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Thread: A man's gotta have a code

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    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
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    Default A man's gotta have a code

    So I've been rewatching The Wire, and marveling anew at how amazing this show is. It is one of the best shows ever made. Anyone who has not seen it must immediately go watch it. Now. Do it. I'll wait. (not really)

    It's a crime show set in Baltimore, Maryland, but it's not a typical cop show. Instead, it's a gritty, realistic look at a city's underbelly and how royally smurfed up everything is. I briefly considered posting this thread in EoEO, as The Wire's blistering social and political commentary are second-to-none. It is an unapologetic attack on, among other things, the drug war, police department administration, and local politics.

    It's not just social commentary, either. The writing is top-notch, on par with such great shows as The Sopranos, with complex plots weaved together over an entire series. And always real -- there are no happy endings, just some good things and some bad things, while generally trout stays the same (which is really the ultimate message of the show).

    I stumbled across this article, where a UK news agency claims The Wire is the best show ever made. I can't disagree.

    I mean, what other show has a gay, mass-murdering thief who only kills and steals from drug dealers?

    So for those who haven't seen The Wire, go watch it. For those who have, discuss The Wire. Who's your second favorite character? I ask for seconds, because Omar is obviously everyone's favorite (even Obama's!). Favorite scene? I was always particularly fond of Omar testifying in court, but my Criminal Procedure professor showed us this hilarious scene in class (the funniest part starts at about 1:50).

  2. #2

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    SPOILERS, obviously.

    Omar is the best character on The Wire and I felt his death was one of the greatest injustices in television but also the best possible death for a character as great as Omar was. It was actually shockingly disappointing but made so much sense that I couldn't even be mad at the choice to kill him off. I would say that my second favorite character is Marlo Stanfield, with my favorite scene of his possibly being this one. The dynamic of the character is just so incredible that it is hard to believe that it's just a character on a television show. After that, I would say that Stringer Bell was my third favorite, but that's mainly because I have a hardon for Idris Elba and his acting ability (Luther is a perfect example of how good he is, aside from The Wire).

    Man, I need to go back and rewatch it again.

  3. #3

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    I always enjoyed Bunk Moreland as well. His scenes with Omar and McNulty had the cynical, hilarious world-weariness that made The Wire the pleasure it was.

    Here's the interesting question: Which season was the best? I may go with Season 3 (Just for the end) or Season 4.

    Take care all.

  4. #4
    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
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    I don't know if I can pick a favorite season. I love season 3 because of Bunny Colvin and Hamsterdam and all the drug war commentary. Season 1 is also great because there's a lot of focus on Avon and Stringer. Season 4 may have the best overall story with the introduction of the kids. I think everyone agrees that season 5 was the weakest; while not actually bad, it went a little weird to try to finish everything off.

    As for my second favorite character... hell, I might have to pick half the cast. Stringer, of course, is amazing. McNulty and his "what the smurf did I do?" catchphrase are hilarious. And I love basically every scene with the Bunk (burning his clothes to eliminate all trace evidence of his affair? Brilliant!).

    Interesting bit of trivia: the old Deacon from season 3 onward was actually a major drug lord many decades ago in Baltimore, and was one of the inspirations for Avon Barksdale.

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    The other thing that show changed forever:

    "The Farmer In The Dell". Try listening to THAT ever again as a children's song.

    I'd also say that Season 2 wasn't my favorite, or at least the first half, since it decided to do such a radical shift in tone and location. I understand why it went there but I was so much more interested in the street.

    Take care all.

  6. #6
    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
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    I prefer thinking of it as the "A-Hunting We Will Go" version, as when Omar whistles it, he is out hunting.



    Season 2 gets a bad rap because of its change in setting, but involved a very good story with good development of plenty of characters outside of the docks. Probably not my favorite, but not as weak as season 5.
    Last edited by Raistlin; 05-09-2012 at 08:41 PM.

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    Twisted Reality Shattered Dreamer's Avatar
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    The Wire is so unbelievably awesome! I am all the worst parts of Jimmy McNulty

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    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
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    This is all this thread gets? Three other fans? You disgust me, EoFF.

    I just finished season 3, and what an amazing season it is. I will now say that it is definitely my favorite. What scathing and well-developed criticism of the drug war and business as usual. Such political commentary is brilliantly developed throughout the entire season, but highlighted in a couple of mini-speeches by Major Colvin. This is the best.



    Quote Originally Posted by Bunny Colvin
    Cause this drug thing, this ain’t police work. Naw, it ain’t. I mean, I can send any fool with a badge and a gun up on them corners and jack a crew and grab vials. But policing—I mean you call something a war and pretty soon, everybody gonna be running around acting like warriors. They gonna be running around on a damn crusade, storming corners, slapping on cuffs, racking up body counts. And when you at war, you need a smurfing enemy. And pretty soon, damn near everyone on every corner is your smurfing enemy. And soon the neighborhood that you supposed to be policing, that’s just occupied territory.

    […]

    Look here, the point I’m making, Carver, is this: soldiering and policing, they ain’t the same thing. And before we went and took the wrong turn and start up with these war games, the cop walked a beat. And he learned that post. And if there were things that happened up on that post, whether they be a rape or robbery or shooting, he had people out there helping him, feeding him information. But every time I come to you, my DEU Sergeant, for information, to find out what’s going on out there on them streets, all that came back was some bulltit. You had your stats, you had your arrests, you had your seizures. But don’t none of that amount to tit when you talking about protecting a neighborhood, now, do it?

    You know, the worst thing about this so-called drug war, to my mind--it just, it ruined this job.
    Of course, that was only part of the season. There was also amazing scenes with Stringer and Avon, the introduction of political figures, and (SPOILER)Stringer Bell's shocking death.

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    ...you hot, salty nut! Recognized Member fire_of_avalon's Avatar
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    This seems relevant to my interests. Perhaps if I ever finish Breaking Bad I will watch this.

    Signature by rubah. I think.

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    pirate heartbreaker The Man's Avatar
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    I need to set up my HBO Go account so I can start watching this.
    Don't delay, add The Pimp today! Don't delay, add The Pimp today!
    Fool’s Gold tlsfflast.fm (warning: album artwork may sometimes be nsfw)

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    Your very own Pikachu! Banned Peegee's Avatar
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    Grin

    I have the series but I should really get my schooling done before I goof off again. But I have it! That's a start!

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    Blood In The Water sharkythesharkdogg's Avatar
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    I wish I had a man code for extra lives, because this bottle of peroxide looks delicious.

    :x_x:

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    Shlup's Retired Pimp Recognized Member Raistlin's Avatar
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    So I finished watching the rest of the episodes a little while ago, but reading the "best TV show ever!" thread made me think of this, because The Wire really is the best TV show ever made.

    Season 4 is really engaging. Bunny Colvin is great as usual, but in a new area. Most of the kids have very tragic stories, especially Randy. Marlo is his usual badass self.

    Season 5, as I said earlier, is a bit weird. It's not bad by any means, and adds the interesting perspective of the media. But the overplot is a bit out there. It's probably not much more weird than Hamsterdam of season 3, but it seems like it. McNulty and Freamon go a little off their rocker, though it was a good way to end things. Some things change, but most trout stays the same. It was both really great and really frustrating to see that self-absorbed snake Carcetti not live up to anything. He's arguably worse than someone like Burrell, because Carcetti knows what's wrong and what's right and consciously chooses wrong where it suits his career (albeit with transparent, self-interested rationalizations like "I'll be able to help more in Annapolis!"), whereas Burrell is just a clueless hack.

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    The Wire made me at once happier and sadder about the state of the USA. Happier because we live in a society that can create such art openly. Sadder because the rot of our politics and government is exactly what inspires such art.

    Take care all.

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    What the bliff Recognized Member
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    I found out that Idris Elba is in this so I'm actually going to start watching this again. Started a while ago, but lost track of it. From what I've seen very well-acted. I've also been to Baltimore and can say that it really is that bad. There's so many houses that have graffiti and broken window crack houses. The suicide rate is also really high. It's horrible. But it's great seeing a show focused on black Americans in in urban areas that's real and gritty.

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