Author Topic: The Wire is awesome (Read 7614 times)

Phoenix Dark · « **on:** December 19, 2008, 03:13:31 PM »

Just finished the first season. I went in knowing a few spoilers (and just saw another one while looking up a youtube link dammit) but overall I didn't know much about the show. Very, very good. It started off a bit slow as characters were being introduced but once things start rolling it doesn't stop. It's not the type of typical "cop show" full of chasing criminals and gun fights; hell I don't know if I'd classify it as a cop show. Either way it's definitely up my alley as a fan of shows with political intrigue and inner circle struggles. Violence is brief but always excessive

Plus the show has some great writing and each episode seemed to have multiple scenes that were just great, like

Favorite characters..

Freeman

Stringer Bell is pretty badass. Definitely not the criminal I'd want on the streets. Seems far more dangerous and effective than Avon

D'Angelo

I've heard meh things about S2. What does EB say?

Eric P · « **Reply #1 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:20:00 PM »

how would you NOT classify this as a police show?

this is probably one of the absolute best procedurals ever committed to film.

the fact is that it's not a "cops and killers are superhuman geniuses" show and as that's what most cop shows and movies have been, it colors the perception of what a cop show can be and should be.

Season 2 is excellent as is Season 3.

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #2 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:22:33 PM »

PD shows great taste once again.

Eric P · « **Reply #3 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:22:41 PM »

allow my good friend to sum up the season 2 haters.

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit

Robo · « **Reply #4 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:26:27 PM »

Season 2 is the worst in the series, but its still pretty damn excellent and is certainly enjoyable. I think the big problem is just way too many things going on at once, losing some focus. It continues with the Barksdale organization, but adds in the on-goings of the dock workers and the union, and also skips to prison stuff occasionally.

Season 3 is back on track in a big way.

Marlo

CurseoftheGods · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:28:32 PM »

Is Season 2 the one with the Polacks? I loved that season.

Eric P · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:33:30 PM »

Quote from: CurseoftheGods on December 19, 2008, 03:28:32 PM

Is Season 2 the one with the Polacks? I loved that season.

agreed.

loved the politicking

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #7 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:38:04 PM »

Yeah, it's so different from what we think of as cop shows but you're right, it truly is a cop show in its realism

Quote from: Eric P on December 19, 2008, 03:33:30 PM

Quote from: CurseoftheGods on December 19, 2008, 03:28:32 PM
Is Season 2 the one with the Polacks? I loved that season.

agreed.

loved the politicking

So S2 has more political stuff? Cool. I've seen the sheeeeiit clip so I know a bit about that

What about the other seasons?

Eric P · « **Reply #8 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:46:59 PM »

season 2's main thing is the dock worker's union against the police establishment, and the fall out from that leads to mcnulty and crew's wire being used against the dock workers.

it's also about the lives of the blue collar whites in baltimore.

Draft · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:51:01 PM »

Rman · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2008, 03:52:10 PM »

Gotta watch this and Big Love. So many shows to watch.

Beezy · « **Reply #11 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:34:17 PM »

I've had seasons 1-3 on dvd for a year now, but I'm too lazy to start watching them. Maybe I'll start once I'm done with finals.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #12 on:** December 19, 2008, 04:35:03 PM »

damn when are you guys done? I've been finished since monday

Beezy · « **Reply #13 on:** December 19, 2008, 05:15:45 PM »

Quote from: Thanks But No Thanks on December 19, 2008, 04:35:03 PM

damn when are you guys done? I've been finished since monday

Tuesday :'(

CUNY schools are distinguished mentally-challenged

Don Flamenco · « **Reply #14 on:** December 19, 2008, 05:21:50 PM »

it only gets better and that includes season 2. It is a diversion, but makes perfect sense.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Since the barksdale crew needs time to recuperate, why not show another aspect of crime and politics in the meantime? there's so much leading up to Avon's release that it makes sense to tell a side story while intermittently showing what's going on in the west side gang. that way, there's no huge artificial jump in time between seasons.

[close]

I had to write a paper on season 3 for my criminology course this semester and watched it twice through. was one of the worst papers I've written throughout my college career. The main reason is that it was only supposed to be 7 pages long--that's just not enough space to write about the show. Season 3 is fucking amazing, so any time I started discussing a point, I felt like I was selling it short.

the moral is that no matter what you think of season 2 (it's not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be, it's just a huge side story), season 3 delivers ten fold.

Quote from: Kosma on December 19, 2008, 04:43:51 PM

What are finals? Like high school?

college. you have the semester, then the final week is final tests for your classes or due dates for your final papers.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #15 on:** December 19, 2008, 05:43:00 PM »

No one has mentioned S4 or S5. Any thoughts?

Eric P · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2008, 06:09:28 PM »

in my mind the story that they were aiming for wrapped after season 3, and everything kind of wraps perfectly

season 4 while there was a story(the discussion of the school system), i don't think it was as well developed.

Draft · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2008, 09:09:42 PM »

Season 4 is incredible.

Season 5 is the weakest season. It's good The Wire ended when it did.

Imagine The Fonz, jumping the shark. Imagine the moment just before he lands and completes the successful jump. That's when season 5 of The Wire ends. Just a hair's breadth shy of jumping that shark.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2008, 07:20:35 PM »

I started S2 last night. So far...starting slow but the first season did too. Can't say I'm interested in the dock stuff, or the ridiculous cops vs dock workers feud. The dock stuff has potential though.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Seems like the mob (or someone) was smuggling a bunch of stuff into the docks while dock workers turned a blind eye (and stole TVs and stuff). Now the police have been brought in and the mob is getting rid of loose ends.

[close]

Mandark · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2008, 07:50:28 PM »

Quote from: Eric P on December 19, 2008, 06:09:28 PM

in my mind the story that they were aiming for wrapped after season 3, and everything kind of wraps perfectly

Agreed. S1-3 can be taken as its own arc, though I still thought the last two seasons were excellent TV in their own right.

The Polish dockworkers in S2 didn't grab me the way the first season characters did. It might be a function of their plotline. A story about stagnant, dying communities and unions just isn't going to be dynamic the way a crime story can be.

edit: And a completely epic SMH at PD getting to The Wire before the Seattle shat pack. Shame on you all.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2008, 08:00:46 PM »

And another SMH @ me for not understanding the police jargon in this show. I've visted Detroit enough and listened to enough Wu to understand the drug slang but the police stuff had me baffled through the first season, to the point where I'd have to google things. I knew things were bad when I looked up "DOA" and realized fuck, it just means dead on arrival

Don Flamenco · « **Reply #21 on:** December 21, 2008, 09:15:36 AM »

Quote from: Draft on December 19, 2008, 09:09:42 PM

Season 4 is incredible.

Season 5 is the weakest season. It's good The Wire ended when it did.

Imagine The Fonz, jumping the shark. Imagine the moment just before he lands and completes the successful jump. That's when season 5 of The Wire ends. Just a hair's breadth shy of jumping that shark.

Let me guess- Avon gets busted out of prison by the guys from prison break, who have a friend in NASA who gets them on a shuttle to the moon. Then McNulty pulls strings in the department, breaking the chain of command on Lt. Daniels, to get space suits and training to fly up there and tap their space transmissions.

Guybrush Threepwood · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2008, 02:18:18 PM »

http://www.amazon.com/Wire-Complete-Dominic-West/dp/B001FA1P1W/

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2008, 02:20:50 PM »

complete series boxed set for $90 @ BestBuy

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9124716&st=the+wire&lp=1&type=product&cp=1&id=1914343

I'm about halfway through season 2 and it is really good. I couldn't believe that they continued all of the storylines from the first season.

Omar

Biggest badass ever

drew · « **Reply #24 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:17:42 AM »

so when does this start to pick up?

im halfway through the first ep

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #25 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:23:44 AM »

kill yourself

drew · « **Reply #26 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:25:43 AM »

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #27 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:26:55 AM »

It does start out kind of slow, but it picks up. I don't remember the first episode being anything special, so hold judgment until a few more episodes into the season.

drew · « **Reply #28 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:28:36 AM »

im not making any kind of judgement!

i just read up above that it started out slow and was wondering when it does pickup.

i got the 5 season boxset from bestbuy yesterday

im right at the part where that white detective has to stay up late to write a report for his boss

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #29 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:32:01 AM »

McNaulty, at least in the first season, is awesome at trolling Rawls. 23 discs in that box set, right? Are there a ton of special features or extras in the boxed set? I ordered mine, just waiting on it to arrive

drew · « **Reply #30 on:** December 22, 2008, 10:35:14 AM »

actually my sister got it for me as a christmas gift and i snuck a few discs out

the only special features on the discs so far have been the normal subtitles etc

theres probably a disc devoted to special features in there

it does come with a nice beefy book

drew · « **Reply #31 on:** December 22, 2008, 01:51:57 PM »

shit man this is so realistsic compared to other shows its actually kind of depressing

reminds me of when i used to live in cincy. where does this show take place anyway?

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #32 on:** December 22, 2008, 01:54:24 PM »

Baltimore...

Anyway just watched the third ep of S2. Things are getting interesting

TVC15 · « **Reply #33 on:** December 22, 2008, 01:54:33 PM »

Quote from: Mandark on December 20, 2008, 07:50:28 PM

edit: And a completely epic SMH at PD getting to The Wire before the Seattle shat pack. Shame on you all.

I've seen the first season and the first ep of the second. I'm probably going to pick up the series set sometime this week.

drew · « **Reply #34 on:** December 22, 2008, 01:58:53 PM »

is every season 4:3?

even the Sopranos first season was widescreen

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #35 on:** December 22, 2008, 02:00:47 PM »

yea that annoys the hell out of me

drew · « **Reply #36 on:** December 22, 2008, 02:07:58 PM »

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #37 on:** December 22, 2008, 05:39:27 PM »

Quote from: Drewsy on December 22, 2008, 01:58:53 PM

is every season 4:3?

even the Sopranos first season was widescreen

Are you serious? There's no widescreen option on the boxed set? Fuck me if true

drew · « **Reply #38 on:** December 24, 2008, 05:24:03 AM »

wow this show is pretty dry

ill keep at it though

TVC15 · « **Reply #39 on:** December 24, 2008, 05:33:46 AM »

Quote from: Drewsy on December 24, 2008, 05:24:03 AM

wow this show is pretty dry

That's as apt a description for my reaction as can be stated. I understood the quality of the show. It had great writing. and despite being non-widescreen, it framed shots in attractive manners, but so much of the show felt, for lack of better words, clinical and sterile to me. I'd contrast this with Mad Men, which also has strong writing, but manages to have something of a personality.

drew · « **Reply #40 on:** December 24, 2008, 05:51:16 AM »

Guybrush Threepwood · « **Reply #41 on:** December 26, 2008, 05:49:43 PM »

I want to buy the complete series, but apparently there are issues with the packaging?

Olivia Wilde Homo · « **Reply #42 on:** December 26, 2008, 05:52:40 PM »

The Shield is superior but The Wire is a good watch.

I own the first season and rented/borrowed the others and it is worth the watch. Not keen on buying the entire set just yet but I will snag it eventually.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #43 on:** December 27, 2008, 04:10:11 AM »

Episodes 5-7 of S2>>>>Episodes 1-4

Things have finally come together and it's fuck awesome. The dock stuff really baffled me initially, but now it's quite compelling. From Frank Sobadka trying to keeping his union afloat by any means necessary to his nephew getting involved with the drug trade, thus catching the eye of Baltimore's finest. But perhaps the most interesting arc is:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Stringer Bell. In the first season Avon constantly told him to let D'Angelo's fuck ups get a pass because "he's family." It's kinda odd that someone as cautious and calculating as Bell would fuck up so bad by killing D'Angelo. Granted it ensures he doesn't bring them all down with a testimony, but Bell is toast if Avon finds out about the hit. He's not apart of the family, he has no leverage. Despite the hit Bell is pretty loyal, but damn I'm convinced he'd run the organization far better than Avon.

[close]

drew · « **Reply #44 on:** December 28, 2008, 12:41:29 AM »

Quote from: Guybrush Threepwood on December 26, 2008, 05:49:43 PM

I want to buy the complete series, but apparently there are issues with the packaging?

what?

no.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #45 on:** December 28, 2008, 04:48:45 AM »

Season is getting better and better

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Bell going behind Avon's back like this is going to catch up with him eventually. Last episode I watched ended with some Muslim elite hitman arriving to provide muscle. Honestly I think he'll mainly be Avon's eyes and ears on the street.

[close]

Guybrush Threepwood · « **Reply #46 on:** December 28, 2008, 08:48:53 AM »

Quote from: Drewsy on December 28, 2008, 12:41:29 AM

Quote from: Guybrush Threepwood on December 26, 2008, 05:49:43 PM
I want to buy the complete series, but apparently there are issues with the packaging?

what?

no.

A couple of Amazon reviews say that the DVDs are placed in some shitty cardboard sleeves and that some of them are scratched when you first take them out.

Powerslave · « **Reply #47 on:** December 28, 2008, 08:52:45 AM »

Gonna start watching this show soon.

Beezy · « **Reply #48 on:** December 30, 2008, 02:20:38 PM »

I finally started watching this Sunday night and I just finished watching season 1. The show owns. I don't know why I waited so long to watch it.

S1 spoiler:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Wallace :'(

[close]

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #49 on:** December 30, 2008, 02:35:27 PM »

Quote from: Guybrush Threepwood on December 28, 2008, 08:48:53 AM

Quote from: Drewsy on December 28, 2008, 12:41:29 AM
Quote from: Guybrush Threepwood on December 26, 2008, 05:49:43 PM
I want to buy the complete series, but apparently there are issues with the packaging?

what?

no.

A couple of Amazon reviews say that the DVDs are placed in some shitty cardboard sleeves and that some of them are scratched when you first take them out.

None of mine looked particulay scratched, luckily, but the packaging truly is shit.

drew · « **Reply #50 on:** December 30, 2008, 03:29:50 PM »

mine is great

what the fuck?

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #51 on:** December 30, 2008, 03:36:59 PM »

None of your discs were lodged deep in that cardboard garbage?

drew · « **Reply #52 on:** December 30, 2008, 04:23:24 PM »

not yet, im only on disc 4 of the first season tho

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #53 on:** December 30, 2008, 04:39:14 PM »

Oh, I went through my whole package to see that all the discs at least worked. Hopefully none of them skip. I'll be pissed after selling my individual seasons that all worked perfectly.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #54 on:** December 31, 2008, 02:27:36 AM »

Finished S2 a couple days ago and started S3 today. As I said before S2 starts out slow but once things get going it never stops. By the end I actually gave a shit about the new characters introduced

spoilers

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Frank Sobodka especially. Great character plus all his outbursts were note worthy imo.

Also Brother Muzone

Stringer Bell is perhaps my favorite character but he's fucked. Initially I thought he'd be far more dangerous on the streets than Avon but damn, nearly all of his executive moves fizzled and will probably lead to him getting killed. The D'Angelo hit, dealing with Proposition Joe behind Avon's back, and the failed Muzone hit. That last fuck up especially struck me as odd; he had to know Omar was too smart for that. Now all his enemies have heavy dirt on him.

[close]

S3 has started off great. S2 did a great job of setting up S3, and the transition has been very smooth compared to the "hey, remember the stuff we did a few months ago? That was so fun wasn't it guys..." beginning of S2.

Also: Method Man

Darunia · « **Reply #55 on:** December 31, 2008, 12:15:12 PM »

One of the best shows I ever watched. Season 5 is a bit of a weak link though. I'd rank the seasons 4>3>1>2>5

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #56 on:** January 01, 2009, 02:58:23 AM »

S3 is awesome so far; 5 episodes in

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Avon is out of jail, now Bell is trying to keep him away from the business. They were a perfect team, one street oriented the other a level headed businessman. Now the businessman is taking over. Can't wait to see how this ends, although I have a feeling Bell's fuck ups from S2 are going to haunt him. But damn, right now he has Baltimore on lock

[close]

Beezy · « **Reply #57 on:** January 01, 2009, 03:02:47 AM »

Smh @ Ziggy. Two more eps and I'm done with season 2. I only have up to season 3 on dvd. I need to get seasons 4 + 5 somehow.

Phoenix Dark · « **Reply #58 on:** January 01, 2009, 03:09:30 AM »

I just rent them from Hollywood Video; they have seasons 1-4

Hopefully they'll have S5 by the time I finish S4

Ziggy

Beezy · « **Reply #59 on:** January 01, 2009, 03:12:52 AM »

"You know what the most dangerous thing is in America? A black man with a library card."

I love this guy. He's like Benson with a handgun.

News:

Author Topic: The Wire is awesome (Read 7614 times)