The Wire Appreciation Thread

[Josh]

Season 3 spoiler

On a show like The Wire you can only really do a scene like Omar and Brother Mouzone's standoff in the alley once. But what a fucking scene it is.

One thing the Wire does so well is not dwell on things that other shows would make a huge deal out of. Omar vs. Mouzone could easily have been a series worth of material...but it didn't need to be. It did exactly what it needed to. The same can be said of some deaths, which just seem to occur almost randomly, and with little to no build-up; because that's how death is in real life. Not everything happens according to the story.

The only times the Wire really falls into TV cliché, for me, are Omar vs. Stringer - but that just works so beautifully that it's easily forgiven - and D'Angelo's chess speech in Season 1, which is just a cringeworthy, heavy-handed analogy completely at odds with the rest of the show.

That said, a lot of people criticise the final season's McNulty storyline for being too unbelievable and cartoonish, but honestly, I'd go with "Hamsterdam" as the only time it really stretches suspension of disbelief, and then the rest of that season is so strong it doesn't really matter.

You can count me among those that feel the Season 5 story of McNulty and Freamon (creating an elaborate serial killer story in order to fund their mission to take down Omar) was beginning to stretch in a weird direction. I ultimately don't dock it many points for being unrealistic (under a very, very specific set of circumstances I could see it happening), but I did fear it was dipping into sensationalism. I felt it was verging on territory that shows like CSI so often shamelessly occupy, when The Wire had often deftly avoided such traps (the brief scenes between Omar and Brother Mouzone were a great example of this.) In the end, I forgive that edging toward sensationalism, as it was really more a side effect, rather than the actual intent. It makes sense that in the Fifth Act, so to speak, the Tragic Hero's emphasis shifts heavily to tragic. McNulty was as idealistic as anyone you could possibly find in this specific world (Freamon, at a different point in his trajectory, is a similar example), and in that world idealsim must either be snuffed out or solidify into blind determinism. When all is said and done, if I have any complaint it's that McNulty and/or Freamon's fate isn't tragic enough. That said, I can't imagine the depression the viewer would walk away with if the series were to end with McNulty in prison.

As for Hamsterdam, I fucking love that plot. Not only is it from a real example, it's another example of a tragic hero - in this case, Colvin. He had every good intention, but didn't consider the cost of his actions. It's even cooler when you think of Colvin as McNulty's mentor and how the cycle is just repeated, so to speak.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Also a fun fact, Kurt Schmoke - the mayor of Baltimore responsible for the real Hamsterdam - guest starred as an advisor to Mayor Royce (in season 3, I believe).

[Monkey D. Lars]

One more episode left in season 1, going to watch it straight away.

It's a shame that Wallace is dead, I kinda liked him and mmm I got a feeling that they won't take down Stringer Bell this season

[Josh]

The name trend slowly spreads!

I'm gonna keep using this thread to post some of my favorite scenes.

From Season 1, Episode 11:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtaf9Hp04yY

And speaking of a character in that scene . . .

(the following could be considered a spoiler for the entire series)

. . .

Is anyone else confused by the fact that Rawls was basically outed as gay (to the audience, anyway) in Season 3, Episode 10 ("Reformation"), only to never fully address this later? It does make for a fun context in a few moments later in the series, such as when Rawls checks out a girlie mag in front of Sgt. Landsman, but I otherwise didn't find any intention to build on that moment. I've seen that David Simon meant to get to a few things in the series that he never did (i.e. Cheese being Randy's father), so does anyone know if this falls into that category?

[Skummy]

Also a fun fact, Kurt Schmoke - the mayor of Baltimore responsible for the real Hamsterdam - guest starred as an advisor to Mayor Royce (in season 3, I believe).

The guest stars in the Wire are insane.

The real life Jay Landsman appears as another member of the Homicide team, Clarence Clemons is on the education board, Donnie Andrews - one of the inspirations for the character of Omar - plays one of Butchie's guys, the real life inspiration for Avon Barksdale is in there somewhere...and that's before you even get into recurring guests like Steve Earle (who's bloody brilliant in it), or that Felicia Pearson - "Snoop" - basically is the character she played.

[MalaCloudy Black]

..the real life inspiration for Avon Barksdale is in there somewhere...

The Deacon, of all people. Well, actually, Simon says (heh) that Avon's a pastiche of a couple infamous Baltimore drug lords, but the biggest inspiration seems to be "Little" Melvin, who plays The Deacon.

[Johnny Drama]

Isn't it the Deacon guy? He was like Baltimore's biggest dealer in the 70's or something

[Josh]

Also a fun fact, Kurt Schmoke - the mayor of Baltimore responsible for the real Hamsterdam - guest starred as an advisor to Mayor Royce (in season 3, I believe).

The guest stars in the Wire are insane.

The real life Jay Landsman appears as another member of the Homicide team, Clarence Clemons is on the education board, Donnie Andrews - one of the inspirations for the character of Omar - plays one of Butchie's guys, the real life inspiration for Avon Barksdale is in there somewhere...and that's before you even get into recurring guests like Steve Earle (who's bloody brilliant in it), or that Felicia Pearson - "Snoop" - basically is the character she played.

Steve. Fucking. Earle.

I loved his music before this, and loved slowly discovering how much David Simon must love him.

On a similar note (but not really the same thing), producer Robert F. Colesberry appeared as Detective Ray Cole . . .

. . . and died in 2004, as the show was still being made, which ultimately gave us the policeman's wake scene (or scenes, even.)

But yeah, even if you hadn't been told, you can eventually tell you're looking at actual Baltimore residents in many of the minor and background roles. Even a select few supporting roles, like Skummy mentioned. I can only assume the same is true of Treme - especially since a lot of the main and supporting cast of The Wire appears in Treme anyway.

Oh, and you know what was actually a bit distracting?

The random appearance of Detective Munch (Richard Belzer) late in the series, as he's only there to argue with the bartender for a bit with no real relevance to anything. That said, I do love that this brings The Wire into

The Westphall Multiverse.

[caucasianheat]

Donnell Rawlings (Ashy Larry, more famously) showing up as Day Day in a few episodes is a great unexpected guest spot. But yeah, Steve Earle's recurring role is one of the best in any show period.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Donnell Rawlings (Ashy Larry, more famously) showing up as Day Day in a few episodes is a great unexpected guest spot. But yeah, Steve Earle's recurring role is one of the best in any show period.

"Ya'll tryin' to criminate me!"

[Monkey D. Lars]

Just seen two episodes of season 2, read somewhere here that people thought that it was the weakest of the five seasons but so far I really like it.

why did Dee became a drug addict?

I really liked how McNulty screwed over Rawls

[Johnny Drama]

D Season 2

I think its because he knows he has 20 years and he was a bit weak so he turned to drugs to help him get through it

[Josh]

Just seen two episodes of season 2, read somewhere here that people thought that it was the weakest of the five seasons but so far I really like it.

Nah, Season 2 is quality.

[C-MIL]

Halfway through season three which by the properties of math puts me halfway through the whole thing.

I have a new favorite character though.

His name is Dennis.

[Johnny Drama]

That is Cutty right? Slim Charles as well

[MalaCloudy Black]

Yeah, that's Cutty. He's awesome. As is Slim Charles.

One gripe I have (contains spoilers later seasons, C-MIL)

Cutty is a recurring character throughout seasons 3 & 4 and then he makes all of one single appearance in Season 5.

[Monkey D. Lars]

The start of Episode 6 from season 2 is awesome,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re5J_GAGFuY

I should make my username something from Omar, like Omar LarZieJ Little

[Johnny Drama]

Yeah, that's Cutty. He's awesome. As is Slim Charles.

One gripe I have (contains spoilers later seasons, C-MIL)

Cutty is a recurring character throughout seasons 3 & 4 and then he makes all of one single appearance in Season 5.

I think because his story is finished. He got out of the cycle and is making a difference and with the focus switching to the political side and McNulty's scam and not the kids there isn't much for him to do

[Monkey D. Lars]

Halfway through season 2 now and it's been great so far only thing I hate is that

I just saw Dee die, I hope that guy who killed him get's killed. I liked his character

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Yeah, that's Cutty. He's awesome. As is Slim Charles.

One gripe I have (contains spoilers later seasons, C-MIL)

Cutty is a recurring character throughout seasons 3 & 4 and then he makes all of one single appearance in Season 5.

I think because his story is finished. He got out of the cycle and is making a difference and with the focus switching to the political side and McNulty's scam and not the kids there isn't much for him to do

I agree. Season 3 was about Cutty realizing that he wasn't cut out for "the game" anymore and the troubles of trying to stay straight and start his program. Season 4 was about getting kids off the corners and trying to make an impact beyond boxing. There just wasn't anything for him. Michael shot him in the foot, proving that he was beyond saving. The Wire was really good about not having characters stay on just because they are popular or former major characters. We only see Prez for about 2 minutes in season 5. Sydnor does not appear in Season 2 at all. No Wee-Bay or Avon in Season 5 beyond cameos.