The Wire - does it ever get going?

[Justin Cyder]

David Simon isn't so much a writer of tv shows as a man with a burning sense of injustice. That's what all of his work is, it all shines a spotlight on the failings of America to nurture it's own, be it the working man, the black man stuck in the ghetto, the white drug addict or the crooked politician. I think he's the best American writer on social issues since Tom Wolfe or Noam Chomsky.

[rasto]

Generation Kill is worth a watch, produced by David Simon and based on the real life account of a journalist embedded with a a group of American Troops during one of the Gulf Wars.

[Eighteeteewhy]

Strangely the series that I did get into after The Wire was House MD. Totally different I know but maybe that's why I liked it. It did get a bit repetitive at times, I've watched up to season seven so far.

[Halb]

Urgh, I can't stand procedural shows like that now, they just rankle me summat rotten.
Nurse Jackie is the only doctor type show I bother to watch now.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[GALLARDOGUY]

Any of you watched Mad Men?

Supposed to be good.

[Stuck In A Lift]

GALLARDOGUY said:

Any of you watched Mad Men?

Supposed to be good.

I've seen the first 2 seasonons, but I just didn't care enough about the show to carry on watching.

[Justin Cyder]

Spiral is probably the natural home of your average Wire fan. It's even more brutal in places though.

I just can't shake the image from the first season of the guy under arrest trying to swallow his stash...again.

[Eighteeteewhy]

GALLARDOGUY said:

Any of you watched Mad Men?

Supposed to be good.

No, I've never seen it. It's on love film/sky player so might give it a try.


I tried 24 but couldn't get into it, same for Dexter even though everyone raves about it.


Heroes is another I need to catch up on, I've watched the first season and enjoyed.

[anonymous-user]

GALLARDOGUY said:

Any of you watched Mad Men?

Supposed to be good.

The Wire is in my top 3 favourite series' (joined by Sopranos and Band of Borthers), and when I was looking for something new to fill the void after finishing The Wire, lots of people recommended Mad Men.

I managed to sit through about 4 episodes, and was bored stless throughout all of them - never bothered again.

[GALLARDOGUY]

Try the Shield. One of my favourites.

[Halb]

Justin Cyder said:

Spiral is probably the natural home of your average Wire fan. It's even more brutal in places though.

I just can't shake the image from the first season of the guy under arrest trying to swallow his stash...again.

That's probably quite accurate. Spiral is a natural successor to The Wire.
Braquo and Spiral are my two favourite French shows.

[GALLARDOGUY]

Will give Spiral a try. £22 for first 3 seasons.

Like a bit of french cinema.

Mesrine and la Haine being at the top of the pile.

[Justin Cyder]

I'm not kidding about Spiral. In the first season, there is a minor sub plot about a baby murder & it's graphic albeit brief. It can be quite hard to watch at times.

[GALLARDOGUY]

Got all 4 series. Good but it's not up there with The Wire etc.

Although Chicken Man was one of the best bad guys I've ever seen.

[Justin Cyder]

Breaking bad didn't do it for me, but I've got mates who wax lyrical about it & one in particular who loved it so much, he named his dog Skyler. Horse for courses. Personally, when I finish all five seasons of The Wire, I go back to Snot Boogie.

Got to man, this America.

[Halb]

Snot Boogie.

[entropy]

rasto said:

A very familiar feeling, nothing really comes close to it. You could try reading Homicide and The Corner, both written by David Simon and featuring some of the real life characters that inspired the Wire. Incredibly powerful story telling.

Ha! i've had that depressing feeling too!

I immediately read those books, got The Corner on DVD, seen some episodes of Homicide - just doesn't quite compare.

What did though was Richard Price's Clockers. A must read book. Season one was influenced by it, Price was one of the script writers and has a cameo in season two and his daughter was the dope fiend turn prostitute and is in recovery as the same time as Bubs.

Clockers was made into a film. Stars some familiar people...

I've read some of Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos - also scriptwritters but nothing matches Clockers.

[honest_delboy]

OK, you've come up short on the count and you've been summoned for a meet.

Its up to you who "does you in", who do you choose?

Marlo
Chris
Snoop
Cheese

?

[Eighteeteewhy]

honest_delboy said:

OK, you've come up short on the count and you've been summoned for a meet.

Its up to you who "does you in", who do you choose?

Marlo
Chris
Snoop
Cheese

?

Omar yo!

[Halb]

Shareen... hubba hubba