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

[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! ;-)