The Wire

Parent Cafe
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<p>I am a HS student, but this thread is getting no play on HSL–maybe it will have more luck here.</p>

<p>Okay, I will try to make this post short, as I can speak about this topic for years (really).</p>

<p>So, I just finished the last episode of HBO’s show The Wire (2002-2008).</p>

<p>It is the best TV show I have ever seen–and ranks up there with the best art in any field, proving television to be able to match other media’s quality.</p>

<p>The show is set in Batltimore, and while much of the cast is retained–and Baltimore always remains the central “character”–each season focuses on a difference facet of urban life:</p>

<p>1–Drug Trade+Police
2–Port System/Union
3–City Government and Bureaucracy
4–Public School System
5–Print Journalism</p>

<p>However, it is best to look at the show as one flowing narrative.</p>

<p>I watched in online, and urge anyone willing to engage intelligently in this 60-episode show to watch it. It is complex, engrossing, philosophical, and I can’t even make too much hype for it (but yes, it does have <em>some minor</em> flaws).</p>

<p>It is unflinchingly realistic, bleak, and portrays a city in decay–but also some of the hope shining out in the rot.</p>

<p>To me, Season 4 was a masterpiece within the masterpiece of The Wire–it was heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and made me reevaluate my views more than any other seasons, though all seasons made me look at my own perspectives.</p>

<p>Give it a try. I loved it from the start, with the chess scene in episode 3 completing hooking me.</p>

<p>I watched it online, but Season 1 just went OnDemand–I plan to buy the DVDs though.</p>

<p>The greatest show I have ever seen, period. And perhaps the greatest overall work of art I have ever engaged myself in.</p>

<p>Has anyone else seen it?</p>

<p><em>warning</em> There are many uses of profanity (including the n word) and a good amount of violence.</p>

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<p>ChocolateBanana - my husband and I just finished the last episode of the first season this morning. (We don’t have broadcast tv at our house, so we are usually very late to find out about good series.) I probably won’t check back on this thread because I don’t want to see any spoilers for the other seasons, but I wanted to tell you that the chess scene got me too. It seemed remarkable the first time through, and I’ve watched it several times since then. It’s not the only scene that I found so gripping, but it was one of the first.</p>

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<p>I loved The Wire. I completely agree with you - it’s the best TV series I’ve ever seen. Someone gave me a gift of all 5 seasons on DVD and I thought I was going to hate it, just based on the subject matter. Once I started watching, though, I hated for it to end!</p>

<p>I must admit it took me about 3 episodes before I could really get into it, and I had a hard time at first understanding a lot of the dialogue. But once I figured out who the characters were and how they were interrelated, I was hooked.</p>

<p>Have you read Alan Sepinwall’s blog reviews on The Wire? Google “What’s Alan Watching” and find his blog, then search down the right side of the page for the entries on The Wire. His reviews and the comments of his very intelligent readers are very insightful. I think you’ll enjoy them.</p>

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<p>I’m going to put this on my birthday list! We don’t get HBO and so have never seen the show. I’m a big fan of the series creator, David Simon, from both the TV series “Homicide”:Life on the Street" and the book the series was based on (“Homicide: Life on the Killing Streets”). I’ve always thought that “Homicide” had one of the best casts in the history of network television, with great storylines and scripts, as well.</p>

<p>The New Yorker did a great profile of Simon and the “The Wire” a couple of years ago: [Profiles:</a> Stealing Life : The New Yorker](<a href=“http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/10/22/071022fa_fact_talbot]Profiles:”>David Simon and the Creation of “The Wire” | The New Yorker)</p>

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<p>I live in Baltimore County now and lived in Baltimore city from 1983 to 1999. I love Baltimore and it was hard to watch at times, but I agree that “The Wire” is hands down the best show ever. Nothing is even in the ballpark.</p>

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<p>My husband and son were very engrossed by The Wire. My grown son-who rarely watches tv-was very taken by it.</p>

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<p>I’m with all of you. My husband and I rented the DVD’s last summer and ran through them in a short period of time because it was so good and engrossing. The music is interesting too…same theme in different modes for each season. We were sad when it was over and have yet to find anything else as good!</p>

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<p>My S, who lives in Baltimore, convinced me to try The Wire between the 3rd and 4th seasons. I rented the DVD of the first few episodes of Season 1–and found I couldn’t stop! I ended up watching all the rest over a few days. It is truly masterpiece–save for the last season, which I think suffered greatly from being shortened. I was such a fan that when I saw Jim True Frost (“Prez” in The Wire) in a play in NYC last year, I waited at the stage door like a teenager to get his autograph and gush about the show. And whenever I see a former cast member in another TV show, I get as excited as if I’m their mom! So bottom line, I also urge anyone who hasn’t seen the series to give it a try.</p>

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<p>Yet another fan. Critics refer to it as “Dickensian”, meaning it’s very much like a Dickens novel, long and sprawling and full of character and slow to get going. Yes, indeed. I’ve managed to turn one other friend into a fan, so far. Having the DVDs is wonderful because you get to watch the extras and see the British actors speaking with British accents rather than a Bal’more patois. I want to rewatch the entire thing with the commentary track. </p>

<p>Some people really are turned off by the language. It is violent and emotionally devastating. Not for everyone.</p>

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<p>Love love love “The Wire.” Omar rocks!</p>

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<p>I am so happy so many people agree!</p>

<p>I have just been affected by it so much, and I honestly cannot stop thinking about it. I wish I could see a cast member! That would be so exciting. Yeah, I guess don’t say any spoilers, in case people want to watch. It’s a shame that (relatively) not too many people know about it.</p>

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<p>My D auditioned for a part - that never materialized - in “Step Up 2” at the same casting agency that cast “The Wire.” I drove her to the audition and waited for her. There were a bunch of people waiting to audition for a small part in “The Wire.” They all had a disability of some sort. One guy, who had lost his hand in an accident, said that his doctor was told they were looking to cast the part of a disabled person so he gave the casting agent his number. He was there with his wife and they were so cute waiting for him to go in. I never figured out which episode it was. They really used a lot of “real people” in the series.</p>

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<p>^That would be a scene taking place at an army hospital looking to rehabilitate soldiers that were disabled in combat, in season 5. I forgot the particular episode, I think either 8, 9, or 10.</p>

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<p>So many people love The wire (heck, even Steven Spielberg said it was the best show on tv). My husband played the budger director during seasons 4 and 5 (although, to be honest, I only watched the scenes that he was in ;)</p>

<p>The Wire gave a lot of local Philly/Baltimore actors work. I wish that there were more series shot locally.</p>

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<p>Another vote for The Wire as the all-time best series on television, ever. We watched all 5 seasons last summer. Never intended to watch them all at once, but we just couldn’t stop.</p>

<p>While we were in the middle of Season 2, someone suggested we use the Close Captioning (subtitles) option on our TV to help understand/hear all the dialogue. What a difference that made! I highly recommend it.</p>

<p>It’s been fun to see the actors popping up in other TV shows and movies.</p>

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<p>As long as we’re on the subject, let’s mention what a travesty it was that neither the show nor any of the actors were ever nominated for Emmy awards, while junk like Boston Legal and its undistinguished cast were lauded over and over. </p>

<p>I’d be interested in knowing what hour-long dramas you fans of The Wire think are worth watching these days. I’m eagerly awaiting the return of Breaking Bad and the replay of this season’s Friday Night Lights on network TV. What am I missing out on?</p>

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<p>My son recommended The Wire…it’s the best. We still talk about certain episodes and characters, much to the chagrin of other family members who haven’t watched it.</p>

<p>I do tell folks that “getting into” it is a bit difficult. The vast array of characters and the street language take some concentration.</p>

<p>My other favorites:
The Sopranos
Deadwood
Six Feet Under</p>

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<p>Did anyone watch last week’s episode of The Good Wife? Sonja Sohn (Kima Greggs on The Wire) played a wealthy, well-dressed, perfectly coiffed businesswoman. Did Not Compute. </p>

<p>And on an earlier episode of GW, Peter Garety (Judge Phelan on The Wire) played…a judge. I looked at his nameplate on the bench to see if there was any crossover humor, but no, they gave him a different name. Obviously, I get a little distracted when I see these guys out of character—they belong in Baltimore, darn it! I can’t help myself-- I’m halfway through season 2 and while you’re watching, it stays with you.</p>

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<p>…and
Mad Men</p>

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<p>H is a cameraman and worked on a few episodes. Since we don’t have HBO, I never got to see the show. After all these great reviews, maybe I’ll try to watch some of those Wire DVDs he’s got sitting on the shelf.</p>