They are gradually won over. For example, for my first watch through, I was bored with Season two. After watching the awful Sorkin show The Newsroom that was so dumb and naive it was nice to see some smart and realistic drama about a newsroom. There is a last minute dash to rescue some young woman being held by a psychopath. WebPart of the Wire in the Blood series As this hit British detective drama concludes, clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill (Robson Green, Grantchester) and DI Alex Fielding Not because I missed the point about your critique of the journalist world, I got that, but because you sacrificed some of your best characters to get your point across. Any criticism you get is unwarranted. But Ill get back to the journalism angle momentarily. We said what we wanted to say and now everyone else is entitled to talk back without some counterbitch finding them. The apartment complex we lived in was actually the subject of a widely publicized reformation project (in 96) after having the highest rates of violent crime in the district for 12 years. A few funny lines, too. Tony Hill finds himself in unfamiliar surroundings when he travels to Texas to assist the local district attorney in the case of Darius Grady who is accused of murdering his wife and two children. Ultimately, thank you for such an epic drama! Just depressing the way it wallows in the depravity of the serial killers and hits you over the head with it. This is an entertaining series currently available on Acorn TV. I just watched all 5 seasons in short order. Hopefully there is some point in time when the majority of people become a little smarter and catch up w/ the intelligence this show possesses. Maybe an education magazine writes a column on inncr-city curricula, or a libertarian website revisits the idea of drug decriminalization. I didnt get hooked by Treme or the mini serie with a mayor though. But the rest of you blessed, scribbling souls? Whatever you say, arthouse. Thats when Pulengs world completely changes. I would have liked to have seen more scenes with randy & neymond though just to make it feel like they hadnt been forgotten especially as Michael & dookie didnt even mention them by name about same with nick sabotka maybe a conversation about the docks with someone after abusing the mayor & kracheck I like how it felt like a big open world & people could bump into each other. But having left the topic at hand to engage in ad hominem characterization, you cant very well expect anything less in return. Eventually I bought the box set a few years ago and binge watched all five seasons. The Jordan/Fielding character played a large part. Its a subjective matter that isnt worth a good argument, especially if, like me, you dont see the seasons as distinct but cumulative. Image via NBC. I HOPE THEY COME OUT WITH MORE SEASONS!! But thanks for creating some of the best characters in TV history. I wanted catharis toobut I was raised on ER. This statement is meant to include: Mark Letheren(DI Kevin Jeffries); Emma Handy (DC Paula McIntyre) and Peter Sullivan (ACC Paul Eden). I see commentary all the time where the seasons are ranked and there seems to be a common thread. OK so Rawls put him on a boat for while. Thank you so much for making The Wire, it ruined every other tv show. Another Silence Of The Lambs/Cracker knock-off, without the storylines, I'm afraid. But it went over my head, that the newspaper, completely missed every major story about what went on in the city. Note to the producers: Have Robbie Coltraine guest as "Cracker" character in a future episode assisting Hill and Jobson! Additionally though people point to the development of hyper-local news sites as a way of saying that local news isnt dead, these are often little more than blogs or advertising of businesses in the area rather than sustained critiques and investigations. I realize that this is ten years too late to be of any practical use, but I just thought Id throw it out there. David. It was fuckin awesome. It ran for six seasons and I believe had some specials along the way. You wanna say who cares, the story sucked? Actually, I dont even think of it as a show its literature. I didnt know there were retards saying Each ending sucked so the season 5 was bad. Brilliant! There is always a player in the on deck circle, even when the final out is being recorded. Its a great show! Rawls and Valchek were just as bad- and the reason they all irked me so much is because its way closer to the truth than people want to admit. If I didnt know the show was set in Baltimore it just as easily could have been set in Lanham, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Temple Hills, Forestville. I just marathoned the entire series in less than 2 weeks (okay, so Im unemployed & have the time on my hands) and now I see why The Wire got so much acclaim in its day. It is important to give the newcomer a distinctive identity. Love it. She sends him to chase down Keith and kill him. The game is rigged and Im not sure if I wanna play. I found this series especially delightful because Robson Green's character lives within the confines of his own mind. Omars death/Omar returning to Baltimore: We all wanted to see Omars last stand be in a bloody shootout with a high body count, but anyone paying attention to the story being told knew it wouldnt go down like that. the Los Angeles Police Department? Police are rude to Dr. Tony Hill and refuse to work with him. In this format youre not going to have stark revelations, a happy and blissful montage followed by a cut to black. I was reading The Stand at the time I posted that response. The only story that I noticed that the newspaper missed was when they mentioned Prop Joe. I watched all 3 in order and enjoyed this series. And the depiction of the weak-willed, money-grubbing, ring-kissing top brass at papers was spot-on, too. He has a In The Hunger Games films, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) coughs up blood for a specific reason. Stars Robson Green Mark We certainly expected more attention from the media. All the characters have distinct and believable personalities. I still rewatch twice a year and its my all-time favourite series. I can dream sometimes, right? Jobson develops in future episodes. She is always rescued. I am a detective investigator and I am very critical with "who done it" crime solving type movies. Im proud to be from Home of the Wire He seems so confident that each person is the perpetrator then half way through the interview says 'no it's not him' very annoying. My comment amounts to little more than unwanted negative feedback for a show that ended 5 years ago. And they covered more ground, and they knew the terrain in a way that they no longer do. Uncensored. That was the critique. It was pretty much written on the wall for us when that one kid didnt run away from Omar. Carcetti seemed to both indirectly affirm the beliefs of the more racist/prejudiced white politicians that a white mayor who could possibly whiten up the administration, would weed out the corruption, and at the same time did his best to work with the black members of the citys congress, businesses, police force and school systems, etc. i do not like hyped up shows, because of an innate sense of superiority which makes me believe than anything that other people like cannot be good. But wait Marlo had to head back to those corners to be himselfthe individual. Also what I find tedious is that in every episode it try's to make you believe that a number of people are guilty but aren't. The Wire will be studied in the future. Copyright 2018 David Simon. With the exception of the good journalism that bookended the story arc which is, of course, representative of the fact that there are still newspaper folk in Baltimore and elsewhere struggling mightily to do the job the season amounted to ten hours of a newspaper that is no longer intimately aware of its city. Each episode is someone chained up. That was a bit beyond the historical reality; at the historicalBaltimore Sun, he was a mere Pulitzer finalist. What a way for a series to go out. I started college as a J-student and later moved to English. Even recently I remember watching CNN and they were covering the Treyvon Martin case seemingly 24/7 and in the news ticker at the bottom of the screen there was the briefest mention of some protest in Egypt. In the finale, she tells Spencer he needs not waste money on a suit/tuxedo as she has credit aboard their British liner. You want to suggest that the creator of the project has his nose in the air for being interested in the matter at all, and that you have some insight into his temperament? Throughout 1923, Alexandras wealth has come into play (or the wealth of her family, rather). A great newspaper does this routinely on a multitude of issues, across its entire region. The Hunger Games is a four-part film series that is based on the hit trilogy of Maybe the guys just kind of being a dickhead here. But then I would be as guilty of lazy ad hominem as they have been in assessing the work. I binged watch all 5 seasons, The Wire is the best tv series in tv history. I just finished watching the entire run of the series a couple of nights ago. If I was forced, I think Id go with 4-2-1-3-5, with 1 and 3 tied. I meant To say Roger Twigg. Robson Green is a favourite of mine which is why I really wanted to love this show. This show mattered and it still does. The story the music the acting is just so damn beautiful. For me, the series is not about the individual seasons. the biggest feeling that I was left with was that of Newtons Third Law of Physics, the action-reaction law. While she tries her best to support her parents, Puleng also hates how theyre not willing to give up on the past. I'm a big fan of good,clever mystery. Unlike most shows, which run at 45 minutes per episode, Wire in the Blood runs at 90 minutes per episode. Given the immense detail used in the stories, the show simply wouldn't work with shorter episodes. The series was cancelled in 2009 due to ITV's financial troubles. The man who plays Tony Hill, the psychologist, is great. I had only heard of it but didnt know it was the drug I needed in my life to actively engage in social discussions the way you do so well in this series. In the confrontation that follows, Adam shows him the photographs he took Done very tastefully. The shows all involve murder and this is the focus of the plots. I feel better about missing the plot about The Baltimore Sun newspaper missing important stories, now I know that the pros missed it too. I was born with scoop mentality and its never left me. Learn how your comment data is processed. Well said, David. And Kima, would she really be snitching on them? 2) As for the WORST McNultys supercop character finally jumped the shark. No one went near the theme; everyone stayed dead-center and literal, oblivious to the big-ass elephant in our mythical newsroom. but I believe even his murder would have been more satisfying for viewers who were waiting for his comeuppance. User Ratings Heres what happened in season five ofThe Wirewhen almost no one among the working press, at least was looking: The mayor, who came in promising reform, is instead forcing his police department to once again cook the stats to create the illusion that crime is going down. It was nuanced and I really saw Gus as the lead protagonist of this season and lester and mcnulty as shifty antagonists. Enter DI Alex Fielding, Simone Lahbib. Thanks for the response, even if it got the best of me! Now youve got the full attention of the media. The political corruption, the cronyism, the back-asswards views on racism which prevent all minorities from getting a real say in anything lest they be deemed racist- and most agonizingly, the completely screwball insanity that is the PG County school system is exactly like the way you depicted life in Baltimore. WebA clinical psychologist, Dr. Tony Hill, delves into his dark side to see into the minds of serial killers, to aid the police in solving their most difficult cases. -- if you're a Robson Green fan, it's a fantastic showcase for his acting. What really made Season 5 for me was Gus and the newsroom in general. 1) The newsroom angle was a good idea but perhaps the show writers were a bit too close to it. And, just like the black counterparts, almost all of them gain some level of career advancement, be it Rawls promotion to superintendent, Pearlmans to judge, Hurks ascension in the legal realm (admitably his is more honest than the others, since he wanted the same things McNulty and Freamon wanted, and he actually suffers the consequences of his mess-up in Season 4), Carcetti, Templeton, etc. McNulty, Frank Sobotka, Carcetti (at least in season 3), Colvin and Prez). But if I dont play how can I and everyone else fix the rules? No show has ever, EVER done that. Can you give any specific insight into why Marlo was let to walk away unscathed. The character development and the way each characters persona was mirrored throughout each realm (from the street, to the BPD, to the courthouse, city hall, the ports, the newsroom) is the most amazing writing Ive ever seen. It was a great work of art. This series is generally well-scripted and acted. The suits in Chicago are running scared. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Drug wars, territorial disputes, and the assassination of the citys largest drug importer manage to produce a brief inside the metro section that refers only to the slaying of a second-hand appliance store owner. Hes just being painfully honest. Flagg on his last day being the only one who could tap in to the police department to get the low down on Burrells removal. You dont need to justify anything, its a masterpiece. how many years you figure we been doing the same shit.. Anyway, Ive gone on for far too long here. Good god, this was the most amazing show Ive seen in ever. What the hell, man? Even more awesome is how you actually continued that same thread from one season to the next, taking one subject matter and examining it from all the angles that make up the context of the entire problem. A mayor was elected governor while his police commanders made aggravated assaults and robberies disappear. Almost perfectly sums up my feelings about the series. Love The Wire. Im sad I missed all the hoopla, the reviews, analysis, any interviews and behind the scenes footage that was released with and right after the show ended. This show, its impact, the things its talked about directly and indirectly (as shown above) has along with all that impacted me, and I feel like Ive got enough influence from this show alone to myself sit down and write like Ive been wanting to do, but not just any writing, but writing thats thoughtful as well as entertaining, and also writing that matters. Did you always have in mind from the start to have the fake news/fake crime stories play in tandem? Entertaining but formula driven and with plot holes! School principals in Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland were obliged to teach test questions to pump scores at the expense of meaningful curricula. You wanna say so on the producers blog, no worries. Thanks David for all you did to bring it into the world. Norris brought an adult, feminine, vulnerability to her role as Carol Jordan. I wonder whats happening in this city that we dont know about. Maybe enough individuals can make an impactor at least make an impact on more individuals. I guess I understood it was there in some sense but initially the theme I was focused on were the institutional problems in the newsroom that are so similar to the problems in other institutions featured in the series. Ill rant a bit about journalism, or the drug war or any other issue that I rub up against. All Rights Reserved. The great irony (relative to the final season) is that the criticism being leveled against NCLB and the war on drugs was lost on the real-life media in the very same way that The Wires Baltimore Sun missed those very same things in the show. If season five didnt work for you, then it didnt work for you. I would not recommend this show for anyone under the age of 16. In series 4, Ms Norris has left the show and Simone Lahbib as Inspecter Alex Fielding has the dubious job of reining in Hill. I agree with the message of Season 5, just not the execution. The creative and honest mind of the writers is put on the screen with a quality job of directing. The ending was perfect, the way Omar died was perfect, the serial killer thing was perfect, but then whenever it cut back to that newsroom it dragged. Then when people point out the garbage it becomes oh-so esoteric. David SImon, I dont understand why you wrote this. In response to a few specific complaints Ive come across rather frequently in regards to the season: How is it remotely plausible that Marlo walked free? But no, show dont tell is the rule. but what the hell happened with the last season? I hated Marlo for his ruthlessness but I respect that you gave him a realistic ending-they could not realistically build a case against him bc of police corruption. The pictures of his cleaned up corners and happy citizens as a result of Hamsterdam would suggest that the drop was much larger than that 14%. I just love it so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ive just completed my third viewing of the entire series. Perhaps one on the books it is based on might warm me up to it. Of course, given if any of that is there. It was too subtle for me to catch on my first watch, and Im sure a 10 hour binge made it even easier to gloss over. 1 The Office. Isnt that what your essay calls for? Imagine all the fun they could have conflicting professionally, not to mention romantically, vying for Jobson's attention and favors! I guess Cedric Daniels, Stringer Bell and Bunny Colvin tried with horrible results. Dont get me wrong, its great for you and the other writers/producers/actors/HBO- but even the best portrayal of life in the Charm City wont be enough to change anything. Now its so hard to even rank the seasons because they are all so important to the overall story. Cocaine Bear is based on a true story but the events especially the ending are very different. And I thanks you for that, because you gave us a piece of truth storytelling. Every time I sit down to watch it again, more and more of the depth reveals itself. In particular, I admired how each character was so fully realized within their part of the story arc. Its the best series ever Robson Green is a great talent, in spite of what his fellow Newcastleian had to say above. I must comment on the general disappointment around season 5 though: I too was bored by the whole Baltimore Sun room and cast. What is most unfortunate is that your scathing and accurate critique of Washington D.Cs left armpit (with PG County being its right) and really the entire D.C. area will always be written off as great entertainment and remembered as one of the best shows ever on television. The show is bases on the books written by crime novelist Val McDiarmid. There were still good journalists in our make-believe newsroom, and they did some good work just as there are still such souls in Baltimore and every city laboring in similar fashion and to similar result. But most of all, that poor child Duquan who did nothing but suffer from beginning to end. Has the city cleaned up. Buy SD $1.99. Too short. In Baltimore, where over the last twenty years Times Mirror and the Tribune Company have combined to reduce the newsroom by forty percent, all of the above stories pretty much happened. At least youre not complete sadists. Lasher follows Keith to a random shack in the The fact that my appreciation for every single season changed over time due to rewatching the show over and over, proves how good this series as a whole really is. I love game of thrones (but its too quick imo), but The Wire is the best. It's quite dark, with just enough wit to keep you from falling over the edge into the great abyss. When there is an ensemble cast and crew that work their hardest to put out the best product possible, it makes viewing a very satisfying activity.