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FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: KickTheBobo on January 17, 2008, 10:53:01 PM

Title: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: KickTheBobo on January 17, 2008, 10:53:01 PM
I mean, c'mon. art and entertainment is so damn subjective. I always hated those Rolling Stone covers: "REM: the most important band in the world". like, how do you quantify enjoyment of art?

so I gotta agree with B_Buster. great show, but it pretty much ends there. I don't see myself getting a full backpiece tattoo of Prop Joe any time soon.

BUT, I gotta say, if I were to rank the top 10 tv shows of my adult life, I think The Wire would be up there.

it just occurred to me: Beadie was totally the Winnie Cooper of The Wire. she went from hmmm...cute? to whoa momma! in a season.

sorry I brought it to that.

WIRE 4 EVA, BYOTCHESSS!!!

Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Ason on January 18, 2008, 12:49:32 AM
I wanna see Snoop dressed up in girl clothes just once

If they could shoe horn that into the script
maybe she needs to play a vixen one time to get the drop on somebody.....awesomeness



THEN it would be undeniable.

Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Jouster on January 18, 2008, 01:03:07 AM
That happened already.  One of her first appearances, she's on the back of a motorcycle and does a drive-by from it.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Ason on January 18, 2008, 10:34:53 AM
That happened already.  One of her first appearances, she's on the back of a motorcycle and does a drive-by from it.

you sure that was her?

I remember that one

white pants
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: yesno on January 18, 2008, 01:26:20 PM
One difference between The Wire and the Sopranos... I'm not going to say which show has the better approach... is the way the Wire is just really, really tight and self-contained.  Characters run in to each other all the time, and reappear.  Plotlines get resolved.  It feels much more planned out.

The Sopranos, by contrast, would just introduce characters and have them fade away.  Whole, suggestive storylines would appear, and then fade into nothing-- like the terrorism angle towards the end of the series.

The Wire approach to storytelling might seem more satisfying.  But it's certainly not more "realistic."

Anyway.  Anyone here like the show Brotherhood?  I'm about midway through the first season, and I just can't get into it.  Tom was saying (well, guessing) that The Wire isn't funny.  Compared to Brotherhood, the Wire is Laugh In.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: masterofsparks on January 18, 2008, 04:51:48 PM
That happened already.  One of her first appearances, she's on the back of a motorcycle and does a drive-by from it.

you sure that was her?

I remember that one

white pants

Yeah, it's definitely her, as confirmed by Felicia Pearson herself in one of the specials that aired prior to this season.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Ason on January 18, 2008, 10:27:25 PM
That happened already.  One of her first appearances, she's on the back of a motorcycle and does a drive-by from it.

you sure that was her?

I remember that one

white pants

Yeah, it's definitely her, as confirmed by Felicia Pearson herself in one of the specials that aired prior to this season.


wow, guess I got what I asked for without knowing it.

I was more picturing her dressed up as Scarlett O'Hara


(http://www.anthonysfinedining.com/images/Melly%20Meadows.jpg)

photoshop anyone?
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: electricdunnahoo on January 22, 2008, 12:10:19 AM
One difference between The Wire and the Sopranos... I'm not going to say which show has the better approach... is the way the Wire is just really, really tight and self-contained.  Characters run in to each other all the time, and reappear.  Plotlines get resolved.  It feels much more planned out.

The Sopranos, by contrast, would just introduce characters and have them fade away.  Whole, suggestive storylines would appear, and then fade into nothing-- like the terrorism angle towards the end of the series.

The Wire approach to storytelling might seem more satisfying.  But it's certainly not more "realistic."

Anyway.  Anyone here like the show Brotherhood?  I'm about midway through the first season, and I just can't get into it.  Tom was saying (well, guessing) that The Wire isn't funny.  Compared to Brotherhood, the Wire is Laugh In.

I thought that made Sopranos more realistic, though I wont say its more or less so than The Wire because that wouldnt even make any logical sense. Sopranos focused on one mans life, where The Wire focuses more on a community of characters. But, as in life, things come and go, much like the writing of The Sopranos, I think, did a solid job of portraying.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: jane on January 22, 2008, 08:03:59 AM
What I'm wondering is, is The Wire just like a regular cop show?  This seems to be what some people are saying.  I'm not into cop shows and have never even seen an entire episode of Law And Order (I saw the 24 Hours on Hunter S. Thompson) but don't those shows have different criminal offenders every episode?  It seems that the thing that sets The Wire apart is that not only do we follow the lives of many people, but that some of those people are the lowly hoods, (mopes), and drug addicts and we see things through the perspective of these people, who are presented as three dimensional characters.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Chris L on January 22, 2008, 10:45:47 AM
For the life of me I don't see how it's "just" a cop show - how many of the cast portray cops, 1/4 at the most? - but apparently it's hugely pompous to suggest otherwise.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: B_Buster on January 22, 2008, 03:07:00 PM
Good one, Chris L.! I consider it a cop show because cops and crime and the impact crime has on politics, education, and journalism are at the core of the show. The Wire differs from most cop shows by following a single investigation throughout a season, but the major themes it deals with are all familiar to most good cop shows.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Ason on January 22, 2008, 04:17:25 PM
For the life of me I don't see how it's "just" a cop show - how many of the cast portray cops, 1/4 at the most? - but apparently it's hugely pompous to suggest otherwise.

people like to put things in neat little boxes.

The Best Show is just a glorified radio talk show one could say.

I know bad example.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: moonshake on January 23, 2008, 09:31:29 AM
people like to put things in neat little boxes.

Exactly! Like this Reuters reporter on "No Country for Old Men":
Quote
"No Country," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a gory meditation on slipping moral values presented within the framework of a highly stylized chase movie.

http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN2054595020080122?sp=true

A highly stylized chase movie? Really?
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on January 23, 2008, 10:04:06 AM
Well, in all fairness, the Coens are masters at genre formula.  They usually take every single convention of a particular film genre and tweak one or two elements, modernize it, and voila.  This isn't a criticism at all - better this than quirky-cute indie movies that pretend to be original but are infinitely more formulaic.  For example, The Big Lebowski contains pretty much all of the elements of a typical noir like The Big Sleep, but all of the characters are these weird modern-day LA types.  And who doesn't love that movie?

I think The Wire is pretty fucking great.  But what does it say about me that I maybe like Lost just a little bit better?
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Omar on January 23, 2008, 10:11:10 AM
I think The Wire is pretty fucking great.  But what does it say about me that I maybe like Lost just a little bit better?

It says that you are a teledummy!
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Ason on January 23, 2008, 08:53:45 PM
Well, in all fairness, the Coens are masters at genre formula.  They usually take every single convention of a particular film genre and tweak one or two elements, modernize it, and voila.  This isn't a criticism at all - better this than quirky-cute indie movies that pretend to be original but are infinitely more formulaic.  For example, The Big Lebowski contains pretty much all of the elements of a typical noir like The Big Sleep, but all of the characters are these weird modern-day LA types.  And who doesn't love that movie?

I think The Wire is pretty fucking great.  But what does it say about me that I maybe like Lost just a little bit better?

You don't identify with "urban" culture as much?

I should say I really like Lost too
for different reasons, I'm not attacking.

Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: dave from knoxville on January 24, 2008, 05:57:43 PM
I really like Lost too, although sadly when it comes back in 1 week, I will be accompanying my Mom to a George Jones concert, her Christmas present.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on January 24, 2008, 09:23:18 PM
Well, in all fairness, the Coens are masters at genre formula.  They usually take every single convention of a particular film genre and tweak one or two elements, modernize it, and voila.  This isn't a criticism at all - better this than quirky-cute indie movies that pretend to be original but are infinitely more formulaic.  For example, The Big Lebowski contains pretty much all of the elements of a typical noir like The Big Sleep, but all of the characters are these weird modern-day LA types.  And who doesn't love that movie?

I think The Wire is pretty fucking great.  But what does it say about me that I maybe like Lost just a little bit better?

You don't identify with "urban" culture as much?

I should say I really like Lost too
for different reasons, I'm not attacking.



You calling me racist, Ason?  Just kidding.

Actually I've lived in "urban" areas (in both the literal and euphemistic meanings of the word) for almost my entire life and wouldn't change it.  I've just been reading sci-fi and comics that whole time.  I guess my ideal show would be something akin to Octavia E. Butler novel - The Wire with space travel and cyborgs.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: TremblingEagle on January 25, 2008, 12:07:57 AM
Well, in all fairness, the Coens are masters at genre formula.  They usually take every single convention of a particular film genre and tweak one or two elements, modernize it, and voila.  This isn't a criticism at all - better this than quirky-cute indie movies that pretend to be original but are infinitely more formulaic.  For example, The Big Lebowski contains pretty much all of the elements of a typical noir like The Big Sleep, but all of the characters are these weird modern-day LA types.  And who doesn't love that movie?

I think The Wire is pretty fucking great.  But what does it say about me that I maybe like Lost just a little bit better?

You don't identify with "urban" culture as much?

I should say I really like Lost too
for different reasons, I'm not attacking.



You calling me racist, Ason?  Just kidding.

Actually I've lived in "urban" areas (in both the literal and euphemistic meanings of the word) for almost my entire life and wouldn't change it.  I've just been reading sci-fi and comics that whole time.  I guess my ideal show would be something akin to Octavia E. Butler novel - The Wire with space travel and cyborgs.

Not at all (this is me by the way, decided to split into a new persona)
Not everything is for everybody....I'm not into Swedish Death Metal, not a value judgment-just not for me.

As Tom is fond of saying life is short, do what you enjoy.

Don't waste time trying to get into something thats not for you.


Octavia Butler is awesome!
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Shaggy 2 Grote on January 25, 2008, 10:16:54 AM
As Tom is fond of saying life is short, do what you enjoy.

Don't waste time trying to get into something thats not for you.


Octavia Butler is awesome!

Don't get me wrong, I love The Wire, but I'm watching Lost season 3 right now and it's like crack.   Whereas The Wire is like a fine scotch, or maybe a rarefied variety of heroin. 

And yes,  we love Octavia Butler over here...
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Fido on January 25, 2008, 09:39:47 PM
I've only seen a few Wire episodes and I have to say I loooooooovvvvee it.  I'm pretty sure I'm hooked.  So does this mean I'm a junkie now?  I guess I have things like night sweats, jonesing, collapsed veins and armed robbery to look forward to.  Great!
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: jane on January 26, 2008, 09:43:44 AM
I've only seen a few Wire episodes and I have to say I loooooooovvvvee it.  I'm pretty sure I'm hooked.  So does this mean I'm a junkie now?  I guess I have things like night sweats, jonesing, collapsed veins and armed robbery to look forward to.  Great!

golden, armed robbery, maybe
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: TremblingEagle on January 29, 2008, 08:09:09 PM
That happened already.  One of her first appearances, she's on the back of a motorcycle and does a drive-by from it.
whadda ya' know

you're right

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJqHjBcE-ro[/youtube]
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: dvdv on February 20, 2008, 05:31:17 AM
One difference between The Wire and the Sopranos... I'm not going to say which show has the better approach... is the way the Wire is just really, really tight and self-contained.  Characters run in to each other all the time, and reappear.  Plotlines get resolved.  It feels much more planned out.

The Sopranos, by contrast, would just introduce characters and have them fade away.  Whole, suggestive storylines would appear, and then fade into nothing-- like the terrorism angle towards the end of the series.

The Wire approach to storytelling might seem more satisfying.  But it's certainly not more "realistic."

Anyway.  Anyone here like the show Brotherhood?  I'm about midway through the first season, and I just can't get into it.  Tom was saying (well, guessing) that The Wire isn't funny.  Compared to Brotherhood, the Wire is Laugh In.

I thought that made Sopranos more realistic, though I wont say its more or less so than The Wire because that wouldnt even make any logical sense. Sopranos focused on one mans life, where The Wire focuses more on a community of characters. But, as in life, things come and go, much like the writing of The Sopranos, I think, did a solid job of portraying.

I think both shows actually saw pretty similar things about the world but Sopranos tackles it through the story of man, Tony Soprano where as The Wire deals it from the perspective of an entire season.  Im hoping some magazine has D. Chase and D. Simon interview each other when The Wire (sadly) comes to an end.



Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: erika on March 24, 2008, 04:20:51 PM
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Emily on March 24, 2008, 07:54:48 PM
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/

i was actually surprised that i like The Wire. i just watched the first episode last week (season 1) and i wasn't sure at first. thought maybe it was a guy show, that i couldn't relate to it or find it interesting, but now i think i'm hooked.

people like to put things in neat little boxes.

Exactly! Like this Reuters reporter on "No Country for Old Men":
Quote
"No Country," directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, is a gory meditation on slipping moral values presented within the framework of a highly stylized chase movie.

http://www.reuters.com/article/filmNews/idUSN2054595020080122?sp=true

A highly stylized chase movie? Really?


anyway i just wanted to comment on the boxes thing. though people like to put things in little boxes i think there's something to be said for, in writing, capturing a large, complex concept in a concise sentence. i think that's what good writing is, mostly.

so maybe that is why it can sound like people are sort of reducing an entire movie or television series into a definitive sentence.  that it's just a fine line between being effectively concise and summing things up (if that makes sense)?  also, that's a news article so their sentences are usually short so people can read them quickly. 

 i know this is an old discussion  - just the first time i'm reading it.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: dave from knoxville on March 25, 2008, 05:19:23 AM
I keep reading this topic, incredulous that 25 notes in, there's STILL no one talking about The Match Game.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: buffcoat on March 25, 2008, 04:04:03 PM
I keep reading this topic, incredulous that 25 notes in, there's STILL no one talking about The Match Game.

My brother had boy-and-girl twins - I held out until the bitter end for "Charles" and "Brett."
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Jason on March 28, 2008, 10:47:45 PM
I thought this thread was going to be about Blakes 7.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Matt on March 31, 2008, 11:33:37 PM
I thought this thread was going to be about Blakes 7.

Consider me equally crestfallen - I assumed this was a Suite Life thread.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Omar on April 13, 2008, 10:18:19 PM
I hope Jay Landsman didn't soak his spank mags with this one:

(http://failblog.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/tsunamifail.jpg) (http://failblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/tsunami-fail/)
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: Omar on September 04, 2008, 07:53:47 AM
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/fradom/wireboxart.jpg)

12/9/08.
Title: Re: the BEST SHOW on television EVER!!!
Post by: driz on September 04, 2008, 09:40:04 AM
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/

while the wire IS by far my favorite show of all time, hands down, no contest....it totally is quintessential "stuff white people like" material.

also I have the craziest wish-you-were-hetero crush on snoop