The Wire

[N-A]

I finally found a video store here that carries it (I live in Canada and as far as I know, it hasn't been on TV at all here). Sadly, the first disc of the first season was rented but it's due back today.

[whitenavel]

Re: The Wire

Is HBO different in Canada that they don't even show their own original programming?

[elephant1978]

Re: The Wire

Enjoy, N-A. It's the best and most realistic cop show ever. But be patient. My advice to anybody who's about to watch this show.

Ele...

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

Is HBO different in Canada that they don't even show their own original programming?

I've heard that we're getting HBO at some point in the future (don't get me started on why HBO isn't up here already) but until then, we have to wait and hope that one of our Canadian networks purchases the rights to broadcast popular American shows. The Sopranos and Deadwood are on Movie Central, Rescue Me is on Showcase, and so on.

That said, I'm loving The Wire. Homicide: Life on the Street is my favorite show of all time so it's no surprise that I'm liking it. The scene where they're working the crime scene in the kitchen and the only dialogue is variations of the "F" word is brilliant. So much to like about this show...

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

Best television show ever made in my opinion. Probably the most important sociology lesson you can take on urban studies.

Good God! I just finished an 8 hour marathon and I wish I rented the rest of the first season. This right here is what we should all aspire to. Lost tries to do the multitude of characters angle but it's pulled off brilliantly in The Wire.

Don't spoil anything for me but, from what I've seen, Omar is the Holy Grail of characters from a screenwriting standpoint. If he dies they better have a damn good reason.

As for a Sociology lesson? You're dead on. This show should be massive. I've already called my friend and told him to download Season 3 because I'll burn through seasons 1 & 2 by Wednesday.

I feel like I did after I saw "The Fellowship of the Ring" in Las Vegas on opening day in that this is one of the stories I have to see before I die. That's how good this is.

[elephant1978]

Re: The Wire

Good God! I just finished an 8 hour marathon and I wish I rented the rest of the first season. This right here is what we should all aspire to. Lost tries to do the multitude of characters angle but it's pulled off brilliantly in The Wire.

Glad you like it. But leave Lost out of this.

Ele...

[Qazworld]

Re: The Wire

damn, i should probably check this show out too now.

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

Glad you like it. But leave Lost out of this.

Ele...

Whoops! I like Lost - watch it every week it's on. Plus Lost and The Wire are two completely different beasts. The Wire has the benefit of being thirteen tightly scripted episodes (and by "tightly scripted" I mean "the best television writing ever").

Anyway, I'm gonna watch 24, then the last episode of The Wire and rent the second season after I get off work tomorrow.

[elephant1978]

Re: The Wire

Lost could learn a lot from a read-through of The Wire's first three seasons (Know where you're going before you dive in head first).

I had a feeling you'd go there. Apples and oranges, pal.

Ele...

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

I had a feeling you'd go there. Apples and oranges, pal.

Ele...

This thread is about The Wire. Thanks, Ele, for pointing that out to me. Any other discussion about Lost should be taken to the appropiate thread.

*spoilers warning*

To end the first season with Omar in NY was pure genious. Having not seen the second season, I can only speculate that Omar will play a big part in their renewed investigation sparked by who knows what.

****/Piss rolls and flows uphill.

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

He was back in Baltimore. He killed Stinkum. Weebay plead to life after coppin to 10% of the homicides in Baltimore, Avon had his structured plea, Bird was in for the Gant murder. Stringer is left to run the business, but as far as muscle goes, Omar had little to fear from the Barksdale crew. It showed, more than anything, how cyclical everything was and how little got accomplished. The Barksdale crew lives on under Stringer, Bubbles rehab stint is over after Kima got shot and Omar's back to performing his craft on the streets of Baltimore.

Just FYI, Season 2 takes another direction. The story doesn't make its way back to the drugs completely until Season 3. They still follow the Barksdale crew but its a B storyline. The A storyline is almost completely unrelated.

He was in Baltimore? I was sure that he was in New York because the guy he stuck up was standing under a "North Bronx" mural. Maybe I'm just remembering it wrong.

I still haven't rented Season 2 yet - it might have something to do with the 70 hours I put in at work this week. One thing's for sure though - I'll have a much better TV to watch it on after doing the same this coming week.

[elephant1978]

Re: The Wire

A story is a story is a story and knowing the ending before you jump in is important, regardless of whether you're writing a story for High School Fiction Class, a Drama on ABC or HBO. And you know it

The reason The Wire is just so unbeliavable is that Simon knew where he was going from day one. He had the end of 'Middle Ground' planned out from the get go.

Yes, I agree with you. I never argued that point. The problem is...that you DON'T KNOW that the writers of Lost don't have it planned out. You don't know that they aren't showing us these things because they are going to play into some spectacular ending that they've planned. Nobody will know until it's over.

If you can sit through the agonizing complexity of The Wire, how come you can't put the same faith in Lost?

I'm done arguing this with you.

Ele...

[elephant1978]

Re: The Wire

He was in Baltimore? I was sure that he was in New York because the guy he stuck up was standing under a "North Bronx" mural. Maybe I'm just remembering it wrong.

I still haven't rented Season 2 yet - it might have something to do with the 70 hours I put in at work this week. One thing's for sure though - I'll have a much better TV to watch it on after doing the same this coming week.

Just some clarification for season 2, N-A. The Barksdale drug business does take a backseat to the storyline of crime on the shipping docks. You'll almost be scratching your head as to why they're even following the Barksdale characters. But those who stick around until the season 2 finale are greatly rewarded. The shipping stuff turns out to be the most expertly made, centrally focused, subplot in the history of television. Trust me. You'll know what I mean. It pays off in the most complex and realistic ways...you'll understand exactly why they invested those minutes into both stories.

And all of that investment really pays off in season 3, which is nothing short of a literal war on drugs in the streets. Amazing stuff.

Ele...

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

Just some clarification for season 2, N-A. The Barksdale drug business does take a backseat to the storyline of crime on the shipping docks. You'll almost be scratching your head as to why they're even following the Barksdale characters. But those who stick around until the season 2 finale are greatly rewarded. The shipping stuff turns out to be the most expertly made, centrally focused, subplot in the history of television. Trust me. You'll know what I mean. It pays off in the most complex and realistic ways...you'll understand exactly why they invested those minutes into both stories.

And all of that investment really pays off in season 3, which is nothing short of a literal war on drugs in the streets. Amazing stuff.

Ele...

I have utter faith that this show will continue to impress me. Season 1 blew me away so much that I tried to give my rented copy to my boss and his reply was, "I don't watch TV." You can guess what I said. "It's not TV, it's HBO".

MFer still didn't take it.

How bad do I have to beat a person to convince them to give this show a shot? It's marketing and The Wire has ZERO marketing in Canada.

[N-A]

Re: The Wire

I never even noticed a mural in the first place, but it wouldn't really make much sense for him to be in NY. I'd say 99.9% he's back in Baltimore. The quote for the episode, which is his last line, is "All in the game." -Traditional Baltimore.

I just watched the last episode of the first season again and Omar is most definitely in NY. Not that it makes a lick of difference in the overall story...I think.

It's just an amazing show. I'm currently catching up on Season 5 of The Sopranos then I'll move on to the next season of The Wire.