The Wire: Season 1 (HBO, 2002)

[kaytee]

I have heard really great things about this crime drama on HBO. I have yet to see an episode of this but supposedly they are on their last season this year and we need to play catch up.

[X.]

Yeah, but let's wait and find out what the series finale ending is first!

Seriously, I've been wanting to start on this for years. Thanks for the reminder.

[X.]

It's been a long time coming, but I'm happy it finally happened: I've started watching "The Wire," and you know what? It's a beautifully-written drama about crime told from both the perspectives of the cops and the criminals.

I've seen three episodes of S1 so far (total 12 episodes to full season), and I can barely contain my enthusiasm. Superficially about cops and criminals, this show addresses issues about institutional malaise, code of honor, loyalty and everything else in between. Again, depicting how it is on both sides of the camps -- the struggles of the 'bad' guys and the 'good' guys between themselves and each other.

The texture of "The Wire" is the city of Baltimore: this is, essentially, a love letter to the American city. Another interesting bit: the show debuted after 9/11, in 2002, but it confronts the paranoia of terrorism head-on. And for this, "The Wire" deserves some kind of kudos.

Excellent, sharp writing from show creator David Simon who put his background in homicide to great use. "The Wire" is about realism and the truth of living.

Here's some pertinent info about the show:
-Each season focuses on one case, one subject. S1 is about drugs.
-The series ended with Season 4 in March '08. Each season comprised 10-13 episdoes, 1-hour each.
-Some critics consider "The Wire" as one of the greatest and most underrated shows of all-time. Based on what I've seen, I tend to agree. And I'm not even going in the technical accomplishments, which are very very impressive.

[fizz]

Finally, someone who's given me reason to pick this up! The fact that the show ended is actually an incentive for me to watch this.

[kaytee]

Fizz - If you have it, I'd like to borrow it too.

[X.]

The AV quality is key to enjoying this gorgeously shot show (and the soundtrack is superb -- rock songs from the 50s to the 70s); so please ensure that you factor that in your acquisition.

[X.]

Any of you pimps seen the pilot yet?

C'mon, then, what're waiting for?

[kaytee]

Im still trying to get hold of it. Busy with Dirty Sexy Money which by the way is pretty decent drama.

[X.]

Saw episode #4 of S1 last night (I know I've been slow; been busy; but glad I finally got to it) and there is a scene where McNulty and his buddy/partner Bunk go to a crime scene where a girl was shot. They have photos of the dead girl at the scene of the crime.

What they do is ingenious: they figure out how the murder was committed using their wits as detectives. But the kicker is *how* this scene is depicted: what essentially happens is as McNulty and Duke look around and start figuring things out -- it takes them about 5 minutes of real screen time -- all they say to themselves and each other is a derivative of the word "FUCK." ("Fucker," "Mother.Fucker," "Fuck," "Fuck.Me," "Fucking A," etc). That's it! It's a hilarious scene and a way for the creator to tell the audience that sometimes the best way cops can describe something...anything is by falling back on this one sweeping word.

[X.]

I cannot stress this enough: THE WIRE is phenomenal. You guys must see it.

Finished S1, and moving forward with S2.

[kaytee]

I am still trying to get the 1st season, if you get my drift...

[kaytee]

I start this tonite...

[X.]

Watch at least 2-3 episodes, then come over to kiss my feet.

[kaytee]

Watched the first episode and the start was good, it built a plot already, made us familiar with the players, now I need to see how they execute the problem. Im already starting to like Dominic West as an actor.

[X.]

His name is McNulty!

One of the timeless charms of this GREAT show is the names of the characters: Barksdale, Stinkum, Bubbles, Kima, etc. Oh, you'll see...