OT: finished the wire

[husky99]

holy great show. the last season with the serial killer storyline was kind of weak, but still great look at a very troubled inner city life... baltimore tourism dept must have loved the show!

 

[tzznandrew]

The last season was not their best--but it worked for me. I thought that it had the appropriate ending for all of the key characters.

I went to a Wire focused discussion that had the real-life Omar, the actors for Marlo, Poot, Prop Joe, and a writer. It was fascinating--and frustrating to see some of the questions the people in the audience asked. One of the more interesting things--that scene where Snoop, Michael, and Chris come at Omar and he jumps (being a bit vague to avoid spoilers) was entirely based on fact.

 

[UCHuskies08]

holy **** great show. the last season with the serial killer storyline was kind of weak, but still great look at a very troubled inner city life... baltimore tourism dept must have loved the show!

Yeah, season 5 was the weakest of the series, but one of the best series ever.

 

[husky99]

Crazy...wonder how much is true and a story ..??? I have not read much on the back story

 

[tzznandrew]

Crazy...wonder how much is true and a story ..??? I have not read much on the back story

The story of Omar has a lot of true elements, and many parts are based on fact. But the guy on whom is life is based is married to a woman, so that part isn't based on truth.

David Simon did a lot of research. A lot is based on truth, but I don't want to take that too far as he and his fellow writers were brilliant.

Also, the actor who plays Prop Joe was a local Baltimore drama teacher who had no idea about the craziness around him. He also helped the four high school actors and trained them during season four.

 

[guyergym]

Even the weakest season of The Wire is better than the best season of most shows. I think Season 5 probably meant a lot to Simon as a former newspaper reporter, but I think it was part of a continuing narrative.

Previous seasons showed how the drugs laws and law enforcement let the city down – only Bunny Colvin was willing to try something different, and Hamsterdam actually was doing its job before it was shut down.

Then Season 4 showed how the school system let the city down, focusing on test scores instead of real learning and "graduating" kids with little education or live schools. Season 5 showed how the press let the city down, focusing on winning a Pulitzer Prize (even for a non-existent story) than providing serious journalis, on the real problems of the city.

 

[UConnfan8]

the wire is the greatest tv show ever. period.

 

[husky99]

I like the season with the greek and the port. Also the 1st season was great..

Overall, best show with possible west wing and mash

Anyone watched southland, heard it is good

 

[superjohn]

Southland is good but it's on at the same time as the best show on tv, Justified.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Hamsterdam was the best idea ever. loved it.

 

[Huskies320]

Games the same, just got more fierce

 

[husky99]

Interesting how many of the guys are on small roles on tv. Minus the guy on fringe, has anyone from the show done a big role in movie or tv

 

[Deepster]

I didn't love the storyline of season 5 but the last two episodes tied up a series better than I've ever seen a series end before.

SPOILER ALERT (scroll down)























The only piece of the entire series I felt went unexplained was the issue of Daniels being dirty or doing something unethical. I felt like they left that hanging out there too much and wished they could have given a little more of a definitive explanation.

 

[tzznandrew]

I didn't love the storyline of season 5 but the last two episodes tied up a series better than I've ever seen a series end before.

I liked all the storylines focusing on characters we already knew. I didn't care for the journalism storyline as much, although I understood why it was important.

 

[Cheddie]

Interesting how many of the guys are on small roles on tv. Minus the guy on fringe, has anyone from the show done a big role in movie or tv

Dominic West (McNulty) is pretty active in Britain, his native country. He was a terrific lead in "Appropriate Adult" playing a serial killer, and was also very good on "The Hour" a Mad-Men retrospective show as a TV anchor.

Wendell Pierce (Bunk) and Clark Peters (Freamon) are stars of Simon's new series, Treme.

 

[AJC88]

Anyone watched southland, heard it is good

Southland is decent, but Regina King is awful and ruins the show for me.