The Wire - does it ever get going?
Discussion
Just watched S5E10...sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
I'd like to see a follow up now, where they all are, especially the Lafayette street mafia; Michael, Dukie, Randy and Namon. I reckon Carver could end up Commish, or a Colonel at least, he went all career. Maybe Bunk as a Major. Prosecutor Rhonda as DA? Cedric as a big dick swinging lawyer?
Something I never knew, with a quick read of the wiki...Randy was related to ole Prop Joe!!!
I'd like to see a follow up now, where they all are, especially the Lafayette street mafia; Michael, Dukie, Randy and Namon. I reckon Carver could end up Commish, or a Colonel at least, he went all career. Maybe Bunk as a Major. Prosecutor Rhonda as DA? Cedric as a big dick swinging lawyer?
Something I never knew, with a quick read of the wiki...Randy was related to ole Prop Joe!!!
Yeah Chris, so well crafted, silent menace, like Marlo. I think Marlo only blows his stack once, that's how lil he can get rattled, and when it happens, it's riveting.
Love the two GReeks...'and I'm not even Greek.'
Interesting to see the comparison of Avon and Marlo's crew. They both are to be feared thanks to their ability to pick the correct lieutenants. Competent, intelligent people who cannot be bought or rattled.
Bird, Weebay and Stinkum for Avon: Chris, Monk and Snoop for Marlo. Once these lieutenants go, then it's all downhill.
Also, one of the most rewarding moments in the whole of the series for me...What happens to CHeese. Props to the tall man for being a standup guy.
Love the two GReeks...'and I'm not even Greek.'
Interesting to see the comparison of Avon and Marlo's crew. They both are to be feared thanks to their ability to pick the correct lieutenants. Competent, intelligent people who cannot be bought or rattled.
Bird, Weebay and Stinkum for Avon: Chris, Monk and Snoop for Marlo. Once these lieutenants go, then it's all downhill.
Also, one of the most rewarding moments in the whole of the series for me...What happens to CHeese. Props to the tall man for being a standup guy.
Gameface said:
I think the second series has gone from being my least favourite to the my favourite. Weird how it evolves on you.
I found S1 a real struggle and it was S2 that really engaged me in the series the first time I watched it; I think because it is a bit more progressive in it's structure. gregs656 said:
I found S1 a real struggle and it was S2 that really engaged me in the series the first time I watched it; I think because it is a bit more progressive in it's structure.
1st time round I loved S1 but didn't enjoy S2, I think I was looking for it to be a follow on to S1 so couldn't appreciate the differences. 2nd time round I really enjoyed the S2 story as I took it on its own merits. Currently stalled on S3 as I just don't have the time at the moment but looking forward to finishing it all again at some point.For those who have also watched American God's, did you recognise the Mad Sweeny actor?
I was doing a rewatch of this (agreed that S2 is the best) but gave up during S4 last week as I just found it boring with all the school stuff not being enough to keep me engaged for the Marlo story... And then I remembered the storyline for McNulty for S5 and decided they should have left it at S3 really 
First time round I wasn’t a fan of season two, it was only after a number of rewatches that I grew to like it. Frank Sabotka was a brilliant character.
I would have left it at season four, the final season was dire, although we should remember it was affected by a writers strike at the time and wasn’t up to the usual high standards.
I would have left it at season four, the final season was dire, although we should remember it was affected by a writers strike at the time and wasn’t up to the usual high standards.
Season Two was a real departure at the time, and I think a lot of viewers were initially thrown, but I agree it is possibly my favourite, pipped only by Season Four, possibly.
Season Five, whilst still enjoyable, was easily the weakest. I don't think it was so much the writers' strike, which took place after filming had completed.
Reading the book 'Difficult Men' by Brett Martin (with the difficult men being the Showrunners themselves, more so than their creations Walter White, Tony Soprano, Al Swearengen, Don Draper etc.), he has a few reasons for the perceived dip in quality.
Despite the critical success of the show, it was never a cash-cow on 'The Sopranos' scale. HBO had to be persuaded hard to stump-up the cash for Season Five, and point-blank refused to do 12/13 episodes as before, squashing the story into only 10 episodes - not a lot to tie-up such a dense, complicated show.
The journalism focus of Season Five was a valid topic after the Police, Gangs, Harbour, Politics, Schools etc. but as a Journalist David Simon was perhaps too beloved of & close to the subject matter. The dense detail entered into was typical of The Wire, but in a Season already down 3 episodes, it was too much. And Simon drew characters that were too simplistic - charming, erudite, crusading Reporters vs. villainous middle management obsessed with money & cut-backs.
Perhaps he was allowed to do so because his main partner-in-crime, Producer, Writer & Co-Creator Ed Burns was working away from The Wire a lot during the final season, on 'Generation Kill'. Without anyone to challenge Simon, the Journalism angle became too heavy and the McNulty serial-killer storyline got badly out of hand, 'jumping the shark' completely.
Many of the actors were also increasingly becoming harder work behind the scenes. As the show's break-out star, Dominic West's focus wandered a bit to other projects before Season Five. Others began to resent their bit-part roles or were having problems in their personal lives that were closer to their on-screen counterparts.
But a big part of it was the high bar set. Few shows could meet such a huge weight of expectation.
The show never had a huge following when first shown on air and was under constant threat of cancellation (and was cancelled after Season 3, earning a reprieve). The rising popularity of DVD Boxsets changed everything. Suddenly, viewers could watch this difficult show at their own pace - either obsessively bingeing on it, or slowing it down to catch-up,with subtitles if necessary. They told their friends, and it snowballed.
There was a two-year broadcast gap between Seasons 3 (2004) & 4 (2006). After Season 3, Seasons 1-3 began to be released on DVD (2004, 2005 & 2006), so people could consume all prior Seasons via DVD before or during Season 4, and that's when The Wire suddenly caught wider traction, at a time when Season 4 was maybe the best of them all, living-up to the billing.
It's no wonder Season 5 failed to match the hype - what could have?
Season Five, whilst still enjoyable, was easily the weakest. I don't think it was so much the writers' strike, which took place after filming had completed.
Reading the book 'Difficult Men' by Brett Martin (with the difficult men being the Showrunners themselves, more so than their creations Walter White, Tony Soprano, Al Swearengen, Don Draper etc.), he has a few reasons for the perceived dip in quality.
Despite the critical success of the show, it was never a cash-cow on 'The Sopranos' scale. HBO had to be persuaded hard to stump-up the cash for Season Five, and point-blank refused to do 12/13 episodes as before, squashing the story into only 10 episodes - not a lot to tie-up such a dense, complicated show.
The journalism focus of Season Five was a valid topic after the Police, Gangs, Harbour, Politics, Schools etc. but as a Journalist David Simon was perhaps too beloved of & close to the subject matter. The dense detail entered into was typical of The Wire, but in a Season already down 3 episodes, it was too much. And Simon drew characters that were too simplistic - charming, erudite, crusading Reporters vs. villainous middle management obsessed with money & cut-backs.
Perhaps he was allowed to do so because his main partner-in-crime, Producer, Writer & Co-Creator Ed Burns was working away from The Wire a lot during the final season, on 'Generation Kill'. Without anyone to challenge Simon, the Journalism angle became too heavy and the McNulty serial-killer storyline got badly out of hand, 'jumping the shark' completely.
Many of the actors were also increasingly becoming harder work behind the scenes. As the show's break-out star, Dominic West's focus wandered a bit to other projects before Season Five. Others began to resent their bit-part roles or were having problems in their personal lives that were closer to their on-screen counterparts.
But a big part of it was the high bar set. Few shows could meet such a huge weight of expectation.
The show never had a huge following when first shown on air and was under constant threat of cancellation (and was cancelled after Season 3, earning a reprieve). The rising popularity of DVD Boxsets changed everything. Suddenly, viewers could watch this difficult show at their own pace - either obsessively bingeing on it, or slowing it down to catch-up,with subtitles if necessary. They told their friends, and it snowballed.
There was a two-year broadcast gap between Seasons 3 (2004) & 4 (2006). After Season 3, Seasons 1-3 began to be released on DVD (2004, 2005 & 2006), so people could consume all prior Seasons via DVD before or during Season 4, and that's when The Wire suddenly caught wider traction, at a time when Season 4 was maybe the best of them all, living-up to the billing.
It's no wonder Season 5 failed to match the hype - what could have?
I watched season one on BBC2 many years ago and gave up on it. Didn’t get it at all. Caught it again on TG4 sometime later after hearing so much about it on a football forum I frequent and decided to try again and was hooked. Ended up buying the box set so I could binge watch it.
I’ve probably watched it twenty times, nothing comes close to The Wire for me, even went to Baltimore to have a look for myself.
But it isn’t for everyone, in the same way that I thought The Sopranos was fairly average.
I’ve probably watched it twenty times, nothing comes close to The Wire for me, even went to Baltimore to have a look for myself.
But it isn’t for everyone, in the same way that I thought The Sopranos was fairly average.
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