Yet another Wire thread/poll - your favourite series?

[SpookyFrank]

Series three just pips series two for me.

 

[CalmerChameleon]

The new season is shaping up very nicely, but other than that Season 4 is my favourite. I really enjoyed the school/education angle and I liked the kids - I miss Namond and Randy now they haven't come back in Season 5.

 

[Dillinger4]

I voted season 2.

I am not sure about season 5. I was disappointed at first, but I have a feeling it is going to step up. It might be the best yet.

 

[London_Calling]

I meant S1, S2, S3, S4 or S5, since LC is so reluctant to call them seasons

Call 'em what you like, it's just one opinion.

 

[Orang Utan]

Call 'em what you like, it's just one opinion.

What's your favourite then?

 

[rennie]

What's your favourite section/segment/chapter/bit so far then?

I ain't telling ya cos it will spoil the fun for some peopel who haven't yet seen it.

 

[Dillinger4]

I'm not sure.

All have some excellent moments. The end of S3 was monumental. Season 4, however, probably inches ahead. It was pure brilliance.

Season 5 is good good good so far, I'm only 3 eps in though.

I did miss one ep of season 4 because Dillinger4 is made of fail

oooo I have seen episode 4 of season 5

 

[SpookyFrank]

The new season is shaping up very nicely, but other than that Season 4 is my favourite. I really enjoyed the school/education angle and I liked the kids - I miss Namond and Randy now they haven't come back in Season 5.

Oi! Can the spoilers please, I know many of us are waiting to watch series 5 all in one...

 

[kyser_soze]

S3.

 

[CalmerChameleon]

Oi! Can the spoilers please, I know many of us are waiting to watch series 5 all in one...

Sorry! I've realised I was actually wrong about what I said anyway. Or was I...?

(Yes)

 

[Vintage Paw]

oooo I have seen episode 4 of season 5

(I'm dl-ing it now though)

 

[London_Calling]

But it would not be so strange to argue that Henry IV Part One is superior to Part Two, or that The Empire Strikes Back is better than Return of the Jedi.

Are't these sequels. By which I mean they were conceived after the completion of the first, the first having been conceived and created as a distinct, whole entity.

Tbh, does it matter . . . there isn't a definitive answer as it's surely a matter of personal interpretaion?

 

[Orang Utan]

Are't these sequels. By which I mean they were conceived after the completion of the first, the first having been conceived and created as a distinct, whole entity.

Tbh, does it matter . . . there isn't a definitive answer as it's surely a matter of personal interpretaion?

What's your favourite season so far?

 

[Santino]

Ok, better example: the third movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony is better than all the others.

Of course it doesn't 'matter' in any important sense, but I think it is a perfectly valid way of looking at the Wire as a whole, taking each Series as a chapter of the whole saga (compared to, say, a soap opera which is just made up of episode after episode after episode with nothing to distinguish one period from another, no significant gaps in the narrative or changes of theme).

And the other reason to debate it is to keep filling up the forum with Wire threads.

 

[London_Calling]

Okay, but tell me this, which ‘chapter’ best depicts the changing urban American landscape and then which addresses the causes of that change. Which portrays the futility of central Gov's drug policy best, which examines best how institutions compromise and diminish individuals?

You might even be able to choose, but does it get us anywhere or does that diminish the whole i.e. over arching themes – as well as many character arcs – don’t fit the conveniently parcelled slices made by the OP. For those themes and arcs, the seasonal slicing is arbitrary, and even a distraction.

 

[revol68]

Okay, but tell me this, which ‘chapter’ best depicts the changing urban American landscape and then which addresses the causes of that change. Which portrays the futility of central Gov's drug policy best, which examines best how institutions compromise and diminish individuals?

You might even be able to choose, but does it get us anywhere or does that diminish the whole i.e. over arching themes – as well as many character arcs – don’t fit the conveniently parcelled slices made by the OP. For those themes and arcs, the seasonal slicing is arbitrary, and even a distraction.

really?

The docks and schools don't cross over substantially into the other series.

You really are such a try hard, it's not a difficult question, what series did you enjoy the most, mine was series 4.

 

[Santino]

Okay, but tell me this, which ‘chapter’ best depicts the changing urban American landscape and then which addresses the causes of that change. Which portrays the futility of central Gov's drug policy best, which examines best how institutions compromise and diminish individuals?

You might even be able to choose, but does it get us anywhere or does that diminish the whole i.e. over arching themes – as well as many character arcs – don’t fit the conveniently parcelled slices made by the OP. For those themes and arcs, the seasonal slicing is arbitrary, and even a distraction.

But the series-approach, as we must come to know it, does enable discussions such as 'In Which Series is Omar Most Cool?'

 

[Dillinger4]

(I'm dl-ing it now though)

Shiiiiiiiitt

This is the episode that started to change my opinion from bad to good.

 

[London_Calling]

But the series-approach, as we must come to know it, does enable discussions such as 'In Which Series is Omar Most Cool?'

Yus. Fwiw, I think if David Simon could change one thing about The Wire it would be to keep Omar as an occasional low-level bit part.


Another option; those seasonal stories (that the OP is implicitly focused on) are no more than elaborate plot devises intended only to feed the greater cause/s, but which act to the writes credit in that they can be (and are) viewed as whole themselves.

Having said all that, I do seem to find Frank Sobotka haunting.

 

[Orang Utan]

Yus. Fwiw, I think if David Simon could change one thing about The Wire it would be to keep Omar as an occasional low-level bit part.


Another option; those seasonal stories (that the OP is implicitly focused on) are no more than elaborate plot devises intended only to feed the greater cause/s, but which act to the writes credit in that they can be (and are) viewed as whole themselves.

Having said all that, I do seem to find Frank Sobotka haunting.

So your favourite's the second season then?

 

[Santino]

L_C, I know your feelings about calling it a cop show, but I think that to look at it as only a profound and searching work of political critique is wrong. It is also a highly entertaining cop show/drama, with jokes and heroes and villains, albeit subtly portrayed ones. It is compelling in part because it has dramatic storylines and episodic plots that are resolved at the end of a series. One of the astounding achievements of the Wire is that it manages to combine the what-happens-next urgency and omg-that-was-so-cool moments with a strong commitment to realism and a consistent philosophical outlook without turning into a po-faced, 'serious' work of art as if Mike Leigh had made a murder mystery.

 

[Vintage Paw]

L_C, I know your feelings about calling it a cop show, but I think that to look at it as only a profound and searching work of political critique is wrong. It is also a highly entertaining cop show/drama, with jokes and heroes and villains, albeit subtly portrayed ones. It is compelling in part because it has dramatic storylines and episodic plots that are resolved at the end of a series. One of the astounding achievements of the Wire is that it manages to combine the what-happens-next urgency and omg-that-was-so-cool moments with a strong commitment to realism and a consistent philosophical outlook without turning into a po-faced, 'serious' work of art as if Mike Leigh had made a murder mystery.

You are so wise

You've hit the nail on the head. It can be all these things, to all people, to different people, whatever.

That is a great testament to Simon's writing.

 

[Santino]

You are so wise

You've hit the nail on the head.

Go forth, my child, and spread my words of peace. By force, if necessary.

 

[Orang Utan]

LC - if you don't tell me what your favouite season is, I'm going to cut your bollocks off

 

[Vintage Paw]

Go forth, my child, and spread my words of peace. By force, if necessary.

*grabs night stick*

 

[London_Calling]

L_C, I know your feelings about calling it a cop show, but I think that to look at it as only a profound and searching work of political critique is wrong. It is also a highly entertaining cop show/drama, with jokes and heroes and villains, albeit subtly portrayed ones.

(a) I (hope) I'm not precious about it and (b) the reason it’s so good is exactly as you say, it does work multi-dimensionally across a wide range of themes, some narrow in scope some huge.

My main point though is that to consider it a ‘cop show’ - in the same simplistic sense that it’s popular to characterise (using a recent release) the Coen Bros. latest film as a ‘chase movie’ - is so narrow and naive as to mischaracterise the work entirely. It’s not like Occams Razor, it’s dumbing down or, worst still, trendy over-simplification born of 30-word Time Out summaries and glib, sound-bite aware ‘entertainment reporters’.

Besides that, I think the writers deserve more credit.



Mr Tang . . . . leave my nuts alone, I'm building up a head of steam for the weekend

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I have just bought series one from Amazon, so that I can feel part of the gang. Can you all please stop discussing it until I'm up to speed?

 

[chazegee]

Seen 1, and half way through 2, I'm not sure if the Ziggy/docker connection is a strong as the boys in the pit, but early days yet.

 

[Orang Utan]

(a) I (hope) I'm not precious about it and (b) the reason it’s so good is exactly as you say, it does work multi-dimensionally across a wide range of themes, some narrow in scope some huge.

My main point though is that to consider it a ‘cop show’ - in the same simplistic sense that it’s popular to characterise (using a recent release) the Coen Bros. latest film as a ‘chase movie’ - is so narrow and naive as to mischaracterise the work entirely. It’s not like Occams Razor, it’s dumbing down or, worst still, trendy over-simplification born of 30-word Time Out summaries and glib, sound-bite aware ‘entertainment reporters’.

Besides that, I think the writers deserve more credit.



Mr Tang . . . . leave my nuts alone, I'm building up a head of steam for the weekend

Ponce

 

[London_Calling]

I have just bought series one from Amazon, so that I can feel part of the gang. Can you all please stop discussing it until I'm up to speed?

You should find an additional voiceover track on the first episode (at least) - obviously go with convention but do watch it again with the second track for some insight into the sensibilities they're after.

Welcome - stick with it, work at it and you'll love it.