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The Wire

What's your favorite season of the Wire?

  • 1

    Votes: 7 63.6%

  • 2

    Votes: 3 27.3%

  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 4

    Votes: 1 9.1%

  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    11
E

Eppy99

All-American
Gold Member
Oct 27, 2001
7,938
6,178
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Rewatching the Wire again. I've lost count. I'm on season 2 right now. The first time I watched the series I didn't realize how great season 2 was. Season 1 was so damn good I wasn't reaady for a new story line. Season 5 is definetly the weakest as it seems they struggled wrapping up the show. The Wire is my all time favorite show, edging out the Soprano's and Game of Thrones. Anyone dare to rank the season's?

I reserve the right to change these daily, but here we go.

1) Season 1
2) Season 4
3) Season 3
4) Season 2
5) Season 5
 
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Eppy99 said:
Rewatching the Wire again. I've lost count. I'm on season 2 right now. The first time I watched the series I didn't realize how great season 2 was. Season 1 was so damn good I wasn't reaady for a new story line. Season 5 is definetly the weakest as it seems they struggled wrapping up the show. The Wire is my all time favorite show, edging out the Soprano's and Game of Thrones. Anyone dare to rank the season's?

I reserve the right to change these daily, but here we go.

1) Season 1
2) Season 4
3) Season 3
4) Season 2
5) Season 5
Click to expand...
Season 5 was a joke and ruined the entire show in terms of all time rankings. McNulty and Lester manipulating homicide scenes to manifest a serial killer? The stupid, self pleasing parallel plot with the newspaper that no one cared about.

It was cartoonish. David Simon got way out over his skis.
 
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About 12ish years ago, I was at a UE fundraising banquet. They put a notable UE alum at each table - Jack McBrayer was a couple tables over. Rami Malek was there, too. But he wasn’t very famous yet.

The alum at our table was also an actor, but I had never heard of her. So somebody asked her what roles she’d done. She asked if we’d ever seen “The Wire” and nobody at the table ever had. I told her I’d heard of it, but hadn’t seen it.

She said “Oh, you gotta go watch it. I’m biased, but I think it’s the best series ever done.”

I took her advice and, damn if she wasn’t right. It was Deirdre Lovejoy, who played Prosecutor Rhonda Pearlman on the show.
 
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crazed_hoosier2 said:
About 12ish years ago, I was at a UE fundraising banquet. They put a notable UE alum at each table - Jack McBrayer was a couple tables over. Rami Malek was there, too. But he wasn’t very famous yet.

The alum at our table was also an actor, but I had never heard of her. So somebody asked her what roles she’d done. She asked if we’d ever seen “The Wire” and nobody at the table ever had. I told her I’d heard of it, but hadn’t seen it.

She said “Oh, you gotta go watch it. I’m biased, but I think it’s the best series ever done.”

I took her advice and, damn if she wasn’t right. It was Deirdre Lovejoy, who played Prosecutor Rhonda Pearlman on the show.
Click to expand...
OOO, I love gingers.
 
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crazed_hoosier2 said:
About 12ish years ago, I was at a UE fundraising banquet. They put a notable UE alum at each table - Jack McBrayer was a couple tables over. Rami Malek was there, too. But he wasn’t very famous yet.

The alum at our table was also an actor, but I had never heard of her. So somebody asked her what roles she’d done. She asked if we’d ever seen “The Wire” and nobody at the table ever had. I told her I’d heard of it, but hadn’t seen it.

She said “Oh, you gotta go watch it. I’m biased, but I think it’s the best series ever done.”

I took her advice and, damn if she wasn’t right. It was Deirdre Lovejoy, who played Prosecutor Rhonda Pearlman on the show.
Click to expand...

She was good in The Blacklist too.
 
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Eppy99 said:
If you've watched the series more than once did you appreciate season 2 first time around?
Click to expand...

I've only watched it once. I appreciated Season 2 more after it ended than during it. I was a bit confused at the time, but really liked compare and contrast w/season 1.
 
I’ve watched it three times. Season 2 at first was a shock and it took awhile to get used to the change. Season 4 is my favorite because of the kids. They absolutely tore my heart apart. Their storylines were so good and so was their acting. I missed Stringer though. My favorite scene was season 3 with Stringer and Avon on the balcony. So so good. The Wire is like a cult. Whenever I meet someone that mentions it, I can sit and talk forever about it and they are usually glad to have someone who has seen it too. Criminal it didn’t win all the awards. It still holds up 20 years later in so many ways.
Season 4, 1, 2, 3, 5.
I was watching The Pitt last week and when the head administrator came on I hated her immediately and couldn’t figure out why, Finally I got it….she was Dee’s mom. So many amazing characters in that show too.
 
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Eppy99 said:
If you've watched the series more than once did you appreciate season 2 first time around?
Click to expand...

After watching through probably at least 7x by now.... Season 2 is my favorite one. As others mentioned, 1st time watching it was rather off-putting the sudden change. I don't care for Season 4 as much personally, even though it's probably the most critically acclaimed. The political arc with Carcetti is pretty good though.

They're all good, even S5 is better than a lot of other shows, just kind of ridiculous compared to the rest of the series, which is a pretty damn high bar.

I actually recall watching it for the first time when it was actually being broadcast. And couldn't get into it at all. Didn't come back to it until several years later.
 
twenty02 said:
After watching through probably at least 7x by now.... Season 2 is my favorite one. As others mentioned, 1st time watching it was rather off-putting the sudden change. I don't care for Season 4 as much personally, even though it's probably the most critically acclaimed. The political arc with Carcetti is pretty good though.

They're all good, even S5 is better than a lot of other shows, just kind of ridiculous compared to the rest of the series, which is a pretty damn high bar.

I actually recall watching it for the first time when it was actually being broadcast. And couldn't get into it at all. Didn't come back to it until several years later.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t and stopped. Would it still be good today? I did the same with breaking bad. Three plus times. Then loved it. Obviously
 
mcmurtry66 said:
I couldn’t and stopped. Would it still be good today? I did the same with breaking bad. Three plus times. Then loved it. Obviously
Click to expand...
The only parts that are dated is rhe technology used for the wire. I doubt drug dealers are still using pagers, but what do I know.
 
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Not going to lie, I've found this very difficult to answer. I want to say this:

1. 1, 2, 3, 4 (tie)
5. 5

I still liked season 5, but obviously it was weaker than the other four.

I actually loved the shift to the docks in season 2. I liked how that storyline was combined with storylines from season 1. So if push comes to shove, I think I will rank it like this:

2, 1, 4, 3, 5
 
Give it until at least the F—- episode. I think that’s ep 4 between McNulty and Bunk. Actually you might identify a bit with McNulty.
 
The Original Happy Goat said:
LOL that was a brilliant scene. Not just for the writing, but the directing and acting, everything was perfect there.
Click to expand...
It actually always reminded me of the Knight riff where he said it was his favorite word, it can be used as a verb, an adjective, for good, for bad, etc.
 
Eppy99 said:
Rewatching the Wire again. I've lost count. I'm on season 2 right now. The first time I watched the series I didn't realize how great season 2 was. Season 1 was so damn good I wasn't reaady for a new story line. Season 5 is definetly the weakest as it seems they struggled wrapping up the show. The Wire is my all time favorite show, edging out the Soprano's and Game of Thrones. Anyone dare to rank the season's?

I reserve the right to change these daily, but here we go.

1) Season 1
2) Season 4
3) Season 3
4) Season 2
5) Season 5
Click to expand...
1

Omar testifying against Bird was the best scene of any cop show ever

“I got the gun - you got the briefcase - it’s all in the game.”
 
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twenty02 said:
After watching through probably at least 7x by now.... Season 2 is my favorite one. As others mentioned, 1st time watching it was rather off-putting the sudden change. I don't care for Season 4 as much personally, even though it's probably the most critically acclaimed. The political arc with Carcetti is pretty good though.

They're all good, even S5 is better than a lot of other shows, just kind of ridiculous compared to the rest of the series, which is a pretty damn high bar.

I actually recall watching it for the first time when it was actually being broadcast. And couldn't get into it at all. Didn't come back to it until several years later.
Click to expand...
“We used to make shit in this country.”
 
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mcmurtry66 said:
I couldn’t and stopped. Would it still be good today? I did the same with breaking bad. Three plus times. Then loved it. Obviously
Click to expand...

It's my favorite show ever made. Particularly as far as rewatching. Even today. I really think it's even better after you've seen it through the first time or so and get a fuller understanding of the characters.

Breaking Bad was one of the more intense show I've ever watched, particularly when it was being broadcast, and we all waited a week between every episode. Definitely the last season. But it's not as great to me rewatching it. Better Call Saul almost better in that regard.
 
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zeke4ahs said:
Give it until at least the F—- episode. I think that’s ep 4 between McNulty and Bunk. Actually you might identify a bit with McNulty.
Click to expand...
That’s a brilliant scene. Maybe the greatest ever script saying the most with the least amount of words.
 
TMFT said:
As good a place as any to reiterate my proposal that whenever Omar Cooper Jr makes a big play for the football team that the band needs to play "The Farmer in the Dell" with the higher pitched instruments and let the other band members take turns yelling "Omar comin!"
Click to expand...
That would require creative thinking we have not seen from the music folks in a long time.
 
Man this is making me want to watch again. I’ve never had any interest in watching a series more than once , but I’ve seen this 3 times and still want to watch again. Thought about watching West Wing and GOT again but seems daunting.
 
zeke4ahs said:
Man this is making me want to watch again. I’ve never had any interest in watching a series more than once , but I’ve seen this 3 times and still want to watch again. Thought about watching West Wing and GOT again but seems daunting.
Click to expand...
got, sopranos, breaking bad, better call saul (only missing the wire from the big 5)
next tier peaky blinders
 
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GooglyMooglyWooglyBoogly said:
Season 5 was a joke and ruined the entire show in terms of all time rankings. McNulty and Lester manipulating homicide scenes to manifest a serial killer? The stupid, self pleasing parallel plot with the newspaper that no one cared about.

It was cartoonish. David Simon got way out over his skis.
Click to expand...
Not sure what season The Amsterdam storyline happened. But I thought it was a good example of people who think ideas are good but it turns out badly.
 
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twenty02 said:
It's my favorite show ever made. Particularly as far as rewatching. Even today. I really think it's even better after you've seen it through the first time or so and get a fuller understanding of the characters.

Breaking Bad was one of the more intense show I've ever watched, particularly when it was being broadcast, and we all waited a week between every episode. Definitely the last season. But it's not as great to me rewatching it. Better Call Saul almost better in that regard.
Click to expand...
I don’t think anything else is even close. You find out pretty early on they aren’t afraid to kill main characters. And the characters are so memorable and most of them get such a great arc. You forget how much you hated Prez and then love him as a teacher. I hated D at the start and then he broke my heart. They did such a fantastic job of showing every side of police and gangsters… no one is all good or all bad. When I watched it the first time I missed a lot because I was so tense about what was going to happen. There’s quite a bit of humor I didn’t get until further viewings. The best, most layered show ever. There’s a long distance between my next favorites.
 
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