The Wire Appreciation Thread

[Benji]

IT BEGINS. I'm giving the show its last chance to grab me, but unlike the last three times I'm not marathoning it, but watching an episode daily to try and slow burn into it. Thoughts to follow once I get to an episode I haven't seen yet (which I think is episode seven).

[HC]

Finished on Tuesday. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Season 4 and 2 were my favorites.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I'll agree on 4, but man, 2 just did not grip me at all. That was probably my least favorite season, the dock worker stuff just didn't do it for me. I'd probably go in order: 4 > 5 > 1 > 2 > 3. I like how everything gets wrapped up in season 5, especially

Omar being shot, and Michael leaving town only to come back and essentially be the new Omar.

"Shit, you just a boy!"
"That's just your knee."

[HC]

I completely agree with season 3 being my least favorite. Aside from Stringer getting his, it just didn't hold up to the others for me. I'd probably go 4 > 2 > 1 > 5 > 3. I just loved how much of a contrast season 2 was from the first season and any others after. The Sobotkas and The Greek all captivated me. I love season 4 for Prezbo and the kids. I'm a little bummed Snitchin Ass Randy and Dukie got such raw deals in the end, but that's life. I couldn't believe how Omar went out, but the more I thought about it, the more I accepted it. He got sloppy, and the game caught up with him in the most unexpected way. It's also cool the kid that did it was the same one pretending to play as Omar in season 3. Cheese's death was the most satisfying thing ever, but I'm a little ticked Marlo never got his. Hated that fucker.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

I completely agree with season 3 being my least favorite. Aside from Stringer getting his, it just didn't hold up to the others for me. I'd probably go 4 > 2 > 1 > 5 > 3. I just loved how much of a contrast season 2 was from the first season and any others after. The Sobotkas and The Greek all captivated me. I love season 4 for Prezbo and the kids. I'm a little bummed Snitchin Ass Randy and Dukie got such raw deals in the end, but that's life. I couldn't believe how Omar went out, but the more I thought about it, the more I accepted it. He got sloppy, and the game caught up with him in the most unexpected way. It's also cool the kid that did it was the same one pretending to play as Omar in season 3. Cheese's death was the most satisfying thing ever, but I'm a little ticked Marlo never got his. Hated that fucker.

Marlo getting "his" was after his supposed time with the "crown," nobody on the street knew who he was. All he cared about was his name and he asks the random guy on the street and the guy didn't know. Eventually he'll get back in the game because he's a sociopath and get his because his organization is gone. Chris is in prison, Snoop is dead, Cheese is dead and everybody else is either in jail, dead or moved on. Marlo, much like Avon, was analog in a digital age. He didn't care about money or product, just having territory and having "the crown." Slim Charles running the Co-Op with the Greeks backing ran things at the end.

But the correct order is 2, 4, 1, 3, 5.

[Monkey D. Lars]

I should really finish the last 2 seasons!

[Skummy]

I'll have to re-watch all this some time - I think most people dislike Season 2 because it's so unexpected but, thinking back, it's a really solid season and I think I'd enjoy it so much more the second time round, I just kept expecting something else to happen. The storytelling was superb, though, and I loved the character of The Greek and everything surrounding him.

Seasons 3 and 4, from what I remember, were both superb, but both felt like they were building to something else. You get a few big moments but, season 4 especially, just kind of fades out, there's no finality. I love that in The Wire nothing's ever really resolved, but season 5 does that in the best way - for every happy ending, there's a corresponding bad one that just redresses the balance.

[Benji]

Watching daily seems to be working. I am at episode six at the moment. I like Bubs and do not look forward to the fact he will likely die a horrid death because he's a snitch

[apsham]

Holy motherfucking shit. The ending of episode 4x10 has to be my absolute favorite as far as character progression and just flat out brutality goes.

When Chris can't even wait to get Michael's step-father into the vacant (or perhaps it was his plan not to) and bludgeons him to death in a brutal, brutal way. This causes the two best reactions this seasons and probably on the show.

1. Snoop's face as she watches Chris, who she has murdered MANY people with pounding away at him.
2. Michael's look to his mother as he walks down the stairs and grins at her, both of them knowing what's happening.

[MalaCloudy Black]

That reminds me of another one of my favorite death scenes in this show (season 5 spoilers):

"How my hair look, Mike?"

[Benji]

Got to season one episode seven last night, turns out I hadn't got this far yet, think it must have been episode five I'd seen up to. The show is much better watching an episode or two daily and letting it sink in, with one after the other the pace felt a little too slow. Still not thinking "best show ever", but it's gone up in my estimation and I can see it growing on me more as I get towards the end of the season.

Also a part that amused me (season two spoiler within)...

... McNulty mentioning how he hates boats and the such in an early episode made me laugh, because I already know he winds up doing some kind of work in that area in season two.

[apsham]

I adore Landsman too. Knowing that the real guy is in the show too just makes it as well.

Landsman: You know what he is? He is a vandal. He is vandalizing the board. He is vandalizing this unit. He is a Hun, a Visigoth, a barbarian at the gate, clamoring for noble Roman blood and what's left of our clearance rate.

[Benji]

Yeah, now I'm sold.

http://youtu.be/WP-lrftLQaQ

[apsham]

Welcome Benji, welcome.

[MalaCloudy Black]

HEY YO OMAR COMIN'

Wait until you get to the scene where Omar goes out for Cheerios in just a bathrobe and every dealer on the block is so terrified of him they just drop their stashes without any provocation. I think that's.. season 2? 3 maybe?

[apsham]

HEY YO OMAR COMIN'

Wait until you get to the scene where Omar goes out for Cheerios in just a bathrobe and every dealer on the block is so terrified of him they just drop their stashes without any provocation. I think that's.. season 2? 3 maybe?

I believe it's the tail end of 3, as I saw it recently.

[Benji]

Finished season one and it grew on me. I mean, it's not the best show ever, and I think people saying that are over selling it significantly and will put people off, but it is a genuinely great show. The way everything built was phenomenal. Interested to see how/if they continue all those hanging plot lines considering that ending.

[Skummy]

For me, it's how they deal with those hanging plot lines across a further four seasons, and how stuff will happen in one season that doesn't become important for another two, and so on and so forth, that makes it the best TV drama ever.

[apsham]

Mmmhmm. Season one is absolutely just the beginning. A lot of what is amazing about The Wire occurs because of things that happened in season one and how it's handled and called back to in season's four and five.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Working through Series 3 at the minute and have loved it since the first series. Well worth the hype, definitely one of the best programmes I've seen.

Series 1 and 2 definitely took a while to get into but both times it felt sad to leave the "world" they were in. Series 3 sounded weak on paper but in reality it's really good so far and hooked me quicker than the other two.