Ok im late I know, The Wire

[Brandwin]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

I know podcasting wasn't as big when The Wire ended as it is now, but do any of you all know any podcasts that went over the series or interviewed cast and crew? I tried to find some, but didn't really have any luck.

[Eton Rifles]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

Do not think so Dookie. You can try the Wire Section on the HBO forums and see there.

[trobinson97]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

Might not be remembering correctly, but I seem to recall Bill Simmons talking about it a lot on a show of his, years back. It wasn't a Wire podcast though, I think he was just a big fan.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

Just started my summer re-watch last week. The show gives me something new everytime.

[Aggies7]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

I know podcasting wasn't as big when The Wire ended as it is now, but do any of you all know any podcasts that went over the series or interviewed cast and crew? I tried to find some, but didn't really have any luck.

I had seen one I believe on HBO Go not to long ago, but don't know if it is still there.

[Brandwin]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

I kind of wish they would have done the season on the Latino influx into Baltimore.

[wwharton]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

I kind of wish they would have done the season on the Latino influx into Baltimore.

Interesting thought. What do you know about the Latino influx that you think would be worth exploring (in a show like the Wire)?

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Ok im late I know The Wire

I kind of wish they would have done the season on the Latino influx into Baltimore.

Back when Simon was kicking around the idea of a reboot (it never got off the ground), I read somewhere that was going to be his focus.

[Brandwin]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

Interesting thought. What do you know about the Latino influx that you think would be worth exploring (in a show like the Wire)?

Haha I don't know anything about it. I was just raised around Mexican families my whole life. 90% of my friends and women I have dated were Mexican and my wife is Mexican. Just was curious about the possibility.

I only know of it because of what Dallas said.

Back when Simon was kicking around the idea of a reboot (it never got off the ground), I read somewhere that was going to be his focus.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

I always sided with Avon re: the Stringer/Avon break up (for what it's worth, they both were wrong. Springer just more wrong), but it's so cool to see them working together back in S1. Together, they were unstoppable.

[wwharton]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

Haha I don't know anything about it. I was just raised around Mexican families my whole life. 90% of my friends and women I have dated were Mexican and my wife is Mexican. Just was curious about the possibility.

I only know of it because of what Dallas said.

Oh okay, didn't mean to put you on the spot. Knowing Baltimore pretty well, I'm curious to see how that angle could fit into a show like the Wire.

[Brandwin]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

Oh okay, didn't mean to put you on the spot. Knowing Baltimore pretty well, I'm curious to see how that angle could fit into a show like the Wire.

I didn't take it that way at all.


I am not sure who I would side with - Stringer or Avon.

This is a pretty good summary I got from Reddit - spoiler for length

Spoiler

For sure Avon was worse.

They were both violent, drug dealing criminals, obviously. Each of them ordered murder, and most likely had to commit murder to earn their stripes. They both used children to peddle drugs and shield themselves from law enforcement. They are both terrible people.

So what makes them different from each other?

Motivation for starters. The immediate impression with Stringer and Avon was that they were greedy and prideful respectively. And while this is true, that these vices ultimately lead to their downfall often overshadows their characters. Stringer demonstrated massive ego and pride when he emotionally ordered Slim Charles to hit Clay Davis, for example.

Originally they are motivated by the same thing. Rising up in the world, and beating the game (so to speak). It is part of what makes them such a powerful tandem when the show starts. The only issues come about when they begin to disagree about what success is.

For String, success is leaving behind the petty street bull****. The violence, the drugs, everything. Success to Stringer is about rising above the terrible things that he "had to do to get where he is". He consistently proved himself to be a force of change on the show. Whether it was organizing the co-op (which btw most likely saved lives of young men throughout the entire city), or voicing his respect for Hamsterdam (to Bunny), or adjusting the Barksdale security protocol multiple times.

On the other hand, success to Avon is overcoming street opposition and wearing the crown. Avon is like a wolf. He doesn't want to be handed meat, he wants to run it down and kill it. He doesn't hunt to eat as much as he hunts to hunt. Which would be much more respectable if his method of hunting was not so consistently vile and cruel.

It was Avon who ordered that Brandon be horrendously tortured. Avon personally insisted on being a gunman during the war with Marlo. Avon was willing to murder his nephew for insubordination in prison. Avon ordered the murder of Wallace (passed on by Stringer, but the decision was made in the holding cell of the prison) on the off chance that he would snitch. Avon has Devonne, a woman he cares deeply for (notice his reaction after discovering her death) to seduce and potentially kill a complete psychopath.

And perhaps most importantly, Avon's ultimate betrayal is a thousand times worse than Stringer's. String got Avon for a parole violation. Which means Avon would get to see the outside after a few short years. Avon had Stringer killed. Under some duress, notedly. But Avon shared a drink with the man the night before he knew that he was about to be killed. He listened to String half-complain half-brag about his future for hours, on a balcony paid for and given to him by the man he was complicit in killing. That scene to me is less about silent betrayal of two brothers than it is some ****ed up Of Mice and Men ****. With Avon putting Stringer out to pasture.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

Damn ya'll got me wanting to go ahead and give this show another go round haha.

[dsallupinyaarea]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

I wasn't saying who I thought was right or wrong morally because they both were lacking there. I was talking more along the lines of business ideals. I thought Avon's methods were more suited to their "industry".

And let's keep it real here, Stringer only cared about bodies to the extent of the impact it'd have on his business. Every single time his back was up against the wall, he turned to murder.

And just as an aside, who doesn’t hate the guy that takes 2 business classes at a community college and then all of a sudden acts like he’s Steve Jobs? Everyone hates that guy.

Damn ya'll got me wanting to go ahead and give this show another go round haha.

Just do it. I've never started a re-watch and regretted it.

[wwharton]

Re: Ok im late I know, The Wire

I wasn't saying who I thought was right or wrong morally because they both were lacking there. I was talking more along the lines of business ideals. I thought Avon's methods were more suited to their "industry".

And let's keep it real here, Stringer only cared about bodies to the extent of the impact it'd have on his business. Every single time his back was up against the wall, he turned to murder.

And just as an aside, who doesn’t hate the guy that takes 2 business classes at a community college and then all of a sudden acts like he’s Steve Jobs? Everyone hates that guy.

Honestly, I don't hate "that" guy, and think he's perfect in the context of the Wire. The narrative is that there are a lot of dealers/drug lords/kids/whatever that have great business minds, but aren't recognized for it because you can only see it by acknowledging the illegal (and frankly often disgusting and despicable) way they use that power.

So the summary is, give one of those guys the outline to play within the rules and funding and they can do their thing.