The wire, season 2

[Sarah]

Mary will marry a merry man.  All different.

Yes.

I liked the school season of The Wire.  Which one was that?  And season 1, of course.  And the rest of it.

Ain't nothing wrong with Mass 3.  Don't be ashamed, Dan.

[actwithoutwords]

Season 2 is my favourite as well, barely edging out Season 4.
The series broadened the world of the show beautifully, jarring as the start of it is. The union/death of the working class themes are beautifully done, Frank's is one of the best arcs of the series, and that second last episode is my absolute favourite episode of the entire thing. And then there's the Steve Earle season ending montage, which is stunning.

[yesno]

Has anyone been able to get into Homicide after The Wire?  I tried watching it and was turned off by a couple dumb plots, and especially the quirky police dialog.

[masterofsparks]

Has anyone been able to get into Homicide after The Wire?  I tried watching it and was turned off by a couple dumb plots, and especially the quirky police dialog.

I was pretty let down by Homicide after The Wire. I probably would've loved it if I'd seen it first.

I do, however, highly recommend the book Homicide by David Simon.

The second to last episode of season 2 is my favorite as well. As much as they tried to avoid using music that isn't part of the scene (can't remember the term), the final minutes of the episode (cutting back and forth between Frank driving to the meeting and the following of the information from the FBI guy's computer to the mailroom as accompanied by that Greek song) are amazing.

And, I agree that 2 has the best season-ending montage of the bunch. Every time I hear "I Feel Alright," I think of those few minutes.

[buffcoat]

I saw Homicide first.  I really liked it.

Just remember, no Homicide, no Wire.  And the fact that NBC screwed with that show in an almost record-breaking fashion.

If you feel like some of the first ones are dumb, you should REALLY skip the last season.  And I would recommend that everyone skip the movie - no matter how much you like the original.

I think seasons 1-3 are great.

[Martin]

I agree with Buffcoat.

Homicide was the show that sort of got me into TV drama, and I still regard it as one of the three best things ever made (basically).

And yes: no Homicide, no Wire. BUT also: no Homicide, no [insert other cop show of the 90-00's].

[Sarah]

I just rewatched most of Homicide last year, after not having seen it since it first aired.  I thought it held up pretty well.  For me, though, it lost a lot of its oomph after Andre Braugher left.

[buffcoat]

I just rewatched most of Homicide last year, after not having seen it since it first aired.  I thought it held up pretty well.  For me, though, it lost a lot of its oomph after Andre Braugher left.

Like Happy Days lost a lot of its oomph after Richie left.  Or like Valerie lost a lot of its oomph after Valerie left.

[masterofsparks]

I just rewatched most of Homicide last year, after not having seen it since it first aired.  I thought it held up pretty well.  For me, though, it lost a lot of its oomph after Andre Braugher left.

Braugher and Yaphet Kotto are the best things about the show. Oh, and Ned Beatty. Things got kinda weird once they used up the source material. That season 2 episode where the two guys are fighting over the girl and one of them has sex with her in a coffin seemed like a comedy sketch.

Oh yeah, Clark Johnson is another awesome part of the cast.

[Martin]

...and Melissa Leo, and Giancarlo Esposito, and Joe Polito, and fat Baldwin, and pretty much everybody else.

[Jouster]

BUT also: no Homicide, no [insert other cop show of the 90-00's].

Is that a slam?  Either way, I don't think Homicide was popular enough, or influential enough, to take the blame for (m)any of the other endless cop shows of the last 17 years.

Clearly, if we're talking seasons, The Wire wins, but I'll take "Subway" or "Three Men and Adena" or "Crosetti" over any single episode of The Wire.

[Dan in Chicago]

I haven't seen Homicide but I think judging the Wire based on episodes is a little unfair. It works as overarching stories, and nothing in it feels complete until those amazing end of season montages. I think this is kinda what you were saying Jouster, so don't interpret this as being contradictory, I just feel like it is probably the least episode oriented show I have ever watched. They all are required to complete what they were going for.

[fletcher munson]

Have people gotten into Generation Kill?  I'm a huge Wire fan and thinking of watching it.

[masterofsparks]

Have people gotten into Generation Kill?  I'm a huge Wire fan and thinking of watching it.

Generation Kill is great.

[Sarah]

Agreed.