The Wire vs The Sopranos vs Breaking Bad

05-11-2012 12:42AM

MaxSteele wrote: »

The Wire Season 1 was OK, but season 2 was dreadful I'm afraid.

The Sopranos never disappointed, the same with Breaking Bad.

I don't know who to pick.

Season 2 is the strongest season and I think people write it off far too quickly due to the fact that it's the most layered and difficult to get into. It really showcases everything that is best about The Wire, intelligent, layered adult drama where every line of dilagoue plays into the overall story.

Babylon 5 really is a show that should be included in this poll, it was the most ambitious and intelligent show of the past two decades. One of the few shows that knew where it was going before the first episode even aired. there isn't a single line in the entire show that was there for the sake of it. Lines overheard in series 1 played a major part 2 series later. Really was exceptional stuff.

Cienciano · 05-11-2012 12:48AM

I think the Sopranos episode Pine Barrens is the best single episode between all 3. Paulie and Chris head off to the snowy forest to kill some russian guy

Lenin Skynard · 05-11-2012 12:51AM

Love all three of these shows but I think The Wire is a long way ahead of the other two. I'd nearly advise people who haven't seen it, not to watch The Wire because nothing else ever measures up.

enfant terrible · 05-11-2012 12:54AM

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

Love all three of these shows but I think The Wire is a long way ahead of the other two. I'd nearly advise people who haven't seen it, not to watch The Wire because nothing else ever measures up.

Very re-watchable too, have it series linked on sky and will always stick it on when nothing else is on.

Whereas have little interest in watching the Sopranos or BB again.

Jayob10 · 05-11-2012 12:54AM

its the Soprano's for me. Lived up to the hype.

I watched all three after reading all of the critical acclaim.

Breaking bad is not as layered as the other 2. The Wire is a very good show (lots of people with crazy love for it, but I cannot class it as the best because some of the seasons were not for me).

The Soprano's was epic. Never before have I watched a TV show where I literally had to watch the next episode, i've watched 8 hours straight

Breaking Bad is similar, but the depth of character and story does not match Soprano's.

The Wire was hard to watch, not due to lack of understanding or feel, but it didn't draw me in like the others.

Different strokes for different folks though.

Sea Sharp · 05-11-2012 05:56AM

It's a tough one because it's comparing apples, oranges and bananas but I'm going to have to go with Breaking Bad. I think the most recent season is making it pull ahead.

The Wire was good because it's a realistic depiction of sluggish, choked by bureaucracy, public sector institutions. It also depicts the gritty, lower end of American society really well.

The Sopranos, mobsters trying to adapt to modern times. Tony Soprano is what every 50 year old man wishes he was. It was good, but I don't think it's a candidate for the best show. Mind you It definitely belongs in the top 10.

Breaking Bad: an abundance of clever innovative solutions to obstacles, unpredictable and exciting plot, and the cinematography is brilliant!

I guess they all raised the bar in their own way.

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 06:35AM

The Sopranos is my favourite of the three, followed by The Wire and then Breaking Bad.

The acting, writing and characters are just so rich in The Sopranos. A great cast and such a deeply layered script. Tony Soprano is hands down the greatest television character of all time (for me).

The Wire is an excellent show, but I found it very slow and difficult to engage with at times and it didn't have any great stand-out character that really gripped me like Tony.

Breaking Bad is incredibly thrilling to watch and is probably the most entertaining and exciting of the three, but I don't think it stands up to repeated viewings in the same way The Sopranos and The Wire do. It's not as richly layered. I've watched The Sopranos all the way through three times, and every time I've come away with a different understanding and something new. I've re-watched episodes of Breaking Bad, but haven't had the same experience. It's a great, great show with a brilliant cast and great acting, but I feel like watching it is a one-time experience that doesn't really go much deeper than what you see the first time.

Kirby · 05-11-2012 08:20AM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

The Wire is an excellent show, but I found it very slow and difficult to engage with at times and it didn't have any great stand-out character that really gripped me like Tony.

Jaysus don't say that so loudly. Omar's coming!

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 08:35AM

Kirby wrote: »

Jaysus don't say that so loudly. Omar's coming!

I liked Omar, but again he didn't totally grip me in the same way Tony Soprano did and

his death was an anti-climax

.

inforfun · 05-11-2012 08:50AM

1. The Wire
2. Sopranos

No 3. Tried Breaking Bad for one and a half season but i just couldnt get into it.

My number 3 (of series i own) will be Boston Legal.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 05-11-2012 09:25AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Season 2 is the strongest season and I think people write it off far too quickly due to the fact that it's the most layered and difficult to get into. It really showcases everything that is best about The Wire, intelligent, layered adult drama where every line of dilagoue plays into the overall story.

Babylon 5 really is a show that should be included in this poll, it was the most ambitious and intelligent show of the past two decades. One of the few shows that knew where it was going before the first episode even aired. there isn't a single line in the entire show that was there for the sake of it. Lines overheard in series 1 played a major part 2 series later. Really was exceptional stuff.

s2 of th wire was a great season, but it has ziggy.. so I just can't enjoy it as much as I should. **** ziggy.

you're right about babylon 5 though, incredible show. that feeling you get when you're rewatching an episode in season 1 a throwaway line from a background character suddenly makes sense because of something in season 4.. more tv shows need proper arcs instead of just being made up on the spot.

Kirby · 05-11-2012 09:29AM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I liked Omar, but again he didn't totally grip me in the same way Tony Soprano did and
his death was an anti-climax
.

That was kind of the point though and was one of the things that made The Wire great.

Life isn't a movie. There was no pomp or ceremony. He didn't get some dramatic last stand all guns blazing. It was a tiny kid, from behind, while buying gum. Frankly I found it much more fitting than the "spiderman sh*t" he had performed previously.

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 09:41AM

Kirby wrote: »

That was kind of the point though and was one of the things that made The Wire great.
Life isn't a movie. There was no pomp or ceremony. He didn't get some dramatic last stand all guns blazing. It was a tiny kid, from behind, while buying gum. Frankly I found it much more fitting than the "spiderman sh*t" he had performed previously.

You're right, life isn't a movie.

How often do we see little kids killing experienced stick-up men in real life?

I actually found it a little bit ridiculous, and given the desire of The Wire to constantly appear as realistic as possible, I thought it verged on pretty unrealistic.

That aside, Omar is a great character and easily the most interesting on the show.

gimli2112 · 05-11-2012 09:48AM

Sopranos for me.

The bit when

Adrianna

was killed by

Silvio

freaked me out for weeks.

Mr E · 05-11-2012 09:59AM

Wow... poll as at 8:50am this morning. I've never seen one this close before. I know I joked about this thread (i.e. "Not again"), but maybe this is the holy trifecta right here? One or two votes will settle this poll...

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 09:59AM

gimli2112 wrote: »

Sopranos for me.

The bit when
Adrianna
was killed by
Silvio
freaked me out for weeks.

Absolutely one of the best moments in the entire show. Really sad (

I really hoped that Adriana would make it

), but really well done. One of my favourite episodes of the series.

--Kaiser-- · 05-11-2012 11:01AM

I can't see why people are putting The Wire in the same category as the other two, let alone putting ahead of the other two.

It's pretty badly acted in places, (also the accents of West and Gillan are appalling), the dialogue is inconsistent in quality, there are a lot of filler scenes that are obviously supposed to be humorous but just fall flat. There are frequently too many plot threads (yes, you can have too many) and just gets a bit too confusing. I can't level any of these criticisms at The Sopranos or Breaking Bad

kingtiger · 05-11-2012 11:06AM

very hard to pick as the three shows as they are right at the pinnacle of quality TV shows

but I will go for The Sopranos as being the show that broke the mold

kupus · 05-11-2012 11:47AM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I liked Omar, but again he didn't totally grip me in the same way Tony Soprano did and
his death was an anti-climax
.

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

You're right, life isn't a movie.
How often do we see little kids killing experienced stick-up men in real life?
I actually found it a little bit ridiculous, and given the desire of The Wire to constantly appear as realistic as possible, I thought it verged on pretty unrealistic.

That aside, Omar is a great character and easily the most interesting on the show.

But thats the thing it was completely realistic.....kids having guns at 12, gang wars etc, it might not be realistic to you but a friend of mine was a truck driver loading off one day in a not so nice neighbourhood.

A young kid stands at the back door when J was up the front taking a load from a pallet.
The 12yr old kid pulls out a gun and points it straight at j, now J was a former US marine and he nearly crapped his pants. After surviving tours and duty etc, it was the scariest scenario he ever encountered.
He reckoned the kid was just itching to pull the trigger so he could get his colors.
J gave him his wallet and some stuff from the back of the truck and he quit the job straight away.

As he said, he didnt come back to get shot in the back by some 12yr old gangbanger looking to make a name for himself. Someone was going to be shot by that kid eventually and he didnt want to be around when it happened...... as that delivery was going to be daily in that neighbourhood ...No thanks.

now back to tv, I watched FireFly recently. WHY did they finish after one season. Serenity the movie was not enough:mad:

Cienciano · 05-11-2012 01:12PM

Kirby wrote: »

That was kind of the point though and was one of the things that made The Wire great.
Life isn't a movie. There was no pomp or ceremony. He didn't get some dramatic last stand all guns blazing. It was a tiny kid, from behind, while buying gum. Frankly I found it much more fitting than the "spiderman sh*t" he had performed previously.

Was reading about the characters Omar was based on, Donnie Andrews. The spiderman shít actually happened, but in real life it was actually from a greater height. The shows director had to make it lower because the real life height was too unrealistic!

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 07:57PM

kupus wrote: »

But thats the thing it was completely realistic.....kids having guns at 12, gang wars etc, it might not be realistic to you but a friend of mine was a truck driver loading off one day in a not so nice neighbourhood.

A young kid stands at the back door when J was up the front taking a load from a pallet.
The 12yr old kid pulls out a gun and points it straight at j, now J was a former US marine and he nearly crapped his pants. After surviving tours and duty etc, it was the scariest scenario he ever encountered.
He reckoned the kid was just itching to pull the trigger so he could get his colors.
J gave him his wallet and some stuff from the back of the truck and he quit the job straight away.

As he said, he didnt come back to get shot in the back by some 12yr old gangbanger looking to make a name for himself. Someone was going to be shot by that kid eventually and he didnt want to be around when it happened...... as that delivery was going to be daily in that neighbourhood ...No thanks.

Fair enough, I don't live in the Projects and I've never seen or heard about kids shooting up gangsters, but I still don't think it was a fitting end for a character as good as

Omar

. I felt it was more shock value than anything else.

stanley1 · 05-11-2012 07:59PM

Breaking bad, watching cranston go from chemistry teacher to murderous drug baron will be hard to equal.

ViveLaVie · 05-11-2012 08:21PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Fair enough, I don't live in the Projects and I've never seen or heard about kids shooting up gangsters, but I still don't think it was a fitting end for a character as good as
Omar
. I felt it was more shock value than anything else.

Please spoiler tag.

Mardy Bum · 05-11-2012 09:36PM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Fair enough, I don't live in the Projects and I've never seen or heard about kids shooting up gangsters, but I still don't think it was a fitting end for a character as good as Omar. I felt it was more shock value than anything else.

Omar's death was an attempt to show how meaningless and cyclical the violent has become in Baltimore. Omar had walked around like a god to an almost unnatural level ("thats some spiderman ****"/ "Omar's coming")and his death brought him down to the level of mortals again. Omar had to die and it was an extremely nuanced and artistic way to kill him off.Not all heroes die like Hamlet.

Da Shins Kelly · 05-11-2012 09:46PM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Omar's death was an attempt to show how meaningless and cyclical the violent has become in Baltimore. Omar had walked around like a god to an almost unnatural level ("thats some spiderman ****"/ "Omar's coming")and his death brought him down to the level of mortals again. Omar had to die and it was an extremely nuanced and artistic way to kill him off.Not all heroes die like Hamlet.

By the time he was killed off though he wasn't walking around "like a god". He was paranoid and alone, and had become reckless, breaking his own code. I'm not saying that all heroes should "die like Hamlet", it didn't have to be a spectacular send-off, but I just thought his character deserved something a bit better.

Yamanoto · 05-11-2012 10:44PM

The Sopranos did it first

The Wire did it best

Breaking Bad did it most entertainingly

Solely on the basis that The Sopranos made if far easier for the shows that followed, fat Tony gets my vote.

Mardy Bum · 06-11-2012 12:20AM

Yamanoto wrote: »

The Sopranos did it first

The Wire did it best

Breaking Bad did it most entertainingly

Solely on the basis that The Sopranos made if far easier for the shows that followed, fat Tony gets my vote.

By that reckoning surely Oz is the best?

Mardy Bum · 06-11-2012 12:26AM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

By the time he was killed off though he wasn't walking around "like a god". He was paranoid and alone, and had become reckless, breaking his own code. I'm not saying that all heroes should "die like Hamlet", it didn't have to be a spectacular send-off, but I just thought his character deserved something a bit better.

What I meant by walking round like a god was prior to his "fall" eg his walk to get cheerios and drugs fall from the sky/window -deus ex machina almost. A fall he brought upon himself by returning to Baltimore for revenge. He had an Oedipus like collapse similar to McNulty. The Wire didn't have a main character and no one received special treatment because it was about the city as a whole not a person. Omar's death at the hands of a four foot burgeoning psycho is a perfect example of why Baltimore is constantly declining. Its a tragedy and the tragic hero is the city.

fruvai · 06-11-2012 12:29AM

Yamanoto wrote: »

The Sopranos did it first

Solely on the basis that The Sopranos made if far easier for the shows that followed, fat Tony gets my vote.

Twin Peaks did it first

RodgersLFC · 06-11-2012 12:56AM

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

I can't see why people are putting The Wire in the same category as the other two, let alone putting ahead of the other two.

It's pretty badly acted in places, (also the accents of West and Gillan are appalling), the dialogue is inconsistent in quality, there are a lot of filler scenes that are obviously supposed to be humorous but just fall flat. There are frequently too many plot threads (yes, you can have too many) and just gets a bit too confusing. I can't level any of these criticisms at The Sopranos or Breaking Bad

Thanks for posting in the thread, but I really cant believe that you can have that opinion of the Wire and its cast if you've actually seen the show. I think its one of the best acted, most well written, engaging, amazing shows ever shown on television.

Nice to see the vote so close on the poll!

The Wire vs The Sopranos vs Breaking Bad

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