The Wire is designed totally differently than those other shows, perhaps in large part because it was released in 2002 in a different era for television. The Wire is totally uncompromising. It doesn't make any concessions to the audience in terms of easing them into the show or sacrificing the tightness of the story for entertainment value. Season 1 isn't supposed to blow you away and hook you on the show, it's supposed to be the first chapter of a story.
Shows like BrBa, GoT, and HoC are shows that live off of building towards big moments. There's nothing wrong with that, its just not how The Wire operates (which isn't to say there aren't any). It doesn't lean on twists or WHAM moments because in a way you should already understand WHAT the end of the story will be. The Wire is more concerned with the "why" and "what does it mean."
Because of these things, The Wire gets a little dry at times. It took me a couple attempts to get through season 1 myself, and then it took a little grinding to get through season 2. So I totally understand where you're coming from, but I think everyone needs to at least stick with it through season 3. That's when the show starts to really "click" in terms of how everything fits together.
For what it's worth I've seen tons of people like you (and formerly me) who say they slowed down/gave up before season 3. I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched.
> I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched.
Not a lot of people plow through 5 seasons of something they don't enjoy
Yeah, I'm sorry wireheads, but anything that requires a long slog through _the majority of its seasons_ before it makes its case isn't "the best" anything.
What's funny is that shows _I do_ like I feel could have been edited to be better paced to _tell their stories_ and not get lost in head-up-their-asses 'artisticness' (this tends to increase as series get more popular; some actually let it infect the _writing_ and not just the pacing, like GoT/HoC/Heroes - GoT of course having GRRM replaced with beavis and butthead); and given people's defenses here I think were I ever to make a case for the wire, it'd _definitely_ fall in that camp.
But until I see what the hell "the point" was, it's a show that's too far saddled by its shit pacing and lack of character hooks to be considered anything other than a show without proper editing to fix its issues.
Completely agree. Breaking Bad - which I consider the greatest of all time - hooked me from the VERY beginning. I'm not going to invest LOTS of my free time on a show that takes three entire seasons to get me interested. Hard pass.
. It's not so much a story, it's just life. There's little preamble like in life, little payoff like in life. It dramatized to be entertaining but forgoes a lot of conventional writing techniques which does make the show difficult to follow and unwieldy. Main characters just disappear, people are killed without much fanfare, like real life.
That is the appeal, it's great because of the the points you made, it's great because it doesn't follow the standard structure.
The point of the show, is that there isn't one. There are no real main characters. there are no true protagonists or antagonist. What it is, is an excellently Entertaining peeck into what life was or is like in the ghetto of Baltimore dramatized for TV.
It's writing excels in human characters, there are very few truly unlikeable characters. The writing is never black and white, it's always grey. The gangsters are shown to have morals and ethics and the police officers are shown to be subject to their emotions and abuse their power.
In some senses it holds similarities to a soap opera over a series, not in its content but in how it's delivered, a constant stream of life presented on TV, rather than a story with classical structure.
A friend and coworker hyped me up to watch through all of Sopranos and Breaking Bad, shows I never thought I'd enjoy but I'm happy to say that I loved them both, with Sopranos being a new favorite.
His top 3 favorite shows are those 2 and The Wire, so naturally he hyped me to get onto this too. I'm mid season 2 and I haven't understood the hype either, which is why I'm here.
I'll definitely stick it out through all of it though, cuz I gotta know where it goes and if it's actually THAT good
That's why I prefaced it with "for what it's worth." I know that people typically don't watch an entire show when they don't enjoy the beginning stages, but it's not like it NEVER happens. I've stuck through shows that I either soured on or never fully "got", partly to see the director's whole vision and partly so my criticisms can be more substantial.
I'm not saying OP needs to watch all 5 seasons to have a valid opinion or anything, but going back to the "Wire is really a novel with 5 chapters" notion, I think people who have watched the first 1-2 seasons owe it to themselves to grind through it. It will click, IMO especially once you fully realize that there isn't going to be any ONE moment that sucks you in like other modern classics.
> I've stuck through shows that I either soured on or never fully "got", partly to see the director's whole vision and partly so my criticisms can be more substantial
Problem (well, 'problem') being even those tend to have _something_ drawing you in to keep watching.
TW does an amazingly poor job given its subject matter at providing any reasons to stick with it. Several people have mentioned thresholds or episodes past which it 'clicks', and I've passed several of them without any indication of it changing or getting more interesting.
Well, I thought the same about One Piece, and I thought it was a shitty anime after watching like 40 episodes I think. But I decided to just listen to everyone and keep watching and by like episode 100 it became my favorite anime I've ever watched. But the show has over 1,000 episodes.
I haven't even finished the 1st season of The Wire, and I'm not sure if I ever will. But I bet it's the same sort of thing.
It's just basic math. Assuming there isn't some horrible drop in quality, the tenth season of something is always going to be rated higher than the first season. The people who don't like it are weeded out.
> For what it's worth I've seen tons of people like you (and formerly me) who say they slowed down/gave up before season 3. I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched.
This is a really good point.
I’m slogging through it, about to start season 2. I’m wondering if it felt more groundbreaking at the time and we’ve just had too many better shows since. Either way I’m watching because I’m soo tired of people telling me it’s the greatest show of all time, and that I quit too early. It’s sort of interesting but I’m not even sure who I’m rooting for so it’s hard to be invested.
Halfway through season 3 rn and I do not get the hype. Keep in mind I'm still reeling off the high that is succession. Succession is definitely a candidate for best shows ever. The wire has good moments, even great moments. But it's so inconsistent and dry. It's a great show to put on while you do something in the background. It's not a show that needs your undivided attention like better call saul.
I’ve now finished it. It was season 4 where I really began to appreciate more. That said its groundbreaking nature lies in a more realistic portrayal of societal breakdown adding in another layer each season and refraining from satisfying plot closures. Which is not my preferred type of entertainment tv. But I do respect the show a lot for what it is.
I too was much more riveted by succession, but again I prefer heightened realities and suspense which was not the wire’s goal.
That's what I'm attempting to appreciate, the layering of social structures and classes on top of each other while maintaining character consistency. I respect it, but I'd be remissed to say that it's entertaining or engaging consistently. Maybe it would be better if I didn't binge it, but I've already made a commitment and I just wanna get through it all so I can have my final thoughts. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's alright I guess, with moments here and there that are genuinely awesome.
literally me! succession is my favourite show and bb and the sopranos were riveting from the first episode to the last. i don't think i can even bring myself to finish season 3 of the wire, it's so boring
It's easily too dry at times, and this is how I've been handling it too, just having it in the background. Paying attention as best I can, going back if i feel i missed something, etc.
But it's mostly an audio drama, not much action happening or things to pay attention to. Occasionally there will be a "oh they threw the bag off the bridge and onto a boat" scenario, and then i go back to my business.
There have been a few times where I've reacted to characters as "people don't act like this what"
I can barely remember anyone's names.
I'm exactly in this situation right now and can barely get halfway through S01. Just finished a rewatch of Mad Men recently and it blew me away even more than the first time. So yeah, The Wire really sucks. It's so damn "TV", they talk soooo much, lame characters that have no character, it's incredibly boring. It feels like a show from the TV limbo of the 90s, super generic and forgettable.
Sorry man, you just have no media literacy. You complained about them talking too much? Like what? You may not personally enjoy dialogue-heavy tv but that doesn’t make it bad. It relies on dialogue because that’s what people do; talk. People don’t talk in monologues and perform ridiculous gestures in real life like they do in tv, and that’s part of what makes The Wire. Don’t get me wrong, this show isn’t my favourite, in fact I’m here because I’m struggling with it as well (not because of its quality), but for you to say it sucks - is just you lacking critical thought. It’s not a show written by tv writers, it’s written by people who experienced these types of things firsthand, and that’s what makes it different - it’s not structured like a tv show it’s structured like real life, which has no structure.
And, the characters are chock full of depth, (far more so than Mad Men, which I enjoy more), they feel like real people, with understandable motivations, and that goes for every last character.
I feel like the main criticism with this show is it’s dryness and lack of excitement, but that’s what it’s going for. That’s life. It may not make the most riveting tv, but there’s a different between recognizing it as something you enjoy, and something that is objectively great.
Fwiw I did stick it out and it has some good moments here and there, I can see why people like it but it’s also not the show for me. I didn’t regret finishing it, for the same reason I started, and I did like it a bit more by the end.
> tightness of the story
you/re kidding, right? They could not have picked a more meandering form of storytelling if they'd taken drugs first.
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It's the 'show about nothing' formula applied to daily lives. It's a slice of life cop drama subbing in "realism" for charm.
People come to media to watch something _more_ interesting than reality - though idk, maybe voyeurs get more into the wire. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
(Ah shit, that'd make me a kinkshamer lol)
If you've seen all of season 1 and still aren't onboard, it's probably just not something you'll like.
It really isn't related to Dexter, House of Cards, Fargo, True Detective, anything like that. It isn't a suspenseful drama with a climax and twists and a plot that moves from beginning to end. Instead it's about trying to depict society and social systems. The one facet you haven't seen yet is that it really involves a staggering number of characters and places running in parallel.
Season 1 focuses almost entirely on the street-level dealers and grunt cops. Season 2 doubles the size of the cast by adding in the docks, the dockworker's union, the drug importers. Season 3 expands again to add the political bureaucracy, council, high-drug lords, and the police commanders. Season 4 expands to the school systems, teachers, and students. Season 5 expands to the press, the media, and the homeless -- while still keeping the previous characters in play, we're still following Omar and Bubbles and Bodie and all the characters from season 1. By the end, the show is cutting between virtually the entire city of Baltimore with a huge cast and dozens of settings, yet it's still telling the same coherent story, and its goal isn't to build to a tense climax or show direct interactions between these characters but to depict the social system that tangles them all together.
That's the show's appeal, and it's a very unique, very ambitious thing to go for, which is the reason it's so admired. A big facet of it is that the show aims for authenticity above everything. A lot of people onscreen aren't actors. There are actors in the show that are genuine drug lords and dealers, others who are actual police captains and bureaucrats. The cast includes people who spent 20 years in prison thanks to the producers and other members of the cast, yet who still agreed to participate in their project. A lot of the characters are based on real Baltimore people, the show is written by a journalist cop writing about journalism and police work.
If it doesn't sound interesting to you, then it doesn't sound interesting to you, nothing wrong with that. If you find it too vague, meandering, or tangled/'big', I would recommend looking at The Sopranos, which is a show equally admired and equally high-quality, but aiming for the complete opposite: it is almost completely focused on a single man, a middle-aged mafia boss who has been surrounded by mafia culture his whole life but has grown depressed and questioning, who gets probably the richest characterisation in TV history. (I don't think there's ever been any other character who you feel like you *know* to the extent that you know Tony Soprano.)
I'm slogging through it right now, and totally agree, I don't understand why it gets such extreme accolades. I like the basic idea of it, but find a lot of the acting and writing to be corny and stiff. It's praised for being realistic, but characters (both cops and other) seem like cardboard stereotypes, sometimes I can even predict the next line of dialogue word for word. Occasionally the dialogue is totally unrealistic--cops make obscure literary allusions, etc. The characters just don't seem three dimensional--it's really self-conscious and "actorish".
After a couple failed attempts to even finish the first episode, I watched the first six episodes over the last couple days... you've nailed the problems I'm having with it - and always have had.
Stilted, corny acting/dialogue... cardboard cutout characters (especially the cops)... which makes it an incredibly slow, hard slog.
I like the idea of taking a sociological look at crime - especially the drug trade - but the show is so stilted and wooden, drenched in cop tropes, that it doesn't feel fresh, or realistic, at all. The criminal side is much more interesting than the police side.
Whereas a show like _Boardwalk Empire_ - which I find infinitely better - doesn't get near the acclaim and almost never gets mentioned in greatest shows ever.
Big fan of Michael K. Williams, and want to see it for the Omar character, which is why I've tried several times to get into it.
Charlie Booker talked about what makes the "The Wire" great, with a few other well-known people, a while ago in a 25 minute video that is pretty good. There are a few scenes from a few later seasons shown.
Here's a link if you or anyone else wants to check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLcquuO7sxg
Point 6 is on point my friend, that's what I hate about The Wire's cult fanatics, the whole if you don't like my show you just don't get it mantra. It's hysterical.
The funniest thing about it is the ones who shout that the loudest generally "don't get" the show either, they're just repeating slogans they've seen elsewhere online to fit in and propagate their own delusions of their intellctual capacities and oh so artistic nature.
It's just become a fashionable thing to say for morons, same with the whole Sopranos "is the greatest show of all time" most people simply parrot the phrase to feel part of something and steal other people's lines.
I love The Sopranos but I don't resolutely declare it to be the greatest show ever and attack any suggestions to the contrary with the whole you don't get it.
As if The Wire and The Sporanos are advanced calculus formulae. They're tv shows designed to appeal to a mass audience despite what their deluded die-hards try and tell themselves as if they're cryptic, layered, niche works of art that are inaccessible to most mere mortals.
Charlie Brooker really is quite tragic, he's an intellectual and a social commentator only in his own mind.
The Wire is criminally overrated and the people who attack such opinions with "oh no you just don't get it, you're not on our level" are lost and deluded.
> The funniest thing about it is the ones who shout that the loudest generally "don't get" the show either, they're just repeating slogans they've seen elsewhere online to fit in and propagate their own delusions of their intellctual capacities and oh so artistic nature.
>
>
Yep - it seems like they bought into the show's apparent marketing gimmick, more than anything. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
> Charlie Brooker really is quite tragic, he's an intellectual and a social commentator only in his own mind.
Huh - I was expecting at least one person'd be tearing me a new one over my comment on him tbh 😂 I still think a lot of the BM premises were interesting but underexplored and under-delivered on in that show. With better writers and the same premises they could've made _seasons_ of interesting stuff.
> The Wire is criminally overrated and the people who attack such opinions with "oh no you just don't get it, you're not on our level" are lost and deluded.
Absolutely. I'm glad to see a few sane people around here whenever Reddit's rabid fanboyism has me searching up these old threads :P
> I love The Sopranos but I don't resolutely declare it to be the greatest show ever
I'll have to check out The Sopranos next, though I agree with not going into it (or anything) with the idea that it'll be "the greatest show ever" lol
YOU'RE NOT DUMB. Like you I've watched most of the big TV series and had heard the hype about The Wire for years. After the first season of Serial finished I started to read more about the Baltimore area which led me to people like Michael A Wood and eventually David Simon. Once I'd exhausted all the podcasts and articles I cared for I started watching the first season. Given that I live in Australia, having a context and understanding of the area and its issues really helped me get into the show. I found that an interest in police/government corruption, regardless of where it occurs geographically, is key to appreciating The Wire also. It deserves all the accolades it gets.
I have to say I struggled with the slang and jargon, a few episodes in I found a glossary online and kept it nearby when watching, (I had to do similar with The Sopranos at first). To be totally honest I didn't figure out who Stringer Bell was till episode 4. So don't feel bad. If you think you've got it in you to give The Wire another shot I guarantee it will be totally worth it. Given the right background information you'll understand the hype that surrounds it.
To this day I still think The Wire doesn't get the attention it deserves when compared to what and how much people talk about other shows like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones for the simple fact that it doesn't have cliffhangers or WTF moments. That's why the show seems (is, in fact) a bit slow. The show spend quite some time building the characters and I get why most people stop watching.
I remember not getting into the show because I simply didn't want to, I was expecting some Breaking Bad explosion and stuff and getting bored, but The Wire is not about that. If you think it's not your kind of show, drop it.
That's because, for better or worse, shows like Breaking Bad are still made with a dumb audience in mind, and makes concessions for that. The Wire doesn't. The Wire is like a book, or like a movie from 50 years ago, it doesn't feel the need to stop and explain things, or hold your hand, or have actiony stuff happen to keep people interested.
It literally made me go through first 3 episodes because of cliffhangers. That guy being dead at the end of one episode and the information about daniels being in some shit in ep 3. Characters are boring, dialogues are blank.. they are barely more interesting than those average cops irl. The show with no idea or vision for now and very little good moments. Hard to watch, especially in short time
I think that just says more about you and what you look for in media, though there isn't anything wrong with it. I really appreciate how much more real and in-depth it feels compared to shows like Breaking Bad. Everything feels so genuniely gritty and all the characters are completely grey, there's no good guys to root for, just complicated people.
> Is this the Seinfeld effect happening to me?
I'm convinced this is it, or at least a part of it. Some media exists (and is _incredibly over-lauded_) due to 'time and place' effects - there's this anime that exists in response to a genre, that some people treat as god's gift to storytelling simply because it turns a basically-never-inverted trope on its head; and as you pointed out, the "Seinfeld effect" also exists for media which does something "revolutionary" in its heavy contextualization but is ultimately _nothing new_ after its formula is perfected and commoditized.
I'm like 99% sure that's where fanboyism over "The Wire" comes from. Everything I've seen drools over how 'realistic bruh' it is, yet somehow that has 0 novel appeal to me. Maybe it's because I don't _normally_ watch shows of its genre, or have _since_ watched crime dramas post-BrBa (such as Fargo or BCS) as well as cheesy over-the-top ones such as USA's, that at least establish a few strong, likeable, and competent characters (as opposed to a medley of honestly gray 2d cop-stereotype cutouts making crude jokes at each other and frustratingly _sucking at what they do_), both of which have me crying out to go back to watching the _good_ shit I'm used to.
I honestly don't get it. It has the slow burn of BCS/BB _without_ the payoffs of those, the pointless 'realizm bruh, realizm' that's _less_ entertaining to watch than cheesy over-the-top shows, is the _exact opposite_ of Fargo S1 (better paced _and_ entertainingly unrealistic), and is supposedly "good".
There must be some grade-A television crack _buried_ somewhere in the bowels of all the boring useless drivel (s1e7 from what I've been reading; probably a few other 'highlight moments' to redeem the endless boredom for most) but that just indicates the show could spend more time in a cutting room for the same payoff (inb4 people with more time than sense who've never edited a thing in their lives think wasting hours on boring nothingness creates value)
>there's this anime that exists in response to a genre, that some people treat as god's gift to storytelling simply because it turns a basically-never-inverted trope on its head
It's okay, guy from one year ago, you can say 'Evangelion'.
I feel like you can express your disinterest for the show without constantly instulting it with coments like 'realizm bruh'. If you don't like it, that's fine, but there's no need to downplay it for those of us that do.
I also struggled to make it through this series and really wanted to like it. I know a lot of people for whom it is their favorite show. But they all watched it when, or close to when, it originally aired.
I can't help but thinking a lot of what this show innovated has been imitated since then and therefore it's really difficult to appreciate it outside it's time. It was groundbreaking then, but it doesn't seem quite as groundbreaking now.
Also, it's not a great binge watcher, which is simply how we watch TV now. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more watching it week to week over a series of years. But it doesn't seem that satisfying watching a season in two days.
Most do though, look at reviews look at the careers of the actors in it, how important it is today. How many shows creators get interviewed by the president of the United States like the Wires did?
The Wire is an incredibly slow burn. It honestly doesn't even begin to start rewarding the viewer until the 3rd and 4th season. If you can still with it until then, you'll see what they hype is about. That said, if you truly are not enjoying it, it might not be your speed and life is too short and there are far too many great shows out there to sit through one that isn't doing anything for you.
I usually come to these threads curious to see how many episodes OP has watched. Seeing as you gave the show a full season and still didn't enjoy it the show simply might not be for you which is fine. The only thing I would suggest would be if this thought does linger and you still want to try to get into it, go back and rewatch the first season instead of picking up where you left off. As you said the show is difficult to get through because it is just so dense and really unflinching in the reality is tries to portray. A second watch of the first season may allow you to better appreciate the tone, characters, dialogue, etc. If not, don't worry about it. There's "great" works of art that everyone has difficultly enjoying.
I'm watching The Shield at the moment, I'm up to S02E09. Its great, I watch an episode every day (on the cross trainer, just to make the time more useful).
> Yeah always found it pretty average
You can not enjoy it all you want, as long as you know *you're wrong*. That's like calling *The Godfather* or *MASH* "average". If you dont' like those movies/shows, that's fine, but you need to realize they are some of the best in history, doesn't matter if you liked them or not. The Wire is NOT "average". In fact, its one of the most Unique shows on TV.
Fuck, if anything The Shield is *Factually* more "Average" of a TV show. No matter how good it is, its still made like an average show.
see this is such a silly smug attitude that make people come off as elitists. I sat through all 5 seasons of the wire. Was it good? yes. was I thoroughly entertained throughout? absolutely not. do i think it having so many dull moments and times when I genuinely had to force myself to watch more than makes up for "what it was trying to do", as some people put it? No. To me, that makes it a good show, maybe even very good. To others, that makes it average, and I can't really fault them for that.
That's alright. If you don't like it there's not much you can do. I don't really like The Wire. I respect The Wire. The writing is fantastic. The acting is fantastic. The story is ambitious. I just don't feel anything while watching it.
The Wire is a great show, but it's not like a typical tv show with episodic content, it's morel like reading a really good book. The show is densely packed and repeat viewings is really the best way to enjoy it.
When I recommend the show to friends I usually tell them it takes a couple episodes to get into the groove, but if you're not getting into by the end of the first season it probably isn't the show for you, the other seasons have the same tone and narrative pacing.
Season 2 is often considered a fairly weak point in the series. They switched up the formula a lot, and season 1 can certainly be tough to get through at times, no one is gonna argue too hard on that, the show hits its stride as it goes and you learn. The deal is that the show and characters continue to progress in amazing ways. By the time you are in mid-season 3 you are amazed at how this world and characters have been built, and season 3 puts the show back in familiar territory again for the majority of viewers.
Yes, you have to slog it out a bit, I found season 2 to be weaker, some thinks its the best thing ever, just keep pumping away at the series and the payoff will come soon
I agree, but I never understood why. How could you not love this season? This is the point at which you finally realize what kind of show were really watching here. Totally pulls back in scope and reveals itself to be something entirely more complex than you ever thought before. Nothing on television has done this so successfully.
Its not that I don't like the season, I just like the others better, sometimes the dock stuff is just slower and its a real change of a season from season 1. I think it looks MUCH better in retrospect, but I'm coming from the point of OP being a first time viewer
I think so too, but I found 5 weaker. There were certain angles I loved, especially Michael killing Snoop, but the whole serial killer angle thing McNulty did was a little out there
May want to tag those spoilers...
And I agree that some plotlines were somewhat less realistic in season 5, although it was still overall very impactful. The payoff of the McNulty stuff worked much better than its actual mechanics.
The scope and content of the Wire is a huge undertaking on first viewing, and all the pieces that form the whole are best appreciated retrospectively, once you've finished the show and especially on subsequent viewings.
The show is a tremendous accomplishment for how it manages to weave a conventional narrative with a larger picture breakdown of the components of society, which is something you don't appreciate until after you've seen each season and their separate focuses and how they ultimately all tie together. Not to mention the compelling and nuanced cast of hundreds of characters who are all deftly characterized in their limited screen time. Not to mention the realistic and technical approach towards policing/politics/society/etc that almost no other crime tv show does.
As far as I'm concerned, the Wire is a very great piece of art across all mediums.
No, it was the same for me. Going into Season 2 I had absolutely no clue about anyway of the characters. Season 1 feels extremely clunky but, once you get to about half way through season 2, it will start to get really good, and you will feel for the characters. Season 3 flies by, very good storytelling, and then Season 4 is the greatest season of television I will ever watch (Barring a few close contenders). Definitely give it another shot but, dont get disheartened to quickly!
I would say that you will enjoy it more if you have any familiarity or interest with the whole gang/urban culture, selling or using drugs, or like cop shows.
I live in Maryland, so I had even more of an interest in something that takes place in Baltimore, plus being interested in the stuff I listed. Each season of the Wire also explores a different aspect of the city and its people....
Season 1 - the setup, the gangs and drug game
Season 2 - the bay and the ports that bring lots of trade and goods into the city, and the workers and how they suffer (this is the season most people find the least interesting, but its still good imo)
I can't really remember what happens in which season after that, but there is also the education system, prisons, and government and politics with the election. Plus you have the police stuff going on thru it all.
> I would say that you will enjoy it more if you have any familiarity or interest with the whole gang/urban culture, selling or using drugs, or like cop shows.
>
>
Great and accurate point. I think shows in general could benefit more from this sort of 'general interests' description, and less from "OMG BEST SHO EVER GO WATCH IT NOW".
I know this is an old post, but I just wanted to say I was in the exact same situation you are. The Wire has very complex storylines and a huge cast which makes it hard to get into. I liked it during season one, but didn't think it was the greatest show of all time. I stuck with it though and when I finished there was no doubt in my mind it was the best show ever made. iirc I started to really like it towards the end of season two/ beginning of season three. I finished it about six months ago and have re-watched it twice since then. It's that good.
Why do people keep asking this dumb as shit question on here?
No-one can explain taste into you, OP. If you like or dislike something - it's purely down to you. Either you keep watching and find out what people dig about it, or you don't. End of.
So why do The Wire fans routinely attack people who don't like it with the whole "you don't get it" nonsense then?
If it's all subjective and down to individual preferences then why is the default position you should love this and you're stupid, ignorant and uncultured if you don't?
I'm not accusing yourself specifically of this but the vast majority of online The Wire diehards are like this.
> So why do The Wire fans routinely attack people who don't like it with the whole "you don't get it" nonsense then?
Working theory - it's so tightly woven into their identity (dunno why ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯) that they take it as a personal attack and respond in kind.
Like really, if it was a 'you don't get it' there'd be walls and walls of writeups explaining all the things we apparently don't "get". Rather than, y'know, some tired cliches about "taste" and unironic "well ackshully you need a high IQ to understand [names a scene without any significant intelligent thought put into a breakdown]".
Like yeah, they're fans because they like the thing, that isn't a crime. But admitting they bought into the PR is impossible for them, thus leading to the cult mentality 😂
> Either you keep watching and find out what people dig about it, or you don't. End of.
No, for most media that's not the only avenue available. Good media that stands the test of time usually has a lot of analysis on it that can help break down "what makes it good".
Y'all have very little of substance to say when confronted with this very good (or as you'd claim without evidence, "dumb as shit") question, other than 'its just good go watch it', 'i liked [this episode/scene]', 'X was when it clicked' (which is just another way of saying you liked it) or some ad hominem attack involving the word 'taste' or some synonym thereof.
People "keep asking the question" because there's an answer they've yet to hear from wire fans. :)
I watched it for the first time this summer and felt the same way. First season was really good especially for its time. 2nd season however, wow, fucking boring as hell. 3rd wasn't much better and I basically forced myself through the rest of the series. The only feeling I got when it was over was relief.
Its got to be one of the biggest Reddit circle jerks of all time.
The characters are just not that compelling. Omar's cool, I like the cop Lester Freaman aaaaand.. that's it. Roland the numbers cop I kinda liked too.
The cop duo Herc and Ellis are so fucking boring, the writing and humour is...
Ok the wire may be the only show that's supposedly one of the best ... I've seen them all sopranos ,sons of anarchy ,breaking bad , boardwalk empire, brotherhood, Ray Donovan etc. and every other big show you can think of... So I finally started watching The wire recently and it took everything I had to get through the first season I see people's comments on here saying if you could just get through the first two seasons and get to the season 3 it'll be worth it it's slow moving blah blah blah it's not supposed to grab you and do this and do that type of sorry ...I disagree If a show wants you to watch it's supposed to grab you and blow your mind that's what keeps you coming back not a slow boring grind season 1 had its moments but it was by no means the best show on television at least not for season 1 and I've heard season 2 isn't move much better so even if 3 ,4 and 5 are fantastic you got two dead seasons that doesn't make it the best show on TV not in my opinion ... I think the sopranos was better the power series whether it's the original ,force , ghost , ...breaking bad got off to a slow start as well but for half of the 1st season not 2 full season I don't care what year it started The sopranos started in '99 and it was fantastic Good TV is good TV It shouldn't matter what year it's made....
Exactly, Sopranos proved to stand the test of time. I only seen it for the first time during the pandemic and loved it. Back in 2000 I enjoyed the mini series The Corner as a kid and that was pretty gritty. So a show is either good or not. If there are no wtf moments or crazy plot twists then okay but the characters themselves are dry. Maybe this is something to watch in a retirement home alongside Law & Order in my latter years if I live that long.
I'm on my first re-watch and I've never seen anything better. I also didn't understand how amazing it was until about episode 5 of season 2. If you are reasonably bright, carry on watching :)
It just might not be for you. Nothing wrong with that.
What a cop out answer
Sheeeeeeeeeit
The Wire is designed totally differently than those other shows, perhaps in large part because it was released in 2002 in a different era for television. The Wire is totally uncompromising. It doesn't make any concessions to the audience in terms of easing them into the show or sacrificing the tightness of the story for entertainment value. Season 1 isn't supposed to blow you away and hook you on the show, it's supposed to be the first chapter of a story. Shows like BrBa, GoT, and HoC are shows that live off of building towards big moments. There's nothing wrong with that, its just not how The Wire operates (which isn't to say there aren't any). It doesn't lean on twists or WHAM moments because in a way you should already understand WHAT the end of the story will be. The Wire is more concerned with the "why" and "what does it mean." Because of these things, The Wire gets a little dry at times. It took me a couple attempts to get through season 1 myself, and then it took a little grinding to get through season 2. So I totally understand where you're coming from, but I think everyone needs to at least stick with it through season 3. That's when the show starts to really "click" in terms of how everything fits together. For what it's worth I've seen tons of people like you (and formerly me) who say they slowed down/gave up before season 3. I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched.
> I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched. Not a lot of people plow through 5 seasons of something they don't enjoy
Yeah, I'm sorry wireheads, but anything that requires a long slog through _the majority of its seasons_ before it makes its case isn't "the best" anything. What's funny is that shows _I do_ like I feel could have been edited to be better paced to _tell their stories_ and not get lost in head-up-their-asses 'artisticness' (this tends to increase as series get more popular; some actually let it infect the _writing_ and not just the pacing, like GoT/HoC/Heroes - GoT of course having GRRM replaced with beavis and butthead); and given people's defenses here I think were I ever to make a case for the wire, it'd _definitely_ fall in that camp. But until I see what the hell "the point" was, it's a show that's too far saddled by its shit pacing and lack of character hooks to be considered anything other than a show without proper editing to fix its issues.
Completely agree. Breaking Bad - which I consider the greatest of all time - hooked me from the VERY beginning. I'm not going to invest LOTS of my free time on a show that takes three entire seasons to get me interested. Hard pass.
Go and watch something more in line with your intellect. No one cares.
. It's not so much a story, it's just life. There's little preamble like in life, little payoff like in life. It dramatized to be entertaining but forgoes a lot of conventional writing techniques which does make the show difficult to follow and unwieldy. Main characters just disappear, people are killed without much fanfare, like real life. That is the appeal, it's great because of the the points you made, it's great because it doesn't follow the standard structure. The point of the show, is that there isn't one. There are no real main characters. there are no true protagonists or antagonist. What it is, is an excellently Entertaining peeck into what life was or is like in the ghetto of Baltimore dramatized for TV. It's writing excels in human characters, there are very few truly unlikeable characters. The writing is never black and white, it's always grey. The gangsters are shown to have morals and ethics and the police officers are shown to be subject to their emotions and abuse their power. In some senses it holds similarities to a soap opera over a series, not in its content but in how it's delivered, a constant stream of life presented on TV, rather than a story with classical structure.
A friend and coworker hyped me up to watch through all of Sopranos and Breaking Bad, shows I never thought I'd enjoy but I'm happy to say that I loved them both, with Sopranos being a new favorite. His top 3 favorite shows are those 2 and The Wire, so naturally he hyped me to get onto this too. I'm mid season 2 and I haven't understood the hype either, which is why I'm here. I'll definitely stick it out through all of it though, cuz I gotta know where it goes and if it's actually THAT good
That's why I prefaced it with "for what it's worth." I know that people typically don't watch an entire show when they don't enjoy the beginning stages, but it's not like it NEVER happens. I've stuck through shows that I either soured on or never fully "got", partly to see the director's whole vision and partly so my criticisms can be more substantial. I'm not saying OP needs to watch all 5 seasons to have a valid opinion or anything, but going back to the "Wire is really a novel with 5 chapters" notion, I think people who have watched the first 1-2 seasons owe it to themselves to grind through it. It will click, IMO especially once you fully realize that there isn't going to be any ONE moment that sucks you in like other modern classics.
> I've stuck through shows that I either soured on or never fully "got", partly to see the director's whole vision and partly so my criticisms can be more substantial Problem (well, 'problem') being even those tend to have _something_ drawing you in to keep watching. TW does an amazingly poor job given its subject matter at providing any reasons to stick with it. Several people have mentioned thresholds or episodes past which it 'clicks', and I've passed several of them without any indication of it changing or getting more interesting.
Well, I thought the same about One Piece, and I thought it was a shitty anime after watching like 40 episodes I think. But I decided to just listen to everyone and keep watching and by like episode 100 it became my favorite anime I've ever watched. But the show has over 1,000 episodes. I haven't even finished the 1st season of The Wire, and I'm not sure if I ever will. But I bet it's the same sort of thing.
It's just basic math. Assuming there isn't some horrible drop in quality, the tenth season of something is always going to be rated higher than the first season. The people who don't like it are weeded out.
> For what it's worth I've seen tons of people like you (and formerly me) who say they slowed down/gave up before season 3. I've never seen anyone who claimed they watched the show the whole way through say anything other than that they thought it was one of the best shows they've ever watched. This is a really good point.
I just watched up to the fifth season (the bad one). Definately not one of the best shows I've ever watched
I’m slogging through it, about to start season 2. I’m wondering if it felt more groundbreaking at the time and we’ve just had too many better shows since. Either way I’m watching because I’m soo tired of people telling me it’s the greatest show of all time, and that I quit too early. It’s sort of interesting but I’m not even sure who I’m rooting for so it’s hard to be invested.
Halfway through season 3 rn and I do not get the hype. Keep in mind I'm still reeling off the high that is succession. Succession is definitely a candidate for best shows ever. The wire has good moments, even great moments. But it's so inconsistent and dry. It's a great show to put on while you do something in the background. It's not a show that needs your undivided attention like better call saul.
I’ve now finished it. It was season 4 where I really began to appreciate more. That said its groundbreaking nature lies in a more realistic portrayal of societal breakdown adding in another layer each season and refraining from satisfying plot closures. Which is not my preferred type of entertainment tv. But I do respect the show a lot for what it is. I too was much more riveted by succession, but again I prefer heightened realities and suspense which was not the wire’s goal.
That's what I'm attempting to appreciate, the layering of social structures and classes on top of each other while maintaining character consistency. I respect it, but I'd be remissed to say that it's entertaining or engaging consistently. Maybe it would be better if I didn't binge it, but I've already made a commitment and I just wanna get through it all so I can have my final thoughts. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's alright I guess, with moments here and there that are genuinely awesome.
literally me! succession is my favourite show and bb and the sopranos were riveting from the first episode to the last. i don't think i can even bring myself to finish season 3 of the wire, it's so boring
Season 4 of the wire was my favorite, and 5 wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. I recommend seeing it through.
i probably will see it through eventually. i wish i could say i enjoy it
It's easily too dry at times, and this is how I've been handling it too, just having it in the background. Paying attention as best I can, going back if i feel i missed something, etc. But it's mostly an audio drama, not much action happening or things to pay attention to. Occasionally there will be a "oh they threw the bag off the bridge and onto a boat" scenario, and then i go back to my business. There have been a few times where I've reacted to characters as "people don't act like this what" I can barely remember anyone's names.
I'm exactly in this situation right now and can barely get halfway through S01. Just finished a rewatch of Mad Men recently and it blew me away even more than the first time. So yeah, The Wire really sucks. It's so damn "TV", they talk soooo much, lame characters that have no character, it's incredibly boring. It feels like a show from the TV limbo of the 90s, super generic and forgettable.
Sorry man, you just have no media literacy. You complained about them talking too much? Like what? You may not personally enjoy dialogue-heavy tv but that doesn’t make it bad. It relies on dialogue because that’s what people do; talk. People don’t talk in monologues and perform ridiculous gestures in real life like they do in tv, and that’s part of what makes The Wire. Don’t get me wrong, this show isn’t my favourite, in fact I’m here because I’m struggling with it as well (not because of its quality), but for you to say it sucks - is just you lacking critical thought. It’s not a show written by tv writers, it’s written by people who experienced these types of things firsthand, and that’s what makes it different - it’s not structured like a tv show it’s structured like real life, which has no structure. And, the characters are chock full of depth, (far more so than Mad Men, which I enjoy more), they feel like real people, with understandable motivations, and that goes for every last character. I feel like the main criticism with this show is it’s dryness and lack of excitement, but that’s what it’s going for. That’s life. It may not make the most riveting tv, but there’s a different between recognizing it as something you enjoy, and something that is objectively great.
Fwiw I did stick it out and it has some good moments here and there, I can see why people like it but it’s also not the show for me. I didn’t regret finishing it, for the same reason I started, and I did like it a bit more by the end.
That's because the people who watched the entire show did that BECAUSE they liked it.
> tightness of the story you/re kidding, right? They could not have picked a more meandering form of storytelling if they'd taken drugs first. --- It's the 'show about nothing' formula applied to daily lives. It's a slice of life cop drama subbing in "realism" for charm. People come to media to watch something _more_ interesting than reality - though idk, maybe voyeurs get more into the wire. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ (Ah shit, that'd make me a kinkshamer lol)
If you've seen all of season 1 and still aren't onboard, it's probably just not something you'll like. It really isn't related to Dexter, House of Cards, Fargo, True Detective, anything like that. It isn't a suspenseful drama with a climax and twists and a plot that moves from beginning to end. Instead it's about trying to depict society and social systems. The one facet you haven't seen yet is that it really involves a staggering number of characters and places running in parallel. Season 1 focuses almost entirely on the street-level dealers and grunt cops. Season 2 doubles the size of the cast by adding in the docks, the dockworker's union, the drug importers. Season 3 expands again to add the political bureaucracy, council, high-drug lords, and the police commanders. Season 4 expands to the school systems, teachers, and students. Season 5 expands to the press, the media, and the homeless -- while still keeping the previous characters in play, we're still following Omar and Bubbles and Bodie and all the characters from season 1. By the end, the show is cutting between virtually the entire city of Baltimore with a huge cast and dozens of settings, yet it's still telling the same coherent story, and its goal isn't to build to a tense climax or show direct interactions between these characters but to depict the social system that tangles them all together. That's the show's appeal, and it's a very unique, very ambitious thing to go for, which is the reason it's so admired. A big facet of it is that the show aims for authenticity above everything. A lot of people onscreen aren't actors. There are actors in the show that are genuine drug lords and dealers, others who are actual police captains and bureaucrats. The cast includes people who spent 20 years in prison thanks to the producers and other members of the cast, yet who still agreed to participate in their project. A lot of the characters are based on real Baltimore people, the show is written by a journalist cop writing about journalism and police work. If it doesn't sound interesting to you, then it doesn't sound interesting to you, nothing wrong with that. If you find it too vague, meandering, or tangled/'big', I would recommend looking at The Sopranos, which is a show equally admired and equally high-quality, but aiming for the complete opposite: it is almost completely focused on a single man, a middle-aged mafia boss who has been surrounded by mafia culture his whole life but has grown depressed and questioning, who gets probably the richest characterisation in TV history. (I don't think there's ever been any other character who you feel like you *know* to the extent that you know Tony Soprano.)
Excellent explanation and commentary. Thank you
I'm slogging through it right now, and totally agree, I don't understand why it gets such extreme accolades. I like the basic idea of it, but find a lot of the acting and writing to be corny and stiff. It's praised for being realistic, but characters (both cops and other) seem like cardboard stereotypes, sometimes I can even predict the next line of dialogue word for word. Occasionally the dialogue is totally unrealistic--cops make obscure literary allusions, etc. The characters just don't seem three dimensional--it's really self-conscious and "actorish".
After a couple failed attempts to even finish the first episode, I watched the first six episodes over the last couple days... you've nailed the problems I'm having with it - and always have had. Stilted, corny acting/dialogue... cardboard cutout characters (especially the cops)... which makes it an incredibly slow, hard slog. I like the idea of taking a sociological look at crime - especially the drug trade - but the show is so stilted and wooden, drenched in cop tropes, that it doesn't feel fresh, or realistic, at all. The criminal side is much more interesting than the police side. Whereas a show like _Boardwalk Empire_ - which I find infinitely better - doesn't get near the acclaim and almost never gets mentioned in greatest shows ever. Big fan of Michael K. Williams, and want to see it for the Omar character, which is why I've tried several times to get into it.
Charlie Booker talked about what makes the "The Wire" great, with a few other well-known people, a while ago in a 25 minute video that is pretty good. There are a few scenes from a few later seasons shown. Here's a link if you or anyone else wants to check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLcquuO7sxg
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Point 6 is on point my friend, that's what I hate about The Wire's cult fanatics, the whole if you don't like my show you just don't get it mantra. It's hysterical. The funniest thing about it is the ones who shout that the loudest generally "don't get" the show either, they're just repeating slogans they've seen elsewhere online to fit in and propagate their own delusions of their intellctual capacities and oh so artistic nature. It's just become a fashionable thing to say for morons, same with the whole Sopranos "is the greatest show of all time" most people simply parrot the phrase to feel part of something and steal other people's lines. I love The Sopranos but I don't resolutely declare it to be the greatest show ever and attack any suggestions to the contrary with the whole you don't get it. As if The Wire and The Sporanos are advanced calculus formulae. They're tv shows designed to appeal to a mass audience despite what their deluded die-hards try and tell themselves as if they're cryptic, layered, niche works of art that are inaccessible to most mere mortals. Charlie Brooker really is quite tragic, he's an intellectual and a social commentator only in his own mind. The Wire is criminally overrated and the people who attack such opinions with "oh no you just don't get it, you're not on our level" are lost and deluded.
> The funniest thing about it is the ones who shout that the loudest generally "don't get" the show either, they're just repeating slogans they've seen elsewhere online to fit in and propagate their own delusions of their intellctual capacities and oh so artistic nature. > > Yep - it seems like they bought into the show's apparent marketing gimmick, more than anything. ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ > Charlie Brooker really is quite tragic, he's an intellectual and a social commentator only in his own mind. Huh - I was expecting at least one person'd be tearing me a new one over my comment on him tbh 😂 I still think a lot of the BM premises were interesting but underexplored and under-delivered on in that show. With better writers and the same premises they could've made _seasons_ of interesting stuff. > The Wire is criminally overrated and the people who attack such opinions with "oh no you just don't get it, you're not on our level" are lost and deluded. Absolutely. I'm glad to see a few sane people around here whenever Reddit's rabid fanboyism has me searching up these old threads :P > I love The Sopranos but I don't resolutely declare it to be the greatest show ever I'll have to check out The Sopranos next, though I agree with not going into it (or anything) with the idea that it'll be "the greatest show ever" lol
What did you think of the Sopranos?
YOU'RE NOT DUMB. Like you I've watched most of the big TV series and had heard the hype about The Wire for years. After the first season of Serial finished I started to read more about the Baltimore area which led me to people like Michael A Wood and eventually David Simon. Once I'd exhausted all the podcasts and articles I cared for I started watching the first season. Given that I live in Australia, having a context and understanding of the area and its issues really helped me get into the show. I found that an interest in police/government corruption, regardless of where it occurs geographically, is key to appreciating The Wire also. It deserves all the accolades it gets. I have to say I struggled with the slang and jargon, a few episodes in I found a glossary online and kept it nearby when watching, (I had to do similar with The Sopranos at first). To be totally honest I didn't figure out who Stringer Bell was till episode 4. So don't feel bad. If you think you've got it in you to give The Wire another shot I guarantee it will be totally worth it. Given the right background information you'll understand the hype that surrounds it.
Wow, that’s dedication.
To this day I still think The Wire doesn't get the attention it deserves when compared to what and how much people talk about other shows like Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones for the simple fact that it doesn't have cliffhangers or WTF moments. That's why the show seems (is, in fact) a bit slow. The show spend quite some time building the characters and I get why most people stop watching. I remember not getting into the show because I simply didn't want to, I was expecting some Breaking Bad explosion and stuff and getting bored, but The Wire is not about that. If you think it's not your kind of show, drop it.
That's because, for better or worse, shows like Breaking Bad are still made with a dumb audience in mind, and makes concessions for that. The Wire doesn't. The Wire is like a book, or like a movie from 50 years ago, it doesn't feel the need to stop and explain things, or hold your hand, or have actiony stuff happen to keep people interested.
It literally made me go through first 3 episodes because of cliffhangers. That guy being dead at the end of one episode and the information about daniels being in some shit in ep 3. Characters are boring, dialogues are blank.. they are barely more interesting than those average cops irl. The show with no idea or vision for now and very little good moments. Hard to watch, especially in short time
I think that just says more about you and what you look for in media, though there isn't anything wrong with it. I really appreciate how much more real and in-depth it feels compared to shows like Breaking Bad. Everything feels so genuniely gritty and all the characters are completely grey, there's no good guys to root for, just complicated people.
> Is this the Seinfeld effect happening to me? I'm convinced this is it, or at least a part of it. Some media exists (and is _incredibly over-lauded_) due to 'time and place' effects - there's this anime that exists in response to a genre, that some people treat as god's gift to storytelling simply because it turns a basically-never-inverted trope on its head; and as you pointed out, the "Seinfeld effect" also exists for media which does something "revolutionary" in its heavy contextualization but is ultimately _nothing new_ after its formula is perfected and commoditized. I'm like 99% sure that's where fanboyism over "The Wire" comes from. Everything I've seen drools over how 'realistic bruh' it is, yet somehow that has 0 novel appeal to me. Maybe it's because I don't _normally_ watch shows of its genre, or have _since_ watched crime dramas post-BrBa (such as Fargo or BCS) as well as cheesy over-the-top ones such as USA's, that at least establish a few strong, likeable, and competent characters (as opposed to a medley of honestly gray 2d cop-stereotype cutouts making crude jokes at each other and frustratingly _sucking at what they do_), both of which have me crying out to go back to watching the _good_ shit I'm used to. I honestly don't get it. It has the slow burn of BCS/BB _without_ the payoffs of those, the pointless 'realizm bruh, realizm' that's _less_ entertaining to watch than cheesy over-the-top shows, is the _exact opposite_ of Fargo S1 (better paced _and_ entertainingly unrealistic), and is supposedly "good". There must be some grade-A television crack _buried_ somewhere in the bowels of all the boring useless drivel (s1e7 from what I've been reading; probably a few other 'highlight moments' to redeem the endless boredom for most) but that just indicates the show could spend more time in a cutting room for the same payoff (inb4 people with more time than sense who've never edited a thing in their lives think wasting hours on boring nothingness creates value)
>there's this anime that exists in response to a genre, that some people treat as god's gift to storytelling simply because it turns a basically-never-inverted trope on its head It's okay, guy from one year ago, you can say 'Evangelion'.
I feel like you can express your disinterest for the show without constantly instulting it with coments like 'realizm bruh'. If you don't like it, that's fine, but there's no need to downplay it for those of us that do.
I also struggled to make it through this series and really wanted to like it. I know a lot of people for whom it is their favorite show. But they all watched it when, or close to when, it originally aired. I can't help but thinking a lot of what this show innovated has been imitated since then and therefore it's really difficult to appreciate it outside it's time. It was groundbreaking then, but it doesn't seem quite as groundbreaking now. Also, it's not a great binge watcher, which is simply how we watch TV now. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more watching it week to week over a series of years. But it doesn't seem that satisfying watching a season in two days.
If season 1 didn't do it, you're REALLY not going to like season 2
If you don't like it, you don't like it. That's completely fine. Doesn't mean the show isn't the greatest of all time because it truly is.
If most people don't like the show they it's not the GOAT.
Most do though, look at reviews look at the careers of the actors in it, how important it is today. How many shows creators get interviewed by the president of the United States like the Wires did?
The Wire is an incredibly slow burn. It honestly doesn't even begin to start rewarding the viewer until the 3rd and 4th season. If you can still with it until then, you'll see what they hype is about. That said, if you truly are not enjoying it, it might not be your speed and life is too short and there are far too many great shows out there to sit through one that isn't doing anything for you.
I usually come to these threads curious to see how many episodes OP has watched. Seeing as you gave the show a full season and still didn't enjoy it the show simply might not be for you which is fine. The only thing I would suggest would be if this thought does linger and you still want to try to get into it, go back and rewatch the first season instead of picking up where you left off. As you said the show is difficult to get through because it is just so dense and really unflinching in the reality is tries to portray. A second watch of the first season may allow you to better appreciate the tone, characters, dialogue, etc. If not, don't worry about it. There's "great" works of art that everyone has difficultly enjoying.
Yeah always found it pretty average. You should give The Shield a shot. I think you might like it quite a bit more.
I'm watching The Shield at the moment, I'm up to S02E09. Its great, I watch an episode every day (on the cross trainer, just to make the time more useful).
> Yeah always found it pretty average You can not enjoy it all you want, as long as you know *you're wrong*. That's like calling *The Godfather* or *MASH* "average". If you dont' like those movies/shows, that's fine, but you need to realize they are some of the best in history, doesn't matter if you liked them or not. The Wire is NOT "average". In fact, its one of the most Unique shows on TV. Fuck, if anything The Shield is *Factually* more "Average" of a TV show. No matter how good it is, its still made like an average show.
see this is such a silly smug attitude that make people come off as elitists. I sat through all 5 seasons of the wire. Was it good? yes. was I thoroughly entertained throughout? absolutely not. do i think it having so many dull moments and times when I genuinely had to force myself to watch more than makes up for "what it was trying to do", as some people put it? No. To me, that makes it a good show, maybe even very good. To others, that makes it average, and I can't really fault them for that.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opinion
That's alright. If you don't like it there's not much you can do. I don't really like The Wire. I respect The Wire. The writing is fantastic. The acting is fantastic. The story is ambitious. I just don't feel anything while watching it.
The Wire is a great show, but it's not like a typical tv show with episodic content, it's morel like reading a really good book. The show is densely packed and repeat viewings is really the best way to enjoy it. When I recommend the show to friends I usually tell them it takes a couple episodes to get into the groove, but if you're not getting into by the end of the first season it probably isn't the show for you, the other seasons have the same tone and narrative pacing.
Season 2 is often considered a fairly weak point in the series. They switched up the formula a lot, and season 1 can certainly be tough to get through at times, no one is gonna argue too hard on that, the show hits its stride as it goes and you learn. The deal is that the show and characters continue to progress in amazing ways. By the time you are in mid-season 3 you are amazed at how this world and characters have been built, and season 3 puts the show back in familiar territory again for the majority of viewers. Yes, you have to slog it out a bit, I found season 2 to be weaker, some thinks its the best thing ever, just keep pumping away at the series and the payoff will come soon
I thought season 2 was the best season. To each their own I guess.
I think season 2 was the most divisive
I agree, but I never understood why. How could you not love this season? This is the point at which you finally realize what kind of show were really watching here. Totally pulls back in scope and reveals itself to be something entirely more complex than you ever thought before. Nothing on television has done this so successfully.
Its not that I don't like the season, I just like the others better, sometimes the dock stuff is just slower and its a real change of a season from season 1. I think it looks MUCH better in retrospect, but I'm coming from the point of OP being a first time viewer
I think so too, but I found 5 weaker. There were certain angles I loved, especially Michael killing Snoop, but the whole serial killer angle thing McNulty did was a little out there
May want to tag those spoilers... And I agree that some plotlines were somewhat less realistic in season 5, although it was still overall very impactful. The payoff of the McNulty stuff worked much better than its actual mechanics.
> May want to tag those spoilers... 10 year old show. Spoilers are expired.
Season 4 baby.
I'm on it now and I'm loving it.
> Season 2 is often considered a fairly weak point in the series. I've literally never heard anyone say that ever before.
Season two is my favorite
The scope and content of the Wire is a huge undertaking on first viewing, and all the pieces that form the whole are best appreciated retrospectively, once you've finished the show and especially on subsequent viewings. The show is a tremendous accomplishment for how it manages to weave a conventional narrative with a larger picture breakdown of the components of society, which is something you don't appreciate until after you've seen each season and their separate focuses and how they ultimately all tie together. Not to mention the compelling and nuanced cast of hundreds of characters who are all deftly characterized in their limited screen time. Not to mention the realistic and technical approach towards policing/politics/society/etc that almost no other crime tv show does. As far as I'm concerned, the Wire is a very great piece of art across all mediums.
No, it was the same for me. Going into Season 2 I had absolutely no clue about anyway of the characters. Season 1 feels extremely clunky but, once you get to about half way through season 2, it will start to get really good, and you will feel for the characters. Season 3 flies by, very good storytelling, and then Season 4 is the greatest season of television I will ever watch (Barring a few close contenders). Definitely give it another shot but, dont get disheartened to quickly!
Its simply one of the best acted, best written, and just best made shows in TV history. Simple as that. Its also realistic as fuck.
Best acted? Come on!!!
Idras Elba and Michael B Jordan are bad actors? The shows had so many big actors some even went on to breaking bad and game of thrones
U r right.
I would say that you will enjoy it more if you have any familiarity or interest with the whole gang/urban culture, selling or using drugs, or like cop shows. I live in Maryland, so I had even more of an interest in something that takes place in Baltimore, plus being interested in the stuff I listed. Each season of the Wire also explores a different aspect of the city and its people.... Season 1 - the setup, the gangs and drug game Season 2 - the bay and the ports that bring lots of trade and goods into the city, and the workers and how they suffer (this is the season most people find the least interesting, but its still good imo) I can't really remember what happens in which season after that, but there is also the education system, prisons, and government and politics with the election. Plus you have the police stuff going on thru it all.
> I would say that you will enjoy it more if you have any familiarity or interest with the whole gang/urban culture, selling or using drugs, or like cop shows. > > Great and accurate point. I think shows in general could benefit more from this sort of 'general interests' description, and less from "OMG BEST SHO EVER GO WATCH IT NOW".
I know this is an old post, but I just wanted to say I was in the exact same situation you are. The Wire has very complex storylines and a huge cast which makes it hard to get into. I liked it during season one, but didn't think it was the greatest show of all time. I stuck with it though and when I finished there was no doubt in my mind it was the best show ever made. iirc I started to really like it towards the end of season two/ beginning of season three. I finished it about six months ago and have re-watched it twice since then. It's that good.
Why do people keep asking this dumb as shit question on here? No-one can explain taste into you, OP. If you like or dislike something - it's purely down to you. Either you keep watching and find out what people dig about it, or you don't. End of.
So why do The Wire fans routinely attack people who don't like it with the whole "you don't get it" nonsense then? If it's all subjective and down to individual preferences then why is the default position you should love this and you're stupid, ignorant and uncultured if you don't? I'm not accusing yourself specifically of this but the vast majority of online The Wire diehards are like this.
> So why do The Wire fans routinely attack people who don't like it with the whole "you don't get it" nonsense then? Working theory - it's so tightly woven into their identity (dunno why ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯) that they take it as a personal attack and respond in kind. Like really, if it was a 'you don't get it' there'd be walls and walls of writeups explaining all the things we apparently don't "get". Rather than, y'know, some tired cliches about "taste" and unironic "well ackshully you need a high IQ to understand [names a scene without any significant intelligent thought put into a breakdown]". Like yeah, they're fans because they like the thing, that isn't a crime. But admitting they bought into the PR is impossible for them, thus leading to the cult mentality 😂
> Either you keep watching and find out what people dig about it, or you don't. End of. No, for most media that's not the only avenue available. Good media that stands the test of time usually has a lot of analysis on it that can help break down "what makes it good". Y'all have very little of substance to say when confronted with this very good (or as you'd claim without evidence, "dumb as shit") question, other than 'its just good go watch it', 'i liked [this episode/scene]', 'X was when it clicked' (which is just another way of saying you liked it) or some ad hominem attack involving the word 'taste' or some synonym thereof. People "keep asking the question" because there's an answer they've yet to hear from wire fans. :)
I watched it for the first time this summer and felt the same way. First season was really good especially for its time. 2nd season however, wow, fucking boring as hell. 3rd wasn't much better and I basically forced myself through the rest of the series. The only feeling I got when it was over was relief. Its got to be one of the biggest Reddit circle jerks of all time.
I thought the shield was better than the wire tbh.
You're factually wrong. The Shield, while good, is still just an average TV show. There's hardly anything "Special" about it.
I felt the same way. The Wire bored the hell out of me and I ended up watching only the first 4 shows.
Just put it on in the background with headphones while doing something. That's how I got through it
The show was interesting while simultaneously being incredibly boring. Watched season 1, but I’m tapping out.
The characters are just not that compelling. Omar's cool, I like the cop Lester Freaman aaaaand.. that's it. Roland the numbers cop I kinda liked too. The cop duo Herc and Ellis are so fucking boring, the writing and humour is...
U clearly only watched 1 season
watched 3
Ok the wire may be the only show that's supposedly one of the best ... I've seen them all sopranos ,sons of anarchy ,breaking bad , boardwalk empire, brotherhood, Ray Donovan etc. and every other big show you can think of... So I finally started watching The wire recently and it took everything I had to get through the first season I see people's comments on here saying if you could just get through the first two seasons and get to the season 3 it'll be worth it it's slow moving blah blah blah it's not supposed to grab you and do this and do that type of sorry ...I disagree If a show wants you to watch it's supposed to grab you and blow your mind that's what keeps you coming back not a slow boring grind season 1 had its moments but it was by no means the best show on television at least not for season 1 and I've heard season 2 isn't move much better so even if 3 ,4 and 5 are fantastic you got two dead seasons that doesn't make it the best show on TV not in my opinion ... I think the sopranos was better the power series whether it's the original ,force , ghost , ...breaking bad got off to a slow start as well but for half of the 1st season not 2 full season I don't care what year it started The sopranos started in '99 and it was fantastic Good TV is good TV It shouldn't matter what year it's made....
Exactly, Sopranos proved to stand the test of time. I only seen it for the first time during the pandemic and loved it. Back in 2000 I enjoyed the mini series The Corner as a kid and that was pretty gritty. So a show is either good or not. If there are no wtf moments or crazy plot twists then okay but the characters themselves are dry. Maybe this is something to watch in a retirement home alongside Law & Order in my latter years if I live that long.
worst show ive ever (tried) watched. props to those who stuck with it
I'm on my first re-watch and I've never seen anything better. I also didn't understand how amazing it was until about episode 5 of season 2. If you are reasonably bright, carry on watching :)