He was also a classic example of Dunning Kruger.
This scene really shows it for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkLuncXw-P4
Look how smooth Stringer is wheeling and dealing on the stock market. Look how smart he is applying the concepts he learned in his community college class. Look how smug he is imparting his knowledge to the lowly help, look how impressed they are with his wisdom.
Now consider that he is dumping mobile phone stock in the early 2000’s.
I blame his Baltimore dialogue coach.
The TV show wasn’t bad, but the musical was fabulous, yo.
never mind
Another series, Homicide: Life on the Street, aired on TV in the 1990’s and was based on the very same David Simon book that The Wire was based on. A few of the scenarios are identical, e.g. the funny “lie detector” machine.
Homicide: Life on the Street was also a good series (though its tone was quite different from that of The Wire) but not nearly as good as The Wire which is IMHO one of the two best TV drama series ever.
I watched the 1st season and loved it. Never watched the subsequent seasons.
Worth watching?
*Duplicate post
Oh, absolutely.
A few people were relatively disappointed with the second season as it aired, due to a shift in emphasis. But I binged the show rather than watch it in real time and I really liked it. It’s also the favorite season for a few.
Many people, including myself, consider the fourth season as the pinnacle of the show.
A number people were mildly disappointed with the fifth season, including myself.
But all of the above is in the context of a brilliant program. The worst seasons were still some of the best TV around. The best seasons were only a half-step better than the worst. If you loved the first season, you’ll love all of it. It’s well worth it, especially these days if you have some time on your hands.
The fifth season was more of a TV Show™ than the others. One specific storyline stretched credulity to its limits and the new characters were more two-dimensional. So it was disappointing by comparison to itself, while still being a great TV Show™.
I never got the hate for season two. I do understand why people were disappointed with S5, but I still liked it, though the description of it being a “TV show” is spot on.
I thought the first season was just about perfect as a complete narrative arc. I thought Season 2 and 3 were kind of rehashing the same kind of material as Season 1 (with some new stuff thrown in, naturally). The school teacher stuff in Season 4 didn’t grab me and I didn’t even bother watching Season 5 (which seems to be the least popular season).
I didn’t like it as well. On rewatch a few times, I got to at least appreciate it. A whole bunch of new characters got introduced like a reboot, and those disappeared at the end of the season. It was almost a different show at times, and while it did cover the same themes, I could see it run without the cops covered as a completely different show. Even the lead cop lady disappeared the next season.
Even now, I can’t even remember who they were bringing the drugs in for in that context. Prop Joe? Stringers supply from New York dried up? So here’s a story about how a completely different drug dealer nearby brings drugs in? Complete change of show which didn’t reoccur again in the season, even season 5 was clearly within S1’ s world. S2 wasn’t.
Indeed
I think there are two reasons people didn’t like season 2. First, it was a shift in focus - the first season was all about the gangs, and suddenly it shifts to the docks and unions, with a bunch of new characters. You don’t notice that shift now because that’s what the every season had its own focus, but it was a little jarring when it first happened in season 2.
And second, it was a little more depressing and more relatable to viewers. Sure, the drug trade is pretty depressing, but it’s another world for most of us. But watching the poor schmoes on the docks trying to make a living hit home a little more.
I think season 2 is the second best, after 4. While season 1 was fun and exciting, season 2 really dove into characters and the general rot within society more. It makes for brilliant story-telling, but it isn’t necessarily fun.
I would also highly recommend watching The Shield.
I never even realized there was hate for season two, but then again I don’t spend a lot of time reading reviews online. But I can understand if people were expecting chapter two of the Barksdale gang story, and got the story about the Stevedores union instead, how they might be upset.
I think for me season two might actually be my favorite, but I was already aware that the show shifted focus every season. I liked the Frank Sobotka story ark, another character driven to do wrong for what he believes is the greater good.
Ha! Nice
I had heard so much over the years but just started watching the series. I’m almost to the end of season three. My problem is that I find subtitles distracting but really should be using them…especially in season one.
Boy does the n-word fly in season one! Seems like the perfect explanation the next time some celeb’s career is ruined for using the word: “I’m very sorry but I binged Season One of The Wire and it just slipped out. I’ll never do it again.”
I very much agree… except for the really dumb moment where he dies because everyone agrees he needs to be in witness protection, so… come back tomorrow morning. (Or something like that).
Anyhow, though, yes, The Wire is the best TV show I’ve ever seen. Period. And so much so that I’m more confident about that judgement than just about any other subjective judgement in any other field. Best movie? Best book? Best musical? Eh, varies day to day. But The Wire is The Wire.
Man said if you want to watch TV, this here’s the Cadillac, man. He mean Lexus, but he ain’t know it.