OT - Who's watching The Wire?

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by stevew

Episode 8 was great, that part with McNulty and the profiler had me rolling.

Anyways I found episode 9 somewhere on the net.

Spoiler

damn, that whole bit with mike, bug and dookie was sad. I almost teared up there. I was glad he got the jump on that bitch Snoop, even if they gave her way too better of a death than she deserved. Another priceless scene with Clay Davis as well. And Bubbles. Man, that Templeton is a real Fuck Stick. I can't wait for the finale.

Hell yeah that was tough to watch. My cable provider puts the new episodes up no later then 10 PM on Sunday, so once that episode runs, the newest one is OnDemand. It's beautiful.

[thesloppy]

Spoiler

Is Herc going to fuck this thing up, all over again?

[Logan]

Ep 59:

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Spoiler

Is Herc going to fuck this thing up, all over again?

Spoiler

Seems like it. All the evidence points to a CI providing the info, which allows them to legitimately get that Title 3-whatever to check out the phones, which proves the conspiracy. Levy now has it in his head that there's a wire, while Marlo is telling him that no one outside of those locked up knows about the code, so there can be no snitch. God damn it Herc, the bridge crumbles.

I'm really pissed that Kima ratted out McNulty. Someone mentioned it in Sepinwall's blog, so I'm not taking credit for it, but she tried to draw the parallel between what she wanted to do and what Carver did with Colichio. The situations were completely different though. Colichio was a complete fuck-up who got a rise out of his power, and never seemed to care about being a good cop or the greater good. He just wanted to beat up on the hoppers.

Yeah, McNulty fucked all this up, and you can question whether the ends justify the means, but bottom line, multiple bad guys were going to be locked up and because of her, they'll probably end up walking. And one of those guys who will walk was busted through Bunk's honest police work. I'm holding out hope that someone the inevitable crash can be avoided, maybe because everyone has so much at stake in this.

Bubbs...that was rough to watch. Good for him though. I don't know if it wasn't played up as much in prior episodes or if I just didn't notice it...but I thought this episode showed how physically clean he looked. Clean-shaven, hair not all frayed out, and his face has cleared up substantially.

The worst part about the whole fake serial killer thing...all this is what led to Marlo and co. speculating on who has ratted them out, which led them to Michael, which led them to trying to kill him, which led Mike to get Bug to a safer place, ending their relationship, and which also led Dukie right back to the street and his inevitable future as Bubbs.

[Logan]

Anyone happen to catch Andre Royo and Tristan Wilde on Opie & Anthony this morning?

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

That was some finale, its hit the net but I definitely wont spoil it for everyone else. Its about an hour and a half and pretty much ties everything up.

[stevew]

anyone have a link?

[Logan]

Hold out, steve. For once, I'm looking forward to watching it on Sunday night with everyone else. Just seems right for the finale...

[Noop]

I saw the finale a few days ago but yeah it was a good ending.

[stevew]

normally I'd wait. But with it being out, the chances of reading a spoiler somewhere else are just way too high. I don't like to have my internet usage filtered whenever possible.

[spleen1015]

Is it available in any form other than a Torrent download?

[nilodor]

Really looking forward to the finale tonight. Does anyone else feel like this is coming down similar to the Kellerman/Meldrick/and the other black female detective in Homicide, where Kellerman and Meldrick's pursuit of the drug kingpin went well beyond where it should of because they were just so sick of the system. I really see a connection between that trio and McNulty/Freeman/Greggs, right down to Greggs bringing the whole game down. I don't see Freeman rolling on McNulty like Meldrick eventually did (at least I think he did, it's been a while since i've seen the shows) but it gives me the same feeling. Thoughts?

[Logan]

Good lord I'm gonna miss this show.

Dukie man...

[Maple Leafs]

You have to admit this is pretty funny...
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpres...9/85-the-wire/

[DeToxRox]

RIP Cheese

He only needed to hold on 15 more fucking minutes!

I was rooting for him but god damn Slim proved to be the man.

[cthomer5000]

My thoughts on the final epsiode:

Spoiler

It was fitting. I knew it wouldn't pack the punch the penultimate episode did, and I think that's been the trend really throughout the series.

I thought the final montage pretty clearly drove home the point that the characters we've been dealing with aren't overly unique, the wheel will keep turning, with different faces in the same roles. There was a lot of mirroring of things that have happened throughout the show included.

It looks like Freamon got off pretty damn lightly, if he got to retire with any sort of pension. In the end there is just no way it was worth it for McNulty. Marlo walks, Chris Partlow was going down anyway, Snoop was killed before trial. He's a fairly big loser in this whole thing.

I'm still unclear about Herc's motivations. Was he so slick that he gave the cops the number and then used his "investigator" skills to tip Levy to the wiretap? Or is he just so oblivious to his actions that he profited from it purely through dumb luck. I'm leaning towards the latter, unfortunately.

Pretty bleak, but inevitable outcome for Dukie. It's a shame he even had to betray Prez, but it fits.

And this is something I've seen in a lot of comments... people saying Simon has an axe to grind with the Sun. I think if you think that angle is just about the Sun, you're missing the big picture.

I felt a little emotional in the scene where Kima told Lestor and Jimmy she told Daniels. They were two pretty big mentors in her career really (for good and bad), but she was right... they simply went too far and it was not worth it.

I'm really going to miss this show.

[Pyser]

i cannot believe i didnt see michael's final role coming. i felt like an idiot

valcheck too, for that matter. what an idiot he is.

[thesloppy]

Yeah, Commissioner Valcheck.......THAT'll help.

[Logan]

CT, definitely the latter re: Herc. His massive fuck-up with the camera led him down the road where he would eventually get fired, only to get a better job making more money. Now, his slip about the wiretap (which only came out because he wanted to make the point of how he had no idea where they could have possibly gotten Marlo's number) is what got him his slap on the back from Levy.

Fuckin Levy. I could care less that Marlo got off free. As we saw, he'll probably be dead pretty soon anyway. But when we saw how Ronnie could bust Levy, and we saw him squirm, only for him to once again figure out a way for him to dodge the bullet, that pissed me off. I thought they finally had him. Awesome actor though.

That montage definitely showed Baltimore as the ultimate loser. Trading a guy who would actually make the city better in Daniels for Valcheck (although you could make the case that his complete dickheadness over a church window DID end up disbanding a corrupt union). I didn't make the connection that he was the one being spoken of during Daniels' and Carver's little convo at the podium.

[timmyw3]

Disappointed that we didn't see Avon in the finale somewhere. I thought for sure he would pop back up some how.

Also, living and working in Baltimore, it's neat to see scenes that are filmed in very familiar places. When Levy took Marlo to the gathering of rich folk towards the end of the show and they were looking out at the view over the water, I thought - "Wow, that view looks familiar". And as he left towards the elevator, it was confirmed, they filmed that on the 16th floor of my office building, one floor above me. In fact, this morning, I rode up the same elevator that Marlo rode down.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs2

I really loved (and was heartbroken) by the cyclical nature of the last episode. So many characters are getting slotted in a position that we are all too familiar with.

Michael -> Omar
Dukie -> Bubs
Sydor -> McNulty
Carver -> Daniels
Marlo -> String

I'm sure I'm missing some.

Also, loved how Landsman cried at McNulty's "funeral"... didn't think the big man had that in him.

i think marlo very clearly turned his back on becoming stringer.

[Logan]

I think that's what Pyser meant...he literally turned his back on it, as he lied about going to the bathroom and left the little party because he was so uncomfortable. Then he immediately went to a corner and started some shit. Completely the opposite of what Stringer did...he would have loved to have been at that party and been introduced to "Tommy."

So basically Levy was trying to do the same thing to Marlo, but Marlo realized quickly it wasn't for him.

[Logan]

No worries, it was a lot to handle.

My opinion, he'll go back to the street fully, only without all the muscle he once had, which will make it short-lived.

[Logan]

Awesome Q&A between Alan Sepinwall and David Simon: http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2008/0...d-simon-q.html

Thought I'd C&P this comment from Simon in light of the discussion above:

Well, Chris is in jail for the rest of his life and Marlo is cut off from the source of his power, desperate to rescue his name. To me, the great irony is that Marlo ends up being granted what Stringer wanted -- and he has no use for it. To me, to a guy like Marlo Stanfield, hell is a business meeting with a bunch of developers. For Stringer, it was all he wanted.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

In the end there is just no way it was worth it for McNulty. Marlo walks, Chris Partlow was going down anyway, Snoop was killed before trial. He's a fairly big loser in this whole thing.

I disagree with this, Certainly professionally he loses, but by letting him go the department finally allows him to be free in his personal life. There was always going to be another Marlo, Stringer Bell, etc. to chase as long as McNulty was in the police department. Now that he has no control over them, he can be a family man and enjoy his life with Beede.

[BishopMVP]

One loose end that bugs me - did we ever get an explanation for why Chris was so adamant at insulating Marlo from Omar's threats? Or was "you didn't need that on your plate" before the my name is my name speech all we got?

[Noop]

I think he knew Marlo would have went out there to defend his name and get killed by Omar.

[QuikSand]

Originally Posted by Pyser

i cannot believe i didnt see michael's final role coming. i felt like an idiot

Exactly my feelings.

[DeToxRox]

Anyone else see that thing with David Simon where he said Randy is Cheeses son? I call BS. Cheese would never father a narc.

[Dunleavy]

Great Show. Great Finale.

[Peregrine]

So, if you're in the Raleigh, NC area tonight there's going to be a really great event, which I will be going to. Andre Royo and Michael K. Williams (Bubbles and Omar) will be at a local wine store from 7 to 9 for a fundraiser for a Durham Boys and Girls club. $25 buck donation at the door. RSVP at (919)405-3838. The store is Brandywine Cellars, near Streets at Southpointe Mall.

[Logan]

I'm still pissed I didn't find a way to get to that dinner/event with the whole cast down in Baltimore a couple years ago. Enjoy.

[judicial clerk]

Looks like I'm about 5 1/2 years late to the party. I just started watching the first season on hbo on-demand and i am hooked. years ago i gave it a try but it didn't grab me. I think it is because back then i was watching the shield and was into the quick-cut, grainy film style of the shield.

a lot of it is unrealistic, just like every other show ever made, but it has more authenticity to it than any other cop drama I've seen. It is interesting that the show portrays little things accurately without explaining to the viewer that it is accurate.

i just finished the first season episode where the girl uc gets shot in the car with orlando. i remember thinking, in real life, no careful drug dealer would deal with orlando this soon after getting out of jail. then the ambush. when i heard the emergency tone and the shots fired call it got my adrenaline going. thats good tv

[mauchow]

I just finished the series tonight.

So sad that I won't be able to watch a new episode anymore. I watched all the episodes almost within a month. It will be nice to finally do something else with my nights when I get home from work.

Anyhow, great show.

And damn Kenard.

[panerd]

Never seen this before. The Wire if it had a laugh track. It's interesting what a laugh track can do to a show.

YouTube - The Wire with a laugh track

[Radii]

whew, just finished season 5, took me about 8 weeks to get through the entire thing I suppose. Best series ever. And I can't really decide if Omar or Bubbles is my favorite character in a TV series ever. I think after the ending for Bubbles though it has to be him, despite the amount of pure awesome we got out of Omar.

Best Series Ever.

[Landshark44]

Originally Posted by Radii

And I can't really decide if Omar or Bubbles is my favorite character in a TV series

omar, for me....

[thesloppy]

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit, you all know Clay Davis wants to be your favorite character. He'll do it for 10 grand, and that's doing you a favor.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Landshark44

omar, for me....

Omar was for me easily for the first 4 seasons. But the way season 4 ended for Bubbles was the most emotional moment in the entire series for me and elevated Bubbles to another level. Following that up with his successes in season 5 was one of the best storylines of the series. For everyone else I found myself curious about how they would end up, rooting for Omar for sure but not upset when he got his. But for Bubbles, I *needed* to see him succeed. He was the only character I felt like I had a vested interest in whether things turned out good or bad, as opposed to just being entertained(immensely of course) by their fates. No other character hooked me like that, not even the kids.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit, you all know Clay Davis wants to be your favorite character. He'll do it for 10 grand, and that's doing you a favor.

Nice.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Bubs was the heart of the series.

[cartman]

I too just got through watching The Wire end-to-end, over about a month long period. It started airing when I was living overseas, so I never really got into the show. I saw an episode here or there once I was back stateside, but it didn't make any sense.

Watching it from the beginning, and all I can say is wow! Truly an epic piece of television history.

[Barkeep49]

I had started watching at Season 2, picked it up on Amazon when it was Supercheap and decided to watch Season 1, to see what I missed (the answer is so much goodness). I then proceeded to watch through Season 4 in pretty rapid succession. The problem is that I so love Season 4, I'm not sure I really want to continue on to Season 5, which annoyed me so the first time through and has faired worse, if anything, in my memory.

As to the Omar/Bubs debate, I think it was indeed nice that bubs truley got his life together. IT was nice to ahve that sort of redemption compared to everything else that went down. But as great as Omar was, and he was surely great, I'm going to have to say I am a Stringer Bell fan through and through for favorite character.

[cthomer5000]

Bump.

In case people are somehow still visiting this thread without having seen the show, stop reading now and go watch the damn show.

Spoiler

Bought the box set when it was on sale on amazon a bit back (90 bucks), and have been watching it with my girlfriend. First time through for her, probably viewing 3 at least for me. Maybe 4... i cant recall exactly.

It's always great to have the show totally redefine someones expectations for what TV can be. Not only in quality, but in having characters shot and killed instantly without some huge buildup or guns-blazing shootout. You realize quite quickly this show has serious stakes, and characters you take for granted could actually die when in dangerous situations. I still get worked up up when Wallace is taken out in season 1. When you know whats going to happen before he does, it's hard not to feel a real sense of panic watching it unfold.


Just hit season 5, and I think i'm now firmly of the opinion that season 4 is the absolute height of the show. It's a brilliant season for start to finish, and it's that much more impressive in the wake of them closing out the Barksdale/Bell storyline at the end of season 3. They introduce a wave of new characters and hit the ground running at the same time.

[Pyser]

i cannot believe this has been off the air for years and we still spoiler it

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Pyser

i cannot believe this has been off the air for years and we still spoiler it

Spoiler

Rosebud is the name of his childhood sled

[RainMaker]

I'll also add that for anyone who hasn't seen this show, do it. It is that good. Either burn through them on Netflix or buy the box set. It's worth every penny.

My final conclusion was that season 4 was the best season of any show ever. I was disappointed in season 5, but it had enough elements that I liked to make it worthwhile.

[hoopsguy]

Just started watching this show earlier in week. Really good stuff, I'm almost done with Season 1. I'll try to come up for air this weekend to post the next IWS before diving back into Season 2.

[samifan24]

I'm just finishing up season five now. Fantastic show. I agree that I can't watch other cop shows after watching this series. There's really no comparison.

[cthomer5000]

More than 30 people, including the actress known as "Snoop" from the Baltimore-based HBO series "The Wire," were arrested Thursday morning across the city and its surrounding counties in connection with a large-scale heroin and marijuana operation.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/loc...sted-in-d.html

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/loc...sted-in-d.html

Weird. I just posted the same story but in the other Wire thread.