I’ve seen all the rave reviews for The Wire, so my wife, son and I sat down to watch the first episode. We were all thoroughly bored. Does this mean it is simply not our type of show? Or did the show get better after an iffy start? Or is it one of those shows where you have to persevere to get into it?
It was great from the first episode. Not enough pew-pew action for you?
It had to grow on me.
I will say this: S2 is ten times better than S1. (But you still need to watch S1 first)
I disagree entirely concerning Season 2: I thought it was the weakest season of the show.
But to address the OP directly: it took a while for me to get into it as well, but it was very much worth it. It’s easily among the top 5 series ever made (season 2 included 
)
It took me a while to get into it, too. It’s a strange thing, actually. I just kept watching for no good reason even though I was bored, until at some point I wasn’t bored anymore. Not sure when it happened, but it didn’t take all that long. Somewhere in the first few episodes.
I enjoyed it from the start, but I felt it really got rolling around the middle of season 1. You may want to give it a few episodes. If you still don’t like it once the case starts unfolding, then you can safely quit.
Thank you. Based on experiences mentioned, it could well be worth trying a few more episodes.
I cannot answer this as I haven’t the faintest idea what pew-pew is.
I wasn’t bored the first episode - confused was more like it. From what I’ve read this reaction is very common. Watch more - you’ll know who is who and it will grow on you.
I’m firing my lasers. pew pew pew
I thought it was good from the start, but you don’t really recognize how good until you’ve been watching it for a bit.
We were confused also, not helped by the fact that fairly often we could not make out what they were saying.
Ah, ok. As it happens I don’t like shows/movies with lots of shooting/violence. I didn’t get through more than about 10 minutes of Spartacus, for example.
Two suggestions:
(1) Watch at least half of season 1. If you’re not intrigued at that point, give up.
(2) Turn on the subtitles
It’s different than something like a network crime series in that it tells the story over many, many episodes rather than each episode being a story in itself. Episode 1 just kind of introduces you to a few main characters without much happening. Everything just sort of builds up as you progress and they add more characters and the “plot thickens”.
Rather than watching EPISODE 1 and thinking “whoa, I gotta see where they go with this thing” it was more like having that reaction after watching SEASON 1.
If you don’t like it after the first season I’d say you gave it a fair shake. You don’t like it and that’s okay. It’s not some moral failing on your part. Just go watch something else.
I was not thrilled with Episode One either - I thought it was no better than any number of other cop shows.
I was dead wrong. I now cite The Wire as my all-time favorite show.*
mmm
*(when I’m not citing Breaking Bad as my all-time favorite show)
Pretty much this. I started out of boredom as well when I was stranded for a couple of days with nothing else to do. I didn’t really get hooked until I was several episodes in and it was a slow build of ever-increasing enthusiasm for me all the way through the end of season 4 ( 5 dropped slightly but was still very good ).
What I was planning to say. You have the advantage of all the hype to persuade you to spend the time getting to “that point” when stuff starts making all the sense in the world to you. I wager that at that time you will want to rewatch the episodes before that point to see what was happening that you tended to discount as boring.
The show represents an effort by a huge number of talented people to do things their way without catering to the lowest common denominator. Just pray that you have what it takes to get to the point that you’re willing to praise them (as I do and so many others do) for doing it their way.
I started watching a year ago and gave up. I started watching it again a few weeks ago, and I’m now in the middle of season 2 and loving it.
I agree with subtitles suggestion above. Sometimes I just can’t understand what they’re saying.
Also, I popped open my tablet and read Wikipedia on the espisodes after I watched them; and additionally I read the character biographies which helped a LOT (Note, don’t do this if you are bothered by some spoilers).
The thing that’s different for me this time around I think is that the show (to me, anyway) isn’t just about the show… it’s a character study. I love McNulty. He’s such a good guy, yet so damaged! 
Heck, all the major characters. To me it’s like what made Unforgiven so good. There aren’t just good guys and bad guys. There are people who are trying to do what’s right in their own lives. And on top of it, thankfully there are some characters that are just freaking assholes; and you get to hate them without remorse; and it’s mostly the brass in the Baltimore PD! I’m really enjoying it.