The Wire has been one of the most important things I've ever watched of film, TV whether documentary or fiction. It is sad that is is over, but this is one series that I would start over from the beginning today if I had the discs. So, I have the second viewing to look forward to.
Instead of trying to say anything that could do the series justice, I'll just point out that it is true, there is television worth watching these days. And I'll also quote David Simon, the series creator, from his own thoughts in his season finale letter:
We are a culture without the will to seriously examine our own problems. We eschew that which is complex, contradictory or confusing. As a culture, we seek simple solutions. We enjoy being provoked and titillated, but resist the rigorous, painstaking examination of issues that might, in the end, bring us to the point of recognizing our problems, which is the essential first step to solving any of them.
3 comments:
We still need to get The Wire started. Our reigning favourite for several years now has been HBO's Six Feet Under. As cliché as it sounds, the characters in that show explode with passion and the interpersonal relationships are so beautiful and human. It takes a few episodes to begin seeing that it there is much more to it than the day-to-day operations a family-owned funeral home. The Pilot episode doesn't really even do the show justice in setting-up what the viewer is in for as it progresses. In hindsight, of course, it's brilliant, but we had to keep pushing through mid-first season before we got hooked ("Hooked" is actually a gross understatement - emotionally attached, obsessed and absorbed is more like it). I hopped online and purchased the box set within minutes of finishing the final episode (request to borrow anytime).
I've heard only great things about The Wire and have wanted to get into it for some time. Our Six Feet Under-a-thon was back in our pre-kids days. It's now hard finding extended periods of quality awake time to give a new series the attention it would deserve. Looking forward to it someday though! Arrested development was a winner too, but I feel that it would be an "apples and oranges" comparison with SFU and (I'm assuming) The Wire.
Abi and I ended the last episode of season 7 of The West Wing a couple months ago and it felt like a family member had decided to move Tibet and never return. So we began our search for a replacement, which is what you do when a family member selfishly disappears.
I had seen through season 4 of the Wire, but Abi had not. So we're now at the end of season 1, and she's sufficiently hooked. And season one has so far been great the second time through.
I'm currently applying to law school, so The Wire drums up both pessimism and the desire to do something important as I prepare to opt into the system which is so scathingly critiqued by David Simon.
And Abi and I find ourselves dropping the fuck-bomb far more than usual.
Great to hear from you Tyler! Funny about the f-bomb, a friend of mine whose been watching the Wire told me this weekend that his mouth has gotten more 'colorful' lately too. Might as well be listening to hiphop.
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