Re: The Wire.......any good?

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I have finally managed to see the last season. And you guessed it, I thought it was absolutely brilliant. The inclusion of the newspapers storyline added a whole new level of depth to the city. It made we want to get out there and become a journalist (yes even with the shit economy).

I won't go on and on about it here. But overall I think "The Wire" is a magnificent achievement. You really don't need anything else when you have "The Wire" and of course "The Sopranos" (I haven't seen Mad Men yet). I won't start a heated debate about which show is 'better'. But overall I think both shows are essential, both of which achieve what they set out to do magnificently.

Fly, any chance of a forum dedicated to The Wire? I don't know if many people here watch it or have watched it, but I would love to discuss the show with the many incredibly intelligent, sophisticated, insightful, funny and philosophical people who make these forums a pleasure to visit. Not that I'm sucking up or anything :icon_biggrin:

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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I watched the entire series earlier this year and I must say that it is damned good. I have a few problems with it, however. I didn't like season four much because it felt like it dragged on with the political scenes. I was told, on Youtube no less, that since I didn't like the fourth season, I didn't understand it. That's hilarious. I also had a problem with the last season and what the writers had McNulty do. I'm not going to give any spoilers.

I also had a problem with the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio of the show, during it's entire run, is 1.33:1, or fullscreen. I don't think that's acceptable at all. Of course maybe the first few seasons could get a pass seeing as how it was in the early 2000s, but why not have a widescreen presentation from 2004 - 2008? I mean, weren't the first two seasons of The Sopranos aired in fullscreen? They then went to widescreen.

What I like most about the show is how based in reality it is. As far as I know, the police procedures used when detaining suspects was accurate and I think maybe the wiretaps they administered could be done. I also like the way the writers captured gang life.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 09DECF0F65

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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The decision to film in full screen was a conscious decision by creator David Simon. I believe he has said on a commentary that he wanted it to feel like watching security camera footage, or a news report. Here's a quote from a Q and A he did, about why they didn't switch over to letter box or HD later:

Q: Are there any plans to switch to High Definition?

A: No. We considered it before third season and chose not to do so. We began the show without HD and created a visual template for a story that we intend as a single, five-volume narrative. To adjust that template in the middle of the story seems arbitrary and destructive to the integrated whole that we are trying to create. Next narrative we can play with the new technology. This one needs to finish on the same terms and utilizing the same visual choices with which we began. If that means denying ourselves some of the power and glory of HD and letterbox, then so be it. It's more important to us that The Wire exist -- all five arcs -- as a unified entity.

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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I am currently watching the 4th season which features Prez's new job as a teacher in a tough Baltimore school. I think every teacher will relate to Prez's first day.

I know that I was very anti-Wire until only very recently but I am now absolutely hooked. The writing and acting is as good as the Sopranos (sometimes reminiscent especially the season that featured the corrupt world of the docks and the mysterious Greek).

I cannot recommend it enough now.

While the Sopranos is Shakespearian in scope a tragedy set in an amoral universe of seemingly random events, The Wire might be described as Dickensian, especially such a diverse group of characters. Brother Mouzoune was a brilliant creation.

This past decade really has been a golden age of television;

The Sopranos
The Wire
Mad Men
Dexter

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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I have finished watching the series.

I have been praising it as I have been progressing through the 5 seasons and I have confessed that I was being churlish and premature when I originally asserted it was over-rated and did not deserve the "Best Series ever" claim.

I now feel somewhat fortunate that I have watched two of the best TV shows.

The Sopranos focused on the life of a mafia don as he tried to deal with his two families, and arguably his surprising but inevitable demise. (I know this is a contentious point for some but I do genuinely believe this was Chase's intent. Please feel free to believe otherwise).

The Wire's focus was broader. It was a commentary not only on Baltimore, but society in general. The street gangs, organised crime, unions, the police, the courts, the schools, the politicians, the Press.

There were parallels with each of these groups. It dealt with the issues of truth and honour. Of virtue and corruption. And justice - natural and blind and usually arbitrary.

But most of all it demonstated how arbitrary life is and ironically its inevitable outcomes.

In this way The Wire and the Sopranos are perfect bookends. Or maybe two sides of the same coin.

Happy Easter all.

Con

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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Just caught the first 3 episodes last night. I was hooked right away and the acting is terrific. Probably unfairly, I find myself comparing the show with The Sops and I doubt that's a wise choice, at least as I watch through them. While the pilot episode was great, it does not stand alongside the pilot of The Sopranos. And no character in The Wire (at least yet) stands next to Tony. We'll see as it goes.

Looking forward to plowing through the five seasons. I'll be back with more thoughts as I progress through them.
"Leave the gun...take the cannoli." - Clemenza

Think Tony Died? Consider this...

Visit my Blog at Hear the Hurd

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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DH, how/where are you watching? Are they running it on one of the HBOs again? My local video stores only stock the first season, and I don't want to get through that and then have no way to continue.
Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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FlyOnMelfisWall wrote:DH, how/where are you watching? Are they running it on one of the HBOs again? My local video stores only stock the first season, and I don't want to get through that and then have no way to continue.
Actually got lucky with Amazon - they ran a sale last week - the whole series for just $89. Couldn't pass that up. :icon_biggrin: When I'm done, I don't mind loaning them to you if you want.
"Leave the gun...take the cannoli." - Clemenza

Think Tony Died? Consider this...

Visit my Blog at Hear the Hurd

Re: The Wire.......any good?

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Detective Hunt wrote:Actually got lucky with Amazon - they ran a sale last week - the whole series for just $89. Couldn't pass that up. :icon_biggrin: When I'm done, I don't mind loaning them to you if you want.
No way, but I would be willing to rent them from you.:icon_wink: It'll help you recoup some of your investment and do me a favor at the same time. I probably will want to wait until my summer "busy season" (read, editing dance recital videos) is done anyway, so we're probably talking September, at the earliest. But I would like to check that whole series out when the time is right for both of us.
Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"

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