Monday, January 7, 2008

Question #203 Television

Do you watch this T.V. show, "The Wire?"

I've never seen an episode and now everyone's non-stop gushing about it. If you watch it: What's it about and what do you like about it?


Non-viewers can answer with another TV show they ritually watch every week.

14 comments:

Tiffany! said...

non-viewer, and currently someone who doesn't even have an antenna to watch tv with....

I'm a devout follower of The Office and 30 Rock.

Phoebe said...

Me too! All I watch is 30 Rock, Office, and Project Runway. And not even all of those are airing because of the Writers' Strike.

I meant to mention that as soon as I canceled my HBO, everyone I spoke to mentioned how brilliant The Wire is, so that's why I'm curious.

beth said...

I'm in the same boat as Tiffany. I have a tv...but no cable or an antenna. I watch the crap out of netflix though. And Will & Grace DVDs.

Jake said...

No TV, so I watch things after-the-fact on Netflix. I'm currently going through The Wire (at the beginning of the second season at the moment).

It's about crime in Baltimore, with equal billing given to the crooks as well as the cops trying to catch them. It's really good.

Anonymous said...

I'm towards the end of season 2. It's surprising. Everyone, regardless of personal interests, LOVES 'the wire'. Including me! So good. It's the new Law and Order.

TLR said...

The Wire is without a doubt the best show that has ever been made. I have been watching it since it came out a few years ago and have seen all episodes at least 2-3 times. The depth of the story line and the character development is stellar.

It isn't just about cops and drug dealers but watches the effects of these groups see their way up and down the social and political food chain. Really a great show that I will miss at the end of this season.

PS I'm jealous for the people that get to watch all the episodes of 'the wire' on DVD, I imagine that is the best few weeks of entertainment that someone could get.

beth said...

Man, after reading your beaming reviews...I am adding it to my Netflix queue right now.

Dirty Dan Sin said...

I bought and love the first two seasons and am currently working on a loan app in order to purchase a few more.

It's about the way that we all are complicit in the institutions in which we participate and all that they do, good and bad. Great stuff, highly recommended.

ariel said...

I try to only watch shows once the entire series is finished and is out on DVD. That way, I never have to wait to see what happens, I can just blow through an entire series in a month. Also it helps to weed out the programs that are a waste of my time. Like the Sopranos. I heard that the series ends horribly ambiguous and all fans were totally frustrated. I there is enough frustration and ambiguity in my life; I like my TV shows to fit snuggly in an organized box set from Costco. See? I will never have to watch Sopranos, while some suckers spent six years wondering what happens.

I will probably start watching The Wire after this last season; I’ve heard it’s great. (Unless, of course, there is a big fuss about how badly it ends.)

That said, when I’ve had a bad day at work, I like to go home a watch 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray and yell at her. I hate her so much: her stupid made up words and the way she is so stoked on herself for making a goddamn sandwich in 30 minutes. Congratu-effing-lations, douchwad!

Phoebe said...

Yummo, Ariel! YUM-OH!!!

tomotron said...

LOST that's it, it RULES.

philip said...

I watch the Wire and it's really the only thing I can get behind that's on television. I don't mean to be a snob but nothing I've tried to watch has come close to the level of detail and to the depth of characters that you can see, to the extent that everything else looks like it was written for children. I'm glad it's getting so much push in the media lately going into its final season cause it deserves it.

I started watching it at the end of season 3. Season 4 is not a bad place to start as it gets better season by season and cause the end of season 3 wrapped up a lot of stuff story wise.

There are a lot of reason why it is so good. Part of it is that there are no ads, part of it is that they don't have the censorship issues other shows have, part of it is that most of the actors are people you've seen anywhere else (except for mcnulty who was in 300) so they don't bring any baggage into it. Mostly it's just really solid, dense storytelling that's obviously written by people who know what they're talking about and who don't treat their audience like kids.

Since they don't need to resolve things at the end of the hour like standard cop shows, they can show you a lot more about the bureaucracy and process of it all, how most of the job of policing is just people trying to avoid doing any real work and fucking up, how initiative and ability aren't rewarded, and how ill suited the city's police, schools and politicians are.

My hero on the show is Lester Freamon, he's one of the smarter cops, in season 1 he explains all kinds of financial stuff to the dumber cops (herk and carver) as a way of explaining it to the viewer. I like the way Lt/Major Daniels talks "this.is.bull.shit."

The end of season four made me cry and if you have a heart it will make you cry also.

feverishpoptart said...

I watch a buttload of tv. I really like bad TV too. Right now I watch Grey's Anatomy and Nip/Tuck, which are pretty shameful. I am waiting for the Tudors, Flight of the Conchords and Big Love to start up again. I also am very excited to start watching the Sarah Connor Chronicles. Thank goodness for my DVR! It currently records What not to Wear, The Dog Whisperer, Conan O'Brien and American Gladiators. I am not ashamed!

Anonymous said...

Great show, am now watching the final season on HBO. It follows storylines from both sides of the law and has stellar writing. I'm not into cop dramas but I love The Wire.