I was more surprised by everyone who was killed over the 5 series rising up as zombies in the final episode. who would have thought wallace would be the king zombie?
Is The Wire any good really? (full of spoilers btw!)
- Thread starter teahead
- Start date
I was more surprised by everyone who was killed over the 5 series rising up as zombies in the final episode. who would have thought wallace would be the king zombie?
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
there's a great bit at the end of season 4 of Wire, where the writers are clearly taking the piss out of Deadwood, when some bloke is watching an episode and you see him giggling 'ooh, they said 'cocksucker''
Seriously? That's brilliant!
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I went fucking mental for Generation Kill. I was counting the days
elevendayempire
Registered Loofah
I got to chat to Ed Burns yesterday. How many internets do I win?I went fucking mental for Generation Kill. I was counting the days
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
That would be me.
I just got the first season a few days ago. I've seen two episodes. I'd been putting this off, because I watched an episode once, and it seemed to me that the writers were being too clever, putting words into people's mouths that would never be there in real life.
And at the very beginning of the first episode, I thought - uh oh. The kid being busted tells a story about a regular in a crap game who grabs the money and runs. He gets caught sometimes and the shit beat out of him, or sometimes he gets away.
The cops asks, 'If you know he's going to grab the money, every week, why do you let him keep coming to the game?' The kid says, we can't stop him from playing. Cop says, 'why', and the kid says:
"Because. It America, man."
Luckily, that sort of bullshit has been at a minimum so far. The main complaint I'd have is that the acting isn't great. McNulty, he doesn't convince me. Maybe the actors grow into the parts.
I'll see the first season through, then decide if I'll continue.
Dillinger4
Es gibt Zeit
Its episode 4 where you will really get hooked, I reckon.
Motherfucker.
Motherfucker.
The Octagon
Stop...Hammertime
Crispy
The following psytrance is baṉned: All
8den
No I'm pretty sure that was 8ball...
That would be me.
I just got the first season a few days ago. I've seen two episodes. I'd been putting this off, because I watched an episode once, and it seemed to me that the writers were being too clever, putting words into people's mouths that would never be there in real life.
And at the very beginning of the first episode, I thought - uh oh. The kid being busted tells a story about a regular in a crap game who grabs the money and runs. He gets caught sometimes and the shit beat out of him, or sometimes he gets away.
The cops asks, 'If you know he's going to grab the money, every week, why do you let him keep coming to the game?' The kid says, we can't stop him from playing. Cop says, 'why', and the kid says:
"Because. It America, man."
Luckily, that sort of bullshit has been at a minimum so far. The main complaint I'd have is that the acting isn't great. McNulty, he doesn't convince me. Maybe the actors grow into the parts.
I'll see the first season through, then decide if I'll continue.
Johnny, I've just finished "Homicide a Year on the Killing Streets" The Wire's David Simon's book about spending a year following a Baltimore Homicide Squad. The Snot Boogy story is lifted verbatim from an anecdote told by an older homicide cop.
NVP said:
No the Wire gets complicated, never boring.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
I'm now watching Season Three of the Wire.
All I can think is, maybe this season was written during that writer's strike in Hollywood, and in their absence, the producers put a bunch of grips and sound engineers behind the computers, writing dialogue and plot development. Incoherent and boring so far; maybe it gets better.
Re: dialogue. The Commish: 'If the gods fuck you, all you can do is fuck the gods back. This is Baltimore: the gods won't save you here.'
And if you were in a room with me, Commish, the gods couldn't save you from me shoving a fire extinguisher up your rectum.
And I hate Bubbles. Bubbles, the bubbly crackhead. Ho ho ho, off to the metal dealers we go!
All the upbeat fun of homelessness and addiction.
There used to be a video game character named Bubsy: I think bubbles is modeled after Bubsy.
"Y'all got some crack? I'll snitch for some crack!"
All I can think is, maybe this season was written during that writer's strike in Hollywood, and in their absence, the producers put a bunch of grips and sound engineers behind the computers, writing dialogue and plot development. Incoherent and boring so far; maybe it gets better.
Re: dialogue. The Commish: 'If the gods fuck you, all you can do is fuck the gods back. This is Baltimore: the gods won't save you here.'
And if you were in a room with me, Commish, the gods couldn't save you from me shoving a fire extinguisher up your rectum.
And I hate Bubbles. Bubbles, the bubbly crackhead. Ho ho ho, off to the metal dealers we go!
All the upbeat fun of homelessness and addiction.There used to be a video game character named Bubsy: I think bubbles is modeled after Bubsy.
"Y'all got some crack? I'll snitch for some crack!"
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
And is Omar really the gay Robin Hood of the Baltimore Projects?
"Robin Hood - Men in Weaves"
"Y'all killed my boy. Now ah'm goan bust a cap in yo' ass, and nick yo' crack, mos def!"
"Robin Hood - Men in Weaves"
"Y'all killed my boy. Now ah'm goan bust a cap in yo' ass, and nick yo' crack, mos def!"
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
Another highlight for me in the third season so far, is the veiled attack against affirmative action, in the form of Deputy Chief Rawls.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Omar is not Robin Hood ffs, that is a very crass interpretation of the character
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
He's a scarred drug rip dude, but at heart, he's a sensitive gay man who saw his boy done wrong, and now he's trying to right the cosmic scales of justice.
When was the last time you saw Omar actually hurt anyone?
I'm in season 3, and so far, I've seen him stick a shotgun in people's face. I've seen him do dressup as a spastic guy in a wheelchair. I've seen him write scripts for his girl/actors to play distraught mothers, etc.
He's the crook with a heart of gold.
Give me freaking Buscemi off the Sopranos, any day. At least his character had the ring of truth about it.
Omar is based on three stick-up guys that actually existed in Baltimore, one of which was gay. He hurts plenty of people later, give him a chance .
He's an amalgamation certainly, but that's the only criticism one could throw if you read up on him; I know you're good at finding links at a moments notice.
In fact if you look up David Simon and Ed Burns you'll find out why The Wire is so interesting and why their testimonies are so pertinent viz America and more-so Black America.
It's an essay on the drug trade, city bureaucracy, the school system, the print news media, American Cities, history and racial history* and there's more truth in one hour of it than there is in the any other show that's ever been broadcast, including freakin' Buschemi off the Sopranos.
Yo.
And btw I knew a chap who never hurt a citizen in a 20 year drug/crime career. They exist, believe it or not.
*Sounds wanky and pretentious but thankfully it doesn't play that way, it manages to be engaging and entertaining, just like all the best teachers do
.He's an amalgamation certainly, but that's the only criticism one could throw if you read up on him; I know you're good at finding links at a moments notice.
In fact if you look up David Simon and Ed Burns you'll find out why The Wire is so interesting and why their testimonies are so pertinent viz America and more-so Black America.
It's an essay on the drug trade, city bureaucracy, the school system, the print news media, American Cities, history and racial history* and there's more truth in one hour of it than there is in the any other show that's ever been broadcast, including freakin' Buschemi off the Sopranos.
Yo.
And btw I knew a chap who never hurt a citizen in a 20 year drug/crime career. They exist, believe it or not.
*Sounds wanky and pretentious but thankfully it doesn't play that way, it manages to be engaging and entertaining, just like all the best teachers do
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
Omar is based on three stick-up guys that actually existed in Baltimore, one of which was gay. He hurts plenty of people later, give him a chance
He's an amalgamation certainly, but that's the only criticism one could throw if you read up on him; I know you're good at finding links at a moments notice.
In fact if you look up David Simon and Ed Burns you'll find out why The Wire is so interesting and why their testimonies are so pertinent viz America and more-so Black America.
It's an essay on the drug trade, city bureaucracy, the school system, the print news media, American Cities, history and racial history* and there's more truth in one hour of it than there is in the any other show that's ever been broadcast, including freakin' Buschemi off the Sopranos.
Yo.
And btw I knew a chap who never hurt a citizen in a 20 year drug/crime career. They exist, believe it or not.
*Sounds wanky and pretentious but thankfully it doesn't play that way, it manages to be engaging and entertaining, just like all the best teachers do
I'm watching a tv show. I expect it to stand on its own, without me having to do a bunch of background research to convince me of its merit.
I know that it's an attempted essay on bureaucracy, urban american blight, etc. It just has some flaws imo, that detract from the delivery of the message.
I'm sure there are people involved in criminality who aren't violent, but Omar, to this point in my viewing, is someone who commits armed robbery of drug dealers. Of necessity, that line of work involves lots and lots of violence.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
p.s. I hate to compare it to the sopranos yet again, but it wasn't necessary to do any research before watching that series, nor was it necessary to know the pedigree of the writers, whoever they were.
For me, the sopranos is still the gold standard by which these others will be measured.
For me, the sopranos is still the gold standard by which these others will be measured.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
There is more of the truth you expect to hear, delivered with essentially a feelgood, Establishment message.
At the end of the first two seasons, all of the targeted bad guys end up behind bars. Barksdale et al. The Stevedores Union boys. The cops, although bumbling bureaucrats, get their man thanks to the work of a few smart mavericks.
At the end of the Sopranos, you have Tony and his family sitting in a restaurant, enjoying a meal. The crime lord wins. And there is your real american truth, delivered in five minutes.
One possible truth. And not a Black one. America isn't all about goodfellas is it.
And the truth is a lot of crooks do get banged up, America's pens are overfilled man. You know that.
As for the diatribe about researching the show, well, The Wire isn't just another crime show that's the whole point, it wants people to think about why "three strikes yoo in" policies don't work in ghettos, and how education of young'uns can actually change these little hoppers and shawties perspectives.
And the truth is a lot of crooks do get banged up, America's pens are overfilled man. You know that.
As for the diatribe about researching the show, well, The Wire isn't just another crime show that's the whole point, it wants people to think about why "three strikes yoo in" policies don't work in ghettos, and how education of young'uns can actually change these little hoppers and shawties perspectives.
nightbreed
Im Bored
Got the First season on DVD. Very good.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
No, america isn't all about goodfellas, but neither is it all about the ghetto drug trade. But the series with the goodfellas at least gave us insight into humanity, via excellent characterization well acted.
As for truth, we have this Truth in The Wire so far:
Drugs are ubiquitous in inner city urban america.
The drug trade is a blight on the lives of customers, dealers, peripherals, and people not involved at all.
The cops can't deal with it because it's too big, because they are incompetent, corrupt, and dogged by hidebound thinking.
So, if you're going to make a series about something we've known for a long time, if you aren't going to reveal something new, you have to impart the message in a novel way, or else interest will wane. Imo, the Wire hasn't done that. In the end, it's another cop show, beefed up with a few modern buzzwords and shibboleths to try to catch and hold the attention.
Johnny Canuck3
Well-Known Member
Only 1 1/2 to go, and then I'll be there.
I've made a vow to watch the whole damn thing, and watch it I will....
mhendo
Aussie in San Francisco
You are, of course, completely welcome to all of your opinions, especially the ones related to aesthetics and general artistic merit. Some people like the show, and some don't, and that's fine.
But if the above is the message you gleaned from your first two-and-a-half seasons of The Wire, i submit that you literally did not understand what was going on.
