The "I don't like it" vs. "You just don't get it" debate

mloc

So a lot of people seem not to like The Wire. They watch a few episodes, decide they don't like it, and give up on it.

In response, most Wire fans respond with a general "you just aren't able for it"/"you just don't get it" response.

Personally, I think it's impossible to dislike the Wire; either you love it, or you simply just don't get it.

Discuss.

amacachi

It's a bit of both, as with most things. I've yet to fail to know in advance whether someone will love it or not though. :pac:

Cavehill Red

mloc wrote: »

Personally, I think it's impossible to dislike the Wire; either you love it, or you simply just don't get it.
Discuss.

Logic fail.
It's entirely possible to dislike anything under the sun. People, to my mind very strange indeed, have been known to dislike sex, beer, chocolate and even Liverpool FC. Such things are called personal preferences. Disliking something does not imply they failed to comprehend. Their preferences are not inferior to your own, no matter what you might think, and suggesting that they are stupid for failing to share your likes demonstrates only your own ignorance.

Father Damo

Saw a few episodes, thought it looked decent. When Channel 6 started repeating them back home I fought six weeks in a row with the female housemate for control of the tv....and gave up. Dont know about the rest but the first season was dull as dishwater IMO. As for not getting it, I thought The Corner was one of the best tv shows ever made (only was about 6 eps mind I think), just think The Wire is overrated from what I have seen.

godtabh

people have to give it time

Its not a quick fix like csi but with the average attention span now gone its difficult to give the wire the time it needs

otingocni

Just finished watching the all 5 seasons. What a show, hooked from the start. As for the question, I understand people not liking it. There's quite a bit of real life gritty feel to the show. Feels like you're being schooled. Oh and the profanity. That might put some people off, even if they get it.

Richy06

Some people just don't pay close enough attention to the conversations going on all the time. Because there is not narrator or disposition, you learn of what is happening via conversation. You stop paying attention for a minute, you may miss something vital.

I cannot understand people not being drawn in and gripped by it though, because personally I think it's gripping from the get go.

Firehen

I think its best appreciated watching it on your own time.

I got all 5 series of it and watched a few episodes on end every session. I don't think I'd have had the dedication (or memory) to appreciate it watching one espisode a week. So many characters to get to know; So many relationships to understand etc.

As for the first season being dull, I completely disagree. Some of the best characters and most tense storylines were at the start and it finished leaving me wanting more and more.

adox

I bought season 1 a few years ago, watched it and didn't really enjoy it that much. Nothing to do with attention span, getting it, or anything else. I just didn't find it that enjoyable.

Anyway I've had season 2 sitting unopened for the Last couple of years and decided to give it a view yesterday evening.

Just finished the season this morning and absolutely loved it. I'll be picking the rest of the seasons now and may got back and rematch season one again when I'm finished.

I always find it a bit condescending when people use the line "didn't get it".

People have different tastes and aren't going to like everything you like. It's naive in the extreme to fail to see that.

amacachi

adox wrote: »

I always find it a bit condescending when people use the line "didn't get it".

People have different tastes and aren't going to like everything you like. It's naive in the extreme to fail to see that.

No, you're just understanding it differently to how people intend it to mean. I don't "get" Glee. Some people don't "get" The Wire. What's condescending about it?

adox

amacachi wrote: »

No, you're just understanding it differently to how people intend it to mean. I don't "get" Glee. Some people don't "get" The Wire. What's condescending about it?

But the OP said " you either love it or you don't get it".

It seems you can't just not like.

Mickeroo

It's easy to see why some people would not like the wire, not everyone likes TV shows to be complex or realistic, same with movies, lots of people just want to turn off their brain and be entertained for an hour or two which is fine!

Another reason I think a lot of people don't get into the wire is because it really doesn't get good or grab the viewr until the last third of Season 1. Anytime I recommend the show to someone I tell them not to get put off by the first 5 or 6 episodes, they just need to get to know the characters and get a feel for whats going on.

amacachi

Mickeroo wrote: »

It's easy to see why some people would not like the wire, not everyone likes TV shows to be complex or realistic, same with movies, lots of people just want to turn off their brain and be entertained for an hour or two which is fine!

Another reason I think a lot of people don't get into the wire is because it really doesn't get good or grab the viewr until the last third of Season 1. Anytime I recommend the show to someone I tell them not to get put off by the first 5 or 6 episodes, they just need to get to know the characters and get a feel for whats going on.

Generally it's the case that people "don't get it". I'm not saying it's down to intelligence. I love video games but I don't "get" FPSs. :pac:

IvanW

I would say seasons one and three are the best and if any one season is poor it would probably be season two as it moves at a slower pace than the rest

TrueDub

IvanW wrote: »

I would say seasons one and three are the best and if any one season is poor it would probably be season two as it moves at a slower pace than the rest

Funnily, I'd think the exact opposite. Season 2 for me was the best, followed by 1, then 3, 4 and I thought 5 was the weakest of the lot.

Mickeroo

Season 5 was by far the worst season I thought, the whole

McNulty making up a serial killer

plotline was the only one in all 5 seasons I felt was in any way unrealistic. Having said that, if i had never seen seasons 1 to 4 I woud have thought season 5 was the best thing since sliced bread

trashcan

Got to agree with that. Season 5 is my least favourite, and the storyline you mention was the only one in the whole series I found less than credible (Though David Simon has made the point that he couldn't believe that people could find the Hamsterdam story in Season 3 credible and not the season 5 story.)

Having said that though, I did love the final episode where just about every storyline was wrapped up in a fitting (if not always hoped for) manner. I particularly enjoyed Cheese's fate.

trashcan

Father Damo wrote: »

Saw a few episodes, thought it looked decent. When Channel 6 started repeating them back home I fought six weeks in a row with the female housemate for control of the tv....and gave up. Dont know about the rest but the first season was dull as dishwater IMO. As for not getting it, I thought The Corner was one of the best tv shows ever made (only was about 6 eps mind I think), just think The Wire is overrated from what I have seen.

See, I think this is the thing with a lot of people, and why a lot of fans will say,no, no you just don't get it. The thing is, It's almost impossible to judge the Wire until you've seen a whole season. If you quit after 3/4 episodes because it doesn't grip you you'll never know what you might have made of it if you finished the series. The novel comparison is perhaps overused but it's really the only way to think of it. One episode viewed in isolation will mean absolutely nothing. Speaking personally, I bought the first box set on something of a whim in HMV (had never heard of it but thought it looked interesting.) First few episodes I thought were "OK", by the end of Season 1 I thought "Holy ****, this is the one of best things I've ever seen on TV, I must have more.

I think I've watched the whole thing in it's entirety three times, and I know I'll watch it all through again after a decent interval.

demolitionman

i watched the first episode back in about february.
thought it was ****e.
got bored one day a few months later and decided id give it another chance.
up until about episode 4 i was ''meh''....
then, BOOM!!!! Addiction commenced!!!
****ing absoltely loved it!!
same thing happened my brother, he watched the first three episodes and just didnt get it and packed it in. hasnt gone back yet no matter how much i try to tell him.

the problem is you dont get that instant gratification that u get from a csi or a without a trace type of show. each episode is part of one big masterpiece rather than being a unqieue piece of work on its on.

amacachi

It's so good :pac:

If he hasn't already seen it try to get him to watch The Corner, it's only 6 one-hour episodes and might convince him of it. :P

orourkeda

I've only just bought the box set and have watched the first 5 episodes. It's shaping up pretty nicely and I hope it continues in this fashion

KylieWyley

Season 1 seems a bit dated - typewriters, film cameras, telephone booths.

As such, people lacking in patience might be forgiven for giving up on it if it is seen as failing to deliver a few episodes into it. However... all good things come to those who wait!!

Opelfruit

Never watch too much Tv but have recently started getting boxsets. From all the hype you hear from fans i thought this was going to be the best show ever.

It took me three attempts to start into it. The first time i didnt even get past the opening Snots scene. Happy enough that i stuck with it though as its a decent cop drama but overall ive seen far better shows. Also have to watch it with subtitles as i cant understand what the gangsters are saying

The guy playing Mcnulty is also a terrible actor. His accent was way off for Baltimore, wasnt surprised to find out he wasnt american.

Father Damo

Father Damo wrote: »

Saw a few episodes, thought it looked decent. When Channel 6 started repeating them back home I fought six weeks in a row with the female housemate for control of the tv....and gave up. Dont know about the rest but the first season was dull as dishwater IMO. As for not getting it, I thought The Corner was one of the best tv shows ever made (only was about 6 eps mind I think), just think The Wire is overrated from what I have seen.

So Ive made a second attempt at it and got season one out.

Ive given up this time halfway through the second episode. What I dont like about it so far compared to other HBO crime dramas (Oz, Sopranos, Boardwalk Emp etc) is that most of the "action" takes place in offices. From what I recall this is typical of most of the first season. Hackneyed tired rehashed scenes from 50 other cop dramas, the real cops battling against The Man and his constraints to actually get the job done. The actual gangs are secondary distant characters that are barely seen so far. Some of the acting is a bit sub par and all.
The Sopranos would have got pretty tiresome if 90% of it was set in the FBI office. The Wire is meant to be about mean streets Baltimore, Oz was about a mean prison- however 90% of the plot of Oz didnt take place in Glynns clean shiny office, it was the beatings, the drugs and the whatnot.

Compare that to The Corner. Same city, same general plot theme, yet one of the best tv series ever made. Does it get better after season one? People seem to almost be obliquely saying that the first few episodes just arent all that. Should I just skip it and kick off with S2?

TrueDub

Father Damo wrote: »

So Ive made a second attempt at it and got season one out.

Ive given up this time halfway through the second episode. What I dont like about it so far compared to other HBO crime dramas (Oz, Sopranos, Boardwalk Emp etc) is that most of the "action" takes place in offices. From what I recall this is typical of most of the first season. Hackneyed tired rehashed scenes from 50 other cop dramas, the real cops battling against The Man and his constraints to actually get the job done. The actual gangs are secondary distant characters that are barely seen so far. Some of the acting is a bit sub par and all.
The Sopranos would have got pretty tiresome if 90% of it was set in the FBI office. The Wire is meant to be about mean streets Baltimore, Oz was about a mean prison- however 90% of the plot of Oz didnt take place in Glynns clean shiny office, it was the beatings, the drugs and the whatnot.

Compare that to The Corner. Same city, same general plot theme, yet one of the best tv series ever made. Does it get better after season one? People seem to almost be obliquely saying that the first few episodes just arent all that. Should I just skip it and kick off with S2?

You need to stick with it - it's worth it. The story arcs are complex and slow in places.

Don't skip Season 1, you'll have no clue what's happening with Season 2.

triggermortis

Like a lot of people have already said, you can't really judge this show on one or two episodes and really have to stick with it for the pay off. It takes a while to get used to the slang anyway. I'm not sure I would have coped if I only had one show a week to watch or had other things going on at the same time, it's best watched in lumps of episodes with no distractions, so you don't miss anything

Frank Black

Saying 'you don't get it' is probably a bit patronising.




I prefer to say you either love it or you have no soul.

Spacedog

In general, what can occur is people get distracted when watching something meaningful, they answer the phone, get chatting to people who walk in etc. for some movies and shows this is ok, but for something like The Wire you may miss a load of story in a few lost minutes of conversation.

In general 'airheads' with no attention span and a tendency to jabber will bore quickly, but TV geeks with no social lives and more time on their hands to watch it 5 times over will love it all the more.

Thoie

I've only seen the first episode so far, but a big problem I have is that I can barely understand anything anyone is saying. It's presumably just me, as obviously other people understand it, yet I don't normally have difficulties understanding a variety of accents on television/by phone/in person.

I want to give it a chance, but when every conversation sounds to me like "hey, whu whu whuh huh wu" it makes it awkward. I'm watching it recorded on Sky, and sadly subtitles aren't available. Maybe I should try a box set with subtitles?

Frank Black

Thoie wrote: »

I've only seen the first episode so far, but a big problem I have is that I can barely understand anything anyone is saying. It's presumably just me, as obviously other people understand it, yet I don't normally have difficulties understanding a variety of accents on television/by phone/in person.

I want to give it a chance, but when every conversation sounds to me like "hey, whu whu whuh huh wu" it makes it awkward. I'm watching it recorded on Sky, and sadly subtitles aren't available. Maybe I should try a box set with subtitles?

I did find that issue watching it, there were a few times I needed to rewind to pick up what was being said.
I wouldn't get too hung up on it, it's usually possible to keep track of what's going on without picking up on every line of dialogue, and the more you watch it the more you'll become attuned to the rhythms of the dialects.

Sinfonia

In the middle of my eighth viewing, still picking up on things I missed the last seven times..!

People are very insecure when it comes to any matter relating to intellect. I never really understood why; it's okay to be less intelligent, less attentive or less interested than other people. The thing is that The Wire demands focus and attention and a willingness to think and not just observe. In that sense it's unlike any other tv show because there's very rarely anything that is put there for the sake of plain entertainment, and of course "all the pieces matter", so there's no real room for breaks in concentration, despite the fact that the show - on the surface - seems to move at a slow pace.

As for the idea that the dialogue and certain issues are hackneyed, realistically the workings of the police department, the street drug trade, the school system and the newspaper are the most accurate portrayals of systems within the show - or any show for that matter: David Simon - former Baltimore Sun journalist - spent a year with the BPD Homicide Unit which resulted primarily in this, and Ed Burns is a former BPD homicide detective who worked on extensive wiretap cases - he also later became a schoolteacher [S4

upon which the Prez story is based

].

krudler

Thoie wrote: »

I've only seen the first episode so far, but a big problem I have is that I can barely understand anything anyone is saying. It's presumably just me, as obviously other people understand it, yet I don't normally have difficulties understanding a variety of accents on television/by phone/in person.

I want to give it a chance, but when every conversation sounds to me like "hey, whu whu whuh huh wu" it makes it awkward. I'm watching it recorded on Sky, and sadly subtitles aren't available. Maybe I should try a box set with subtitles?

I love that it doesnt dumb down the street language and gives very little explanation as to what slang means what, it does the odd time but its on you to pick it up as you go along. stuff like "re-up" and the like is just a term people use but you're never told what it is, you just pick up its meaning from watching it.