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What’s Ahead for Barksdale, Marlo, McNulty, Daniels, Freamon, Beattie & Carcetti In The Final Season of THE WIRE??
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
“The Wire” returns to HBO Jan. 6 (and to HBO On Demand Dec. 31), and HBO has just sent along the first plotlines for the show’s fifth and final season:
ACCLAIMED PEABODY-WINNING DRAMA SERIES THE WIRE
KICKS OFF FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON JAN. 6, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO
The Peabody Award-winning drama series THE WIRE launches its ten-episode fifth and final season SUNDAY, JAN. 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, with other episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time.
In addition to resolving storylines that have continued throughout the previous seasons, the culminating narrative arc of THE WIRE will reflect on the media's role in addressing - or failing to address - the fundamental political, economic and social realities depicted over the course of the series.
Explains series creator David Simon, "It made sense to finish THE WIRE with this reflection on the state of the media, as all the other attendant problems of the American city depicted in the previous four seasons will not be solved until the depth and range of those problems is first acknowledged. And that won't happen without an intelligent, aggressive and well-funded press."
A 13-year veteran of the Baltimore Sun newspaper, Simon decries recent trends in the newspaper industry that have conspired to make high-end journalism vulnerable: out-of-town chain ownership, an economic climate in which the share price of media companies matters more to industry leaders than the product itself, and a newsroom culture in which prizes, personal ambition and the cult of the "impact" story has replaced consistent and detailed coverage of complex issues as the primary goal.
Returning cast regulars on THE WIRE include Dominic West, Sonja Sohn, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Deirdre Lovejoy, Clarke Peters, Reg E. Cathey, Domenick Lombardozzi, Seth Gilliam, Aidan Gillen, Jamie Hector, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Andre Royo, Corey Parker Robinson, Tristan Wilds, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jermaine Crawford and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
New cast regulars this season include Clark Johnson ("Homicide: Life on the Street") as city editor Augustus "Gus" Haynes, Tom McCarthy ("Year of the Dog") as ambitious reporter Scott Templeton, Michelle Paress as reporter Alma Gutierrez, Neal Huff ("Michael Clayton") as Michael Steintorf, Mayor Carcetti's chief of staff, and Michael Kostroff ("The Closer") as Maury.
Supporting cast members this season include Steve Earle, Frankie Faison, Anwan Glover, Method Man, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson and Amy Ryan.
Among the directors this season are series veterans Dan Attias, Joe Chappelle, Ernest Dickerson, Agnieszka Holland, Seith Mann, Anthony Hemingway and Clark Johnson (who directed the first episode of THE WIRE, and also directs its final episode). New directors this season include the husband and wife team of Joy Kecken & Scott Kecken and series regular Dominic West, in his directorial debut.
The writing staff of THE WIRE includes David Simon, who penned two books of narrative nonfiction, "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets," which inspired the hit series "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood," which inspired the Emmy(r)-winning HBO miniseries "The Corner"; Ed Burns, a former Baltimore police detective and Baltimore city public school teacher, who coauthored the book "The Corner" with Simon; William F. Zorzi, a former political writer and editor for the Baltimore Sun; and Chris Collins, an up-and-coming talent who served as staff writer last season and also wrote the award-winning documentary "Disarm." Also writing for the series this season are novelists Dennis Lehane ("Gone Baby Gone," "Mystic River"), George Pelecanos ("Hard Revolution," "Right as Rain") and Richard Price ("Lush Life," "Clockers"), as well as TV veteran David Mills, who was one of the writers and executive producers on "The Corner," and a writer for "NYPD Blue" and "Homicide: Life on the Street."
Beginning Dec. 31 with the season premiere, weekly episodes of THE WIRE will be available on HBO On Demand the Monday prior to its Sunday debut on the main HBO channel.
January's shows:
Episode #51: "More with Less"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 6 (10:30 p.m.), 8 (midnight), 9 (midnight), 10 (10:00 p.m.) and 11 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 7 (10:00 p.m.), 10 (2:35 a.m.) and 14 (9:00 p.m.)
As McNulty (Dominic West) and the detail continue staking out Marlo's crew, recently promoted Sergeant Carver (Seth Gilliam) is welcomed by a cauldron of discontent from officers coping with unpaid overtime. Though he wants to keep his campaign promise to lower crime, Mayor Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) is strapped by his commitment to schools, and faces some tough choices. Col. Daniels (Lance Reddick) is forced to reallocate his resources, retaining Freamon (Clarke Peters) and Sydnor (Corey Parker Robinson) for the Clay Davis (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.) probe. Meanwhile, city editor Augustus "Gus" Haynes (Clark Johnson) and the staff of a local newspaper are reeling from corporate cutbacks, losing key personnel from both the metro and international divisions. Still, with the help of reporters Alma Gutierrez (Michelle Paress), Jeff Price (Todd Scofield) and Scott Templeton (Tom McCarthy), Haynes is able to break a front-page story that links a politician to a co-op drug dealer. Proposition Joe (Robert F. Chew), Marlo (Jamie Hector), Fatface Rick (Troj Marquis Strickland) and others meet in a hotel conference room to discuss divvying up drug frontiers across East Baltimore's county line.
Teleplay by David Simon; story by David Simon & Ed Burns; directed by Joe Chappelle.
Episode #52: "Unconfirmed Reports"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 13 (10:30 p.m.), 15 (11:30 p.m.), 16 (midnight), 17 (10:00 p.m.) and 18 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 14 (10:00 p.m.), 17 (2:00 a.m.) and 21 (9:00 p.m.)
Although he tells Sydnor that the Davis investigation could be a "career case," Freamon keeps a wary eye out for Marlo, who takes care of some unfinished business and strikes a business deal with Barksdale (Wood Harris). Carcetti throws the police a bone by removing the cap on secondary employment, sending the detectives into fantasy-job reveries. With an eye on the state house, Mayor Carcetti's chief of staff, Michael Steintorf (Neal Huff), tries to find good news for the mayor while blaming the Royce administration for the Campbell revelation. Davis turns to Burrell (Frankie Faison) for help with his problem, but the commissioner's hands are tied. At the newspaper, executive editor James Whiting (Sam Freed) outlines a Pulitzer-worthy series in broad strokes, trumping Haynes while liberating the ambitious Templeton. Fed up with broken-down cars and unsolved serial murders, McNulty decides to take matters into his own hands.
Teleplay by William F. Zorzi; story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi; directed by Ernest Dickerson.
Episode #53: "Not for Attribution"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 20 (10:30 p.m.), 22 (11:00 p.m.), 23 (midnight), 24 (10:00 p.m.) and 25 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 21 (10:00 p.m.), 24 (1:45 a.m.) and 28 (9:00 p.m.)
Carcetti's master plan for the police department is leaked to the press, sending the brass into a panic. Marlo turns to Proposition Joe to help with an enviable problem. Whiting and managing editor Thomas Klebanow (David Costabile) drop a bombshell on the newspaper staff. Michael (Tristan Wilds) finds temporary respite from his life on the corner by taking Dukie (Jermaine Crawford) and Bug (Keenon Brice) on a trip. McNulty shares some inside info with Gutierrez, but her subsequent story doesn't cause the splash either envisioned. Undaunted, McNulty looks for a new ally in Freamon.
Teleplay by William F. Zorzi; story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi; directed by Ernest Dickerson.
Episode #54: "Transitions"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 27 (10:30 p.m.), 29 (12:30 a.m.), 30 (12:30 a.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 28 (10:00 p.m.) and 31 (3:10 a.m.)
Campbell (Marlyne Afflack) tries to smooth out the transitions in the police department. The newspaper scramsbles to confirm surprising news from City Hall, but lose out to the TV media in scooping a high-profile grand jury appearance. As Marlo tries to win favor with the Greeks, Proposition Joe pays his last respects to a fallen colleague, and prepares to make himself scarce in anticipation of a showdown. Freamon enlists the help of a past partner to help with the investigation.
Teleplay by Ed Burns; story by David Simon & Ed Burns; directed by Dan Attias.
THE WIRE's fourth season, which concluded in Dec. 2006, made many critics' "best of the year" lists. The New York Times said it "will knock the breath out of you... best season yet," while Entertainment Weekly observed that THE WIRE "has made the final jump from great TV to classic TV...the sort of dramatic cycle people will still be writing and thinking about 25 years from now...a staggering achievement." Daily Variety said, "When television history is written, little else will rival 'The Wire'...extraordinary," and the San Francisco Chronicle hailed it as "a masterpiece...must be considered alongside the best literature and filmmaking in the modern era."
HBO Video releases the fourth season of THE WIRE on DVD Dec. 4.
On Jan. 8, Nonesuch Records releases "Music from Five Years of The Wire," which includes performances of "Way Down in the Hole," the show's theme song, by the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Neville Brothers and DoMaJe, as well as the closing theme and numerous other tracks.
THE WIRE was created by David Simon; executive producers, David Simon and Nina Kostroff Noble; co-executive producers, Joe Chappelle and Edward Burns; producer, Karen Thorson.
CHEAPEST DAFFY EVER!!
Note please that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has lopped a whopping 56% off a load of its sets, including its first four wonderful, extra-crammed Looney Tunes golden collections. Each set contains 60 of the best shorts produced for the cinema series and typically go for about $45 or $50 each:
Looney Tunes Golden Collection
$28.49 Volume One
$28.49 Volume Two
$28.49 Volume Three
$28.49 Volume Four
Alan Moore’s Gentlemen Return!!
KICKS OFF FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON JAN. 6, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO
The Peabody Award-winning drama series THE WIRE launches its ten-episode fifth and final season SUNDAY, JAN. 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, with other episodes debuting on subsequent Sundays at the same time.
In addition to resolving storylines that have continued throughout the previous seasons, the culminating narrative arc of THE WIRE will reflect on the media's role in addressing - or failing to address - the fundamental political, economic and social realities depicted over the course of the series.
Explains series creator David Simon, "It made sense to finish THE WIRE with this reflection on the state of the media, as all the other attendant problems of the American city depicted in the previous four seasons will not be solved until the depth and range of those problems is first acknowledged. And that won't happen without an intelligent, aggressive and well-funded press."
A 13-year veteran of the Baltimore Sun newspaper, Simon decries recent trends in the newspaper industry that have conspired to make high-end journalism vulnerable: out-of-town chain ownership, an economic climate in which the share price of media companies matters more to industry leaders than the product itself, and a newsroom culture in which prizes, personal ambition and the cult of the "impact" story has replaced consistent and detailed coverage of complex issues as the primary goal.
Returning cast regulars on THE WIRE include Dominic West, Sonja Sohn, Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Deirdre Lovejoy, Clarke Peters, Reg E. Cathey, Domenick Lombardozzi, Seth Gilliam, Aidan Gillen, Jamie Hector, Michael Kenneth Williams, John Doman, Andre Royo, Corey Parker Robinson, Tristan Wilds, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jermaine Crawford and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
New cast regulars this season include Clark Johnson ("Homicide: Life on the Street") as city editor Augustus "Gus" Haynes, Tom McCarthy ("Year of the Dog") as ambitious reporter Scott Templeton, Michelle Paress as reporter Alma Gutierrez, Neal Huff ("Michael Clayton") as Michael Steintorf, Mayor Carcetti's chief of staff, and Michael Kostroff ("The Closer") as Maury.
Supporting cast members this season include Steve Earle, Frankie Faison, Anwan Glover, Method Man, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson and Amy Ryan.
Among the directors this season are series veterans Dan Attias, Joe Chappelle, Ernest Dickerson, Agnieszka Holland, Seith Mann, Anthony Hemingway and Clark Johnson (who directed the first episode of THE WIRE, and also directs its final episode). New directors this season include the husband and wife team of Joy Kecken & Scott Kecken and series regular Dominic West, in his directorial debut.
The writing staff of THE WIRE includes David Simon, who penned two books of narrative nonfiction, "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets," which inspired the hit series "Homicide: Life on the Street," and "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood," which inspired the Emmy(r)-winning HBO miniseries "The Corner"; Ed Burns, a former Baltimore police detective and Baltimore city public school teacher, who coauthored the book "The Corner" with Simon; William F. Zorzi, a former political writer and editor for the Baltimore Sun; and Chris Collins, an up-and-coming talent who served as staff writer last season and also wrote the award-winning documentary "Disarm." Also writing for the series this season are novelists Dennis Lehane ("Gone Baby Gone," "Mystic River"), George Pelecanos ("Hard Revolution," "Right as Rain") and Richard Price ("Lush Life," "Clockers"), as well as TV veteran David Mills, who was one of the writers and executive producers on "The Corner," and a writer for "NYPD Blue" and "Homicide: Life on the Street."
Beginning Dec. 31 with the season premiere, weekly episodes of THE WIRE will be available on HBO On Demand the Monday prior to its Sunday debut on the main HBO channel.
January's shows:
Episode #51: "More with Less"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 6 (10:30 p.m.), 8 (midnight), 9 (midnight), 10 (10:00 p.m.) and 11 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 7 (10:00 p.m.), 10 (2:35 a.m.) and 14 (9:00 p.m.)
As McNulty (Dominic West) and the detail continue staking out Marlo's crew, recently promoted Sergeant Carver (Seth Gilliam) is welcomed by a cauldron of discontent from officers coping with unpaid overtime. Though he wants to keep his campaign promise to lower crime, Mayor Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) is strapped by his commitment to schools, and faces some tough choices. Col. Daniels (Lance Reddick) is forced to reallocate his resources, retaining Freamon (Clarke Peters) and Sydnor (Corey Parker Robinson) for the Clay Davis (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.) probe. Meanwhile, city editor Augustus "Gus" Haynes (Clark Johnson) and the staff of a local newspaper are reeling from corporate cutbacks, losing key personnel from both the metro and international divisions. Still, with the help of reporters Alma Gutierrez (Michelle Paress), Jeff Price (Todd Scofield) and Scott Templeton (Tom McCarthy), Haynes is able to break a front-page story that links a politician to a co-op drug dealer. Proposition Joe (Robert F. Chew), Marlo (Jamie Hector), Fatface Rick (Troj Marquis Strickland) and others meet in a hotel conference room to discuss divvying up drug frontiers across East Baltimore's county line.
Teleplay by David Simon; story by David Simon & Ed Burns; directed by Joe Chappelle.
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 13 (10:30 p.m.), 15 (11:30 p.m.), 16 (midnight), 17 (10:00 p.m.) and 18 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 14 (10:00 p.m.), 17 (2:00 a.m.) and 21 (9:00 p.m.)
Although he tells Sydnor that the Davis investigation could be a "career case," Freamon keeps a wary eye out for Marlo, who takes care of some unfinished business and strikes a business deal with Barksdale (Wood Harris). Carcetti throws the police a bone by removing the cap on secondary employment, sending the detectives into fantasy-job reveries. With an eye on the state house, Mayor Carcetti's chief of staff, Michael Steintorf (Neal Huff), tries to find good news for the mayor while blaming the Royce administration for the Campbell revelation. Davis turns to Burrell (Frankie Faison) for help with his problem, but the commissioner's hands are tied. At the newspaper, executive editor James Whiting (Sam Freed) outlines a Pulitzer-worthy series in broad strokes, trumping Haynes while liberating the ambitious Templeton. Fed up with broken-down cars and unsolved serial murders, McNulty decides to take matters into his own hands.
Teleplay by William F. Zorzi; story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi; directed by Ernest Dickerson.
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 20 (10:30 p.m.), 22 (11:00 p.m.), 23 (midnight), 24 (10:00 p.m.) and 25 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 21 (10:00 p.m.), 24 (1:45 a.m.) and 28 (9:00 p.m.)
Carcetti's master plan for the police department is leaked to the press, sending the brass into a panic. Marlo turns to Proposition Joe to help with an enviable problem. Whiting and managing editor Thomas Klebanow (David Costabile) drop a bombshell on the newspaper staff. Michael (Tristan Wilds) finds temporary respite from his life on the corner by taking Dukie (Jermaine Crawford) and Bug (Keenon Brice) on a trip. McNulty shares some inside info with Gutierrez, but her subsequent story doesn't cause the splash either envisioned. Undaunted, McNulty looks for a new ally in Freamon.
Teleplay by William F. Zorzi; story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi; directed by Ernest Dickerson.
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 27 (10:30 p.m.), 29 (12:30 a.m.), 30 (12:30 a.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 28 (10:00 p.m.) and 31 (3:10 a.m.)
Campbell (Marlyne Afflack) tries to smooth out the transitions in the police department. The newspaper scramsbles to confirm surprising news from City Hall, but lose out to the TV media in scooping a high-profile grand jury appearance. As Marlo tries to win favor with the Greeks, Proposition Joe pays his last respects to a fallen colleague, and prepares to make himself scarce in anticipation of a showdown. Freamon enlists the help of a past partner to help with the investigation.
Teleplay by Ed Burns; story by David Simon & Ed Burns; directed by Dan Attias.
HBO Video releases the fourth season of THE WIRE on DVD Dec. 4.
On Jan. 8, Nonesuch Records releases "Music from Five Years of The Wire," which includes performances of "Way Down in the Hole," the show's theme song, by the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Neville Brothers and DoMaJe, as well as the closing theme and numerous other tracks.
THE WIRE was created by David Simon; executive producers, David Simon and Nina Kostroff Noble; co-executive producers, Joe Chappelle and Edward Burns; producer, Karen Thorson.
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But who cares.
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Given the subject matter, I might be the only person to post on this TalkBack. No, seriously, I know I'm actually the only person on earth who doesn't give a tin fart about The Wire.
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"Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit."
~Clay Davis -
Then comes the next season of the Wire! So brilliant I can't wait. And kevinwillis.net, judging by the ratings, you are actually in the vast majority there, I just think you're missing out.
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Me loves The Wire! Stringer Bell reigns supreme! I just finished season 3. Can someone tell me if season 4 lives up to the precedent set by the previous season???
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Got dem spider bags, got dem body bags, dat white top!
The Wire is the best motherfucking show on the planet, ya heard? -
Loves me some Clark Johnson..
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Season 4 is best, in my opinion, despite the decided lack of McNulty and Avon.
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Damn fine show. I love it. Like a Dickens novel with better writing! Long live the Wire. Long live the gay robin hood!
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This really is the best show on tv. Or at least it will be for its final season. I just rewatched Season 3 with a friend who is just watching it all for the first time. It's such a wonderful show. I'll miss it so much when it's gone.
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Dang. Guess I'll have to see for myself. But thanks for the vote of confidence WMD.The Wire really is the best show I've seen. Ranking it with, say, the great novels of all time like Great Expectations, The Brothers Karamazov, or The Lord of The Rings isn't disrespectful to any of the comparisons. It's a wonderfully deep and introspective serial.
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He was busy shooting 300, among other things, so McNulty kinda got shafted in the 4th season. Not that what happens with his character doesn't perfectly fit the story. Luckily, looks like McNulty's back for the final season, so no harm no foul.
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It will have, I'm sure, Avon testifying against Clay Davis, something McNulty, early as season 1, wanted to stop. Also, the Greeks are back.
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I'm staying spoiler free.I'm only half way thru series 2,D'Angelo just got taken out,Stringer Bell must pay dammit,he was a good kid......
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We've got return appearancese from Barksdale, the Greeks, the kids. Looking forward to this.
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With great writers. Richard Price. Dennis Lehane. If you want to create a TV show that feels like a novel, get novelists. THESE are the people that deserve more money and residuals, the writers who are artists. Not some hacks who bang out the latest Moonlight nonsense or some fill-in-the-blank shit from a CSI template.
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is the best one by far (IMO) and that's no small feat, considering the tricky nature of the story- line. The four kids are all outstanding -- not a single phony or precious moment from any of them in the entire season. You won't miss McNulty -- and if you do, you'll probably really enjoy the season finale, where he's back front and center.
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From start to finish. I cannot wait until the end of the month. I will be watching every episode multiple times.
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Any fan of crime fiction is doing themselves a disservice if they haven't read any of his work...especially the "Derek Strange" novels.
Sheeeeeeeyaaat!
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I hear that WMD is the BOMB!
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http://tiny.cc/VHaIh http://tiny.cc/kAvtV
http://tiny.cc/7iQjY
Thank me later Herc. -
But is it the most ambitious, dense, and socially relevant TV show ever? Beyond any shadow of a doubt.
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The HBO promos on On Demand have been hyping the "Catch up with Season 3 and 4 on ON Demand" before season 5 begins in January. To date, Season 4 episodes are still not available On Demand. Anyone have an idea when this is supposed to go into effect?
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after the 10th of December.
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But its the other way. This show gets better with every repeated viewing. In my opinion, season 4 may well have been its best yet. If this manages to top last season, we may have to crown this as the greatest scripted television series ever!
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Why isn't there a Life TB? Life is by far the best new tv show this Fall and after last night's crazy jaw dropper I don't know how long I can't wait for new episodes without going CRAZY!!!!
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Dec 06, 2007 10:08:36 AM CST
"This is Baltimore, gentlemen. The gods will not save you."
by boxcutter
Check out the Wire community boards on the HBO site - Favorite Lines. Man, you can get lost in there for days. For those playing catch up, Season 3 gets so good, it's almost hard to breathe. That scene on the balcony overlooking the harbor between String and Avon...Omar: "We'll have to go in the front"; Mouzone: "That'll be a change for you, won't it?"...The Bunk/McNulty and Rawls/Colvin exchanges...Beautiful, brilliant, bold WRITING. That's where it all starts. Epic stuff. Cannot wait.
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Do he mean Sweet Beatrice "Beadie" Russell? Some pol or journo I missed? Or have I gone arsewards to madness?
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You're "sure" the Wire is excellent - which means you haven't seen it - but you think Dexter and BSG are just as good? If you haven't seen it - based on what? Dexter is a pretty good show in it's own right, but the thing that's bugged me about Dex is that after watching some Wire, the police department aspects of Dexter are just woefully inadequate. In fact, after The Wire, every other cop show on TV is pretty laughable. Seriously - watch this show at your peril - it's good enough that other TV starts to lack in comparison.
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I mean, "Zodiac" was a great realistic film, but the realism doesn't automatically upgrade it over "The Empire Strikes Back" or "Se7en".
Its not about realism. Realism is what made Zodiac a shit movie. Its all about the writing. Sure Simon knows all the police stuff inside out but what makes it great is the way he combines the dramatic and tragic with the real experiences in his head. -
The most ambitious, well-written, engaging, and yes, BEST show ever in the history of television. Has become television's equivalent of great literature. Best thing that's ever been on TV.
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The fact that anyone could say CSI Miami is better than anything (except maybe Nazism) is so laughable I want to implode. The Wire is good, but I still prefer the Shield for entertainment purposes. I just wish Netflix would hurry the hell up and send me The Wire S4.
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What are those prequels from? Sweet! And thank you!
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Honestly, are there any other shows where acclaimed writers like Lehane actually jump at the chance to write for the show? Cannot wait for this. Tht scene with the Hamsterdam bust with Ride of the Valkyries playing is so good, and does anyone else think that Carcetti is a dead ringer for Ed Norton?
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http://www.box.net/shared/static/493t17uc0r.mp3
Olsen Twins Fan - http://tinyurl.com/2zdyyz
I'm excited.
Just to add, I want to say that this show cannot be judged on the first season alone. Part of what makes this show so great is how every episode/season/character is connected. While certain characters may appear in every episode, it's only on rare occasions where these characters meet up.
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McNulty is drunk and trying to drive home, yet he continually keeps smashing his car, but keeps trying to make it, but only making things worse. I just loved how this show would have their main character doing awful things like drunk driving, and picking up some random waitress at a bar, and have him doing terrible, weak things. It's all part of what makes this show so real.
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I can see where you're coming from. One of the great things about The Wire, though, is that each season really builds on everything that's come before it, so that it just gets better and better. It's almost hard to describe the show at this point. It's not a cop show, it's not a politics show, it's not a school show - it's all of those things and more. If you can track down a copy of a magazine called The Believer from a few months back (it's put out by the good folks at Dave Eggers' 826 Valencia), there's an AWESOME interview with David Simon that helps to understand the perspective of the show. There's also a good article in a recent New Yorker, but the Believer interview was solid gold.
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Life is a show about a cop who spends 12 years for a crime he didn't commit and is exonerated through DNA 12 years later and rejoins the force and secretly trying to solve the crime of who framed him. It is on NBC and stars Damian Lewis and is like a modern hard boiled detective show disguised as another police drama but plays out like a great crime novel. It is funny, smart and gets better and richer with every episode. The acting is amazing and the mystery is riveting. I did not want to watch another show this season but my wife and I have been glued to the tv ever since the first episode. It puts CSI & Law Order (I like the Law & Order shows for what they are) to SHAME!!!
When the DVD comes out I plan on buying it and watching it all over again. -
So sayith Bubbles.
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You're wrong. Sorry.
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Remember the scene from season one where Bunk & Mcnulty are trying to figure out who murdered that prostitute (think she was a hooker anyway), and all of the dialogue in the entire scene (a good 3-5 minutes long, as i recall) consists of Bunk and Mcnulty repeatedly saying "Fuck me" as they explore and discover how the crime went down? Simply REMARKABLE...
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Actually, I think it was just plain "fuck", not even "fuck me." The different meanings they got out of the f-bomb were great.
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Seriously, you just don't want to compare it to anything else on TV - it's just on a different level.
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They do some stupid things like...
Bodie's death. Absolutely ridiculous. If that was the reason he was going to go out, they could have done that in the first season. Stupid.
And let me tell you... if they kill off Barksdale or Omar in the fifth season, why I'm gon'... Sheeeeeeeeiiiiiit! Don't even go there. -
That was when I was hooked. Pure Genius. Also when McNulty determines where the girl postitute in season 2 was killed and proves the homicide division has juristiction over all the girls' deaths is another great scene. No other show on television, on any channel, had the guts to shoot, edit, and lock-in McNulty's scene that way at that time. Another shout out to the actors on "The Wire." They are all getting work now, not just D. West. I've seen Deirdra Lovejoy pop up on 2 or three other shows, Michael K. Williams has been everywhere. And now Lance Reddick is in a Cadillac commercial, and IMDB says he will be in the season premiere of "Lost." With the strike, maybe "The Wire" will at least get a nomination for best drama series at the emmys.-----later-----m
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he died for bullshit. His life was worthless, yeah he probably didn't have the normal options like a number of us do, so there he is selling drugs, doing his job, doing his job well when all of a sudden there's a management change and the new owners won't hesitate to "retire" you. The old "rules" and "code" didn't matter anymore. Plus Bodie's death was just the incident to wake McNulty up and get him back doing what he's good at. One of the themes of the show is (IMHO): Life is Cheap - and the burracracy for both the "good guys" and the "bad guys" will cut you down without remorse if they think you'll muck things up.
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The fact that this show hasn't gotten ANY Emmy love invalidates the award entirely for me. I used to think the Emmy was at least a bit more credible than the Grammy - no longer.
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Name the first casualty from the first episode?
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got dat paaaandemic righ'chear! righ'chear! pandemic! the wire is definitely the best tv has to offer, even better than Oz on occasions.
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dude that's easy, Snot.
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Snot Boogie if you wanna split hairs.. but yeah there it is
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They're up on Amazon's page for the 4th season DVD's. The one where Bunk and McNulty meet for the 1st time is great.
HBO if your listening I will gladly buy a straight to DVD Wire movie every year if you make them and I'm pretty sure so would every other Wire Fan here. So think on that.
The have been a lot of great shows on TV, but none as good as The Wire. Best show ever made. -
Also included in that statement is BSG, LOST, SHIELD, RESCUE ME, SOPRANOS and MANIMAL.
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Inevitable. Like Slim Charles says in S3 to Cutty: "The game the same, it just got more fierce." And since another would-be kingpin (in this case, Marlo) is in the ascendancy, Avon's lieutenants are among the casualties. Barksdale's short time is done, cue next batch of harder, equally dispensable corner boys. I think you can locate the Bunk/McNulty apartment scene by keying in The Wire and Fuck on YouTube. Still rivets you, doesn't it?
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They are just a little thank you to the fans from the creators. And they are great aren't they?
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In seasons one through three, Bodie was a diehard soldier who gave everything he had to the game. He was so devoted to it he didn't think twice about killing one of his best friends. After the dissolution of the Barskdale crew and being out on his own Bodie came to realize that there truly was no honor amongst thieves and that he'd wasted the majority of his life thus far. Sadly that realization came too little too late for him. Thus the power of what happens at the end of season four. Killing him during season one would have completely lost the point of the character's arc on the show.
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I was wondering if we'd ever get to see No Heart Anthony.
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just the best. period. if you've seen seasons 1-4 (god, especially 4) you know that there is not a single other television show that has even approached the level of craft and social relevance that the wire has. it depresses me that the ratings are so low, but with the way shows are kept alive on dvd today, I'm confident the show will grow with time. i'm almost grateful for the writers strike, because once season 5 starts, that's it for me caring about anything else on tv.
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Well said Russman and Boxcutter. And sorry for not abbreviating Marlo's line a few post up."No matter how many times you get burnt, niggas keep doin the same." - the late Bodie
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Oh, those are great!! And thank you Ed Burns and crew.-----later----m
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Dec 06, 2007 7:50:22 PM CST
Wait, because it's realistic it's automatically beneath a sci-fi
by lenny nero
The staggering amount of imagination and insight of "The Wire" is simply awe-inspiring. No, it's not a fantasy world, but by that logic, the Wing Commander movie is better than Mystic River. (?)
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That was the rest of my subject line. I was not making a statement that it's beneath a sci-fi show. I was questioning that statement.
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but at least it's a nice start. Seriously, this is SO worth reading if you're a fan of the show... http://tinyurl.com/2dwgcb
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Now I'm twice as anxious for the new season. The Prop Joe was great, that kid had him nailed. Might have to follow suit with DK and watch the other seasons from the beginning.
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Only thing that has been remotely entertaining this season so far has been Curb.. and thats over. Bionic woman is ok, but so is a glass of piss in a desert.
Heroes can suck my sack, such a waste. Daisys can suck it too.. weak. No Lost, No BG, No Rome, no Deadwood.. But the Wire in 1 Month = Fuck Yes! -
I would say the Wire is the best show ever... but it has to take a back seat to another show the actor who played Bodie was on when he played an even better character. That show: Another little HBO gem called FUCKING *OZ*!!!!!! I like Bodie, but he will always be Bricks to me!!!! Sheeeeeeeit!!!
I hope the return of Oz bodes something better for the new year for HBO -- used to be Sunday night was HBO night. I haven't liked any of their new 2007 shows.
Bring back OZ -- that show was the shiz-nit!!! NOBODY FUCKS WITH QUERNS!!!! -
I earlier emailed a friend after seeing a story about X-files 2 saying 'you are going to shit your pants when you read this' -- after I read about the wire I sent him an email saying 'Now I shit MY pants!!' TMI?
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I meant the return of the Wire in my previous talkback... I can only dream they'd bring Oz back ;)
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Best new show of 2007.
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If a friend of mine hasn't seen the Wire, I ask him/her to watch the 1st season. If the friend loves it, great. If the friend likes it but doesn't keep watching - I know that our friendship is going to be limited. I haven't had anyone hate it, but a guy I've known since grade school didn't get all the way through season 1, and I now like him a little bit less than I did previously.
And people who post comments about the merits of the Wire having only seen about 1/4 of the episodes are missing the point entirely, and should really go away. -
What is up with the people who keep saying 'yes, i've heard the wire is great and i'll get around to watching it someday'... there seem to be a lot! I'm still trying to get my best friend to watch since the first season. I'm now trying to talk him into a DVD marathon pre-season 5 to get him into it
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Different qualities aside, you CAN compare vastly different media, as Saving Private Ryan is better than The Empire Strikes back neither of which is better than Casablanca.
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But Saving Private Ryan *isn't* better than The Empire Strikes Back, so your point doesn't make any sense. :p The lousy, mawkish bookends alone knock it down to Return of the Jedi level. All I know is I'm glad I live in an age that gives us both The Wire and Arrested Development. If I had to pick one, I'd pick the former...but that doesn't mean I don't love me some Bluths. Finally, thanks for linking those prequel shorts. I saw 'em on Amazon when I was buying S4 for various people for Xmas, but assumed they were some fan-made, Youtube kinda thing. But, no, there's Bunk and McNulty.
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I too now use lack-of-love of The Wire to weed out the less interesting people around me. And when I meet anybody else who's ruthlessly evangelical about the show (in my experience, about 75-80% of the people who've watched S1-4), they're immediately on my cool list.
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The Wire is better than Arrested Development and Carnivale. You could combine them into one show and call it Arrested at the Carnivale and it still wouldn't be as good as the wire...
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It is the best show on TV.
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...Season 4 will absolutely, positively blow you away. It's maybe the best series season ever made. You'll laugh, you'll cry. Literally, with no hyperbole.
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Is yet another of the many reasons this show is so good. Man, the whole montage in the season 4 finale (it was the finale wasn't it?) that's set to Paul Weller's version of "I Walk On Gilded Splinters?" Riveting, I was glued to the screen. A car could have come crashing through my kitchen and I don't think i'd've even noticed...
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It premiers onDemand on my birthday so I know what I'll be doing. After this season, I'll probably end up dropping HBO. I'd have done it sooner if I hadn't been waiting for McNutty to return but I don't see anything on their upcoming schedule that really interests me right now so Bye Bye HBO.
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the ad today gracing the NYC buses and I got chills. GOAT. Indeed.
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After The Wire, not much else left on HBO, is there? I'll stick it out til Entourage ends or becomes unbearable, but with The Wire done (and props to HBO for giving it the full 5 seasons), Deadwood & John From Cincinatti canceled, there's nothing else much left to interest me, although if they happen to start up another Milch project soon, as I thought I heard, i'll stick around for that. I'm a sucker for a Milch show...
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Either it's good or it isn't. Really it's just a sliding scale of whether or not you enjoyed it and/or if you recognize brilliance. In that sense, you can definitely definitely definitely say The Wire is just as good as Battlestar Galactica and vice versa. Why separate your loves into sections? It's all good, baby.
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McNulty: I got to ask you, if every time Snot Boogie would grab the money and run away, why did you even let him in the game?
Snot Boogies Pal: What?
McNulty: If Snot Boogie always stole the money why did you let him play?
Snot Boogies Pal: Got to, this America man. -
Perfect encapsulation of why the show is so damn brilliant. Season 5 looks like it's going to be even better than the rest, Bunks look of shock about some shady dealing in the trailer has already got me on tenterhooks. Bad and terrible shit is going to happen to characters I love this season.
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No Stargate Atlantis 07 Finale TB? Not cool.
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Not too high brow, not too low brow. They cram so many plot twists, so much character development into each episode that it's amazing they haven't run out of material.
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Because Harry dedicated one talkback to its pilot and hasn't mentioned it since, but come on, people. You're allowed to think for yourselves.
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I don't know if I'd go quite that far, I mean Oz, I, Claudius and a handful of others are all right up there too, but for my money The Wire is definitely the best show of the past few years, and certainly the best show currently/still on air. And unlike many shows, it just seems to get stronger and stronger, I mean season 4 was, for my money, probably the best season yet. Regardless of the hyperbole, it's a great show that deserves much more praise and attention than it gets. No Emmys for The Wire? Sheeeeyiiiiiiiit...Can't wait for Season 5.
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The Wire beats any show on ABC hands down -- the only show that comes close is Lost, and it is better for the twists and drama than for the writing. The Wire is a far better written series. And ask anyone I know and they will tell you I'm a big BSG fan, but BSG is not as well written as the wire. Just as enjoyable a show, and I probably look forward to watching them about the same, but not as well written. Life is the only thing on TV at the moment that comes as close to the well written dialogue as on the Wire. I'm not talking about overall plot but dialogue
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to start right now. "You know what a life is Jimmy?"
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Completely OT, why no love for 30 Rock?
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...Is more proof of what a retard Kevinwillis is.
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The wire is just a better show in every regard than BSG. Or anything else on TV. Including Dexter, Sopranos and all that other filler they pump out. Regardless of wether its a fantasy world or a depiction of a real city, its more dense, interesting and better produced than any other.
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It's not that everyone who doesn't like it is dumb, it's just that KW and people like him hate it because it tells the truth and they can't see it because they are that fucking indolent when it comes to anything that they find uncomfortable in terms of their SEVERELY limited worldview. But really, he's just not worth bothering with. Hell I only went back and read his post because I saw you refer to it. Ah well.
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Is he going down this season?
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When Sobotka has Horseface steal the departments new surveliance van then ship it to different ports and have pictures taken at the different places to send to the police chief? That is great copmedy.
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Every other season is 12 or 13, I am being short changed...
I just hope the show lives on in someway after this season, someone mentioned DVD movies once a year, which would be great, but an unrealistic hope. However with so many talented writers involved in the show, maybe some books to continue on the stories... -
Oz was a damn fine show, but it got ridiculous in later seasons (in particular, I recall Cyril O'Reilly being given some sort of experimental serum that made him rapidly age, complete with bad makeup, plus the stuff with Dr. Nathan/Ryan O'Reilly was mostly all unwatchable crap). The Wire has only gotten better with each new season, giving it the definite edge. If anything, the only show that comes close to the Wire is Deadwood, in my opinion, but Deadwood got cut short, so The Wire scores a TKO on that front.
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Im gonna miss The Wire and Deadwood.
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I'm not even going to argue about whether The Wire is the best television series ever. IT IS - END OF ARGUMENT! Now on to Season 5. I just got my complete Season 4 box set, and I'm watching every episode again to get ready for Season 5. Good to know that Barksdale is coming, but sorry there's no mention of Namond and Randy. I really feel for those characters, and I would like to knoe their fate. However, life is not tidy and neither is The Wire - that's one of the things I love about the show.
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...Deadwood built upon its seasons. The Wire has been exellent from get go though. Also...Man, Deadwoods ending was atrocious. Pretty much negated everything that came before. Oh well.
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It's been confirmed that Namond and Randy, in some capacity, as well as Colvin, will return in 5.
And yes, Avon Barksdale returning is news for celebration. -
time capsule if America continues to go to shit losing its middle class and ignoring the lower class and its problems. What impacts urban America will eventually impact us all. Anyway, I hope HBO puts this show in HD this season and the Academy has the balls to nominate and give the win to this series. Don't just throw it a bone like the Emmys did with Star Trek The Next Generation a few years back. The Wire and Battlestar Galatica are the best damn shows on television.
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Thanks for the update about Namond and Randy (and Bunny!) That is welcome news.
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The Wire will never be broadcast in HD. I think this came up prior to season 4 in an interview with Simon, but he said that he didn't want to alter the canvas he had been working with for seasons 4 and 5. That means no HD and no widescreen.
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Been re-watching season one, and the scene where a progressively drunk McNulty tries to assemble bunk beds for his kids IS nice, but the scene in the episode after Greggs is shot, and they listen to the recording of it and McNulty vomits. Then, Rawls approaches him, and tells him how much of a jackass he is, and how he is just "a gaping asshole", but how this isn't his fault, because if it was, he'd be jumping at the chance to make him feel like shit over it. It's just wonderful to see this character who hates McNulty so, so much actually want to comfort him and show compassion.
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