FTA-TV The Wire

[Lockyer24]

Think I'll have to get this based on numerous recommendations. Have seen snippets but didn't get too into it.
Is it still $12 at Big Dub?

What makes it such a great show?

 

[UpForGrabs]

What makes it such a great show?

Hmmm... what makes The Wire such a great show?

Let's see;

It's the most heartbreaking, unflinching show I've ever seen. Criminals and Police are treated with the same untarnished lens and all the show tries to do is portray real life.

Its writing is unbelievably good. You sympathise with some criminals and wish some cops will die a painful death.

Nothing is glamourised. Actors get so lost in their roles that even though you've seen them somewhere else you get convinced that they are their characters and that they must have a famous cousin who acts.

The show doesn't assume you're dumb. It challenges you to watch every frame and note everything which goes on. A character will play an important role in a season 1 episode and then disappear until a ten minute stretch of season 3 or 4 and you'll need to know who they are and the show won't remind you.

The show believes in the ability of those who've done wrong in the past to redeem themselves. The show doesn't believe life is hard, it knows that life is hard

The show loves its swearing, yet none of it's for show.

It has the great Steve Earle, basically playing a version of his former drug-addled self.

It's brilliant for a thousand other reasons as well, but none of them do justice to the show.

 

[flight23]

jesus

fair review

great read

one thing i will say that gets overlooked is the humor, when the bunk gets going it really is ****ing hilarious, as well as herc and carve, and the streets always got funny shot going on
but its only once invested in the characters, can you see how funny certain scenes are

but mainly what the guy above me said, untarnished lens, top call

 

[rick James]

Favourite 'funny' moment was:

Spoiler

"You the man Omar"

"Nah, I ain't the man, I'm just a fellow with a plan..."

"And a shotgun.. haha"

 

[UpForGrabs]

Yeah, of course I forgot to mention the humour.

It's not a funny show, but it makes you laugh. Most of those times have to do with copious amounts of Heineken being drunk by the cops.

 

[nicky]

Just finished watching season 3. At this stage my favourite character is Omar.

Worst character is Mcnulty.

This is an amazing series but I find some of the characters OTT cliches, like, mcnulty, kima, the fat black cop and ziggy from season 2.

 

[neddy36]

Just bought the Complete Series for $99 at JB.

Haven't watched an episode as yet but after reading some of the reviews, sounds like I am in for something quite memorable.

How many of you who have seen, and love the series, would like to be in my shoes of watching it all for the first time?

 

[buzzbuzz]

I wish I had waited til it was released as a $99 box set.... I actually only finished the last season about a month ago.

Oh and neddy, don't expect brilliance straight from the get-go. It takes three or four episodes to get going and you probably won't love it until the end of the first season, but you will love it.

 

[nicky]

I wish I had waited til it was released as a $99 box set.... I actually only finished the last season about a month ago.

Oh and neddy, don't expect brilliance straight from the get-go. It takes three or four episodes to get going and you probably won't love it until the end of the first season, but you will love it.

Totally agree. It's like reading a classic. You have to commit yourself but it's well worth it.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

How many of you who have seen, and love the series, would like to be in my shoes of watching it all for the first time?

Me. Me.

 

[popathon]

Just finished watching season 3. At this stage my favourite character is Omar.

Worst character is Mcnulty.

This is an amazing series but I find some of the characters OTT cliches, like, mcnulty, kima, the fat black cop and ziggy from season 2.

For real?
If so, these are for you Nicky.

 

[nicky]

lolzaS, that scene is hysterical.

I found mcnulty slightly annoying in the first season but i was still on his side so to speak. By the third season i found him petulant and childish and could really see where his superiors were coming from.

He's a bit dumb too. Like i wanted to kick him in the head at times.

 

[popathon]

lolzaS, that scene is hysterical.

I found mcnulty slightly annoying in the first season but i was still on his side so to speak. By the third season i found him petulant and childish and could really see where his superiors were coming from.

He's a bit dumb too. Like i wanted to kick him in the head at times.

I know where you're coming from. Might white it out just in case --> As annoying as he was I found the superiors and their stats game to be far more annoying than anything McNulty was doing. At Least his intentions were good plus the scenes with Bunk are gold. <--

 

[Macca19]

Just finished watching the first three seasons. Excellent show! Loved seasons 1 and 3. 2 was good, but liked the storylines of 1 and 3 a bit better.

 

[nicky]

I know where you're coming from. Might white it out just in case --> As annoying as he was I found the superiors and their stats game to be far more annoying than anything McNulty was doing. At Least his intentions were good plus the scenes with Bunk are gold. <--

Def agree and his superiors, especially the commissioner was an arseh*le, but he wasn't supposed to be anything else.

I loved bunny so was barraking for him.

 

[popathon]

Def agree and his superiors, especially the commissioner was an arseh*le, but he wasn't supposed to be anything else.

I loved bunny so was barraking for him.

Haha same, Bushy Top.

 

[nylexbandit]

Been watching this again over the last few weeks. God I hate Marlo. I thought the actor playing him was terrible as well but I read something about Marlo the other day that makes the minimalist approach make more sense and seem more acceptable

Question for fans- Who you got between the Barksdale crew and Stanfield crew if the police didn't have the wire on Barksdales crew and get Avon back in jail?

I like to think Barksdales win- Marlo seemed more gettable to me in an all out war. Could've been damn interesting as well. Avon win but his sister would probably get got by Marlo first.

Would love to see another season to see where Marlo and some other characters were heading- ended fairly ambigously. Do people think the point of the last season to show the street life is a never ending cycle? Such as Slim Charles becomes Avon, Dookie becomes Bubbles, Mike becomes Omar etc etc?

 

[likka]

Do people think the point of the last season to show the street life is a never ending cycle? Such as Slim Charles becomes Avon, Dookie becomes Bubbles, Mike becomes Omar etc etc?

Wasn't the point of the final season at all, but was a theme throughout the entire series.

People move on, but everything basically stays the same... new people rotate in the familiar roles under the pretense of "reform" in basically corrupt and/or broken systems (ie political system, police dept, legal system, education system, journalism, on the street, on the docks, etc).

Michael is new Omar
Dookie is new Bubbles
Carver is new Daniels
Sydnor is the new McNulty
Kima is new Bunk
Kenard (kid who shot Omar) is new Michael
etc...

 

[neddy36]

Just bought the Complete Series for $99 at JB.

Haven't watched an episode as yet but after reading some of the reviews, sounds like I am in for something quite memorable.

How many of you who have seen, and love the series, would like to be in my shoes of watching it all for the first time?

After 3 weeks, nearly at the end of Season 3, just episodes 10/11/12 remaining.

What an amazing show!!

 

[rocker_oz33]

the wire is F#%King show yo. and not like most shows that need to be sexed up the wire had to be watered down you dont get shows like this very often i't's all apart of the game yo

 

[hamG]

 

[Warsaw]

^ I was watching him on 25th Hour and he was exactly the same, this time as a DEA agent.

 

[clivewaterhousen]

the wire is F#%King show yo. and not like most shows that need to be sexed up the wire had to be watered down you dont get shows like this very often i't's all apart of the game yo

wickety whack!

 

[kwame]

bought the box set of this show on friday after i read a post in the lost thread of somebody saying the wire was a good show. can stop watching it now. have been on the couch all weekend. wish i`d known about it earlier.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

West Baltimore ****** is crazy man. Off the hook.