The Wire-Is it any good?

Aravo

Tell me how wrote:

Seasons in order of preference (in my opinion obviously)

Tell me how wrote:

4, 2, 1, 3, 5

My season preferences are 1,4,2,3,5

1- Barksdale
2- Port
3- Political
4- Schools
5- Media

Charles Cabbage

Charles Cabbage wrote: »

The Wire beats the Sopranos by a long way IMHO, Make sure to watch maybe first 4 or 5 episodes or more as I did not really see what was so special about it at the start. Get a DVD box set, Sky are showing it in the middle of the night at the moment (almost done) but they cut huge lumps of important stuff out of it so DVD or something else if possible.

I never watch series a second time in general but I think I am on my fifth time with the Wire. It is hyped up a lot so do not expect it to change your life! I think the Wire is one of the few shows where they actually talk like normal people talk, the bad guys are not cartoon type bad guy hams like (some) in the Sopranos. Fave clip (not really spoiling anything): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N_UuImPL4E

Your on your fifth time watching it and yet you think its hyped up? Id say if a show can induce you to watch it this many times its living up to its hype

.red.

.red. wrote: »

That's a great scene, the look on the shop guys face is brilliant.

Snoop was a great character, the actress herself had a very troubled life and spent time inside for murder.
A lot of the secondary characters in the show were pretty much picked up off the corners and given jobs as extras.

I remember reading about the lad who played Bubbles, they were filming on location when someone came up to him and handed him something and said he needed it more than they did. When he looked it was a small bit of heroin. He called it his "street Oscar".
The story of Bubbles from start to finish is a work of art in itself. He had some very funny scenes but almost had me in tears a few times, I won't say when as they would be spoilers but anyone who's seen it will know.

"You earned that bump like a mutha****er"

Bunny Colvin

I'd throw any fool into Hamsterdam if they don't like The Wire.

Aravo

Did he have hands? Did he have a face? Then it wasn’t us

Tell me how

I can understand those that prefer The Sopranos to The Wire. There is a lot very good about it. I'm genuinely perplexed at those who prefer Breaking Bad tough.

The Wire was very strong in characters, dialog, storylines (ignoring fake serial killer here) societal behaviours and representing all sides.

BB was good in........ evolution of 2 main characters as they delve deeper in to drug production.

Penn

Aravo wrote: »

My season preferences are 1,4,2,3,5

1- Barksdale
2- Port
3- Political
4- Schools
5- Media

I go 2,1,4,3,5. 1 and 4 are pretty interchangeable though, both are so fantastic.

Season 2 I think is hugely underrated and one of the finest seasons of TV ever created.

I've watched it too many times at this stage :pac:

Like a lot of people I wasn't that fond of season but it grew on me with repeat viewings. I find The Sopranos a much easier re-watch, maybe because it's more obviously funny. :P

Joe_ Public

Tell me how wrote: »

I can understand those that prefer The Sopranos to The Wire. There is a lot very good about it. I'm genuinely perplexed at those who prefer Breaking Bad tough.

The Wire was very strong in characters, dialog, storylines (ignoring fake serial killer here) societal behaviours and representing all sides.

BB was good in........ evolution of 2 main characters as they delve deeper in to drug production.

I guess there was more of a psychological aspect to BB, a more drawn out insight into characters and how their lives are swept along by the (questionable) decisions they make. The Wire just sprinted along, racing through narrative arcs and maybe it was a weakness at times that some context to major storylines was lost or not properly developed (the one mentioned above relating to Lester going rogue in S5, for example). I think that's a flaw in S5 in that depth and context are sacrificed so the plot can be moved quicker to where the writers wanted it to go.

I did enjoy BB, but the pace wearied me a bit at times. I remember making a comment on some site about an episode where the lead guy (mind gone blank!) is trying to swat a fly and how that episode could easily have been 20 minutes shorter, and I was rounded upon. I didn't appreciate the subtlety of the writing apparently or understand that they were making art here, not just a tv series. Its why I find Better Call Saul a bit laboured too, like they're stringing out episodes to make multiple series out of them and I've too much other things to be watching in the meantime!

Crimson King

2 or 3 of My favourite characters in any show are from the Wire.
Omar is the standout for me, "you come at the king, you best not miss"

Stringer was amazing too.

lazybones32

I very much liked it - so much so that when i finished it first, i started it again straight after.
It's not perfect though, so don't overhype it in your head. Some characters are weak/annoying (Prezb, Ziggy and the media staff) but it is worth hanging in there.

You will also pick up new phrases..."where's wallace at?", "5-0" (i'm always shouting that as my chums and i see the Gardai but we're mad guys!)

dirkmeister

Aravo wrote: »

Did he have hands? Did he have a face? Then it wasn’t us

Why always Boris?!?

dobman88

Crimson King wrote: »

2 or 3 of My favourite characters in any show are from the Wire.
Omar is the standout for me, "you come at the king, you best not miss"

Stringer was amazing too.

We the same tho. You got the briefcase, I got the shotgun. That's the game.

Idioteque

The Wire and Sopranos are my Tier 1 TV series of all time. Nothing else on their level for me. But it's probably factoring in when I watched them, there wasn't a huge amount of other shows that accomplished what they did at the time. I know others have this feeling with West Wing and Battlestar Gallatica, both of which I came to very late and didn't like as much.

Tier 2 would be the likes of Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Deadwood.

.red.

dobman88 wrote: »

We the same tho. You got the briefcase, I got the shotgun. That's the game.

"At the end of the day, the king and the pawn go back into the same box"
One of my favourite quotes from any TV show.

dirkmeister

.red. wrote: »

"At the end of the day, the king and the pawn go back into the same box"
One of my favourite quotes from any TV show.

Unless they some smart ass pawns

blondeonblonde

dirkmeister wrote: »

Unless they some smart ass pawns

Brilliant! I forgot that whole conversation. Such a good programme. I actually don't agree with people who say it took a while to get into. I thought the first episode was excellent, really set the mood of the city and characters.

Aravo

The king stay the king

De Bhál

The Best

bilbot79

Didn't think I'd like it. Loved it.

spurious

BUNK: I'm just a humble mother****er with a big-ass dick.
FREAMON: You give yourself too much credit.
BUNK: Okay, then. I ain't all that humble.

Bunk was cool.

Sheeeit man

U got to watch the wire man

This America man

pumpkin4life

It's fantastic. The best show I've ever seen, with the exception of The Sopranos and The Simpsons, pretending The Simpsons ended after the first eight seasons.

I think that the fifth season with the media plot was a bit one dimensional and silly; the fact that everything is shoved into ten episodes doesn't really help the pacing either. Some of the plot points seem very sudden and almost come out of nowhere, if that makes sense. The fifth season is still very good and all of that, but its an anticlimactic wrap-up to the whole thing, and is the weakest of the five by a fair bit.

The second season is absolutely brilliant and my favorite of the lot, but it's very disconnected from the rest of the show. You'd miss very little if you skipped season 2, in relation to future seasons to be honest.

Also, the two characters that get the most air time (McNulty and Bubbles, the closest the show gets to a main character) while great, are maybe the least interesting in the whole show.

But it's still brilliant. The Wire and The Sopranos are the high points for television and both made me lose a bit of interest in the medium as a whole tbh. After all, where the hell do you go from here?

Tell me how

pumpkin4life wrote: »

Also, the two characters that get the most air time (McNulty and Bubbles, the closest the show gets to a main character) while great, are maybe the least interesting in the whole show.

I beg to differ on this. Bubbles was fascinating and while McNulty wasn't so nuanced, his performance of a guy who couldn't stop to think before he acted, in every sense, was very well delivered. He also brought a touch of humour to the show.

weemcd

For me possibly the best show ever. By the time you have watched the wire you will have a glimpse of every rung of early 2000's American society, from the homeless drug addicts on the street right through to city hall (via the drug dealers, the cops, the politicians, the media etc etc) everyone plays their part.

Omar may be the best character of all time for me, other's include the Bunk, Bubbles and Idris Elba's breakout performance as Stringer Bell. I've watched it all twice, and I've probably seen the first season 3 times. I would watch it all again tomorrow. Season 2 isn't for everyone, but it's not without it's charms either.

Penn

weemcd wrote: »

For me possibly the best show ever. By the time you have watched the wire you will have a glimpse of every rung of early 2000's American society, from the homeless drug addicts on the street right through to city hall (via the drug dealers, the cops, the politicians, the media etc etc) everyone plays their part.

Omar may be the best character of all time for be, other's include the Bunk, Bubbles and Idris Elba's breakout performance as Stringer Bell. I've watched it all twice, and I've probably seen the first season 3 times. I would watch it all again tomorrow. Season 2 isn't for everyone, but it's not without it's charms either.

I'll go to my grave saying Frank Sobotka is the greatest character on the show.

I'd have to say season two is my particular fave.

A self-contained world and story that maintains a remarkable discipline in pacing and revealing the story.

I can understand that some won't enjoy the sudden pivot from the world of season 1 but for me the courage and novelty of the decision to do so gave me a huge kick

irelandrover

I think if you watched it late then you'll have listened to everyone saying it's the best show ever. With expectations that high it could disappoint. I watched it pretty early so really like the show. Omars comment to Leavy in the courtroom is one of the best lines on TV.

I have the opposite with Breaking bad where i binge watched the whole thing. I found it underwhelming as a show but i expect that is because my expectations were way too high.

wfdrun

Omar is the character Clint Eastwood tried to portray.
I stopped seeing Colour.
Kudos to David Simon.

De Bhál

Frank Sobotka was a standout character. I loved that story