Another wire thread yo - season 1

by onlysoxfaninboston on Jul 21, 2008 2:30 PM CDT Comment 17 comments

I moved to another apartment this month and I no longer have HBO on demand. It was through HBO on-demand that I met and loved "The Wire". I didn't grow to love The Wire, it was love at first site baby. I recently burned the DVDs to maintain my 'healthy' addiction.

Some folks are still working on subsequent seasons, so I have a couple questions regarding Season 1:

1. Favorite character?

I'm going with Daniels for Season 1. He's one serious motherfucker not to be messed with even though McNulty gets under his skin more than once. He does an admiral job supporting his subordinates who are doing good police work and satisfying his bumbling superiors at the same time.

2. Everybody (not just white people) likes The Wire, but was there anything about Season 1 that you disliked?

I'm just wondering, how does Omar manage not to get knocked off?? Especially when he's having chit-chats with Prop Joe at his office.

3. Do you think the underlying criticism of the drug war
does not go far enough in Season 1?

Let ya'll tackle that one. David Simon's approach to producing this show was analogous to writing a novel, so perhaps Season 1 was just the first chapter that introduces the players, the concepts...That said, there was no mention of draconian/racist drug laws in this season.

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I bought the Season 1 box set a couple years ago

And I’ve probably seen every episode at least 5 times. The scene where Avon and his lieutenants march into the middle of the pit to meet D is possibly my favorite from season 1.

The scene where Weebay chastizes D in front of the fried chicken sign—with D so clearly the chicken, is excellent as well.

I think season 1 was about the cops and the street and the interplay between them. It really didn’t explore the dynamics of Calvert street and the larger “top down institutions” that Simon loves to deconstruct. I think season 1 was about the individual lives of cops and the players, not so much about how and why they came into those roles—that was mostly left for the following seasons.

by madvillian on Jul 21, 2008 3:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

the absence of those direct connections

allowed Simon to more artfully suggest it. the brilliant chess scene, for one, does an excellent job laying out everything to come.

and there was nothing that i disliked about season 1, really. i’m going to start rewatching it soon though, probably when i get back from a2.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jul 21, 2008 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have seasons 1-4

I have yet to see Season 5.

Season 4 is my favorite, but I keep thinking about Season 1. Although, I feel I should give Season 2 another viewing since it is so different.

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by shaftr on Jul 21, 2008 5:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i'm halfway through season 4. can't make a call on how i'd rank it yet, but at this point season 1 is my favorite with season 3 a distant, distant 3rd.

fuck you, that's my name!! you know why, mister? 'cause you drove a hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar bmw. that's my name!!

by MarketMaker on Jul 21, 2008 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

fuck, i meant season 2 is a distant 3rd. fuck me.

fuck you, that's my name!! you know why, mister? 'cause you drove a hyundai to get here tonight, I drove a eighty thousand dollar bmw. that's my name!!

by MarketMaker on Jul 21, 2008 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nobody really likes season 2, I mean, as their favorite

But I think it’s pretty underated. I think many people were soured on how the show just took a complete u-turn away from the street for the first half of that season. I felt the payoff of that season was great though: the new cosmopolitan international class (the Greek) planning his next port town to exploit while the dockworkers soldier on, their way of life dwindling everyday.

by madvillian on Jul 21, 2008 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think the season 2 plot

helped smoothed the transitions taking place in the barksdale clan from season 1 to 3, bringing those east side bitches into the picture

He was a catcher with the Orioles back in the day. Sorry looking (expletive). My brother had his card. He looked like this little kid who got left at a bus station by his parents. You know why? Because he had to catch Hoyt Wilhelms knuckle ball five (expletive) years.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Jul 21, 2008 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

season 2 was critical in laying down the connective tissue between the cops/dealers

narrow view and the larger “city as a whole” network that Simon builds thereafter.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jul 22, 2008 9:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Season 2 is highly underrated

The show wouldn’t have been possible without.

I discover more “new things” on season 2 rewatches compared to any other season. And I’ve watched them alot.

Part of the reason the wire is great is during rewatches you can continue to connect new things. I can’t think of any other show that does that.

by 815Sox on Jul 24, 2008 4:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As probably one of the few people who have never watched an episode of the Wire

I have to say my expectations are unreasonably high now after hearing over two years worth of universal praise and nuthugging for this tv show. Does this show live up to the hype, or is it like the Sopranos, where it’s a very good show, but was blown way out of proportion as a potential greatest series ever?

I’m reading Simon’s book Homicide: Life on the Killing Streets right now, I guess it’s the inspiration (at least partly) for the Wire. It’s pretty gripping shit, if you guys are done with the series, I’d recommend checking it out.

I was a multiple time all star throughout my little league career. Won 5 championships- 4 in a row- thats more in a row than MJ… (kenwo4life@aol.com)

by Ozzie Montana on Jul 22, 2008 12:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I haven't seen the Sopranos and held off on the Wire because I suspected the same thing was at work again

but I read a Simon interview that convinced me otherwise. David Simon understands how to make television like very few others do.

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jul 22, 2008 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i haven't read homicide

but i read the corner recently, and i highly recommend that too. actually, i took an epidemiology of violence class (most of it centered on drug related violence) several years ago, and i recall my prof recommending it.

the reason why i had question 2 posted was because i too hear nothing but praise for the show and i would like to hear constructive criticism for once. but this is no sopranos; although the show is fictional tv-drama, there is an underlying reality to the themes presented and i think that’s why folks love it.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Jul 22, 2008 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

check out the Heaven and Here blog

are you trying to use stats around here? what the fuck do you think this is? - MM

by colintj on Jul 22, 2008 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

The Corner pushed me towards finalizing my decision as a declaring as a sociology major.

Anyways, The Wire is way better then the Soprano’s imo. Personally, I feel like besides the first 2 seasons the Wire makes the Soprano’s look like a joke. Thats just me though.

by 815Sox on Jul 24, 2008 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, the Wire was almost cancelled after seasons 1 and 2

Because despite great reviews, nobody was really watching it. It wasn’t until a friend of mine (who was a big Homicide fan) rented a couple of the 1st season episodes and said I should watch them before I even knew about the show.

The Sopranos fell off after the first few seasons in many people’s opinions, whereas many think that the Wire’s greatest season was it’s 4th.

It wasn’t until the 4th season was so mind blowingly good that it forced many people to take notice and then the hype machine took off for the 5th season.

by madvillian on Jul 22, 2008 12:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

my friend loaned me season 1

a week later I was ordering seasons 1-4 on Amazon and pre-ordering 5.

MrROFL.com
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by shaftr on Jul 23, 2008 12:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just finished rewatching season 1

For the gazillintonth time, I’m lucky that I was aware of Simon and Burns before… I watched Homicide Life on the Streets and had read the corner. Also watched “The Corner” miniseries as well.

I cannot convey how scared I was that this show was going to be cancelled. My dad and I were both writing letters to HBO to keep the show going. I couldn’t understand why more people weren’t watching.

Granted, it took till the 4th season to really bring in the viewers (my favorite season, followed closely by 1) but I’m so glad the show finally got the reputation it deserved. I have a feeling this show is going to keep growing in fans for awhile.

by 815Sox on Jul 24, 2008 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs