Earlier this week I sat on my sofa to watch some TV. Given the massive number of stations currently available to customers willing to pay an arm and a leg each month, it’s hard to believe that such a small fraction of the programs are intelligent and well written. While many critics claim that the reality show era is coming to an end, my rapid inventory of several hundred channels told me otherwise. With all this flash and melodrama flooding the airwaves, it’s easy to understand how some truly amazing shows get lost in the shuffle.

One such show is HBO’s stunning cop drama, The Wire. Despite numerous critical accolades, The Wire has proved far less successful than its sister programs (Six Feet Under, The Sopranos). However, HBO knows smart TV when it sees it, and has kept the show alive despite some close calls. Season 3 of The Wire hit DVD shelves on August 8th and its fourth season is scheduled to debut on September 10th. This show must be watched from the beginning, in sequential order, with no episodes skipped in between. That means you have your work cut out for you if you want to watch all 37 episodes before Season 4 begins.

But why bother? you might be asking yourself. Because folks, this is quite possibly the finest show on television, and certainly one of the best to ever grace the small screen. For those of you somewhat familiar to the show, indulge me while I bring the newcomers up to speed. The Wire is the brainchild of David Simon and Ed Burns. Simon, a former journalist for the Baltimore Sun, wrote the book that inspired the groundbreaking series, Homicide. Burns, a former detective, brings his own personal experiences and expertise to The Wire, which focuses on the Baltimore drug trade and the detectives who try to dismantle it.

Classifying The Wire as a cop show does it a great disservice. In most cop shows, you’ve got the good guys catching bad guys week after week. In The Wire the good guys are flawed individuals who don’t have all the answers. The so-called bad guys are multi-faceted people given nearly equal screen time. This allows us to see what leads many into the drug world and why so few ever make it out alive.

Season 1 introduced us to Homicide detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), a streetwise officer with a penchant for philandering and drinking himself to sleep. The only thing he knows he’s good at is being a “murder police,” which is partially why he’s assigned to a detail that's probing a budding drug empire ruled by a man named Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). The powers-that-be created the detail to appease a local judge, hoping to make a few quick arrests and get their officers back to regular rotation. This irks McNulty who slowly realizes the full extent of Barksdale’s organization. He surmises that the only way to truly make an impact is through the use of electronic surveillance, which is where the show gets its name.

Those of you who begin watching the show may find yourself getting a bit antsy after a few episodes. Do not let these feelings dissuade you from giving the series a fair shake. The Wire is more like a novel than any other TV show I’ve ever seen, and I mean that in the best way possible. Like any great book, you can’t read a few chapters and hope to get the whole picture. If you can make it through all thirteen episodes of Season 1 and still decide you don’t care for the show, I apologize for wasting your time. However, if you find yourself slowly sucked into its brilliantly conceived universe, you won’t likely need my recommendation to continue watching.

Season 2 is probably my favorite, though it may be initially off-putting for some viewers. Just as we had finally grown accustomed to the characters and rhythms of Season 1, Simon & Co. decided to throw us a curveball. The second season shifts its focus to a community of dockworkers battling against a waning economy. When a marine policewoman discovers thirteen dead women in a cargo container during routine inspection, McNulty and his colleagues are reassembled to investigate possible waterfront corruption.

Season 2 showcased The Wire’s greatest strengths: well-developed characters, believable dialogue, rich performances, and a bird’s-eye view of lifestyles and social circles we might never have experienced otherwise. We become so deeply immersed in the dialects, speech patterns, and daily routines of this community that we don’t want the season to end. But end it must, and what a powerful finale! If Shakespeare or Sophocles were alive today, they might consider scribing a few episodes for The Wire.

Laugh if you will, but by Season 3 various major authors were clamoring to hammer out scripts for the series. The third season, which finally convinced Entertainment Weekly to name The Wire “Best Show of the Year,” features segments penned by novelists Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), Richard Price (Clockers), and George Pelecanos (Drama City). Fans of the first season will likely rejoice over the show’s return to its initial focus on the Barksdale drug empire. As competition between rival drug gangs heats up, one tired police lieutenant decides to push all the local traffickers to several designated areas. If dealers and addicts will keep their activities confined to those areas and refrain from violence, the lieutenant and his men will look the other way. The show examines this bold experiment from all sides. Baltimore politics play a much heavier role in this season, charting the gradual rise of a baby-faced councilman to mayoral candidate. Meanwhile, across town, an ex-con named Cutty struggles to open a boxing gym for wayward youth. It’s a small yet remarkably moving plotline. I can’t imagine another show designating that amount of time to such a seemingly insignificant character. Cutty’s conflict, however, is one faced by many men and women who have tried to abandon a shady past for a brighter future. Even a show as bleak and uncompromising as The Wire finds ways to inspire and offer hope.

As Simon and Burns’ vision continues to evolve and expand, so does the complexity of the show. It is not just about cops, drugs, or even, but rather how people, organizations, and political structures shape an American city. One moment we’re watching a teenage boy feed a houseful of orphans, and the next we’re eavesdropping in the mayor’s office. How the writers manage to balance these myriad storylines while keeping us deeply engaged baffles me.

Season 4, which may or may not end up being the final season, will revolve around the education system. Few plot details have leaked to the public, but I’m not sure I’ll want to read them when they do. The Wire works best when you let it unfold slowly, one chapter at a time, revealing its countless layers over the course of a season. Next time you’re at the video store, I implore that you give this series the chance it so richly deserves.

I'm a Wire fan, but I've gotta ask: why repost your posting from The Monitor here? Are you getting kickbacks from the Bawlmer drug dealers? Or does HBO pay you to pimp their wares in Forums? In all seriousness, though, it feels a little like we're being spammed here, considering the exact same post is available here:

But I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

On another note, there is another thread devoted to the Wire here:

http://forums.metacritic.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5040033...350012644#8350012644

It is confusingly titled "By Far the Best Show on TV" but no reference is made to the Wire in the title.

In the interest of keeping the discussions of shows isolated to one thread, I'm going to close the old one because it's not gonna draw in Wire fans unless they know what they're looking for, and we'll leave the Wire discussion to happen in this thread.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: philosopherEric,

I reposted it here because I love the show and wanted to share my views on it. If I wanted to simply help out my newspaper, I would just have provided a link to the page.

And no, I'm not getting any other kickbacks. I freely admit to being a Wire whore. No other show could make me this constantly willing to discuss it.

Finally, I saw that other thread after I posted mine, but I don't regret making a new one because the old one's title was vague.

quote:

Originally posted by Moniker Jones:
I reposted it here because I love the show and wanted to share my views on it. If I wanted to simply help out my newspaper, I would just have provided a link to the page.

And no, I'm not getting any other kickbacks. I freely admit to being a Wire whore. No other show could make me this constantly willing to discuss it.

Finally, I saw that other thread after I posted mine, but I don't regret making a new one because the old one's title was vague.

Fair enough. We get enough spam in these Forums, we're always suspicious of things that are re-posted from other sites. But your detailed discussion of the Wire transcends what spammers are capable of ("This show is AWESOME!!!" is usually the best they've got), which is why I didn't pull the trigger on the Spaminator.

This thread will now be the home of Wire talk. Hope it will be an active one....I'd like to see people take to the Wire like they take to the Sopranos, but I think the Wire is just too complex for a lot of folks.

I didn't think it would be considered spam, since I wrote the article to begin with. Anyway, thanks for being understanding.

Um, anyone see the Metacritic page for this show? Has anything ever gotten a 98 before? What is the highest number of 100's that anything has ever received?

quote:

Originally posted by paxsoprano:
Um, anyone see the Metacritic page for this show? Has anything ever gotten a 98 before? What is the highest number of 100's that anything has ever received?

I don't know about the TV Forum, but the reissue of the Clash's London Calling has a perfect Metascore of 100 (with the weightings).

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/clash/londoncalling2004?q=the%20clash

I have seen the first two episodes of this season and have found it to be very entertaining, as well as "real." I find the show so relateable and just a piece of true life. The character are very deep and developed, and you can feel a connection to nearly all of them. Its good to find a show on television which is so well done, and yet so smart and provocative.

The lady and I rented the first three discs of season one and watched them back-to-back-to-back on Sunday. Great, great stuff. I'm sorry the one episode I saw during season two turned me off to the show, but at least now I get to see everything from the beginning. ...Plus I can't get 5.1 out of my cable box.

I've just become an addict. A friend of mine sent me the first six episodes from season 1. I finally got around to watching the show last Saturday. I figured I'd try it, watch one, and thank the guy. I ended up staying up until after 2 a.m. watching the first five episodes I found it so compelling. I then watched episode six last Sunday before football. I asked for more and have the next seven episodes, which I assume concludes season one. I watched episodes 7,8 & 9 last night and can't wait to plow through the rest.

I didn't read the posts above because I didn't want to read spoilers, but I did catch one comment where someone said Season 2 is his/her favorite and that certainly whets my appetite.

This show is absolutely addictive!!!!!

Season 1 is my favorite by a mile, despite Kristin Proctor's, uhm, scene in Season 2. I wrapped up Season 3 yesterday afternoon...now the wait for Season 4 on DVD...

I just finished the last two episodes of season 1 this afternoon. I loved the last scene where McNulty has been assigned to the police boat.

What I can't wait to see is how they start season 2. I don't have a clue to where the series is going.

This is amazing. This show is going into it's 5th season, it looks to be the most critically acclaimed show on MC, and it's my favorite drama (and i don't like dramas); and basically no one has discussed this amazing series. What's going on?

OK, this is a very intriguing thread.
I think myself that "The Wire" is among the 10 greatest shows to ever be broadcast on English language television. Due to living in Australia, I have seen only season 1 and 2. The following seasons are majestic also I understand.
Now, as an Australian, I can tell you that our media completely ignores the show, and the network broadcasting it sticks it on at times like 10.30 onward.
So, I'm surprised to find that this thread isn't going ballistic with love and analysis due to The Wire being American and these boards US dominated.
What is going on indeed Glisten??

Okay, Well let's discuss then...
I've seen the first three seasons and own all the DVDs. I think it's a magnificent show and was wondering when the Fourth Season is coming out on DVD. I missed it (unfortunately) and was wondering if it's as good as the critics say it is.

I'm so behind the 8 ball with this show, having not yet even seen no.3 season, but I will say tthat I love the character of McNulty.
A lot of comment about his character seems to indicate that he is not noble, merely vengeful and without a true ethical code. However I wld argue the opposite. I think he is an absolute hero for our times, who is required to dress his nobility in gross broad revenge theories to make others less ethical feel relaxed.
He is dealing with bureaucrats and fools, but he is rarely a fool himself, except perhaps in matters of the heart.
Anyway, there is my 2 cents to begin things

O wire, poor neglected child of the cathode ray tube; perhaps you will find more lovers someday.....

quote:

Originally posted by Everyoneanindividual:
Okay, Well let's discuss then...
I've seen the first three seasons and own all the DVDs. I think it's a magnificent show and was wondering when the Fourth Season is coming out on DVD. I missed it (unfortunately) and was wondering if it's as good as the critics say it is.

I don't believe they have announced the release of season 4 yet. I'm not looking forward to that $100 price tag though.
Also, if you can't wait until the release then you might want to check out the HBO On Demand schedule in the future, it might just be worth it (and probably cheaper) to order HBO while they reaire that season.

I'm two episodes away from seeing the entire 4 seasons, and I just can't pick a favorite. Each season is solid and captivating. I have full faith that you'll be greatly impressed with season 4.

I don't want to spoil anything on this thread, but can we discuss Amsterdam?

Not to put you on the spot pE, but I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this. Is it a good idea or not?

Sorry Glisten, what is "Amsterdam" and who is he to the Wire?