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The Wire (1 Viewer)

Major said:
Season 2 is like fine wine to me.  If you only watched The Wire once or twice, it might be your least favorite.  After that, you start realizing its greatness.  It may be my third favorite season after 4 and 3 which are tough to beat.  
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I think that season 2 is even more prescient as time goes by

 
Zow said:
Same here. Wasn’t my initial favorite but upon the third time through I really appreciated the dockworker struggle plot line (even with Ziggy). 
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Ziggy's duck was an underrated character.  Wasn't that someone's FBG alias?  😂

 
Zow said:
Honestly I’ve never thought to order them as they’re all so good. 
 

A bit surprised though to see four rated at one given that was such a little dose of McNulty. 
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I think they’re all great except maybe season 5 which is just decent. I don’t really think McNulty is that great of a character though. He’s the biggest part of me not liking season 5. 

 
IMAX 3D said:
I'm just going to ramble on in this thread about scenes, characters, etc. If no one minds. Please feel free to jump into discussion with opinions....

Topic 1: - Michael Lee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJnotGq3AQs

Michael Lee - Less talked about overall for historians of the show for sure but he had the same heart as Omar. Remember when Omar killed Stringer and he put his gun on the innocent construction worker but didn't pull it? Omar had a conscious and a code. Michael Lee had the same when Partlows people went in to kill June Bugg's family and the kid ran out of the back and he didn't pull because he knew he was innocent. In the end he becomes Omar. And wait, he of all people is the one who killed Snoop? Crazy. This was my favorite character of all time. He had the heart wrenching moments (giving his little brother up to a foster mom) and the awesome moments which led to his molester's beating from Partlow and beating the #### out of Kennard (a little kid that DID deserve it). 

He also stood up for his friends. He stood up to an outnumbered group of bullies when they confronted his friend Randy about being a snitch. He always stood up for Dukie. He was the one boy on the block who didn't take Marlo's school clothes money and that's what won him over in Partlow and Marlo's eyes. If there ever was a character that had a code in the show beyond Omar, Chris Lee was the one. He was a better version of Omar because we got to see him develop in a way we could imagine Omar would have before we met Omar. 

His actions also led Dukie into the next Bubbles which was probably one of the saddest moments of the show. 

Best quote: "I ain't payin' you to be my mother."

Next up: Slim Charles was underrated
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If no more discussion on this, I'll move on to Slim Charles as an underrated player

 
Topic 2: - Slim Charles was underrated 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_opC16d4ciY

Guy was underrated and underused. He was a soldier. An Avon soldier, and then a Prop Joe Soldier and finally a bit of a Marlo Soldier. Most people forget, he was the one who shot Cheese in the head for diming on Prop Joe. He was always at the top of the hierarchy in any organization he sat in. THE muscle on the show. Partlow was a killer, not muscle.  Slim Charles was The Queen's Guard for Avon and Fat Joe. He had an amazing scene with Omar where he was prepared to get killed but saved Prop Joe from Omar's redemption by telling the truth. He shot cheese's head off for giving up Joe. If there ever was a Queens Guard in this show, slim Charles was it. He showed loyalty and intelligence always (he masterminded the failed planned to go at Marlo in season 3).

He was the most respectful gangster on the land and what's why my topic is that he was underrated.

He also had the best voice on the show and towered over anyone he was in the scene with standing at 6 foot 5 IRL. 

From Wikipedia 

On August 26, 2007, Glover's brother Tayon was shot to death in Columbia Heights. Glover addressed the press, along with D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty, saying that "we're tired of seeing the yellow (police) tape" and calling for an end to revenge shootings.[6] He also stated that he has been shot 13 times.[6]

On August 3, 2014, Glover was beaten and stabbed at a nightclub. The injuries were non-life-threatening
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Best Quote: "On a sunday morning ya'll try to hit a ##### when he's takin' his wrinkled ### grandmas to pray? And ya'll don't hit the ##### neither? All ya'll kill is grandma's crown? Ain't enough ya'll done violated the sunday morning truce. NO! I'm standin' here holdin' a torn up church crown of a bonafide colored lady. Ya'll know what a colored lady is? Not yo moms fo sho. Cuz if they was that, ya'll woulda known a lot better than that bull ####. Ya'll trifling with Avon Barksdale's reputation here. You know that?"

Next Up: Why Season 2 was necessary and still amazing 

 
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Long Ball Larry said:
Major said:
Season 2 is like fine wine to me.  If you only watched The Wire once or twice, it might be your least favorite.  After that, you start realizing its greatness.  It may be my third favorite season after 4 and 3 which are tough to beat.  
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I think that season 2 is even more prescient as time goes by
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Agree with both of these takes.  The social commentary in there gets more and more relevant.

 
IMAX 3D said:
Topic 2: - Slim Charles was underrated 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_opC16d4ciY

Guy was underrated and underused. He was a soldier. An Avon soldier, and then a Prop Joe Soldier and finally a bit of a Marlo Soldier. Most people forget, he was the one who shot Cheese in the head for diming on Prop Joe. He was always at the top of the hierarchy in any organization he sat in. THE muscle on the show. Partlow was a killer, not muscle.  Slim Charles was The Queen's Guard for Avon and Fat Joe. He had an amazing scene with Omar where he was prepared to get killed but saved Prop Joe from Omar's redemption by telling the truth. He shot cheese's head off for giving up Joe. If there ever was a Queens Guard in this show, slim Charles was it. He showed loyalty and intelligence always (he masterminded the failed planned to go at Marlo in season 3).

He was the most respectful gangster on the land and what's why my topic is that he was underrated.

He also had the best voice on the show and towered over anyone he was in the scene with standing at 6 foot 5 IRL. 

From Wikipedia 

Best Quote: "On a sunday morning ya'll try to hit a ##### when he's takin' his wrinkled ### grandmas to pray? And ya'll don't hit the ##### neither? All ya'll kill is grandma's crown? Ain't enough ya'll done violated the sunday morning truce. NO! I'm standin' here holdin' a torn up church crown of a bonafide colored lady. Ya'll know what a colored lady is? Not yo moms fo sho. Cuz if they was that, ya'll woulda known a lot better than that bull ####. Ya'll trifling with Avon Barksdale's reputation here. You know that?"

Next Up: Why Season 2 was necessary and still amazing 
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Honestly my favorite Slim Charles scene is when Omar is on the hunt looking for Marlo and he pistol whips Slim. Slim asks Omar if he real did Prop Joe and then says something like “didn’t think so.”  Great scene. 
 

Some of his scenes don’t hit for me though, just the delivery of the lines. The on I mentioned earlier about the old days, and off the top of my head when he pops cheese and gives the “that was for Joe” line.  Great character, just a hit or miss actor. Considering a ton of these roles were filled with random BMore people, the show had an amazing success rate in finding talent though. 
 

Onto your next topic, season 2 is amazing. The problem is when watching the show, people don’t know what the show is about at that point. In retrospect, the Wire is about an American city and how everything, the cops, dealers, govt, infrastructure, etc... everything fit. However on first viewing, you think it’s a cops and drugs type show, so seeing a bunch of union dock workers is a shock.  That’s why it’s better in hindsight. Also cite my work on this as well. 😬

 
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bigmarc27 said:
I think they’re all great except maybe season 5 which is just decent. I don’t really think McNulty is that great of a character though. He’s the biggest part of me not liking season 5. 
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Agree. In a show loaded with amazing characters, McNulty isn’t at the top. 

 
bigmarc27 said:
I like Slim Charles but I felt his acting was pretty poor. He had some cool lines but the delivery was wonky for me. When he gives the “that’s the thing about the old days, they’re the old days” or whatever it was, I grimace a little bit. 
 
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I thought it worked.  Slim Charles was done really well.  Not everyone is naturally cool.  But his actions...

 
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whoknew said:
I know its unrelated, but I just started season 1 of Luther tonight.

Idris Elba is so awesome.
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mildly interesting sidebar I was having with a friend a few weeks ago:

Who has had the better career: Elba or Michael B. Jordan?

I think that it is still Elba for longevity and breadth, but Jordan has probably hit higher peaks now.

 
Long Ball Larry said:
mildly interesting sidebar I was having with a friend a few weeks ago:

Who has had the better career: Elba or Michael B. Jordan?

I think that it is still Elba for longevity and breadth, but Jordan has probably hit higher peaks now.
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It’ll end up Jordan. He’s already got Black Panther and the new Creed movies. Idris has Cats. 

 
BTW I am sorry for no posts today my intent was to do 2 a day. But @Long Ball Larry linked The corner which is fascinating. It's like an unpolished Wire. Even the principal from season 4 is in it as a Soup Kitchen worker, let alone Freaman.. So cool. Wrapping this up tonight the back to 2 a day discussion posts tomorrow. BTW - feel free to copy my format above or yesterday to speak on anything you want regarding the Wire. No offense will be taken. 

 
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Long Ball Larry said:
mildly interesting sidebar I was having with a friend a few weeks ago:

Who has had the better career: Elba or Michael B. Jordan?

I think that it is still Elba for longevity and breadth, but Jordan has probably hit higher peaks now.
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I agree pretty much with Marc's post. Elba is a better actor. Did you see his Hot Ones show? ####### dude is fascinating. Michael B. is younger and has a higher arc I know he;s featured on Bill Simmons podcast quite often. Love em both - hard to pick but if this was a draft (which this thread might turn into), Idris/Stringer should be pick one always. 

 
bigmarc27 said:
Onto your next topic, season 2 is amazing. The problem is when watching the show, people don’t know what the show is about at that point. In retrospect, the Wire is about an American city and how everything, the cops, dealers, govt, infrastructure, etc... everything fit. However on first viewing, you think it’s a cops and drugs type show, so seeing a bunch of union dock workers is a shock.  That’s why it’s better in hindsight. Also cite my work on this as well. 😬
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True. If the show came out in the streaming era, season 2 would have been much better received. It was a bit of a shock to have such a dramatic shift in cast/plot and people weren’t nearly as used to it as they are now. 

 
RUSF18 said:
True. If the show came out in the streaming era, season 2 would have been much better received. It was a bit of a shock to have such a dramatic shift in cast/plot and people weren’t nearly as used to it as they are now. 
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Yeah this makes sense. I've only ever watched the show in binge-fashion and the transition didn't bother me at all IIRC on first watch. But, yeah, I could see if somebody waited an entire offseason and was all excited to see a heavy dose of Barksdale and Avon v. McNulty and Freeman - they were in for a surprise.  

 
Apple Jack said:
It's en vogue! 2 is the big one that's overlooked. I think it still suffers with some who were so shocked at the change of focus even though the rest of the show followed suit, including the oh so fashionable 4. 
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Say it’s fashionable is underselling it though, it’s brilliant story telling watching the progress/decline of Duquan, Michael, Naymond, and Randy.  

 
shuke said:
Best part of the entire series.
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Agreed. I do think it’s funny at one point the kids talk about “that doctor at Johns Hopkins” being a hero, and they’re talking about Ben Carson. Me thinks Davi Simon wants a rewrite on that one. 

 
bigmarc27 said:
Agreed. I do think it’s funny at one point the kids talk about “that doctor at Johns Hopkins” being a hero, and they’re talking about Ben Carson. Me thinks Davi Simon wants a rewrite on that one. 
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I remember hearing about Carson in academic settings as well in the context of, “here’s a successful black man that should be championed.”  I think politics ruined him a bit. 
 

I mean, Giuliani is ####### insane now. But, one still can’t deny the positive way he responded to 9/11 (although he’s making that increasingly more difficult). 

 
The Ringer started a re-watch podcast last week that's really entertaining. They seem to go through an episode every couple of days. 

A piece of trivia that seems shocking to me, but makes sense........only one police ever fired a gun during the entire series. And of course, it was Prez, who fired a gun 3 times (not counting shooting up his own car that we never saw). 

 
pollardsvision said:
The Ringer started a re-watch podcast last week that's really entertaining. They seem to go through an episode every couple of days. 

A piece of trivia that seems shocking to me, but makes sense........only one police ever fired a gun during the entire series. And of course, it was Prez, who fired a gun 3 times (not counting shooting up his own car that we never saw). 
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Is this hosted by Jemele hill?

 
Finally wrapped up season 5 during the quarentine.  Had watched the rest of them years ago and just never got it finished 

that whole serial killer story just cracked me up :lmao:

 
If I had to choose, I would put 1&3 over 4 just because I liked watching the Barksdale org.  5 is the only real clear stepdown though.

 
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