My New Addiction: THE WIRE (HBO) (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Charles,

It's always good to hear from you. I read your post yesterday
and waited to respond because I was entrenched in Season 3
and didn't want to come back here and offer up any further thoughts
until I was done.

Give me a moment to talk about where I am....

I suppose this experience can be best described as How I Spent My
Summer Vacation. A week off from work and I got nothing done
because I parked my ass on the couch and did nothing but watch
THE WIRE.

Just finished Season Three and about to start Season 4.

To reflect....

I didn't particularly like this season until 3/4 of the way through when
everything really came together. There is a major payoff in this season
and when it hits in the final two episodes, it comes at you with a one-two
punch. As things wrapped up in the final season's episode, I really came
to realize that I was watching one of the finest television shows I have ever
seen.

Let me start putting some random thoughts in spoilers because I don't want
to take the chance on ruining things for anyone....

First, I nearly fell out of my chair laughing in perhaps the biggest AHA moment
of Season Three when...

Spoiler

In a gay bar, where one of Brother Mouzone's soldiers is looking for Omar,
the camera cuts to a barstool where RAWLS is sitting and enjoying himself.
I had to rewind that moment three or four times just to believe what I was
seeing. I could just imagine the talk around the water cooler at work the next
day over those few seconds of RAWLS in a gay bar. It was shocking, funny,
and just one of the most classic moments of the series.

Second...

Spoiler

Springer playing Avon and Avon playing Springer. What an astounding
buildup, then crash and burn for these two characters. The final two episodes
of Season Three did an admiral job of bringing an emotional, heart-pounding
closure to an outstanding story arc. WOW...just...WOW!

Charles, you were anything but long-winded with your post above. I read it
several times over the past day. I can relate to some of it in that I also approached
this series with the same apprehension about the subject matter and problems
understanding some of the street lingo. I began by reading the lengthy synopsis
that appears on the menu of each episode. In time, I just found that there were
too many spoilers so I went into each episode blindly. I also used subtitles to better
flesh out the street dialogue.

I can understand how you fell in love with a city you never knew but came to realize
through this series. I feel the same way. What bothers me is just how much truth
about inner-cities like West Baltimore is portrayed in this series and how much political
heads are turned away from the problems therein. It seems to me that these cities are
left to destroy themselves.

Getting back to the series itself....

I am very curious about where this show is moving to next. It seems that all the loose
ends have been tied up, so I expect a totally new story is about to unfold.

Back to the couch....

 

[TravisR]

I am very curious about where this show is moving to next. It seems that all the loose
ends have been tied up, so I expect a totally new story is about to unfold.

Without saying too much, they look at where the players in the game come from. Most people (myself included) think of the fourth season as the best of the series. Similar to the warning I gave about The Corner, S4 is heartbreaking.

Also, if you needed subtitles before, wait until you hear Snoop's accent. I'm pretty good with accents but she was occasionally tough even on my ears. Her voice brings a great sense of authenticity though. "So what, man? You earned that bump like a muhfucka, man. Keep that shit."

 

[Bryan^H]

The Wire is arguably the best show in TV history and it's the best show of the new century

Whoa! Bold statement. Actually I have heard quite a bit of praise for this series. I think I will pick it up.
As far as the premium channel shows from HBO and Showtime I have witnessed two of my all time favorites: The Sopranos, and Dexter.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

...and there is no need to actually buy the DVD set if
you want to take it for a test drive.

If you have an HBO subscription, you can watch the
entire series via HBOGO on your computer, iPad/Tablet
or phone.

I believe HBOGO is also available on many streaming
set top devices as well.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Without saying too much, they look at where the players in the game come from. Most people (myself included) think of the fourth season as the best of the series. Similar to the warning I gave about The Corner, S4 is heartbreaking.

Also, if you needed subtitles before, wait until you hear Snoop's accent. I'm pretty good with accents but she was occasionally tough even on my ears. Her voice brings a great sense of authenticity though. "So what, man? You earned that bump like a muhfucka, man. Keep that shit."

Right. Also, while watching S4, appreciate that 'Snoop' is the real deal, not an actor, but a drug dealer kid that grew up on the streets and has spent time in prison.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Also, while watching S4, appreciate that 'Snoop' is the real deal, not an actor, but a drug dealer kid that grew up on the streets and has spent time in prison.

I can sense that.

What a remarkable character. Took time for me to
realize that it was a female.

 

[Charles Smith]

Just in case I left a wrong impression, I always went into each episode blindly. I think I stopped reading disc menu overviews before watching, too. I watched each episode cold, letting it hit me however it would, then went back to do my homework on it. Once done, I then went into the next one ... always blindly.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Gotcha, Charles. Sorry, I misunderstood.

 

[Sam Favate]

Without saying too much, they look at where the players in the game come from. Most people (myself included) think of the fourth season as the best of the series. Similar to the warning I gave about The Corner, S4 is heartbreaking.

I'd second that.

Each season has its own unique identity, which is part of the show's effectiveness. I liked them all.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Just finished Season Four

Very heartbreaking season. The final episode had many
shocking and sad moments.

Spoiler

Was sad to see Bodie killed. Sad to see the Teacher's boy
back on the streets after all he tried to do for him. Sad to
see the kid in the foster home, and, getting beaten up for
being a snitch.

Not much McNulty in this season. His character stayed
more on the sidelines.

I have done 4 seasons in less than a week. As much as
I want to move on to Season 5 and get this series done, I
think I am going to step back for a few days and take a break.

As great of a show this is, it has kind of had a negative affect
on me and I want to just take a bit of a break before diving into
Season 5.

 

[TravisR]

Not much McNulty in this season. His character stayed
more on the sidelines.

Dominic West was shooting a movie (I think it was 300) so they moved McNulty to the backburner. If West had been available, I assume that the kids wouldn't have been quite as prominent and that season might not be as memorable as it ends up. McNulty is back in the forefront for the fifth season... and he comes up with a crazed but brilliant and righteous plan.

Season Five introduces the media and looks at why they cover what they cover.

Also, if you've got the series set, there's 3 prequel 'episodes' (running about 3 minutes) that were available before S5 started airing on the last disc. They all take place before the series and they feature

Spoiler

young Prop Joe, young Omar and Bunk & McNulty.

I have done 4 seasons in less than a week. As much as
I want to move on to Season 5 and get this series done, I
think I am going to step back for a few days and take a break.

As great of a show this is, it has kind of had a negative affect
on me and I want to just take a bit of a break before diving into
Season 5.

I watched Six Feet Under in big chunks and after awhile, I'd have to stop because it would just start to depress me. It was a wonderful show but it could be rough to watch some times.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Will look for those prequel episodes, Travis.

They will either be on the 4th or 5th season end discs, I would imagine.

Thanks for staying with me throughout my viewing.

 

[Didier R]

It all goes downhill after

Spoiler

Stringer Bell's death (Yes, it's Stringer Ron, not "Springer" ).

. That was a truly cathartic moment. Season 5 was a major disappointment, though.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Just wanted to return to this thread....

I finally finished Season Five of THE WIRE two days ago.

Was very happy to see that the pace of that season picked up as it neared
its conclusion. It was great to see the series come full-circle as it re-introduced
characters from past seasons, showing you what they are up to now.

Overall, probably the best series I have watched besides Deadwood.

I am so happy that after years of owning the complete DVD set, continually
putting it off because I thought I would hate it -- I finally gave it a watch.

I would absolutely recommend this show for anyone looking for something
amazingly honest and real with diverse characters. I promise this will be
one of the most amazing shows you will ever watch. I plan to revisit it again
within the next few years.

 

[jcroy]

(On a slight tangent).

I was recently addicted to watching the heavily serialized show Damages. I didn't watch the show at all, in its original first-run.

Awhile ago I watched through the season 1 bluray of the Netflix show "House of Cards", and heard about Damages being similar in spirit and style. So when I recently saw the Damages complete series dvd set at costo for a good price, I purchased it and binge watched through all five seasons.

In the past, I typically thought tv shows about lawyers or politics were kinda lame.

I haven't quite figured out yet, what makes such shows addictive. (Contrary to my past perceptions of shows in genres where I have very little to no previous interest in).

 

[Jari K]

Any Blu-ray news about this series?

 

[Dan McW]

I've tapped in to The Wire after a recent Amazon deal on the complete series. Thanks for the recommendation, Ron--I'm into season two already and am enjoying the series very much.

 

[jcroy]

My latest addiction is The Borgias.

Didn't watch it in its original first-run broadcast. I'm not into historical drama type shows at all.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Dan,

Glad to be able to turn someone on to this series.

The second season, for some, is not the best. I loved it.

Let us know how you are liking the show as you continue to progress through it.

 

[Sam Favate]

Been thinking about The Wire lately. Read an article about Camden, NJ, in Rolling Stone, called "America's Most Desperate City." It talks a lot about state funding cuts to the police department and how Camden was essentially given over to the criminals, so much so that there are t-shirts proclaiming it. In any case, the descriptions remind me a great deal of The Wire, particularly the third season, with the police-allowed drug zone among the abandoned buildings.

I don't think the article is online yet, but it's in the issue with Ron Burgundy on the cover. Fascinating read, and Wire fans will be reminded of the show in detail.