The Wire vs The Sopranos vs Breaking Bad

Why, if one does not rate The Wire, do people say you cant get the pace or other such nonsense?

I am well with the pace. It is the far fetchedness and appalling dialogue/ writing/ acting that annoyed me. As said, the whole chicken nuggets scene....FFS like, this is good writing? Or how about stock, cliche characters. Troy McClure could have been cast

"Hi, Im McNulty. You might remember womanising alcoholic cops with a sh1t personal life from tv shows and films such as....."

I am nearly tempted to give this a third attempt, but that would be taking the piss. How anyone can rate it above The Sopranos is baffling.

Father Damo wrote: »

Why, if one does not rate The Wire, do people say you cant get the pace or other such nonsense?
How anyone can rate it above The Sopranos is baffling.

1) Cos it's true :P
2) Not really.

Seriously, I don't think I've ever read an opinion I've disagreed with so much. Bad writing and acting ? You must be watching a different show.

Always felt McNulty dragged the Wire down. You've got an excellent set of characters and this stereotypical Irish(/American), alcoholic, workaholic cop in the middle of it. Season 5 was good but the ridiculous serial killer arc really dragged it down. I know why the writers wanted to do it, just seemed a bit ridiculous to me.

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

In fairness, McNulty is a little bit of a cliche, and Brother Mouzone is a bit far-fetched.

McNulty's character is examined meticulously throughout the five seasons and through this examination the actual stereotype is demythologised. In season 1-3 he is a man who fights tirelessly to save Baltimore without ever seeing the bigger picture. He is arrogant and pig headed because he believes he can save Baltimore alone.

McNulty is essentially the Wire's main police hero but like all heroes he has flaws; he cannot sustain such a tireless lifestyle and he ends up drinking. We all have to balance the scales some way in life. He believes he will find redemption in his job and therefore be cleansed of his bad habits but there is no redemption in a post (post) modern world.

He thinks finding the king pins (Stringer & Avon) and stopping them will lead to his great redemption and save the city. Yet it does not, evidenced by his scene after Stringer's death where he has a bit of a dawning realisation. You can also see the subtle differences between him and Bunk (who also is fond of the ladies and the beer) in the scene.

He realises once he goes to Stringer's apartment just how wrong he was about Stringer and begins a re-evaluation of his life.


In season 4 you see a different man once he has left the homicide unit. He maintains a relationship and quits the booze however he blames himself for Bodie's death at the end of season 4 and goes back to the homicide unit in order to rid himself of the guilt and a faint hope of redemption.


He tries to convince himself things will be different but "things never ****ing change" as he later says. Jimmy suffers the same fate as Oedipus as he fails to take Tiresias's advice "know thyself".



Jimmy McNulty in Season 5 bears a striking resemblance to Oedipus Rex. He tries to save Baltimore again through the creation of the serial killer. His old vices rear their ugly head as the anger returns and he drinks and cheats (hamartia). Instead of working on his own however as the maverick stereotype would he works with Lester.

Marlo is eventually caught because of Jimmy's illegal channeling of money to Lester and the city is momentarily spared similar to Thebes. Like Oedipus though, he catches himself out and must pay the ultimate price.


The wake scene where he is laid on the pool table in season 5 is the character's metaphorical death. There is no redemption in the job as the city is beyond repair and the only way he can save himself from destruction is by leaving the job (or being forced to leave).


Lester enters in this scene as he is the other hero of the season, he does not have the same failings as Jimmy but he also is missing some of his key qualities. However both are expelled from the police force because both are capable of quality work and in this tragedy there is no hope. "America is dying" as Simon put it and so is the American hero.

The Wire is complex and that is only a very brief reading of what ultimately is only one character. To say, like some have, that is badly written is wrong- regardless of the merits of subjectivity.

Whoa,the product placement for Jameson is pretty full on there,guess the Pouges was freebie.

tipptom wrote: »

Whoa,the product placement for Jameson is pretty full on there,guess the Pouges was freebie.

Loved McNultys comment in Season 3 when he's offered Bushmills "That's Protestant whiskey".

tipptom wrote: »

Wasnt there two drunken Irish/American cops in it that was near retirment was caught pulling some sort of insurance scam,think there was some sort of play that Mcnulty could end up like that.

Polk and Mahone if I remember rightly. Wondered if it was a play on Póg mo thoin.