Topic: The Wire for Newbies and Those Still Watching... No spoilers

[Henry Chinaski]

Haven't seen anything of S5 yet, but I was wondering, since it's the last and all, do we get to see some characters back that were only around for like one season? Was wondering whatever happened to the remaining Sobotka's, for example.

Anyway, gonna start watching the final episode of S4 now, what a finale that's gonna be. Best season so far, although I'm a huge fan of Bunny Colvin's plan and fuck-ups in S3 as well.

[hooded claw]

Haven't seen anything of S5 yet, but I was wondering, since it's the last and all, do we get to see some characters back that were only around for like one season?

Yes, sometimes just in passing, some in bigger roles.

[Henry Chinaski]

Best acting performance throughout the series has got to be Andre Royo's though. Think the man has really been Bubbles for all these years. What a character as well. Standard Hollywood screenplay-writers don't write 'em like that.

[Garstonite]

Downloaded the first season, but unfortunately it was in some soft-arse format, so I got a stool and watched the first episode on my laptop last night. It feels like I'm playing football with Maradona and Pele in their prime, but we're having to use a stone. First episode was good, mind. Premise is very interesting and I do want to keep watching it, it's just it's such a waste of a 42" telly. Anything to get that in.

Will soldier on through this difficult crisis and make sure series 2 is in the right fucking format.

[Henry Chinaski]

Downloaded the first season, but unfortunately it was in some soft-arse format, so I got a stool and watched the first episode on my laptop last night. It feels like I'm playing football with Maradona and Pele in their prime, but we're having to use a stone. First episode was good, mind. Premise is very interesting and I do want to keep watching it, it's just it's such a waste of a 42" telly. Anything to get that in.

Will soldier on through this difficult crisis and make sure series 2 is in the right fucking format.

There's an overload of information in the first 3 episodes. You have to get through those. After that, it just gets better and better. E4 of the first season already has one of the best scenes ever on telly.

[hooded claw]

Downloaded the first season, but unfortunately it was in some soft-arse format, so I got a stool and watched the first episode on my laptop last night. It feels like I'm playing football with Maradona and Pele in their prime, but we're having to use a stone. First episode was good, mind. Premise is very interesting and I do want to keep watching it, it's just it's such a waste of a 42" telly. Anything to get that in.

Will soldier on through this difficult crisis and make sure series 2 is in the right fucking format.

You can pick up the boxsets pretty cheaply these days. £16, £17 around there.

Have you tried The Shield yet?

[hooded claw]

Best acting performance throughout the series has got to be Andre Royo's though. Think the man has really been Bubbles for all these years. What a character as well. Standard Hollywood screenplay-writers don't write 'em like that.

I can't imagine him coherent, showered and in a suit. 

[Garstonite]

You can pick up the boxsets pretty cheaply these days. £16, £17 around there.

Have you tried The Shield yet?

Tried to download The Shield, but the earlier ones took forever. Have downloaded Season 3, but won't watch it till I've seen the first two.

As for buying it, if it's even half-decent, I probably will. My DVD collection is absolutely sick at the moment. I'm afraid people will think I'm compensating for something.

[Rorus]

I can't imagine him coherent, showered and in a suit. 

Here he is with some collegues



Quite the dapper man when not in character

[Henry Chinaski]

McNulty should've stuck with Ronda. She's way hotter than Beadie.

[hooded claw]

Tried to download The Shield, but the earlier ones took forever. Have downloaded Season 3, but won't watch it till I've seen the first two.

As for buying it, if it's even half-decent, I probably will. My DVD collection is absolutely sick at the moment. I'm afraid people will think I'm compensating for something.

Same for The Shield- should be able to get s1-2 for less than £20. Scratch that, get both for £21 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shield-Season-1-Michael-Chiklis/dp/B00009QNVD/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202505144&sr=8-4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shield-2-Michael-Chiklis/dp/B0002B95RQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202505144&sr=8-5
It's excellent.

I've got a spare copy of S4- same arrangement as for the LSS discs? 

[hooded claw]

Here he is with some collegues



Quite the dapper man when not in character

He'd have to be, wouldn't he. You wouldn't risk being seen in public looking anything like Bub.

Has there ever been a series with as many well-drawn characters as this? I can only think of The Sopranos as a rival...maybe.

Today's favourite is Sen Clay Davis.

'Sheeeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!'

[Henry Chinaski]

'Sheeeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!'

Seen Spike Lee's 'the 25th Hour'?

[Garstonite]

Same for The Shield- should be able to get s1-2 for less than £20. Scratch that, get both for £21 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shield-Season-1-Michael-Chiklis/dp/B00009QNVD/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202505144&sr=8-4
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shield-2-Michael-Chiklis/dp/B0002B95RQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1202505144&sr=8-5
It's excellent.

I've got a spare copy of S4- same arrangement as for the LSS discs? 

Only just seen this- you don't have to worry. It'll probably take me ages to get to S4 anyway. Downloaded S6 of The Sopranos, S2 of The Wire and S4 of Entourage over the past few days.

[hooded claw]

Seen Spike Lee's 'the 25th Hour'?

Yes, but only really remember that cracking rant EN goes on 

[Henry Chinaski]

Yes, but only really remember that cracking rant EN goes on 

Same actor, different 'sheeeeeeiiiit'.

[classycarra]

Same actor, different 'sheeeeeeiiiit'.

preferred the high pitched "yikes"!

[Canada Loves Anfield]

So I am guessing that nobody has episode 8,9, or 10???

[Kite]

The wire for me is the best show on TV.  Season 5 has as always started slow and has as always alot of great inter-connecting stories.  Hasn't gripped me 100% yet but getting there.  I've neglected the chance to download early episodes this time too. 

[Rorus]

I figure 8 will be down next Monday. Sweet.

He'd have to be, wouldn't he. You wouldn't risk being seen in public looking anything like Bub.

True dat.

Has there ever been a series with as many well-drawn characters as this? I can only think of The Sopranos as a rival...maybe.

To quote the great man (from the Charlie Brooker piece above) 

But when I read a script now? I'm a little spoiled. Because not only was [The Wire's] writing great, but I don't know if you're going to see this many people of colour on one show. With characters. Not just walkbys. It felt great, man. You didn't really realise for the first couple of episodes. You're just happy to be working. But then you're looking round the table one lunchtime, and you're like: hey, there's a lot of black people here, wow! And we all have characters.

There is nothing to rival The Wire for it's treatment of black people as people period, with depth and dimension and a fleshed out society that doesn't pander to stereotype. And it never plays the race card to win viewers because of this 'authenticity'.
It's the little things, the details I love so much. As an example of that, the casting of minor roles. Like Nicky Sobotka's girlfriend in series 2. What a fine pair of breasts she has!  Kudos to the casting director.

[Henry Chinaski]

Like Nicky Sobotka's girlfriend in series 2. What a fine pair of breasts she has!

Amen.

[hooded claw]

Any predictions/ wishlist for the remaining episodes then?

I'd love Marlo to get capped, preferably by Omar.

[Henry Chinaski]

Marlo and Chris really have to die. Reckless pieces of sheeeeeeeiiiiiiit.
Wonder what'll happen to McNulty, he's on a path to total self-destruction now. And he got Lester involved in it.

[Garstonite]

Only just seen this- you don't have to worry. It'll probably take me ages to get to S4 anyway. Downloaded S6 of The Sopranos, S2 of The Wire and S4 of Entourage over the past few days.

Thanks for the offer for this, btw. Just read it back then - sounded quite rude. Still having to watch S1 on the laptop, but it truly is fantastic. Watching them twice a night now and S2 is ready in the right format, thank God.

Definitely one for the DVD collection... eventually.

[hooded claw]

Thanks for the offer for this, btw. Just read it back then - sounded quite rude. Still having to watch S1 on the laptop, but it truly is fantastic. Watching them twice a night now and S2 is ready in the right format, thank God.

Definitely one for the DVD collection... eventually.

Fantastic is right. The plaudits are coming out of the woodwork now the final episodes are upon us; I'm veering toward thinking that this is one of the greatest shows ever made, regardless of genre. It is certainly up there with The Sopranos, which has been my benchmark til now.

[Garstonite]

Fantastic is right. The plaudits are coming out of the woodwork now the final episodes are upon us; I'm veering toward thinking that this is one of the greatest shows ever made, regardless of genre. It is certainly up there with The Sopranos, which has been my benchmark til now.

I'm obviously still very much in the early stages of watching The Wire obviously, but The Sopranos at its best is going to take some beating. The last ep of S2 is The Sopranos was easily one of the best things I've ever seen on telly.

[Claire.]

Fantastic is right. The plaudits are coming out of the woodwork now the final episodes are upon us; I'm veering toward thinking that this is one of the greatest shows ever made, regardless of genre. It is certainly up there with The Sopranos, which has been my benchmark til now.

Indeed, indeed, but there's only 3 eps left of it, and so much to be resolved, I know they're brilliant and I know they'll do it justice... but y'know, I just gotta wonder how they're gonna wrap this up

[hooded claw]

Indeed, indeed, but there's only 3 eps left of it, and so much to be resolved, I know they're brilliant and I know they'll do it justice... but y'know, I just gotta wonder how they're gonna wrap this up

As long as Bubs makes it through, and Marlo gets his (and Snoop too- she's a monster) while Omar walks away into the sunset, then I'm happy 

[Kite]

I'm obviously still very much in the early stages of watching The Wire obviously, but The Sopranos at its best is going to take some beating. The last ep of S2 is The Sopranos was easily one of the best things I've ever seen on telly.

As good as Soprano's was and I'm a huge fan its never had the true grit reality that The Wire has.  Not once have I thought this is far fetched, cheesy, gone too far or plain unrealistic.

I certainly care more for the characters in The Wire than I ever did in Soprano's.

Both great shows though. 

[Henry Chinaski]

Hope Clay Davis and Marlo and his crew get fucked.
Loving the avatar, claw.

[Garstonite]

E4 of the first season already has one of the best scenes ever on telly.

The 'fuck' scene?

[Henry Chinaski]

The 'fuck' scene?

Fuckin' A.

[Claire.]

As long as Bubs makes it through, and Marlo gets his (and Snoop too- she's a monster) while Omar walks away into the sunset, then I'm happy 

It's good to see what's happening with Bubs, the only ray of hope that's in amongst the misery, really. Omar HAS to get back at Marlo, just has to happen, can imagine after what's gone on with Prop Joe he might have some allies, too.

Noticed you didn't mention Chris, what he did for Michael with his stepfather have any effect on that?

[hooded claw]

It's good to see what's happening with Bubs, the only ray of hope that's in amongst the misery, really. Omar HAS to get back at Marlo, just has to happen, can imagine after what's gone on with Prop Joe he might have some allies, too.

Noticed you didn't mention Chris, what he did for Michael with his stepfather have any effect on that?

Trust you to pick up on that. 

I've recently watched S4, then S3, now S1, and that's the scene that has stick with me. Snoop horrifies me; that insouciance, that utter contempt for the value of human life, all seems worse because it comes from a young woman. Maybe it shouldn't in this age of equal opportunity killers, but it does.

Chris acted with real emotion for the first time there- and it is one of the majestic beauties of this programme that it leads you down the path of wondering about that character's whole back story. Was he abused as a child? Perhaps likely, because he acts with such ferocity. But in that instant you begin to speculate about a whole series of events you never see, but are briefly hinted at. Few series would trust the viewer to join the dots like that; instead you'd get some oversimplified flashback. It doesn't excuse him, but he doesn't haunt me like his friend does (wonder what their relationship is? We know it's not sexual- how did they get together? See what I mean?)

And since you're here, let me ask this one. In S3, Br Mouzone sends his sidekick into the gay club, to scope out Omar's whereabouts. As the scene ends, we see Rawls sitting at the bar, wedding ring on his finger... yet it's never mentioned again. What did you make of that?

[Claire.]

We know from recent episodes that Chris has a family, he's a probably a father, so he may identify with Michael on two levels, both as a reminder of himself and as a parent. I'd say Chris and Snoop probably grew up in the type of homes we saw Randy get packed off to (we saw what it's done to him in only, what, a year?) it gives an indication of why they act like they do, you show weakness and you're dead in places like that. The thing with Michael really stuck with me, too, Chris knew what had happened and why he hated him so much as soon as he saw the look on Michael's face, nothing needed to be explained he just knew and he took care of it. It opened him up a bit and you wanted to know more, but as you say, can only speculate.

The thing with Rawls, I always wondered why he was put in that scene, and it might just be to give the viewer a bit more information on him, cos he's been there since day one and we basically know fuck all about the guy. He's definitely guarded, doesn't appear to mix well with the people he works with, never see him talking socially with people, perhaps him trying to stay in the closet is the reason why and the writers wanted to give that information to us, but not make a big deal out of it?

[hooded claw]

We know from recent episodes that Chris has a family, he's a probably a father, so he may identify with Michael on two levels, both as a reminder of himself and as a parent. I'd say Chris and Snoop probably grew up in the type of homes we saw Randy get packed off to (we saw what it's done to him in only, what, a year?) it gives an indication of why they act like they do, you show weakness and you're dead in places like that. The thing with Michael really stuck with me, too, Chris knew what had happened and why he hated him so much as soon as he saw the look on Michael's face, nothing needed to be explained he just knew and he took care of it. It opened him up a bit and you wanted to know more, but as you say, can only speculate.

The thing with Rawls, I always wondered why he was put in that scene, and it might just be to give the viewer a bit more information on him, cos he's been there since day one and we basically know fuck all about the guy. He's definitely guarded, doesn't appear to mix well with the people he works with, never see him talking socially with people, perhaps him trying to stay in the closet is the reason why and the writers wanted to give that information to us, but not make a big deal out of it?

Some good points there; how many TV shows (a) get you wondering like this and (b) are worth wondering about in the first place?
Sheer class. Halfway through S1 again, just starting to see the emergence of Lester as the main man 

[Claire.]

Some good points there; how many TV shows (a) get you wondering like this and (b) are worth wondering about in the first place?

Yep, no spoon fed nonsense here, which is both it's best and weakest point, best because it makes it such a good piece of television and weakest because it means it'll never achieve widespread viewership and acclaim, which is more of a shame than a weakness I suppose.

[Dread Breath]

We know from recent episodes that Chris has a family, he's a probably a father, so he may identify with Michael on two levels, both as a reminder of himself and as a parent. I'd say Chris and Snoop probably grew up in the type of homes we saw Randy get packed off to (we saw what it's done to him in only, what, a year?) it gives an indication of why they act like they do, you show weakness and you're dead in places like that. The thing with Michael really stuck with me, too, Chris knew what had happened and why he hated him so much as soon as he saw the look on Michael's face, nothing needed to be explained he just knew and he took care of it. It opened him up a bit and you wanted to know more, but as you say, can only speculate.

The thing with Rawls, I always wondered why he was put in that scene, and it might just be to give the viewer a bit more information on him, cos he's been there since day one and we basically know fuck all about the guy. He's definitely guarded, doesn't appear to mix well with the people he works with, never see him talking socially with people, perhaps him trying to stay in the closet is the reason why and the writers wanted to give that information to us, but not make a big deal out of it?

The actor who plays Rawls talked about this in one of the 'bonus features' sections of one of the DVD sets (can't remember which one) - basically the actor said what you've just said about why Rawls is the way he is.

By the way, in one of the DVD commentary sections a couple of the writers said that there are fights almost over who is going to write Rawls' lines; they love the actor who plays him and how he delivers his lines. They expanded his role because of those reasons. 

I think this may have been mentioned in this thread but the same thing happend to Omar - they were going to kill him off in season one but the character was so compulsive and the actor who played him so impressive they decided to keep him for the rest of the series.

[Henry Chinaski]

Most know Rawls is gay though, cause in a particular scene in S5, if my memory serves me well, it's mentioned he sucks cock all over a wall in the men's lavatory. Landsman looks at it and laughs.

[Claire.]

Whilst that may be true, I think I remember the scene you're talking about, I don't think they want to make a big deal out of it, cos it would slant the message of the show if they were to do that. Take Kima for instance, she's an openly gay woman, and there's a million different storylines they could've sprung out of her personal relationships both with her work colleagues and her partner, but that's not what the show is about so we're given just enough backstory to make the character 3 dimensional, but not so much that the show becomes about them.