The Wire

[dan]

Anybody watch this? I'm only about five episodes in on the first season, but it's pretty fascinating. It's about drug dealers in an inner-city Baltimore neighborhood and the undercover police trying to bust them. The whole first season covers just this one case, so it's extremely detailed, and while I obviously don't have any personal dealings with this, it seems very realistic. The interesting thing is that it gives just as much air time to the cops as it does the dealers, so you're not really sure who to root for, and there's not really any good guys or bad guys anyway, everybody's good sometimes and bad other times.

It's a bit irritating at first because there's so much street slang and police jargon used that it takes a few episodes to even get accustomed to what everybody's talking about, but once it clicks, it's pretty great.

[Hagbard Celine]

My friends have recommended this to me on multiple occasions. I haven't seen any of it yet but I definately plan to.

[dan]

For a while, it became one of those things where I refused to watch it because everybody kept telling me how great it was, and that always turns me off (see also: Juno), but the hype is true for this one. Check it out.

[NATO AIR]

For a while, it became one of those things where I refused to watch it because everybody kept telling me how great it was, and that always turns me off (see also: Juno), but the hype is true for this one. Check it out.

IMHO, "The Wire" is so great because it unfailingly remains rooted in reality, even to a fault. There are few happy endings and lots of "gray" rather than stark good or evil. Stringer Bell being an example, McNulty another.

If you make it through the whole series, Season 3 is perhaps the best and Season 4 the most thought-provoking (focusing on the school system and the intersection of ignorance, poverty, drugs, culture, etc) and heartbreaking.

The best part about it all is watching the characters grow, adapt, change, regress and fail just like real people. So much going on and for such a higher purpose in telling a story of the failed war on drugs, war on poverty and other cultural milestones and misses from all points of view.

[dan]

IMHO, "The Wire" is so great because it unfailingly remains rooted in reality, even to a fault. There are few happy endings and lots of "gray" rather than stark good or evil. Stringer Bell being an example, McNulty another.

If you make it through the whole series, Season 3 is perhaps the best and Season 4 the most thought-provoking (focusing on the school system and the intersection of ignorance, poverty, drugs, culture, etc) and heartbreaking.

The best part about it all is watching the characters grow, adapt, change, regress and fail just like real people. So much going on and for such a higher purpose in telling a story of the failed war on drugs, war on poverty and other cultural milestones and misses from all points of view.

I'm glad to hear that it expands its scope even farther, at this point, it's mainly only dealing with the police departments and "the pit" and that's about it. It is very realistic, I don't know that I'd recommend it to everyone for that very reason, it's pretty bleak, but not in an unrealistic way.

[NATO AIR]

I'm glad to hear that it expands its scope even farther, at this point, it's mainly only dealing with the police departments and "the pit" and that's about it. It is very realistic, I don't know that I'd recommend it to everyone for that very reason, it's pretty bleak, but not in an unrealistic way.

Yes, they get into the docks and longshore men in Season 2 (the death of unions and organized crime taking most of it over).

The failure of the war on drugs and the inability to reform the law (Season 3).

Season 3, 4 & 5 really look hard at city politics as well with an engaging storyline about a white councilman challenging the black political machine and the current mayor while running against his best friend (a black reformer) and then all the pitfalls of office.

Season 5 took on the media and homelessness, though this was the weakest of the seasons and the last, but still good all around.

I love the Wire because it has some of the most memorable and often incredible scenes I've ever witnessed in TV... you'll see one of them later in Season 1, then a few in Season 2, 3 and especially in Season 4. The writing is just so damn engaging.

[DrJohn]

This was the best show on television.

[dan]

I love the Wire because it has some of the most memorable and often incredible scenes I've ever witnessed in TV... you'll see one of them later in Season 1, then a few in Season 2, 3 and especially in Season 4. The writing is just so damn engaging.

Not sure if this is the one you were talking about, but...

SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS



.... the entire episode dealing with the aftermath of Greggs being shot was just outstanding. It's unbelievable how well they've managed to tie in so many different threads, McNultey's speech to his lawyer friend about how if even one of them did the right thing, it would change things so drastically blew me away. This show had me on an intellectual level, but this episode really got me emotionally, too. Such an outstanding show.

[NATO AIR]

Not sure if this is the one you were talking about, but...

SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS



.... the entire episode dealing with the aftermath of Greggs being shot was just outstanding. It's unbelievable how well they've managed to tie in so many different threads, McNultey's speech to his lawyer friend about how if even one of them did the right thing, it would change things so drastically blew me away. This show had me on an intellectual level, but this episode really got me emotionally, too. Such an outstanding show.

Definitely....


SPOILERS
SPOILERS
SPOILERS


when Rawls chews his ass in a good way telling him to get it together in the ER... that was leadership in action in a realistic manner, I mean he's clearly a self-interested prick but he knows his cops and knows what he can allow to fester and what needs to be exorcised on the spot.

[dan]

Finished the first season last night. Outstanding conclusion, I hated to see Wallace go, that scene was really hard to watch, and just as hard was D'Angelo's scene later on in jail ("where Wallace at?", just thinking about that still gives me goosebumps). It was frustrating, but ultimately pretty realistic I'm sure that Avon only got 7 years while D'Angelo took the fall. I loved that the state's attorneys suddenly didn't care about Avon anymore once they found out they had the chance of implicating the mayor. And, as much as I hate to say it, Omar is one of my favorite characters, so I was happy he showed up again at the very end.

[NATO AIR]

Finished the first season last night. Outstanding conclusion, I hated to see Wallace go, that scene was really hard to watch, and just as hard was D'Angelo's scene later on in jail ("where Wallace at?", just thinking about that still gives me goosebumps). It was frustrating, but ultimately pretty realistic I'm sure that Avon only got 7 years while D'Angelo took the fall. I loved that the state's attorneys suddenly didn't care about Avon anymore once they found out they had the chance of implicating the mayor. And, as much as I hate to say it, Omar is one of my favorite characters, so I was happy he showed up again at the very end.

Great stuff.. you'll be shocked in Season 2! Especially with the ongoing Barksdale saga that plays along in the background....

[dan]

Just finished season two. So great, I love that even though it was a new case, it was still kind of about the Barksdale case (or, I guess, the war on drugs in general).

I didn't like that D'Angelo got killed, and for that matter, I didn't like seeing Frank Sobotka killed, either. And to think the whole thing was over a disagreement over a window! I really hate that Captain. It's The Wire, so I knew he'd probably get away with it, but I was really hoping something bad would happen to him.

I guess if I had any complaint, it's that there wasn't really a lot of conclusion to this season, which, again, is probably pretty realistic. At least they set up the next season pretty well with the west side and east side dealers joining forces.

My favorite moment of the season might've been Omar's showdown with the Muslim guy in the hotel room. Omar is by far my favorite character on the show, still. When they first introduced him, he seemed like the lowest of the low, but who would've thought he had more morals than anybody else! His scene on the stand was pretty great too.

Season 3 should be here maybe today, probably Tuesday. I've heard it's the best season. Any thoughts, NATO?

[gabosaurus]

If you want to move up the reality ladder a notch, and you have an interest in gangs and street life, rent a DVD entitled "Gang Tapes."
While the action scenes on the show are not real, they are recreated from real incidents. The show uses real gang members (as opposed to actors). Some of the scenes are real life.
I read a follow up article on the movie. Within a year after "Gang Tapes" came out, at least three of the participants had died as a result of gang violence.

It's one of the most shocking and sobering shows you will ever watch.

[dan]

If you want to move up the reality ladder a notch, and you have an interest in gangs and street life, rent a DVD entitled "Gang Tapes."
While the action scenes on the show are not real, they are recreated from real incidents. The show uses real gang members (as opposed to actors). Some of the scenes are real life.
I read a follow up article on the movie. Within a year after "Gang Tapes" came out, at least three of the participants had died as a result of gang violence.

It's one of the most shocking and sobering shows you will ever watch.

Hmm, I might check this out. Might be a little too real for me.

[NATO AIR]

Just finished season two. So great, I love that even though it was a new case, it was still kind of about the Barksdale case (or, I guess, the war on drugs in general).

I didn't like that D'Angelo got killed, and for that matter, I didn't like seeing Frank Sobotka killed, either. And to think the whole thing was over a disagreement over a window! I really hate that Captain. It's The Wire, so I knew he'd probably get away with it, but I was really hoping something bad would happen to him.

I guess if I had any complaint, it's that there wasn't really a lot of conclusion to this season, which, again, is probably pretty realistic. At least they set up the next season pretty well with the west side and east side dealers joining forces.

My favorite moment of the season might've been Omar's showdown with the Muslim guy in the hotel room. Omar is by far my favorite character on the show, still. When they first introduced him, he seemed like the lowest of the low, but who would've thought he had more morals than anybody else! His scene on the stand was pretty great too.

Season 3 should be here maybe today, probably Tuesday. I've heard it's the best season. Any thoughts, NATO?

Season 3 the best? I want to agree, because it brings out the best and the worst in most of the characters while expanding the story to include new elements without sacrificing any detail. I still love where Season 4 took some of the characters as well so its close for me.

Season 3 also really amps up the consequences angle for characters. A lot of people have to pay up for past sins and errors in a variety of ways and handle this in the usual, Wire trademarked, realistic complexity and range.