The Wire: Best TV Series Ever?

[John-Locke]

THE WIRE GETS SEASON 5!!!!


YES YES YES. The greatest show in the history of television gets to finish properly. The full 5 seasons are going to be looked back on as more than just great TV. This is going down in history with The Mona Lisa, King Lear, Ulyssess, The Wasteland, Revolver etc etc as truly magnificent art.

I think I just made this thread a lot more sticky after hearing this news.

There is some justice in the world.

[TonyWilson]

THE WIRE GETS SEASON 5!!!!


YES YES YES. The greatest show in the history of television gets to finish properly. The full 5 seasons are going to be looked back on as more than just great TV. This is going down in history with The Mona Lisa, King Lear, Ulyssess, The Wasteland, Revolver etc etc as truly magnificent art.

I think I just made this thread a lot more sticky after hearing this news.

There is some justice in the world.

Indeed. Excellent news. I'd not dared to hope it would happen, but it is soooo good that it has. Party in the Wire thread tonight. I best get on with the first ep of the season then.

[Carolian]

OH MY GOD!

OHHHHH YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Shit, even if it's the last season? This is so incredibly great to hear! That piece of news is EXACTLY what I needed after turning on the news, watching for about ten minutes, getting disgusted, and turning it off, lamenting the state of the world.

THIS IS ME, YO, RIGHT HERE!

[TonyWilson]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH. Had a nice big juicy post about this show and then clicked back by mistake. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH.


Well anyway, my fave line was Freamon faking not knowing 'bout the election after he hands Pearlman the subpoenas.

[Wasco]

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[Keepcoolbutcare]

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where's Omar when you really need him?

[John-Locke]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Great fucking episode again this week. It's really building up towards something huge (no, not the mayors cock, I said huge not fucking gigantic).

[ThisIsTheGirl]

OK, after JL has been telling me to get into this show for about a year now, I've finally ordered Season 1 on DVD. I expect I'll be posting on here a lot in about 3 months, when I've fully caught up.

[John-Locke]

I bet you'll be in here about 12 days after it arrives (if not sooner).

Don't be put off by the first episode which starts slowly.

[ThisIsTheGirl]

I'm just worried that if I come on here before I've seen all (four?) seasons that are currently available, someone might drop a massive spoiler on my head without realising.

But you're right - when I get a boxset I usually plough through it over the course of a weekend!

[TonyWilson]

So Mayor Royce is PACKING then? Blimey, if he loses the election he could always turn to porn.


EXCELLENT EPISODE.

Gotta love the way Clay Davis echoed Namon's "I'll take money of any nigga" dictum.

By this point I'm just about campaigning for Carcetti myself. Yes he's scarily ambitious but he's convincing me that he really means what he says. He fucking pwnt Royce in the debate too.

Great to see Dennis Wise back and doing so well with his Boxing club and his job, turning in to quite the chick magnet too. Hahahaha.

I think the best moment was Michael's stare back at Marlo after he refused the 200 hundred dollars, that boys fearless, we saw Marlo smile for the first time too, he's one scary mofo.


When do you get season 1 TITG? You're gonna love it.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

(this review courtesy of John Locke)

The one thing that really stood out for me was the juxtaposition betweeen the kids taking the free $$ from Marlo (or Michael not taking, as Tony pointed out above) and Clay Aiken and his position on not asking where the $$ comes from. These are children forced by their socio-political environment into choices and decisions that they simply shouldn't be facing, not at such a tender age...but Clay should know better, he should look to at least see where his filthy lucre comes from, summed up with Michael's sage "Owin niggas for shit. It ain't me" line. Hell, at least the kids know that the money isn't clean, but as the wise man said, the money doesn't recognize the difference either way.

This week, like last weeks stellar debut, contained yet another brilliant opening courtesy of Herc. The walk down the corridor of power, past all the previous Mayors, post espying Clarence "Rolls"-Royce-"of-cocks" not-so-surreptitious blowjob was just inspired. So many ways to interpret Herc's befuddled look: disappointment? realization that these hung (heh) ex-Mayors may have partook in similar acts of "polling" of the electorate? Realization that he's now "fucked in the ass with a pineapple"? As with all great fiction, the conclusion is left open to the individual observers discretion.

And finally, the reason why the Wire stands above other shows of its ilk, the sum total of all the little things (which make life, btw). Bubble Depo, Lester "Just a Po'lice" "The Father You Never Had" Freamon, Wee-Bey's advice to Namond ("either you real out there or you ain't Na"), Ring of Fire set to Prez cleaning up of the classroom (the expert use of diegetic music on The Wire deserves its own post), the debate on TV and who watches it vs. who doesn't montage that ends the episode (the cut to the videogame fadeout = brilliance), Carcetti's pure pwnage of Royce from said debate, Holley and Norris and Bunk vs. the fates, and Marlo. Marlo, whose "name is gonna ring out". Marlo, the taciturn one, the enigmatic one. They better not bust him this year, if ever. He's too strong a character to not come back for season 5. I loved the B & B boys operation, but Marlo and his crew are on a whole different level.

Question hanging over the season...will Prez end up killing one of his students?

Wherever he rests, Charles Dickens is beaming with pride. Yeah, The Wire is that fucking good.

[TonyWilson]

Beautiful review.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Beautiful review.

The Wire inspires me to greatness.

[moose4787]

I find this show to be to "black".

[John-Locke]

I find this show to be to "black".

I find your view to be too "narrowminded"

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I find this show to be to "black".

I find your view to be too "narrowminded"

if that was a joke, moose, 'twas pretty amusing.

I mean, let's face it, aside from some of the complaints of the show being too slow and ponderous (legitimate gripes, I suppose), there has to be some reason, perhaps racially motivated as moose pointed out, why The Wire doesn't garner the viewership it deserves.

I've heard the "too black" reason being bandied about by others, and I can't help but wonder the legitimacy of those claims...

[TonyWilson]

David Simon has said this as well, he thinks maybe whitey isn't used to having to empathise with TV characters who aren't the same ethnicity and have different experiences. It's a depressing viewpoint and I hope it isn't right. But the low ratings baffle me as well. I wouldn't expect stellar viewing figures but if deadwood and it's complex language can be a huge hit then surely The Wire could be too.

[Evil Hobbit]

David Simon has said this as well, he thinks maybe whitey isn't used to having to empathise with TV characters who aren't the same ethnicity and have different experiences. It's a depressing viewpoint and I hope it isn't right. But the low ratings baffle me as well. I wouldn't expect stellar viewing figures but if deadwood and it's complex language can be a huge hit then surely The Wire could be too.

Yet they semi-cancel deadwood but continue with the less popular the Wire. Figure the odds. Don't hear me complaining, the Wire rockz. Last episode was extremely good as always.

[Starks]

Big Warning for people who like to discuss this show on various message boards and forums - HBO sent critics all 13 episodes for review before this season began, and unsuprisingly someone lent them to someone they shouldn't have and now the whole season is all over the net. I'd advise people to avoid places like the IMDB message board for the show as people will surely start posting spoiler messages.

[Howard Moon]

Pandemic, election day special 2 for 2, right here

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Episode #5

Chris Paltrow, "Zombie Master". Figuratively and (as the crackheadZombie proved), literally. Another dazzling show opener.

Landsman, figuratively, taking a bite out of a shit(ty) sandwich.

Rawls working every side.

Prez...awesome.

"There's no special dead, there's just...dead".

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Episode #6

knuckleheads, nice! That's a Wu-Tang line. Perfect.

Mayfield! For those who didn't know, that's who Kanye sampled on one of his tracks.

Clay "knows enough to get paid twice" Davis.

When facing difficult decisions, even the good ones can make bad choices. It happens.

Omar off to jail?!? That can't be good. Glad McNutty let him call Butchie tho'. Butchie will know what to do.

You know Carcetti had to win, but it was handled rather well.

[John-Locke]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeit

I wonder whats going to happen next.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeit

I wonder whats going to happen next.

I'm catching up!

[TonyWilson]

Man, glad you caught some of the way up. it's another superb fucking ep ain't it? Fascinating how Marlo is starting to ever so slightly look to the outside. I did love his slamdown of the studly guy talking about the big picture an ep or 2 ago though.

And how awesome was Omar stealing Marlo's new ring?

[stereosforgeeks]

new wire sig... let's see if this works

[NudeAndAroused]

The show is just brilliant. I am really surprised that the powers that be at HBO actually thought about not renewing it.

[stereosforgeeks]

The show is just brilliant. I am really surprised that the powers that be at HBO actually thought about not renewing it.

It doesn't have much of an audience. Luckily the costs are minimal and the critical acclaim is unanimous.

[John-Locke]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeit!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeit!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[ThisIsTheGirl]

OK, I am so close to being fully caught up with you guys. The last few weeks have been an orgy of Wire-love in my house. Far too many cool things for me to mention. Probably my favourite scene of the first 3 seasons was the conversation between Bunk and Omar in episode 31, "Homecoming". It's possibly the first time we ever see Bunk display some genuine emotion, rather than his standard wisecracking hilarity. When he's shaking his fist in Omar's face, I was kind of astonished at the way the actor was able to convey his character's feelings about Omar - I even got the impression that he hates Omar so much because he sees elements of himself in Omar. Fucking awesome scene.

As others have mentioned I also LOVED the mirroring of Namond's dialogue with Clay's, in the second ep of Season 4. I haven't got much further than that yet, but I will. Oh yes, I will.

Best TV show ever? I'd have to agree, but it depends a lot on what criteria you use. It's definitely not as groundbreaking as Twin Peaks was, but what it does is take a familiar formula and do it in a way which seems almost impossible to improve upon. And to sustain that level of superb writing, direction and acting over more than 40 episodes is something that TP never achieved. So I'd say that Twin Peaks is Citizen Kane to The Wire's...I dunno, Reservoir Dogs?

I'll be back in a few days, when I'm fully up-to-date.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Probably my favourite scene of the first 3 seasons was the conversation between Bunk and Omar in episode 31, "Homecoming". It's possibly the first time we ever see Bunk display some genuine emotion, rather than his standard wisecracking hilarity. When he's shaking his fist in Omar's face, I was kind of astonished at the way the actor was able to convey his character's feelings about Omar - I even got the impression that he hates Omar so much because he sees elements of himself in Omar. Fucking awesome scene.

as per usual, astute analysis. He's disappointed in this "brother", and scolds him like he would a real brother. Part of the brilliance of The Wire is how the writers, through the various machinations of plot, get these disparate characters together to further illuminate said characters.

Episode #7

Omar Little, ass stabber! The reference book armor was brilliance...saved by an income tax manual! The Golden Rule, Man's gotta have a code...the interactions between Bunk and Omar, previously mentioned above, are exemplary.

"DARK HORSE!" Heh.

Landsman..."Fuck me, I need a hobby."

"Trick 'em into thinking they aren't learning, and they do."

Fuzzy Dunlop...great call-back joke.

and poor Bubbles. Poor, poor Bubbles. Thank you writers, it isn't enough I'm emotionally wrecked over the lives of the children, now you've gotta throw all this shit at poor Bubs.

How much does Carcetti look like the current mayor of Baltimore? And how about the "how" Carcetti got in? "And this f**k Carcetti gets to be the mayor behind the stupidity. I f**king love this town." Show them studly slobs what's what, Kima.

Yay Pearlman! Yay Daniels!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

#8 Corner Boys - "We got our thing, but it's just part of the big thing"

So, if you ever find yourself on a corner in Baltimore sellin' nose candy like Willy Wonka, finding yourself to be a landlord 'cuz you keep keys in your hand, movin' brick like a mason, sellin' that Ostrich 'cuz you're a grand wizard of the all mighty blizzard in Baltimore*, it behooves you to do yourself a lifesaving favor and make sure you know this song!

Jiggle It**.

This way, when some cat with the thousand yard stare and a slang spittin' little dreadlocked pixie come up to you and ask a seemingly innocuous question about the music scene in Baltimore, you may just get off with your life...

*drug slang courtesy of Clipse, We Got it 4 Cheap Vol. 2, still the best hip-hop album of the last two years.

**big ups to Idolator!

Ho-hum, yawn, another brilliant episode. I know most of you uncouth clowns don't know anything about it, but Baltimore Club Music is an entity unto itself and it was hysterical to see it used to such effect in this episode. Ditto the completely apropos Pogues song that got sung during the Officer's Wake.

[NudeAndAroused]

Truly this has been the most heart breaking, humorous season of "the Wire." You just want to cry when the kids are on. Dukie, Michael, Randy and Namond are very real and touching. By far, this is the best series on TV.

[NudeAndAroused]

I just saw the final episode. It will make you cry. Seriously, you will think as I did, there but for the grace of God go I. Brilliant show.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

oh dear god no...

My newest project, which is my pride and joy, is I’ve got permission from HBO to put Omar on wax. That’s going very nicely. A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine and his good friend Jam Master Jay, God bless the dead, came up with an idea of putting Omar in the studio, and a couple of years later, we got some real nice quality sounding stuff. I ain’t gonna speak too much on it, but you can definitely in ’07 expect to hear something.

[ThisIsTheGirl]

WHAT

THE


FUCK?

[ThisIsTheGirl]

My problem with this is that it would be totally out-of-character for Omar to rap. He's a cold-blooded criminal genius, for fux sake! I guess that stint in the Trapped in the Closet video got to him.


Omar don't rap.......

[Keepcoolbutcare]

WHAT

THE


FUCK?

imagine if it's any good tho'?

sensitive thugs can represent, gay-bangers (stick, if you prefer) can come out of the closet...

it's not like Omar, the character, has any less street cred than some frontin' MC's...there can be the coming of Dumbledore revelation, his first illicit hook-up, a heartfelt lament for Brandon, some bangers...

I mean, I give it NO chance, but still, it could work...can't it?

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Omar don't rap.......

heh, awesome!

[ThisIsTheGirl]

there can be the coming of Dumbledore revelation, his first illicit hook-up, a heartfelt lament for Brandon, some bangers...

I mean, I give it NO chance, but still, it could work...can't it?

I love this comment on your link:

I’ll admit I’m mildly intrigued by the idea of a concept rap album extolling the virtues of Honey Nut Cheerios and shots to the hindparts (AYO!). And I’m sure the inevitable reggaeton duet with Reynaldo is a classic of the Ya Tú Sabe caliber.

It's true, it may well be better that half the (c)rap which comes out nowadays, but............NO! I'd rather he created a new character to do it. Omar is one of my favourite characters of all time, this would cheapen him. What's the betting they'll use his "death-bringer" whistle as the hook for one of his tunes. It's "the farmer wants a wife", no? Remember where you heard it first!

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I love this comment on your link:

I’ll admit I’m mildly intrigued by the idea of a concept rap album extolling the virtues of Honey Nut Cheerios and shots to the hindparts (AYO!). And I’m sure the inevitable reggaeton duet with Reynaldo is a classic of the Ya Tú Sabe caliber.

Noz is the best hip-hop writer working the interblag today, and no one even really comes close.

What's the betting they'll use his "death-bringer" whistle as the hook for one of his tunes. It's "the farmer wants a wife", no? Remember where you heard it first!

"The Farmer in the Dell" here in the States.

fuck, that 'lil refrain actually would make a decent backbeat...

[ThisIsTheGirl]

Yeah, now you mention it I think it's the farmer in the dell here too!

[John-Locke]

Show Your Support for the Greatest TV Show of all time

Vote for:

The Wire as best TV Show
Seth Gilliam (Carver) as Best TV Actor
Lester Freamon as best Screen Detective

[ThisIsTheGirl]

You definitely going with Gilliam then?

Fair enough, I'll concur, because he really was special in Season 4....

I'll be making a sig to remind peeps about this

[TonyWilson]

Yeh, I'm down with Gilliam, like TITG says, he was special in season 4. And Freamon will probably get my vote as he's the smartest detective, but I'm damn temppted to go with Bunk.

[Pacino86845]

I just started getting into this show, and so far I'm liking what I'm seeing. Best tv show I've seen? I dunno, but I like it enough to keep watching. It's HBO quality, and that's just fine.

Fav characters so far: Freoman, Bunk (sp?), McNalty (sp?)

[John-Locke]

You probably wont realise just how great it is until the second or third season.

How many episodes have you watched so far?

[Pacino86845]

You probably wont realise just how great it is until the second or third season.

How many episodes have you watched so far?

I'm up to episode 10 of season 1.