The Wire

[Ignatius 4001]

I thought the media angle would have been stronger as a recurring minor theme through all the seasons than as one of the two major themes of 5. The fake serial killer thing was fucking stupid….

[threesheets 1652]

On 7/4/2023 at 10:54 PM, mdmost said:

Got to see him perform live in Glengarry Glen Ross in Dallas a while back. Killed. 

[Eskimohorn 5613]

The Wire is an anti-police procedural, and while it sympathizes with police officers, it deglamorizes the job. You see detectives reluctantly investigate homicides, game the crime stats, run in circles, get outsmarted, and pressured and stymied by superiors. They are a kog, custodians of crime. It’s what Unforgiven was to westerns.

[Slacks 6791]

On 7/5/2023 at 7:30 AM, VirginiaLonghorn said:

Talk, talk, talk …

[HornOnTheBayou 8881]

On 7/3/2023 at 2:51 PM, mchookem said:

it is more than a cop show, more than even a cop/criminal show as stated above. Bawl-more is the primary character, as a stand-in for...i dunno, the corrosion of the American dream, the rot hidden by the shininess of unchecked capitalism... something quite expansive. and uniquely American. Stringer was a pretty tragic character in that regard; Avon amazed at his 'crib overlooking the harbor'; Cutty struggling to start something positive; 'the game' on literally every level...shades of Michael Corleone 'it's not personal, it's just business'.

[Guest]

On 6/14/2023 at 1:04 PM, mchookem said:

ok... two seasons down. it's good... really good. excellent writing, feels very authentic and the acting is stellar. reminiscent of NYPD Blue in the feel of it, which i think makes sense given the overlapping seasons. 

Bunk is my favorite, followed by Omar... but i'm worried Omar won't have a good ending 😕 that's the game, baby... don't spoil me!

i appreciated how they went from the black/projects-centric storyline to the white working class plot...great job intertwining the stories... and showing how they all feed up to corruption🤨 i've only watched one episode of S3 so far... but from that i'm guessing we're going to get a clearer picture of that slice of the story.

man...Baltimore bureau of tourism must have hated this show lol. pretty bleak. 

having said all that... it's an excellent cop show... but it's still a cop show. i don't find anything groundbreaking, it's full of pretty standard cop-show archetypes. Omar is the obvious exception... what a great character! also there are so many Oz alum! takes me back to that TV time lol. 

anyways... guess i'm saying it's really good but i'm not sure it's that much better than other HBO product... it's certainly not the most original.

 

I know I’m quoting a post about a month old, but it’s the best show of all time, hands down. I wish I’d never seen it and was watching it fresh. It’s nothing like a typical cop show. Particularly one on network TV from the 90s. 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Porterhouse

[Sawbonz 27419]

On 7/3/2023 at 2:51 PM, mchookem said:

just wrapped up S3... final two episodes were 😲. Avon and Stringer both turning on each other was some dramatic shit!

season as a whole was pretty gripping... i'm a government/political nerd anyway, so i really dug it. so frustrating and ragey at times! fatalistic... everything so broken and corrupt, how can it ever be fixed?? even the cops and politicians rage against the machine.

i am annoyed by the pronunciation of Carcetti's name lol... really seems like the second 'c' should have a 'ch' sound. but i'm not Italian or from Bawl-more so what do i know 😜

it is more than a cop show, more than even a cop/criminal show as stated above. Bawl-more is the primary character, as a stand-in for...i dunno, the corrosion of the American dream, the rot hidden by the shininess of unchecked capitalism... something quite expansive. and uniquely American. Stringer was a pretty tragic character in that regard; Avon amazed at his 'crib overlooking the harbor'; Cutty struggling to start something positive; 'the game' on literally every level...shades of Michael Corleone 'it's not personal, it's just business'.

i'm sure i will go back and read this thread and others have expounded more eloquently (i haven't read anything beyond this page so i won't be spoiled).

it is still full of a number of traditional cop show character tropes, i don't see why everybody got their panties in such a twist over that observation after just two seasons 😋 i appreciated the 'natural police' exposition throughout this season, an interesting way to think of law enforcement.

blink and you miss Rawls in the gay bar 😆 

Season 4 will gut you

[South Austin 52140]

48 minutes ago, Sawbonz said:

Season 4 will gut you

Absolutely. And those kids were great actors.

[Davis Lane 5553]

6 hours ago, Sawbonz said:

Season 4 will gut you

After season 4 I down right hated this motherfucker.

[Gil Bang 25897]

that still pic of Nick's GF's tits, as fantastic as it is, don't do her justice.  In the video, they have an absolutely sublime jiggle.

[Gil Bang 25897]

HELLO

 

https://celebjihad.com/celeb-jihad/php/TerribleIgnorantAsianpiedstarling.gif

 

fuck

https://celebjihad.com/kristin-proctor/kristin-proctor-nude-scene-from-the-wire-enhanced-in-4k

 

 

[BigOrange1 6422]

i took a sociology class on the wire this summer so i have just finished up my 7th or 8th rewatch of the series (but my first in at least 4 years or so).  its incredible to me that the show remains so topical and relevant and impactful, even when you know what's coming.  

in regards to the discussion regarding what the show is "about," i actually wrote a little about that in one of my papers for the class i took.  here is my take:

Spoiler

When one is asked what The Wire is “about,” it is often a difficult question to answer.  A simple answer might be that it is a show about a police department’s attempt to maintain order in Baltimore by targeting the drug trade, much aligned with the theory behind America’s War on Drugs.  But that response lacks so much and shortchanges the show.  The reason it is such a hard question to answer is because the show incorporates so many of America’s social institutions into its overall narrative.  By doing so, the show informs the viewer as to how they are all connected to one another and how they all have an impact on the overall quality of social life within a community.  The problems caused by drugs, or violence, or loss of industrial work do not exist in a vacuum.  They have wide-reaching effects which, eventually, affect the quality of social life for everyone.  A more comprehensive response to the question regarding what The Wire is about might be that it is a show about an American city and how the failure of its social institutions can have devastating effects upon its citizens.  By watching the show, one gains a better understanding of the importance of ensuring that the social institutions within a community work together in order to enhance the quality of life for all of its residents.  Otherwise, the devastations which are caused by their failures will eventually bleed into the lives of everyone in the community.  All the pieces matter.

 

i'm sad i'm done with another re-watch, knowing that it will probably be at least another 4 or 5 years before i take another visit to the streets of baltimore.

[Party_Taco 3674]

Got damn… I never knew the name of that location until now. That’s 10 blocks from my first apartment in Baltimore and also an entire world away.

Saw a ton of filming locations just bouncing around town, but never thought to look this one up. It’s such a block-block city that you often forget that bad things are just around the corner… it’s that way everywhere.

[cmontexas 3253]

Im through Season 3 and am taking a break before Season 4-5. Ive never watched the show before, but am sonewhat familiar with the characters from the memes and gifs and clips on tik tok. I marked when the Wee Bey processing information gif part happened.

D was my favorite character, and the scene with Jimmy guilt tripping his mom (Avon sister) is probably the most important moment of the entire series leading to the B&B split.

Cutty's arc is satisfying watching him try to build a life outside the game after being in prison so long, something DeAngelo never got the chance to do.

[cmontexas 3253]

Also I feel like Nicky Sobotka could have gotten some fuckin hours at work considering he's Frank Sobotka's compentant nephew and clearly plugged into the inner workings and shady dealings of that operation

[mchookem 16206]

i also took a break after S3... just so much story to keep at nonstop. i don't really watch much tv as it is so it takes me a while to get thru a season.

plus all my Hulu favs came out with new seasons basically at the same time, so catching up on all them 😁

[Incredulity 11563]

2 hours ago, cmontexas said:

Also I feel like Nicky Sobotka could have gotten some fuckin hours at work considering he's Frank Sobotka's compentant nephew and clearly plugged into the inner workings and shady dealings of that operation

[ConferenceRoom 6130]

I love Cutty. 

[dogbreath 431]

19 hours ago, cmontexas said:

Also I feel like Nicky Sobotka could have gotten some fuckin hours at work considering he's Frank Sobotka's compentant nephew and clearly plugged into the inner workings and shady dealings of that operation

Frank’s elected and needs to stay elected for Nick to be able to keep the grift going. Frank needs the money to dole it out to those in need, stained glass offering and to grease the powers to be on the grain pier. Nicky needs to get as many hours as everyone else. Frank continuing to be elected is no sure thing and with a fuck up like Ziggy, he needs to show as little favoritism as possible to Nicky. 

[TwiceHorn 31268]

15 minutes ago, dogbreath said:

Frank’s elected and needs to stay elected for Nick to be able to keep the grift going. Frank needs the money to dole it out to those in need, stained glass offering and to grease the powers to be on the grain pier. Nicky needs to get as many hours as everyone else. Frank continuing to be elected is no sure thing and with a fuck up like Ziggy, he needs to show as little favoritism as possible to Nicky. 

Yeah, Frank's a great character.  One of the few non-cop morally ambiguous characters,** along with Omar.  He crimes for the benefit of his union/members and strives to keep the rest of the union as clean as he can.

**On reflection, that's probably not accurate.  But, he is the first central "bad guy" character to be presented as morally ambiguous.

Edited August 8, 2023 by TwiceHorn

[cmontexas 3253]

I finished S4 and am halfway through season 5. Season 4 has to be the greatest season of television ever produced. I cried like a baby for Bodie, what a soldier. 10 mfin toes strong. Also, Wee Bey man. Namond didnt need to get out as bad as Dukie or Randy but I think that was kindof the point. Haves stay havin. Dukie not built for the streets either but him and Randy didn't have a father like Wee Bey willing to swallow his pride and sign them over. So the system swallows them up

As others have said here, the serial killer storyline in S5 is dumb and takes too much time. All the stuff with CIA,Clay Davis, Marlo's motion and that scumbag Herc is great.

One of the best parts of s4 IMO was McNulty's limited involvement. Made his "you're a soldier" to Bodie more impactful. McNulty's character is one of the weakest on the show to me I cant stop thinking about Louis CKs bit about Good Will Hunting HE WROTE THE FUCKING MOVIE every time Jimmy fucks another random chick and is an exaggerated drunken asshole

[cmontexas 3253]

Which newspaper character is supposed to be Simon? Homicide or the lying dude? Or is it the oldtimer that got laid off

[Homercles 10205]

On 5/29/2023 at 8:15 PM, henrygandorf said:

 

Actor did a great job opposite Snoop…love the look on his face when she’s saying a .22 can drop someone

 

[Homercles 10205]

On 8/7/2023 at 2:35 PM, ConferenceRoom said:

I love Cutty. 

He a man today

Edited August 12, 2023 by Homercles

[seven 1366]

On 7/8/2023 at 9:25 PM, threesheets said:

Got to see him perform live in Glengarry Glen Ross in Dallas a while back. Killed. 

What character did he play? 

[threesheets 1652]

@sevenDave Moss. 

[Davis Lane 5553]

I just started season 2 again.

McNulty, man.

If he were a real person I'm pretty sure he would be a damn good poster here on Surly.

[South Austin 52140]

2 hours ago, Davis Lane said:

McNulty, man.

If he were a real person I'm pretty sure he would be a damn good poster here on Surly.

He’s consistently be asking other posters, “What the fuck did I do?”

[baboso 6050]

13 hours ago, South Austin said:

He’s consistently be asking other posters, “What the fuck did I do?”

So, Derka = McNulty?

It tickles me every time Bubbles calls him McNutty.

[Celery Man 20883]

On 8/7/2023 at 12:35 PM, cmontexas said:

Also I feel like Nicky Sobotka could have gotten some fuckin hours at work considering he's Frank Sobotka's compentant nephew and clearly plugged into the inner workings and shady dealings of that operation

there's an interesting dynamic with Frank where he is corrupt/chaotic AF dealing outside of the union, but is lawful or adherent to the values and tenets of the union. Which to him includes fucking with the cops, doing shady deals to advance the union interests, even doing a little shady within the politics of the union so that he can finish doing his good union dirt, etc. But I think it is highly consistent for his character to be making Nicky and Ziggy sink or swim.

On 8/8/2023 at 8:03 AM, TwiceHorn said:

Yeah, Frank's a great character.  One of the few non-cop morally ambiguous characters,** along with Omar.  He crimes for the benefit of his union/members and strives to keep the rest of the union as clean as he can.

**On reflection, that's probably not accurate.  But, he is the first central "bad guy" character to be presented as morally ambiguous.

Probably a tighter and more accurate way to describe my thoughts. You went ahead and disagreed with yourself but I'm going to jump on board with your disagreement about the morally ambiguous characters - you would have a way shorter list if you named the morally unambiguous characters from the show, cop or otherwise. And on that list, I think you'd only have morally negative characters and probably one of them would be Rawls?  Rawls and Marlo?  Does Snoop have any good to her? Wee Bey and Chris Partlow are some of the most brutal characters on the show and they are demonstrated as having some kind of good. Season 1 Episode 1 Scene 1 of the show is the crime scene where D murdered Snot Boogie. 

Actually really the thing where I think I'm disagreeing with your premise is that Frank is even painted as a "bad guy". Although even with that..... is Avon even actually a "bad guy"? Or Stringer, in seasons 1 and 2? For sure they are criming and murdering, but it's kinda within the rules of their world and maybe that's a big part of the show. The Sopranos juxtaposed two sides of Tony - he's a crime lord out there, he's a suburban family man in here. A big part of what makes The Wire great is that it takes that concept deeper - these are street junkies and criminals and they are also humans dealing with the same kinds of problems every human does.

[BigOrange1 6422]

57 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

there's an interesting dynamic with Frank where he is corrupt/chaotic AF dealing outside of the union, but is lawful or adherent to the values and tenets of the union. Which to him includes fucking with the cops, doing shady deals to advance the union interests, even doing a little shady within the politics of the union so that he can finish doing his good union dirt, etc. But I think it is highly consistent for his character to be making Nicky and Ziggy sink or swim.

Probably a tighter and more accurate way to describe my thoughts. You went ahead and disagreed with yourself but I'm going to jump on board with your disagreement about the morally ambiguous characters - you would have a way shorter list if you named the morally unambiguous characters from the show, cop or otherwise. And on that list, I think you'd only have morally negative characters and probably one of them would be Rawls?  Rawls and Marlo?  Does Snoop have any good to her? Wee Bey and Chris Partlow are some of the most brutal characters on the show and they are demonstrated as having some kind of good. Season 1 Episode 1 Scene 1 of the show is the crime scene where D murdered Snot Boogie. 

Actually really the thing where I think I'm disagreeing with your premise is that Frank is even painted as a "bad guy". Although even with that..... is Avon even actually a "bad guy"? Or Stringer, in seasons 1 and 2? For sure they are criming and murdering, but it's kinda within the rules of their world and maybe that's a big part of the show. The Sopranos juxtaposed two sides of Tony - he's a crime lord out there, he's a suburban family man in here. A big part of what makes The Wire great is that it takes that concept deeper - these are street junkies and criminals and they are also humans dealing with the same kinds of problems every human does.

d'angelo did not murder snot boogie.

[Celery Man 20883]

2 minutes ago, BigOrange1 said:

d'angelo did not murder snot boogie.

it's been a minute - I guess the snot boogie murder that opens the episode is unconnected to the kid that D killed that has him on trial for murder in the next scene?

[Dutch 4465]

1 hour ago, Celery Man said:

it's been a minute - I guess the snot boogie murder that opens the episode is unconnected to the kid that D killed that has him on trial for murder in the next scene?

D was on trial for killing a dude in the high rises.  Totally eparate from Snot.

Snot Boogie as the series intro, I always thought, was meant to show the cheapness of life on the streets.  That the intro dropped such an iconic line also showed we were in for a ride.

"Why'd you let him play?"

"Got to; this America, man."

 

[Captain Ron 12798]

I always felt that the intro showed that despite the series only being in Baltimore, this is the story in many cities across America.

[TexArcher 37508]

Just finished Season 1, again.

It holds up so well 20 years later.

[Gil Bang 25897]

checking out the onscreen tv guide...Mcnutty has a TV wine show? 

"The Wine Show with Dominic West"

I don't get the channel.

[Mac8111 2103]

We started watching Your Honor recently and the guy that played Clay Davis is playing a very similar character on that series, just much older. Took two seconds to place that voice.

[EvilCaseMcCoy 691]

4 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

We started watching Your Honor recently and the guy that played Clay Davis is playing a very similar character on that series, just much older. Took two seconds to place that voice.

Sheeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiit

[Lazarus Bocanegra 303]

On 10/9/2023 at 10:13 AM, EvilCaseMcCoy said:

Sheeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiit

just watched BlacKKKlansman on a flight recently and there is a great moment when Isiah Whitlock drops a sheeeeit but gets cut off prematurely 

[billfromlaketravis 11359]

I think Season 3 is the best. 

Avon - Marlo War, Avon getting out, OG police crew, Hamsterdam, peak Omar, nice slice of Cheese, Cutty's journey, hottest McNulty mistress, Clay Davis, Adventures of Bubs and Johnny, and season is focused on the war and police/city hall/Littlefinger.  

It's a pretty breezy day off from work knocking the whole season out. 

Edited January 27 by billfromlaketravis

[billfromlaketravis 11359]

On 3/31/2018 at 8:42 PM, thepop said:

Just finished season 4. Not my favorite show but damn good. I see why it's highly praised.

Prez is a saint in Season 4. He gave Dukie a chance. He was good police, but he should have been riding a desk. McNulty should have ordered Prez to stay in the car at the end of Season 3. What a sad scene. 

[Gil Bang 25897]

[shadow_operative 15932]

i just wrapped up my ~8th viewing of the series. there’s a hole inside me every time it ends. what a show. best show i’ve ever seen by a thousand miles. every single time i go through it i just pick up on more and more details. it’s aston ding how much substance they packed into five seasons.  

it’s also amazing how the show manages to make me hate these guys:

more than i hate a bunch of cold blooded killers and gangsters. 

[HornPhD 1364]

2 hours ago, shadow_operative said:

i just wrapped up my ~8th viewing of the series. there’s a hole inside me every time it ends. what a show. best show i’ve ever seen by a thousand miles. every single time i go through it i just pick up on more and more details. it’s aston ding how much substance they packed into five seasons.  

it’s also amazing how the show manages to make me hate these guys:

more than i hate a bunch of cold blooded killers and gangsters. 

These two really highlight the dick-ensian aspect of the newspaper industry 

[shadow_operative 15932]

lol well played.

[billfromlaketravis 11359]

I'm really digging Season 4 on my rewatch. Marlo is probably my favorite character on the show. Just cold, calculating evil, and he's also probably the most brilliant character on the show. He got over on the police, the courts, and most impressively Prop Joe. Genius level street smarts. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

season four is definitely my favorite season. same goes for a lot of the cast. of course i worked in education for many years and those kids have my heart. season four is probably the toughest season as well, but damn its so good.

[South Austin 52140]

1 hour ago, shadow_operative said:

season four is definitely my favorite season. same goes for a lot of the cast. of course i worked in education for many years and those kids have my heart. season four is probably the toughest season as well, but damn its so good.

Same. That season is a gut-wrencher.

[Jive Turkey 12568]

i started my third rewatch a few weeks ago. just an episode a night or so.  i'm halfway through season 2, and all i can really think about right now is how not one of those motherfuckers was ever nominated for an Emmy in an acting category, and the show was never nominated for best drama.  it's criminal.  it's right up there with Reggie Bush beating VY for the Heisman as the biggest travesty in awards show history.

if The Wire came out today, it would be like Succession.  there would 2 or 3 actors up for each category.  Larry Gilliard Jr as Dee should have an Emmy under his belt in a supporting role for season 1.  he was awesome. Chris Bauer as Frank Sobotka would be a shoe in nominee for season 2 best supporting actor.  but you could throw out 10 other names that had Emmy worthy submissions.  yet not one nomination.

as for Best Drama, it's comical to look at some of the other shows that were nominated in that category during the timeframe The Wire was on: CSI, Joan of Arcadia, Grey's Anatomy, House, Boston Legal, Heroes.  just network schlock.  and i'm giving a pass to other shows that, while not my cup of tea, had big supporters, good reviews, and legit claims for nominations (West Wing, Dexter, Lost, Damages).  but no love for a show that many now believe is the greatest series ever produced in the history this medium.

and yeah, this shit more than holds up some 20 plus years since it's debut.

[Mo Horn 8807]

41 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

i started my third rewatch a few weeks ago. just an episode a night or so.  i'm halfway through season 2, and all i can really think about right now is how not one of those motherfuckers was ever nominated for an Emmy in an acting category, and the show was never nominated for best drama.  it's criminal.  it's right up there with Reggie Bush beating VY for the Heisman as the biggest travesty in awards show history.

if The Wire came out today, it would be like Succession.  there would 2 or 3 actors up for each category.  Larry Gilliard Jr as Dee should have an Emmy under his belt in a supporting role for season 1.  he was awesome. Chris Bauer as Frank Sobotka would be a shoe in nominee for season 2 best supporting actor.  but you could throw out 10 other names that had Emmy worthy submissions.  yet not one nomination.

as for Best Drama, it's comical to look at some of the other shows that were nominated in that category during the timeframe The Wire was on: CSI, Joan of Arcadia, Grey's Anatomy, House, Boston Legal, Heroes.  just network schlock.  and i'm giving a pass to other shows that, while not my cup of tea, had big supporters, good reviews, and legit claims for nominations (West Wing, Dexter, Lost, Damages).  but no love for a show that many now believe is the greatest series ever produced in the history this medium.

and yeah, this shit more than holds up some 20 plus years since it's debut.

Back then network shows dominated the Emmys, which is just the opposite of today, so not surprising.