The Wire

I think Red Dragon must be a writer on the series. Great post.

To answer someone's question, I think you have to watch it right from Season 1 or you don't appreciate what's going on in the following seasons.

 

After hearing for years people mention this show, but never to the point of someone telling me how good it was and how much I was missing out, I finally decided to check it out (based on this thread, a Simmons mention... I know he's not popular around here, but oh well, and a few other people talking about it recently) and I've been blown away. I saw last week's episode, and was so hooked that I immediately went out and rented Season 1 and finished it in two days. I can't believe a show this good has been around this long and I'm just now realizing it... better late than never though.

 

http://www.slate.com/id/2149566/

This a great piece by Jacob Weisberg, who argues that The Wire is the best thing television has ever done, period.

The Simmons mention of the show both pleased me and pissed me off at the same time, to be honest. I liked that he actually was finally willing to give the show a chance (despite people begging him to do so for nearly two years), but his explanation for why it took him so long ("a show about a bunch of cops and drug dealers in Baltimore didn't appeal to me") just reminded me how closed-minded some people can be. (Again, I don't blame Bill or feel like he's closed-minded, but his initial attitude is the reason why some people won't watch.) The Wire is about cops and drug dealers the same way Moby Dick is about whale hunting. It's a hard show to get people to understand, I guess, which is why you just have to watch it. But I'll say this: While The Sopranos, LOST, 24, and Six Feet Under are all great shows, The Wire is so much better, it's not even a contest.

 

Do you guys differentiate between the best shows and your favorite shows? The Wire is the best show on television, but it's not my favorite; much in the same way The Godfather is the best movie of all-time, but not my favorite.

 

To Bill's credit, and because someone sent me a PM telling me to check out the end of his last column, here is what Simmons wrote about the The Wire recently, which makes me feel better about him mentioning it and encouraging others to watch it. He admits he didn't get it before, and feels kind of ashamed about it.

 

Say what you will about Simmmons, and even as someone who reads him regularly, there's no denying that his game has slipped, but that's a pretty damn good piece right there.

 

Yes, you are right.

Well written and properly self-deprecatory.

 

i love the wire because it contains so many of the same quality viewing attributes as oz did. you know: drug dealing, gratuitous violence, political interplay, all without the graphic man-on-man rape scenes.

 

The subtle, quiet moments are the glue of the show.

The scene where Omar can't find a way to get his cannon tucked into his pajamas and then he walks to the convenience store without it.... and through the tenement canyon you hear echoes of "Omar's coming"... "It's Omar!"... Then he asks if they have Honey Nut Cheerios.

Great scene.

 

I know it's been said, but those kids (the 4 main boys) are incredible actors.
And, the character Dookie is absolutely heartbreaking. I'm sure something (else) terrible is going to happen to him.
:-\

 

I couldn't agree more on Dookie.....I don't see his story ending well. Did you notice how Randy handed him a lunch bag as they walked to school, but later when their classmate asks to move because of Dookie's body odor, Randy laughed just as loud as everyone else. Those are the subtleties that most shows don't bother with.

And Michael will be the next Avon Barksdale/Marlo.

 

Doc --

I do make the distinction, but in the case of the Wire, it's both.

And I liked Simmons little piece there, though I think that he does skirt one obvious issue.

Some white people aren't ready to watch black people being people. They can be clowns or entertainers or good guys or bad guys.

But put them up on the screen with the same frailties as the white characters? Make them not good, not bad, but human? I'm not sure some people are ready for that.

A lot of white folk can't bring themselves to root for Omar Little. And they're missing some damn powerful art because of it.