Fun Stuff > ENJOY

The Wire is awesome, British TV less so

<< < (9/17) > >>

Inlander:
Geez man, do you have any idea what you're asking of us here? Damn!

I'm just about to go on a binge and watch the whole thing from episode 1 of season 1 to episode 10 of season 10 - as soon as I get my season 1 D.V.D.s back from my friend who's had them forever (I'm gonna make back-ups to lend out from now on). I'll have answers for you then.

Um, SPOILERS from here on, I guess.

For now, though, I can say categorically that the most haunting scene of all for me was from the last season, when Michael's made his break with Marlo's crew and he's dropping Dukie off before going underground, and Dukie's trying to reminisce with him, and says "You remember that time . . ." and then describes a scene from the beginning of season 4, and Michael can't remember it. Just that one little moment highlights the massive psychological trauma suffered by these kids drawn into the drug trade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2WyBRwoElM

KvP:
Season 4 has a number of really good moments. The child actors they got are all really good.

The scene where Wee-Bey mans up and does the right thing for his son at the end of the season was really great. Randy's last scene with Carver was pretty wrenching.

Honestly, I take back what I said about Homicide being better earlier in the thread. Homicide, for being as daring as it was for network television, definitely had some pretty mediocre episodes and bad casting decisions, especially in the later seasons. I don't believe there's a single bum note in the entirety of The Wire's run. Even the weakest parts, like the season five newspaper storyline (which got a pretty heavy drubbing from the press - doth the lady protest too much?) had some great moments and bits of writing.

Man, this show is so good.

Given the field's so open with scenes, what was everybody's favorite supporting character? I don't mean a secondary character like Omar or Bubs, who aren't stars of the show but are nonetheless fairly prominent. I mean characters who are pretty well defined despite not having any scenes really being about them specifically. My favorite would probably be Slim Charles, the right hand man of Avon Barksdale in the third season, and Prop Joe in the fourth and fifth seasons. It's shown that he's as cold of a murderer as any of the gangsters in the show, but he's nonetheless shown to be such a consummate professional that you have to root for him. When a hit job gets botched in the third season he doesn't hesitate at all to fess up to his (perceived) mistake despite what consequences could follow from it. He's unfailingly loyal, lacking in hubris and foolish ambition, and he's not afraid of anybody, but it's clear he's not a sociopath like Chris Partlow, who is alike him in many ways. The AV Club described him as a "samurai", and I think that's pretty apt. His last scene had me cheering.

Anybody? Snoop? Blind Butchie and his associates? Brother Mouzone? Clay Davis?

Come on, sheeeeeeeeeeeit, I want to talk about this show with people. I came to the party late.

Inlander:
I think my favourite "supporting character" is Chris. He's just so outside the box compared to all the other gangsters - the way he dresses, the way he's so softly spoken. Sometimes I catch myself thinking of him as "gentle", but then I remember what a cold-blooded killer he is. But then, even when he's killing someone - except for that one notable occasion - he tries to make it as calm a process as possible, including for the victim. I guess he kind of takes the same attitude you would when putting down a dog. It makes him seem nicer than all the other gangsters somehow - which is absurd, because he's probably the most ruthless killer in the whole show.

Also, I forgot about this little scene. So good!

Misereatur:
May not be my favorite scene, but I really like the begining of All Due Respect (2nd episode, 3rd season). Where right before Omar takes Barksdale's stash - posing as a veteran returning from the hospital - one of the "guards" in the stash house tells his friend how he was approached by an "old white guy" and was asked "where the Poe house is".

Of course, the paper bag speech by Major Colvin is brilliant. Also credited to Ed Burns.

Inlander:
Season 4 sees the arrival of Kellerman (played by Reed Diamond), who's one of the most significant characters in the show, while season 5 brings in a new M.E. played by Michelle Forbes, who also brings something really cool and interesting to the show. In these two seasons they also start exploring the inner lives of the characters in some really interesting ways, with Pembleton struggling with his faith and Bayliss exploring his sexuality. These seasons also have the ongoing Luther Mahoney storyline, which was pretty good and which resulted in a classic "fuck you!" from the writers to the network.

Of course, there are also a few dud episodes, but with the network by that time asking for "full" seasons (20-odd episodes) that was bound to happen.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page