The Wire

So, this has just started on BBC2, and after watching episode 1 I am exhausted, but I relaly liked it.  It's very fast moving, and intense, and I *think* I can see where it's going.  I wondered if there is anyone who has already seen it, and if it is a good as the hype?

(and sorry if this has been done before)

Vicky

It's very good but I don't know if it's the "best tv series ever" like some critics like to say it is.  It is quite intense though.  I found the swearing in it tedious after a while though, it's like when people swear just to be shocking and controversial. 

The Wire is awesome, we're on season 5, we would have watched them all by now but a certain toddler and newborn has kept us from watching much of anything!
It is one of the best shows I've ever seen and I'm trying not to be biased being from Baltimore.

About the swearing, I think it would be very disingenuous if they didn't swear.  David Simon who wrote the show spent a year on the beat with the Baltimore police as a writer for the Baltimore Sun paper and experienced first hand a lot of the crime and such characters.  When you're a drug dealer/taker with little or no education and in the environment you're in that's how you talk.

It can be very hard going.  I think one of the reasons it has been somewhat cult-ish and hasn't been on the BBC until now is because of the expansive characters, story line, street talk and intricacies of it all.  It can be hard to follow but it does flow if you give it a chance.  It's one of those shows where you really have to use your brain and pay attention.  It ain't one of these shows on the networks where an impossibly beautiful woman is the detective solving all the crimes week in and week out.

The characters on both sides, police, druggies and otherwise are intriguing and scripted so well.  Not sure if Omar has shown up but he's awesome.  They even got Method Man from Wu-Tang Clan in there as a baddie

The Wire is awesome, we're on season 5, we would have watched them all by now but a certain toddler and newborn has kept us from watching much of anything!
It is one of the best shows I've ever seen and I'm trying not to be biased being from Baltimore.

About the swearing, I think it would be very disingenuous if they didn't swear.  David Simon who wrote the show spent a year on the beat with the Baltimore police as a writer for the Baltimore Sun paper and experienced first hand a lot of the crime and such characters. 

He based some of the characters on the detectives he met in Baltimore, and not only that, some of the detectives actually have roles (like actual ones, not walk-on) on the show.

I also agree it's awesome. If you liked Homicide: Life on the Street back when it was airing, you'll really like this too.

I love it.  It does rank up there as one of the best shows ever.  It is incredibly complex/rich.  There are a ton of characters. Very rarely do people fit in next boxes.  The show throws you right in and doesn't pander to a dumb audience.  You are expected to keep up with the slang, storyline, relatioships from the beginning.  Great tV.

Thanks for the feedback.  I shall persevere. 

Vicky

I am DYING to watch this - being a former B'more city dweller (back when Homicide was being filmed) - and now living so close to the city again I feel I have to! I'm going to get the DVDs so I can watch at leisure...

The scheduling is dreadful - every week night! I'd fill the Sky+ up in no time as I can't commit to watching 5 episodes a week....they should have done 2 a week at most......a lot of people will just pack in.

I started watching when they were running from the beginning on FX last year but had to give up on it as I had too many queued up having been away for a few weeks and DW wasn't bothered about it.

I may just rent it from lovefilm.

p.s. It can't be the best TV show ever, as that is "The West Wing"

The scheduling is dreadful - every week night! I'd fill the Sky+ up in no time as I can't commit to watching 5 episodes a week....they should have done 2 a week at most......a lot of people will just pack in.

I'd probably agree with you there, you really have to watch the whole episode paying close attention to what's going on and to expect people to be watching every weeknight is tough.  You need one of those massive media centres that holds like a terrabyte of video or whatever they're up to these days 

I've driven around a few bits of the sort of area in West Baltimore that is portrayed in the Wire, it is pretty scary.  But it is mainly only certain contained sections of the city.  I often hear people wonder if all of Baltimore is like that!  How they will ever clean up the really rough areas I don't know.  They've done that somewhat in East Baltimore (Prop Joe's area, as the show goes on he admits the West side towers are where the money/drugs really are).  Gotta love Prop Joe!

Love it!!! I used to drive through some of the sets when they were filming close to my house. Once I thought it was my block on season 2 (I'm East Baltimore), but it wasn't!  Whew!    We have it on DVD, so no scheduling issues there. Just remember, it portrays what things are like in all small cities in the US, it's not just Baltimore!

Just remember, it portrays what things are like in all small cities in the US, it's not just Baltimore!

Small city??  It's in the top 20 largest cities in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

I was surprised to see some cities ranked higher or lower than I expected.  I always thought Indianapolis was quite small and Detroit had roughly the same population as Baltimore.  On the other side, I was surprised to see how relatively small Miami and Atlanta were - I always thought of them as bigger than Baltimore but apparently not.

Small city??  It's in the top 20 largest cities in the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population

I was surprised to see some cities ranked higher or lower than I expected.  I always thought Indianapolis was quite small and Detroit had roughly the same population as Baltimore.  On the other side, I was surprised to see how relatively small Miami and Atlanta were - I always thought of them as bigger than Baltimore but apparently not.

Baltimore is number 20. I would still consider that a small city. Most crime shows take place in New York and LA. 

Baltimore is number 20. I would still consider that a small city. Most crime shows take place in New York and LA. 

Well, if you're gonna compare to 2 of the biggest cities in the world (NY by population and LA by virtue of its celebrity status) then yeah, most cities would be considered small.
I saw it on another website at number 18 in the US but I guess they were done in different years.

It's great to see TV and film being made in Baltimore, it'd be interesting to see how cities rank according to the number of projects appearing on our screens.  Obviously LA would have the most and I'd assume NY would be second.  I think there's a lot done in Toronto and Vancouver, I think because they tend to be cheaper to shoot there.

I can't get my husband to watch it with me. So annoying.

I am DYING to watch this - being a former B'more city dweller (back when Homicide was being filmed) - and now living so close to the city again I feel I have to! I'm going to get the DVDs so I can watch at leisure...

I need to get the DVD's as well. I lived in Baltimore City (1989-2003), left for the UK and back again in 2007 and have no idea where the show is shot. Yes, I know that there are dodgy areas in the city but it will be interesting to see where it was filmed.

Balmerhon, I loved watching Homicide as well....we have been to the Waterfront Hotel in Fells Point (not a hotel as you know) for lunch a few times recently, their old hang out with the show's police station across the road....and I always think about the series. 

PS - Balmeron/Mattj74 - Just sure if you know but The Senator Theater closed a few weeks ago (as did the Rotunda Cinema...same owner), very sad! The Senator is up for auction.

Thank goodness The Charles is still thriving. I am hoping that the Charles owner buys the Senator! The Auction is April 20th....fingers crossed!