly hours. Guess my insomniac ways had some pros Had loved The Corner and loved The Wire.

Intro'd both to few friends who became pretty avid followers. One or two prolly post on these boards You know who you are! :P

xword

Started watching The Wire on box sets about two months ago on the recommendation of a few mates. Am now half way through season 4 but I'm really tempted to ration the last ones as I can't bear it all to end- Aaaaargh! Is there life after The Wire? Favourite characters: Stringer Bell, Bubbs, Lester. Despite LOVING the show I have to admit that I think McNulty and Keema are fairly ropey actors. Anybody with me?

The Black Oil

Internet word of mouth.

5starpool

I learned about it from general chit chat on the poker forum. Valuable source of information right there.

I have found out about quite a few shows to watch from boards, so cheers one and all, and to my obliging cousins for delivering. Generation Kill is the latest watch.

Elmo

TG4 when it first started, Kind of replaced the excellent HBO series OZ for TG4.

However like many watched the 1st episode of the first 2 seasons on TG4 and then bought the boxsets.

Just finished Season 4 and recording Season 5 (But I am tempted to buy Season 5 when it is released on DVD is september).

Brillant show. It has ruined all other Cop Shows, CSI is a joke now.

Adian Gillen spoke about it being on TG4 on season 4's boxset.

McNulty's real accent is so funny. So very English.

SoupyNorman

Ive the 1st series 'cooking' at the moment, should be ready tomorrow. Will I like it??? Ive been advised that if I like The Sopranos I will.

And believe you me I ruddy love The Sopranos.

Basically, Is The Wire worth the hype?

ixoy

bravestarr082 wrote: »

Basically, Is The Wire worth the hype?

I believe so but then I'm one of the ones who started the hype. I believe (could be wrong!) but I was the first person on the TV forums to start pimping the show (partially why I started this thread) but try and trust me - it is worth the hype and is far superior to the Sopranos.

SoupyNorman

ixoy wrote: »

it is worth the hype and is far superior to the Sopranos.

*Double Take*

Well sir I will hold you to that.


I just like stuff that is good so I dont like CSI or anything Jerry Bruckheimlich
has his wick in.

JWAD

Was living in Norway and NRK used to show it late every week. Have been watching it since they started showing it around the end of 2002.

Haven't watched one episode of the final series as I'm waiting for boxset to come out.

Don't know why people keep comparing it to The Sopranos though. HBO made it and thats about all the comparison that can be valid as far as I see. Pointless.

Tragedy

A friend told me to get the first season but warned me that it started off slow. Awesome, on Season 3 at the mo with 4 and 5 waiting

Attractive Nun

JWAD wrote:

Don't know why people keep comparing it to The Sopranos though. HBO made it and thats about all the comparison that can be valid as far as I see. Pointless.

Because before the Wire, the Sopranos was generally regarded as the benchmark for TV drama - it was the show that changed the way dramas were made and watched - it paved the way for stuff like Six Feet Under and the West Wing, really intelligent drama that's about telling a story more than it's about capturing an audience (though obviouslt the Sopranos did both). Even with all the great shows that followed The Sopranos though, most people still regarded it as the best - and probably the best TV drama ever. Then the Wire came along, and imo anyway it blows the Sopranos out of the water.

When people compare the Wire to the Sopranos, it shows what type of show it is - when they say that it's better (and it is), it shows just how extraordinary a series the Wire is.

JWAD

Attractive Nun wrote: »

Because before the Wire, the Sopranos was generally regarded as the benchmark for TV drama - it was the show that changed the way dramas were made and watched - it paved the way for stuff like Six Feet Under and the West Wing, really intelligent drama that's about telling a story more than it's about capturing an audience (though obviouslt the Sopranos did both). Even with all the great shows that followed The Sopranos though, most people still regarded it as the best - and probably the best TV drama ever. Then the Wire came along, and imo anyway it blows the Sopranos out of the water.

When people compare the Wire to the Sopranos, it shows what type of show it is - when they say that it's better (and it is), it shows just how extraordinary a series the Wire is.

Ground-breaking and original? I wouldn't say The Wire is either of those. Compelling and a must-see, yes, however.
Shows such as 'Boys from the Blackstuff', 'Hill Street Blues' or 'The Sopranos' were all groundbreakers as far as I'm concerned. They are incomparable to each other though, in my opinion and a comparison with 'The Sopranos' is, I would wager, the last thing on the minds of the two producers of 'The Wire'.

I just don't see the point in comparing two entirely different series. Nothing in The Wire has never been done before. Its just good telly, thats all.

Edit: Sorry for distraction. Made my post and shall get me coat

Elmo

Ground-breaking and original? I wouldn't say The Wire is either of those. Compelling and a must-see, yes, however.
Shows such as 'Boys from the Blackstuff', 'Hill Street Blues' or 'The Sopranos' were all groundbreakers as far as I'm concerned. They are incomparable to each other though, in my opinion and a comparison with 'The Sopranos' is, I would wager, the last thing on the minds of the two producers of 'The Wire'.

Damn! got there before me. PC running very slow.

Don't forget Homicide: Life on the Street and The Corner.

You can see the change in american TV from Hill Street Blues.

NYPD Blue
ER
The Practice
Homicide
:
:
:
The Sapranoes
The Wire

But they are going back to their old ways with programmes like CSI, Deperate Housewivies, 24 etc.

godtabh

JWAD wrote: »

Ground-breaking and original? I wouldn't say The Wire is either of those. Compelling and a must-see, yes, however.

JWAD wrote: »

I just don't see the point in comparing two entirely different series. Nothing in The Wire has never been done before. Its just good telly, thats all.

Would that not make it ground breaking?

JWAD

kearnsr wrote: »

Would that not make it ground breaking?

Ground breaking would mean original or trend-setting. 'The Wire' is neither of them. Just a good watch.

Elmo

Ground breaking would mean original or trend-setting. 'The Wire' is neither of them. Just a good watch.

The setting is pretty bleak for an American Detective series. This isn't the world of the Sapranoes or even the cosyness of Hill Street Blues, rarely do Detective series actually move the story of the Criminal's lives along. Generally the criminal is there to commit a crime and to be caught by the good cops.

Having a very regional drama series is also unusual. The slang used in this series is Baltimore, unlike most US cops shows where generic US slang is used. I mean the series uses Street slang and cop slang followed by some nice middle class generic American-English.

ixoy

JWAD wrote: »

Ground breaking would mean original or trend-setting. 'The Wire' is neither of them. Just a good watch.

I would say it's original in the way that it takes a whole season(s) to tell a story. The focus on one large story in a cop drama and the manner in which it tells it is an original form of story-telling. For example most shows belabour points of exposition - in 'The Wire' characters will only say some key line of dialogue once, they may even mumble it, and you won't have them repeat it later on for the convenience of the viewer.

It's even simpler stuff like using character's names in conversation - in TV show and films people tend to name drop far more than in real life, to remind you of a character's name: "Hey pass the salt there Bob" instead of "Hey pass the salt". It's this approach to writing that I believe is quite ground breaking and original.

JWAD

ixoy wrote: »

I would say it's original in the way that it takes a whole season(s) to tell a story. The focus on one large story in a cop drama and the manner in which it tells it is an original form of story-telling. For example most shows belabour points of exposition - in 'The Wire' characters will only say some key line of dialogue once, they may even mumble it, and you won't have them repeat it later on for the convenience of the viewer

:eek:

ixoy wrote: »

It's even simpler stuff like using character's names in conversation - in TV show and films people tend to name drop far more than in real life, to remind you of a character's name: "Hey pass the salt there Bob" instead of "Hey pass the salt". It's this approach to writing that I believe is quite ground breaking and original.

:eek:

When I quit laughing, I passed these quotes on to a colleague of mine.
Talk about overdressing.
Sorry but I think you're making wayyyy too big a thing of it. Spreads the story over a whole series of series? Dont repeat dialogue? Simple stuff like leaving a name out?
lol

godtabh

JWAD wrote: »

Ground breaking would mean original or trend-setting. 'The Wire' is neither of them. Just a good watch.

Not been doing before makes it original

godtabh

JWAD wrote: »

:eek:


:eek:

When I quit laughing, I passed these quotes on to a colleague of mine.
Talk about overdressing.
Sorry but I think you're making wayyyy too big a thing of it. Spreads the story over a whole series of series? Dont repeat dialogue? Simple stuff like leaving a name out?
lol

Some people appreciate good writing

JWAD

kearnsr wrote: »

Some people appreciate good writing

So do I. The Wire is good telly. Great telly, in fact.
Not original.

ixoy

JWAD wrote: »

So do I. The Wire is good telly. Great telly, in fact.
Not original.

What shows do you consider original then and why? Just curious. Do you think 'The Sopranos' is and, if so, why?

Elmo

So do I. The Wire is good telly. Great telly, in fact.
Not original.

Drama's will always find it difficult to be original. The show is fairly original. I have to agree with you that Ixoy's points can be rebutted. (e.g. Murder One has a single case through out the 22 episodes).

But for a Drama The Wire is fairly orinigal. Espically for the Americans. For example this is a Drama that actually deals with real American Lives and Issues. It is hugely unusual for a US series to takle subjects that are a fundamental part of this series.

How many americans can relate to 24, Desparate Housewives or even The Sapranoes. David E. Kelley in his shows did touch on real America, certainly Boston Public and The Practice both highlight important issues but they are far more generic then they should be, Boston Public really is Fame without the Singing.

JWAD

ixoy wrote: »

What shows do you consider original then and why? Just curious. Do you think 'The Sopranos' is and, if so, why?

Hill Street Blues was an original show. Went against all trends involving American crime series back then. A non-too flattering look at the police with corruption, personal problems and crims who get away with their misdemeanours consistently.
No Hill Street Blues and you've no 'The Wire'. Don't know if you were about in those days but the impact from 'Hill Street Blues' is a lot bigger and more influential than 'The Wire'. Elmo mentions the show's ability to be related to. 'Hill Street Blues was the same.

The Sopranos was indeed an original series. No show covered a Mafia family like this before and slotted it into a soap-opera-like situation.

Take away the graphic violence, sex and coarse language from 'The Sopranos' or 'The Wire' and they lose a huge percentage of their impact.
Thats about the only comparable ground that they share apart from being HBO series. Add these elements to Hill Street Blues and you've got..........................

Other original and influential TV shows which spring to my mind would have been 'Pennies From Heaven' or 'Boys from the Blackstuff'.

As I said, all good telly but ffs, people do tend to analyse these things way too much. As for comparing them to completely different types of shows? Three words: Ali versus Tyson.

ixoy

JWAD wrote: »

Hill Street Blues was an original show. Went against all trends involving American crime series back then. A non-too flattering look at the police with corruption, personal problems and crims who get away with their misdemeanours consistently.

I'd argue potentially that 'Homicide: Life on the Street' was more a successor to 'Hill Street Blues' than 'The Wire' which is only superficially similar. I understand your point and that 'Hill Street Blues' (and others like 'NYPD Blue' and 'Homicide..' established the dark/gritty cop show, but I still think 'The Wire' has extended that further in a new direction.

For my money, one of the real original shows that I grew up with is 'Twin Peaks'. It basically set the bar for the WTF shows that followed, making viewers tune in each week to only ever receive small answers and newer questions. It helped really establish the idea of a mythos and using characters who only had cryptic name, etc. It paved the way for shows like 'Lost'.

Elmo

I agree that Hill Street Blue is one of the best shows on Television and broke most of the rules for the Network Serials. However it does take on many of the conventions of the Network Serial (i.e. Shows produced for NBC, ABC and CBS).

Neither The Sapranoes or The Wire are network shows.

For my money, one of the real original shows that I grew up with is 'Twin Peaks'. It basically set the bar for the WTF shows that followed, making viewers tune in each week to only ever receive small answers and newer questions. It helped really establish the idea of a mythos and using characters who only had cryptic name, etc. It paved the way for shows like 'Lost'.

This is fantasy television which will always have a certain amount of orginality e.g. without "The Prisoner" "Twin Peak" could never have been made.

You will always find a show that moves drama to the next level and this will make it original. Mad Men will be talked about as the next original show, but could it have been made with out I'll Fly Away?????

Teen Drama
Could Freeks and Geeks have appeared without My So Call Life. Both are original, both are good, both move the genre on.

godtabh

JWAD wrote: »

Take away the graphic violence, sex and coarse language from 'The Sopranos' or 'The Wire' and they lose a huge percentage of their impact.

The sex scences in the Wire were toned down a lot if used at all after series one. Dint lose a % of its impact. I dont think the wire should that load of graphic violence. Nothing you wouldnt see on CSI any ways.

Hill Street Blues may have been an orginal show but it didnt have the same "edge" that the Wire had (and has over sopranos). Hill Street Blues was just a typical cop show with new themse. The format was the same as ER except set in a cop shop. Again thats just what I remember

Elmo

Hill Street Blues may have been an orginal show but it didnt have the same "edge" that the Wire had (and has over sopranos). Hill Street Blues was just a typical cop show with new themse. The format was the same as ER except set in a cop shop. Again thats just what I remember

But it came nearly 10 years before ER. But I would still consider ER fairly original.


waits for someone to mention Chicago Hope ..... waits for some else to mention St. Elsewhere, waits to point out that each show carry on improving and reimagining the basic Hospital Drama.

ixoy

Elmo wrote: »

waits for someone to mention Chicago Hope ..... waits for some else to mention St. Elsewhere, waits to point out that each show carry on improving and reimagining the basic Hospital Drama.

Which is correct - and that's what "The Wire" has done. It improved the cop drama genre in the same way as "Hill Street Blues" did before

Oh and I agree that "The Prisoner" was definitely ground-breaking, however it did tend to hit the big Reset button between episodes, rather than have one long mystery spread over a season with gradual revelations and further questions. I'm not sure - was "Twin Peaks" the first do this? *waits for a long list of other shows made before he was born*

Elmo

Oh and I agree that "The Prisoner" was definitely ground-breaking, however it did tend to hit the big Reset button between episodes

The Incredible Hulk -

"Dr. David Banner: physician; scientist. Searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs. The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter. (Bixby: "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."--a clip from the first pilot) The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. David Banner is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him."

Or the Fugitive

All episode in both have a beginning middle end like any other typical american TV show, however they both rely on a "MacGuffin", which continues through out the series. e.g. Dead Girl in Twin Peaks and The Island in Lost

OTT.

godtabh

I think at this stage we should try and get back on topic which orginally was how did you discover The Wire.

I can split the thread if people want or some one else can start a new one

Elmo

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055356445

deadwood

New visitor. Good thread. Great show. Saw it from first series on TG4 (nice plug by Aidan Gillen on dvd series 4 extras for tg4 too).
Bought the season 1 dvd in Heatons for €8 (still has the sticker on it)!

Elmo

Bought the season 1 dvd in Heatons for €8 (still has the sticker on it)!

FO 8euro, Heaton's look no futher! Have you put this information in the bargin forum???????

deadwood

Elmo wrote: »

FO 8euro, Heaton's look no futher! Have you put this information in the bargin forum???????

That was a couple of years ago.
I suspect it was a mistake.Some poor ould one probably got Daniel O'Donnells Smash Hit dvd "If you weren't my cousin Maggie, I'd be on you like a rat up a drainpipe" for €60!

I should have bought all of their stock that day and sold them on for €8.50 each.

I still occasionally endure that weird smell in Heatons to check in case it happens again.

Cunny-Funt

Was introduced to it by a m8. And I have since spread the word to other mates, who are spreading it around to other people they know like a virus.

Probably the best tv show ever made tbh.

ixoy

The thread really seems to be a word-of-mouth one. I remember going on about it in the Television forum ages back when nobody knew it and I think I convinced a few folk to watch it - it's a real sign of fandom/quality when you feel a need to tell other folk about it to see they don't miss out on this amazing piece of TV history.

tvnutz

Its the dvds that are helping spread the word. Xtra-Vision have them to rent,so people are seeing it that way. I own seasons 1-4 on dvd and currently have none of them in my house right now,different people have each season and are passing them around. I am spreading the word!