The Wire Season 5 was released on DVD Tuesday. You need this series in your life.
Showing posts with label The Wire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Wire. Show all posts
Aug 15, 2008
Mar 13, 2008
Cutting The Wire
"Let's go home."
With those words, I and not nearly enough other people bid farewell to the greatest show ever to grace American television. I say American because I am sadly not versed in the television elsewhere, but I would bet this is the best thing put on television anywhere ever. I came late to the streets of Baltimore on the advice of friends, was sucked into the world through the hand of God that is OnDemand, devoured the previous four seasons, and eagerly awaited the glorisousness of season five.
David Simon and company did not disappoint.
Every week couldn't pass fast enough, as the creative staff behind this masterpiece kept me hanging on every moment, every twist, watching as they connected everything. A major criticism of the season was that the newspaper, the media, never connected to all that was going on in the streets. I contend that this was Simon's point: the media never seems to get what is really going on. Giving front page coverage to Clay Davis' slimy self, while the death of Proposition Joe, head of the New Day Co-Op gets a small mention inside the paper? To a fan, it seems inexcusable, but to the media, it makes sense. In his own way, Simon used this season as a commentary on not just the paper and media, but himself, and his show. He as good as admits that in trying to show these things that are so wrong, he missed what is really driving. But, at the end of the day, he tried.
I'm not going to recap the last episode, and all it meant, but the final montage really hit home for me. The show was never about the Jimmy McNultys, the Avon Barksdales, the Tommy Carcettis, the Bunny Colvins, the Omar Littles the Scott Templetons or the Marlo Stanfields. This show was about the systems that are in place that ultimately fail each one of these characters, that shape the flawed personas we end up seeing.
This show has been likened to a novel, with all the plots converging, and everything being connected. I don't know if the analogy holds, but I do know you rarely see a show be so daring to drop (arguably) the star charecter to the background for a whole season (McNulty in Season 4), and have it be hailed as the best body of work they had ever produced. My hat is off not only to Simon and his staff, but also to the cast of this show that took us to Baltimore every week, and did so with an unflinching eye of honesty. We saw it all; from the streets to the docks to the halls of power. From the classroom to the newsroom, The Wire was a microcosm as to why a lot of things in this country are the way they are, and it never lies to you and pretends there is an easy answer. But maybe, in the face of all this despair, there is a Cedric Daniels or a Bunny Colvin who really wants to change the system, to fix things at the source. Maybe there was some hope after all.
Further reading:
Interview with David Simon about the finale.
One of my favorite blogs' take on the end of The Wire.
My friends at The Bocker found some clips of classic Wire humor.
Extended interview about the whole series with the David Simon.
And below is the trailer for Season 5...go watch this entire series, and deny anything I've said regarding the greatness of this show. I dare you.
Yo Mike, how my hair look?
With those words, I and not nearly enough other people bid farewell to the greatest show ever to grace American television. I say American because I am sadly not versed in the television elsewhere, but I would bet this is the best thing put on television anywhere ever. I came late to the streets of Baltimore on the advice of friends, was sucked into the world through the hand of God that is OnDemand, devoured the previous four seasons, and eagerly awaited the glorisousness of season five.
David Simon and company did not disappoint.
Every week couldn't pass fast enough, as the creative staff behind this masterpiece kept me hanging on every moment, every twist, watching as they connected everything. A major criticism of the season was that the newspaper, the media, never connected to all that was going on in the streets. I contend that this was Simon's point: the media never seems to get what is really going on. Giving front page coverage to Clay Davis' slimy self, while the death of Proposition Joe, head of the New Day Co-Op gets a small mention inside the paper? To a fan, it seems inexcusable, but to the media, it makes sense. In his own way, Simon used this season as a commentary on not just the paper and media, but himself, and his show. He as good as admits that in trying to show these things that are so wrong, he missed what is really driving. But, at the end of the day, he tried.
I'm not going to recap the last episode, and all it meant, but the final montage really hit home for me. The show was never about the Jimmy McNultys, the Avon Barksdales, the Tommy Carcettis, the Bunny Colvins, the Omar Littles the Scott Templetons or the Marlo Stanfields. This show was about the systems that are in place that ultimately fail each one of these characters, that shape the flawed personas we end up seeing.
This show has been likened to a novel, with all the plots converging, and everything being connected. I don't know if the analogy holds, but I do know you rarely see a show be so daring to drop (arguably) the star charecter to the background for a whole season (McNulty in Season 4), and have it be hailed as the best body of work they had ever produced. My hat is off not only to Simon and his staff, but also to the cast of this show that took us to Baltimore every week, and did so with an unflinching eye of honesty. We saw it all; from the streets to the docks to the halls of power. From the classroom to the newsroom, The Wire was a microcosm as to why a lot of things in this country are the way they are, and it never lies to you and pretends there is an easy answer. But maybe, in the face of all this despair, there is a Cedric Daniels or a Bunny Colvin who really wants to change the system, to fix things at the source. Maybe there was some hope after all.
Further reading:
Interview with David Simon about the finale.
One of my favorite blogs' take on the end of The Wire.
My friends at The Bocker found some clips of classic Wire humor.
Extended interview about the whole series with the David Simon.
And below is the trailer for Season 5...go watch this entire series, and deny anything I've said regarding the greatness of this show. I dare you.
Yo Mike, how my hair look?
Feb 28, 2008
Airing of Grievences
You know what really grinds my gears?
- People willing to drop certain players off of boards because of the combine. Look, for established players, who you know can play, it's a few days to show off. The NFL combine is more for those kids who weren't on national television alot. This is where those kids can catch your eye, and move up.
- Spring Training. C'mon already, no one cares.
- Fantasy Baseball. Seems way too complicated and too involved. That said, I'm giving a league a shot this year, with the hopes to land A-Rod and Pujols due to some shifty trading. I'll keep you posted.
- Patron Cafe.
- The fact that the NFL prematurely suspended Adam 'Pac-Man' Jones before his criminal proceedings were finished...and the fact that these proceedings resulted in him being hit with a misdemeanor.
- The Wire series finale not being available OnDemand a week early. They've been spoiling us since episode 1 with early airings of every episode, only to force us to wait 2 weeks between the latest episode and the final episode. How dare you.
- The MSWSM apologizing for Clemens, and saying that the government shouldn't be as involved, when a year ago these same jackals were clamoring for Barry Bonds' heard.
- MTV.
- My elaborate Anti-Jinx on the Hawks resulting in holding the Spurs to 5 first quarter points and still losing the game.
- The Designated Hitter.
- That it looks like I was wrong about the Cavs trade.
- Back-to-back Manning Super Bowl wins.
- How good the Pistons and Lakers look.
- My upcoming return to New York City...oh, no wait, I'm really excited about that.
- The color Orange, the song Rocky Top, and all things to do with Tennessee.
- The Pro Bowl.
- People who don't think the NFL Draft should be a National Holiday.
- The Oscars (and apparently, I'm not alone. Lowest rated Academy Awards ever. Way to go, America. Now, we all need to stop watching American Idol...)
- The Office. Look, I tried people. I really did. I just don't think it's that funny. I won't turn it if it's on, but I definitely won't be looking for it either.
- Maddox hasn't come back for the reunion...yet.
- That http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/ is no longer a viable site.
- No Brady Quinn for me to mock this year in the Draft. Hopefully someone will separate themselves as an insufferable jerk as we get closer to the date. I'm looking at you, Colt Brennan.
- A lack of guaranteed contracts in the NFL.
- I still need an NFL team for next year.
Maybe I should list what makes me happy; might be a shorter list.
- People willing to drop certain players off of boards because of the combine. Look, for established players, who you know can play, it's a few days to show off. The NFL combine is more for those kids who weren't on national television alot. This is where those kids can catch your eye, and move up.
- Spring Training. C'mon already, no one cares.
- Fantasy Baseball. Seems way too complicated and too involved. That said, I'm giving a league a shot this year, with the hopes to land A-Rod and Pujols due to some shifty trading. I'll keep you posted.
- Patron Cafe.
- The fact that the NFL prematurely suspended Adam 'Pac-Man' Jones before his criminal proceedings were finished...and the fact that these proceedings resulted in him being hit with a misdemeanor.
- The Wire series finale not being available OnDemand a week early. They've been spoiling us since episode 1 with early airings of every episode, only to force us to wait 2 weeks between the latest episode and the final episode. How dare you.
- The MSWSM apologizing for Clemens, and saying that the government shouldn't be as involved, when a year ago these same jackals were clamoring for Barry Bonds' heard.
- MTV.
- My elaborate Anti-Jinx on the Hawks resulting in holding the Spurs to 5 first quarter points and still losing the game.
- The Designated Hitter.
- That it looks like I was wrong about the Cavs trade.
- Back-to-back Manning Super Bowl wins.
- How good the Pistons and Lakers look.
- My upcoming return to New York City...oh, no wait, I'm really excited about that.
- The color Orange, the song Rocky Top, and all things to do with Tennessee.
- The Pro Bowl.
- People who don't think the NFL Draft should be a National Holiday.
- The Oscars (and apparently, I'm not alone. Lowest rated Academy Awards ever. Way to go, America. Now, we all need to stop watching American Idol...)
- The Office. Look, I tried people. I really did. I just don't think it's that funny. I won't turn it if it's on, but I definitely won't be looking for it either.
- Maddox hasn't come back for the reunion...yet.
- That http://heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com/ is no longer a viable site.
- No Brady Quinn for me to mock this year in the Draft. Hopefully someone will separate themselves as an insufferable jerk as we get closer to the date. I'm looking at you, Colt Brennan.
- A lack of guaranteed contracts in the NFL.
- I still need an NFL team for next year.
Maybe I should list what makes me happy; might be a shorter list.
Dec 20, 2007
Way Too Excited
The unequivocally best show on television returns soon. If you haven't watched the previous four seasons, find a way to watch them before this one. The best thing to happen to American television ever is amazing, and you should get on board.
The Wire is a work of art, in the objective sense (as opposed to, "that's so good it's like a work of art"). It is an artist's viewpoint and his statement on our society. At least in my opinion, it is poignant because of its honesty and accuracy, in both its portrayal of what is, and its portrayal of what could be.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=O7HoWd7mY8E
That's the season 5 trailer. If you're a fan, and it doesn't get you hyped, just pop those cyanide pills and take a good, long nap.
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