The Wire

[shadowkat]

Just finished watching episodes 1-3 of S1 of The Wire (The Target, The Detail and The Buys). While episode 1 (The Target) was a bit slow and difficult to get into - in part because you are literally dropped into the center of the story, so it takes a while to figure out who the people are and what's going on, episodes 2 and 3 are quite good. And 3 hits the proverbial ball out of the park, a piece of deft writing, David Simon at his best. So, even though my attention wandered quite a bit in the first episode (I kept going to sleep), episode 2 held my attention, and episode 3 riveted me. The characters start to become compelling as does this rag-tag team of cops impossible task to break-up a drug cartel. The cops are fighting their own internal hierachy and politics more than they are actually fighting the drug dealers.

My favorite character so far is NeKome Griggs (I think that's her name) - a female vice cop, who is a lesbian and wickedly bright. Other favorites include D'Angelo (a kid in the projects), McNulty (good thing too - since he's the central character - although this story is multi-character and multi-pov, so there really isn't a central character), Lt. Daniels, The State's Attorney - a female prosecutor,
and a drug addict/informer.

It's what I like to call hyper-realism television. Gritty and real. With dialogue that captures the cadence of how people really talk, curse words and all. It's goal is to capture reality as close as possible without being either a documentary or a reality tv show (although it feels more real than either, and is far more interesting - documentaries really do put me to sleep, and I can't stand reality tv shows). So by hyper-realism - is basically real but better. In art it's the same way - more interesting and captivating than real. Or heightened reality. And it is realistic. I've seen that world, or at least enough to know. The most realistic fictionalized cop show that I've seen since Homicide Life on the Streets. Fairly similar in that it also takes place on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland - as Homicide did. Also has the same head-writer. It reminds me of Richard Price's Clockers and Freedomland in how it is structured, the multi-person pov, ranging outwards from the drug case.

Brain too tired to say much more than that. Work broke my bain. ;-)

Comments

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

There's a scene in episode 4 that's justifiably famous - it's when I fell in love with the series.

And Kima is great, she has a wonderful arc in the series, but my favourite character is Omar, I don't know if you'll have met him yet but I'm sure you'll enjoy him.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I fell in love with the "D'angelo teaches chess scene" (forget what episode that's in), but, yeah, that famous scene in episode 4? Cracks me up every single time.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

"D'angelo teaches chess scene" (forget what episode that's in),

Episode 3 - The Buys, which I watched yesterday.
The best of the first three episodes, in part, just for that scene. A scene that reverberates through the entire episode.

That's the scene that coaxed me into renting and trying the series - beergoodfoamy found it on youtube and linked it to me. Amazing piece of writing.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, you are tempting me to watch episode 4 after work tonight..

No, haven't met Omar yet.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I envy you. You're at the edge of televised greatness.

S3 and S4 of The Wire is the *best* television ever produced. Bar none.

A lot of people complain about S2 and on first watching I wasn't fond of it either. However, when I went back for a re-watch, I realized how vitally important S2 is to understand the overall arc of the whole series.

S5 for some folks was a letdown. I enjoyed it (because of my newspaper background), and got exactly what The Wire was saying about the media and decline of newspapers — but even I admit that after the creative high of S3 and S4 that S5 can't compete, even if it's better than 99% of what's out there.

*is envious*

[shapinglight]

Lucky you. I wish I could watch The Wire for the first time again. You've yet to meet some of my favourite characters, but Daniels and Pearlman (the states attorney) are two of them.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yep, only 3 episodes in. Next disc has episode 4, 5 and 6 - I think.

So far the main points of view or central characters seem to be Greggs, D'Angelo, McNulty, and Daniels.

[shapinglight]

They're some of the main ones in season 1. Plenty of interesting characters still to meet, though.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Yay! So glad you liked it! You're in for one hell of a ride. Episode 3 is the one where Lester Freamon - the old cop with the toy furniture - tracks down a picture of Barksdale after everyone's believed him to be utterly useless, isn't it? One of my favourite characters. Natural born poh-leece.

and a drug addict/informer

That's Bubbles. Keep your eye on him.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Episode 3 is the one where Lester Freamon - the old cop with the toy furniture - tracks down a picture of Barksdale after everyone's believed him to be utterly useless, isn't it?

Yes, it's also the one with the chess scene - which is how you finally convinced me into trying the series.
Titled The Buys, subtitled "The king stays the king".
That episode was riveting.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Ooohhh Lester is the guy playing with the toy furniture? I didn't know he was an old cop. Seemed younger to me somehow. But I rather like him, he's not front and center yet, just sort of lurking in the background.

But he had a great scene in that episode.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

Kima Greggs was a favourite first, but later Bubbles (the junky who is Kima's informer)and Omar became my favourites throughout the seasons. Bubbles is heartbreaking, and Omar is flamboyant.

I alos loved Cedric Daniels and Rhonda Pearlman...and there's Lester, the old cop, the wise.

D'Angelo is such a tragic charcater!

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Haven't met Omar yet.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

While I've met Bubbles and actually enjoy him (he's the drug addict that I listed above - I'm guessing), haven't met Omar or Lester. Only seen three episodes! ;-)

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the club of The Wire addicts! :-)
Great series (the best I've seen), great characters. Many of them, who don't look much at first will grow and take more and more depths.
And there's humour too!

I'll probably make some posts about it (under cut because of spoilers)when I'll have more time.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Give me time...not quite an addict yet, just seen three episodes. Although the third one has me more or less hooked.