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The Wire - Episode-by-Episode

The purpose of this thread is to discuss The Wire on an episode-by-episode basis.
Great, I've recently started watching the show marathon style, sounds like perfect reading for me!.
On the recommendation of Harvey, I went out and purchased the first season of The Wire. Having watched and reviewed the first episode, I was intrigued, to say the least. After seeing the second episode, I can safely say that I am hooked. But there's so much going on with the series that I realized I needed to have a place to discuss the show. So I figured I'd set up a thread here to talk about each episode, beginning with the first (with, hopefully, no spoilers).

This way, anyone reading the thread and watching the series for the first time (hopefully) won't be spoiled right away.
Good idea, avoid spoilers, common sense, spelled it out right away too.
Just recently started season 5. Without spoilers, this is a show which isn't afraid to kill off anyone.
Oh for Christ's sake.

Honestly since there is such a huge number of minor characters, and really VERY FEW 'main' characters who you would 'think' as unlikely to be killed off, I'm just sitting here waiting for it to happen. Since you're in early season 5 and I'm in late Season 3. Just going to guess that you don't mean any of the not too terribly shocking deaths so far.

"Without spoilers, <spoiler>" is that like your take on "I'm not racist, but <racist comment>"? A lame disclaimer doesn't make it OK.

I don't know, it just seemed like kind of a flippant thing to say that doesn't add anything good to the discussion, so why post it since it is a bit of a spoiler?

Nothing in season 1 plays like a dream. The only thing I can think of being unreal would be what happened after a drunk McNulty crashed his car in front of a diner in season 2. Perhaps the status that Omar and Brother Mouzone had built around them. And Bubbles trip through Hamsterdam one night.
Oh fuck it, I give up. :guffaw:
 
I think we get you don't want spoilers. However it's kind of hard to discuss episodes in a general fashion without mentioning any plot whatsoever. The people who are jumping ahead will get the message to play the game in sequence.
 
Just recently started season 5. Without spoilers, this is a show which isn't afraid to kill off anyone.
Oh for Christ's sake.

Honestly since there is such a huge number of minor characters, and really VERY FEW 'main' characters who you would 'think' as unlikely to be killed off, I'm just sitting here waiting for it to happen. Since you're in early season 5 and I'm in late Season 3. Just going to guess that you don't mean any of the not too terribly shocking deaths so far.

"Without spoilers, <spoiler>" is that like your take on "I'm not racist, but <racist comment>"? A lame disclaimer doesn't make it OK.

I don't know, it just seemed like kind of a flippant thing to say that doesn't add anything good to the discussion, so why post it since it is a bit of a spoiler?

I didn't spoil anything there in any but the most general terms. It's more a statement about writer philosophy than plot points.
 
Just recently started season 5. Without spoilers, this is a show which isn't afraid to kill off anyone.
Oh for Christ's sake.

Honestly since there is such a huge number of minor characters, and really VERY FEW 'main' characters who you would 'think' as unlikely to be killed off, I'm just sitting here waiting for it to happen. Since you're in early season 5 and I'm in late Season 3. Just going to guess that you don't mean any of the not too terribly shocking deaths so far.

"Without spoilers, <spoiler>" is that like your take on "I'm not racist, but <racist comment>"? A lame disclaimer doesn't make it OK.

I don't know, it just seemed like kind of a flippant thing to say that doesn't add anything good to the discussion, so why post it since it is a bit of a spoiler?
I really don't see why you take issue with what Lindley said. Mentioning that characters die in a show like The Wire is like saying that there are Daleks in a season of Doctor Who. It's not like he told you HOW they killed off McNulty.
 
Most find that the most enjoyment from The Wire comes with the second, third and forth viewings when plot points are spoiled. I guess my great sin was saying something happened after McNulty got drunk or when Bubbles walked someplace. By the time Bubbles made that walk the place had been long spoiled and I do believe by episode 2 McNulty and Bunk had been known to get their drink on.
 
I think I can take credit for getting Harvey to watch, too.

I think you can take credit for getting everyone on the BBS to watch :p

The beginning of the show was disconcerting because I couldn't follow who was who. Then I took a huge break after episode 6, so I had to actually re-watch episodes to remember people. Then I got really hooked and watched the last five episodes or so all at once.

Samuel Walters, unfortunately, I won't be participating in any episode by episode commentary, because I don't really remember individual episodes at this point (just general story arcs) and I don't have time to rewatch them. But I do think it's cool you're watching, so I'll definitely read your reviews.

I really don't see why you take issue with what Lindley said. Mentioning that characters die in a show like The Wire is like saying that there are Daleks in a season of Doctor Who. It's not like he told you HOW they killed off McNulty.

:lol: That's just mean
 
Re: Spoilers

I do realize that asking folks to hold back on spoilers for a series that is already concluded is a bit of a burden. And I do apologize if folks feel limited in their discussions because of it. But I think there is value in discussing the show before getting to the finale. And, hopefully, anyone new who picks up the series can read the thread and discussions without being spoiled themselves.

Most find that the most enjoyment from The Wire comes with the second, third and forth viewings when plot points are spoiled.
I tend to agree that this is a series that almost demands repeat viewings, allowing for a deeper "reading" of what takes place in each episode. I just don't want spoilers to undercut what might be a legitimate dramatic twist or character revelation -- least as far as my first time through the series is concerned.

Samuel Walters, unfortunately, I won't be participating in any episode by episode commentary, because I don't really remember individual episodes at this point (just general story arcs) and I don't have time to rewatch them. But I do think it's cool you're watching, so I'll definitely read your reviews.

Perhaps what I can try doing, aside from linking to each episode's summary over at HBO, is to find a more generalized line of discussion based on a "theme" from each episode. That way, perhaps discussions can be more broadly based than being about plot points or characters. And, of course, there's always the spoiler tags if folks want to refer to future episodes, seasons, etc. I think there's a great deal of benefit to be had from an in-depth analysis of the show.

Re: The Series

If you think the profanity is gratuitous, David Simon and Ed Burns have an answer to that criticism. I forget which episode it's in exactly, but they build an entire scene in which the only dialogue is variations on the word "fuck." This was, per the commentary, a response to critics who complained about the heavy use of profanity. Simon (who covered the police for many years for the Baltimore Sun) and Burns (who was a police officer in Baltimore for many years) felt that was how these characters would actually talk, and the profanity doesn't decrease.
I just watched the episode, as a matter of fact (Eppy #4). It's actually quite amusing. As for the overall level of profanity, it's not something that turns me off from the series but I felt that, given the incredible detail to realism, it was perhaps the one area in which the series at least approached the line of gratuity -- if not outright crossing it. Ultimately, it becomes part of the fabric of the show and doesn't diminish the fantastic character work or social commentary.

The series uses incidental music in only a few cases. (1) Over the opening and closing credits, (2) Brilliant montages in the final episode of each season. Beyond that, there's one scene involving the Barksdale gang in the first season that uses incidental music, and it's such a great scene that you might not even notice.

Additionally, notice that the camera is almost always at eye level, shot (if I am not mistaken) with a normal length lense most of the time. The show (by design) rarely uses long, uninterrupted takes or complicated dollies and/or zooms. When there are long takes they are usually imporant scenes. And the few times the camerawork uses the vertigo zoom (where you zoom in while dollying out, or visa versa) it stands out even more than it would on another show, and is always important.
Yeah, it's easy to see how deliberate the "production" of the show is, especially with respect to realism. It's that honest portrayal -- as if you were right there with these characters as everything happened, that makes series feel so immersive.

I also wonder, is there a music guide to the series out there somewhere, that goes episode by episode?
I checked the credits for the episodes but saw nothing to indicate the music. IMDB, though, seems to have some info.

The beginning of the show was disconcerting because I couldn't follow who was who. Then I took a huge break after episode 6, so I had to actually re-watch episodes to remember people. Then I got really hooked and watched the last five episodes or so all at once.

That first episode is definitely a struggle to get through. But already a few episodes in and I know I'm completely hooked. It's actually been more of a struggle to sit back and try to think through, analyze and write about each episode because all I wanna do is just keep watching. :lol:
 
Well, if what mimic said was true (which I'm actually more ok with since there was a spoiler tag on it), then that's exactly what I assumed, as there really aren't too many other ways to interpret Lindley's 'not spoiler'

Keep in mind the OP was talking about episodes 1 and 2... it's utterly retarded to respond to that about "Damn, good show, I'm in season 5 and you aint gonna believez who they kill off..."

Writing philosophy my ass. McNulty is pretty much is the only main character in this show. The rest just kind of come and go. Except maybe Kima, but given the end of season 1, it seems unlikely that they would go further and kill her off, but if they did it wouldn't exactly be shocking.
I don't get it, the spoiler tags are pretty easy to use, so why not use them liberally? Pure laziness? Ineptitude? What is it that makes people start rambling about later events in the series rather than just talking about the first couple of episodes, and later episodes at the rate the OP progresses?
 
McNulty is the only main character? You do remember him being absent from four whole episodes in the fourth season, and present only in a few scenes for most of the rest, right? Certainly D'Angelo has as much screentime as him in the first season. Certainly Carcetti takes center stage once he's introduced. And Daniels ends up being equally developed as McNulty in the end.

And speaking of deeper analysis of the series, Film Quarterly devoted a whole issue to the series not too long ago, and it includes a lot of thoughtful anaylsis of the series. It's pretty rare that they devote any column space to television, so devoting an entire issue to the series is especially high praise.

In addition, a book written during the third season by one of the writers of the show (and which includes interviews with pretty much everyone at that point) is worth taking a look at, too, if you'd like to go deeper.

And I have the original version of the show's bible in PDF form (definitely want to steer clear of it until the first season is done, though) if anyone is interested.
 
mimic's joke aside, I was referring to long-running characters whom we've gotten "attached" to to some degree, not necessarily "main" characters in the strictest sense. Although with the length of the title sequence, this show technically has pretty much the biggest main cast ever....
 
Well, I think D'Angelo's death is pretty close to killing of one of the leads. There's a reason he's on the front of the season one box set. In the first season, the two main threads are led by McNulty and D'Angelo.
 
Well, if what mimic said was true (which I'm actually more ok with since there was a spoiler tag on it), then that's exactly what I assumed, as there really aren't too many other ways to interpret Lindley's 'not spoiler'

Keep in mind the OP was talking about episodes 1 and 2... it's utterly retarded to respond to that about "Damn, good show, I'm in season 5 and you aint gonna believez who they kill off..."

Writing philosophy my ass. McNulty is pretty much is the only main character in this show. The rest just kind of come and go. Except maybe Kima, but given the end of season 1, it seems unlikely that they would go further and kill her off, but if they did it wouldn't exactly be shocking.
I don't get it, the spoiler tags are pretty easy to use, so why not use them liberally? Pure laziness? Ineptitude? What is it that makes people start rambling about later events in the series rather than just talking about the first couple of episodes, and later episodes at the rate the OP progresses?

Don't take what she said too seriously. I would tell you if a character didn't die, but that would be a spoiler too.
 
Evan Barksdale is McNulty's father, and Ralls has been a ghost the whole time.
 
Well, I think D'Angelo's death is pretty close to killing of one of the leads. There's a reason he's on the front of the season one box set. In the first season, the two main threads are led by McNulty and D'Angelo.
Yeah, he was important in S1, but they moved the focus off that group for the most part in S2, and he was the one who was taking the years. They'd either kill him off, forget about him in prison, or turn it into a prison show :lol:. Plus they foreshadowed the shit out of his death. *shrug*
OK, now I'm starting to feel bad about not talking about the first few episodes of the series either, so I'll bail :guffaw:
 
Indeed I have! It's been a hectic week, so I haven't really had the time to properly organize my thoughts into a good enough post for this thread. I do, however, have two updates:

1.03 - The Buys: “The King stays the King.” – D’Angelo



Discussion point:
To what extent does bureaucracy keep you from doing your job effectively?

1.04 - Old Cases: “It’s a thin line ‘tween heaven and here.” – Bubbles



Discussion point:
This is an episode about how the past informs the present and affects the future. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this point? Do you feel you have to confront your own mistakes of the past? Or is it better to simply forget about them and move on?

 
Ah, 'Old Cases.' I think Bunk and McNulty's reinvestigation of the murder scene is one of my favorite scenes in the series. There's another, in season two, that immediately comes to mind, but I'll keep my mouth shut until then.

Pay attention to how D'Angelo recounts that episode in this episode, and how he recounts it later in the season. On the question of past mistakes. the show certainly makes its characters confront their personal mistakes. There's not a character in the series who doesn't have to account for something they've done in the past by the end of -30-.
 
Ah, 'Old Cases.' I think Bunk and McNulty's reinvestigation of the murder scene is one of my favorite scenes in the series. There's another, in season two, that immediately comes to mind, but I'll keep my mouth shut until then.
It's a lot of fun, that's for sure. :lol:

Pay attention to how D'Angelo recounts that episode in this episode, and how he recounts it later in the season. On the question of past mistakes. the show certainly makes its characters confront their personal mistakes. There's not a character in the series who doesn't have to account for something they've done in the past by the end of -30-.
Yeah, that whole concept of the past catching up to you, or simply having to confront your past, seems to be a pretty strong element to the series thus far.
 
This is a show I had a hard time getting in to, but once I did I really ended up liking. I cared more about the people in this world than almost any other show I've ever watched. There was never a single episode where I thought the writers sold any of the characters out or took the easy path. This felt like the DS9 of cop shows to me. Vast growth with every character and extremely strong guest characters who had more depth than almost any starring character in any other show.

How Duquan (Dookie) turns out is just fucking heartbreaking to me. I wanted so badly for him to make it. You end up with real sympathy and understanding for what many people consider the dregs of society because you see how a nice kid can end up a crack head street person. All those kids from that final couple of seasons, how they just fell through the cracks, and how you end up with people like Bubbles. Hood hearted but deeply troubled. I was so happy for him when his sister finally let him up from the basement.

My biggest problem with the show, and why I had such a hard time liking it, was that I just didn't like McNulty.

If you've finished watching the show, there are some clips they made that you can find online, I think after the show was finished, that fleshed out the characters back story a bit. One of them showed the first meeting between McNulty and Bunk.
 
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