# So what didn't you like about The Wire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2012, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947 "2012-03-16T09:30:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/21 "2012-03-16T21:16:20Z")
**Brother Mouzone**. I got the definite feeling that the writers introduced this “exciting new character” and an episode later had no idea what to do with him. I don’t remember the details but I remember him being just off and storyline ended up weird, imo. Also they lost McNulty and the actor playing him seemed to lose the character too. I was very impressed by the first season, but after that it was sort of going through the tv show motions, with some good moments here and there. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/22 "2012-03-16T21:49:09Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > The biggest things that I recall was they used ‘fuck’ way too much. It got to be old after awhile. I’m hoping you’re not serious about this. That’s sort of like saying that professional cooks use the word “saute” too often. I worked as an auxiliary cop for a couple of years, riding with regular officers. That’s how they talk. That’s how street people talk. That’s how longshoremen talk. That’s how construction workers talk. Hell, that’s how I talk a lot of the time. The language is part of what gives the show the feel of the street. Without it, it’s just another Law & Order clone. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/23 "2012-03-17T06:00:49Z")
Lance Reddick and Dominick West seemed to be in a different show than everyone else, based on their jarringly-different acting styles. It was a worthy successor to **Homicide** , though. My parents retired to the Baltimore suburbs and my mom used to see Yaphet Kotto in the grocery store. Don’t think she’d get the same giddy thrill bumping into Bubbles or Omar. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/24 "2012-03-17T07:07:23Z")
Omar and Brother Mouzone. Yes Omar was awesome, but come on. There’s no such thing as ghetto Batman. The only realistic thing about Omar was how he went out. Random and senseless. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/25 "2012-03-17T08:13:30Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > The biggest things that I recall was they used ‘fuck’ way too much. It got to be old after awhile. You must have liked Omar then; he was the only main character that didn’t curse. But I take it you didn’t appreciate this scene? (I loved it!): **NSFW** : [http://www.you](http://www.you) [tube.com/watch?v=6sNZ7ulO1RQ](http://tube.com/watch?v=6sNZ7ulO1RQ) (remove space in “youtube”)(Guess the nudity slipped by the YouTube censors…) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/26 "2012-03-17T14:25:40Z")
Agree with the following things already mentioned. Brother Mouzone. Hampsterdam Surveillance from a block away without being noticed. Serial killer. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/27 "2012-03-17T14:33:32Z")
I’m tempted to say “Season 5” but I think what was jarring about it was the “importance” of the newspaper angle. To me that whole area seemed so trivial by comparison with the other “themes” of Seasons 1-4. There were some good moments in S5, but way fewer than the other seasons. If there had been a Season 6, maybe I wouldn’t feel as let down as Season 5 left me. Even with a weak S5, though, I still believe that _The Wire_ as a show did more to upgrade TV than any other effort to date. My take is that the good shows of recent years (Breaking Bad, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Terriers to name just a few) owe plenty to the pacesetting moves in _The Wire_. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/28 "2012-03-17T16:58:19Z")
McNulty’s behavior in S5 makes more sense if you watch S5 immediately after S4. That’s what worked for me anyway. He was really frustrated at the state of things at the end of S4, the budget cuts, etc. Couple that with his drinking, and what he did was a bit more believable. It was definitely in character. I wasn’t nuts about the Kima-Cheryl story line. We saw very little of the other characters’ private lives except for McNulty and Daniels. Who did Herc and Carver go home to? ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/29 "2012-03-17T17:12:11Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > McNulty’s behavior in S5 makes more sense if you watch S5 immediately after S4. That’s what worked for me anyway. He was really frustrated at the state of things at the end of S4, the budget cuts, etc. Couple that with his drinking, and what he did was a bit more believable. It was definitely in character. The biggest problem I had with the serial killer thing was (as somebody earlier mentioned) how readily Freamon went along with it. I think it would’ve gone down easier if it was just McNulty on his own being his usual maverick self. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/30 "2012-03-17T17:35:58Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > The biggest problem I had with the serial killer thing was (as somebody earlier mentioned) how readily Freamon went along with it. I think it would’ve gone down easier if it was just McNulty on his own being his usual maverick self. Yabbut. Look how much trouble Freamon had getting the top brass to let him check out the vacants. Freamon’s like a precocious child – unless he has something to occupy his mind, he’s gonna get in trouble. It’s easier to come up with excuses for Lester’s behavior. He’s older, closer to retirement, his talents were wasted for what, 13 years on a desk in stolen property. He didn’t have much to gain but he had less to lose. Plus, the shock when we saw that he was going along with it – that was awesome. And then when Bunk found out, another great moment. “You too?” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/31 "2012-03-17T19:13:09Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > It’s easier to come up with excuses for Lester’s behavior. He’s older, closer to retirement, his talents were wasted for what, 13 years on a desk in stolen property. And four months. 😉 > [@AuntiePam](#): > > I wasn’t nuts about the Kima-Cheryl story line. We saw very little of the other characters’ private lives except for McNulty and Daniels. Who did Herc and Carver go home to? Herc and Carver ran into Poot and Bodie at the movies at one point - all four were with dates, but I don’t think either cop ever talked about being married. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/32 "2012-03-17T19:21:31Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Herc and Carver ran into Poot and Bodie at the movies at one point - all four were with dates, but I don’t think either cop ever talked about being married. Another great scene. It reminded me of when I was little and I’d see one of my teachers at the grocery store. You have to eat too? Surprised that they had lives outside the classroom. ---
**Author:** ![Patience\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@Patience\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patience_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/33 "2012-03-18T04:03:22Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > I had no sympathy for Bodie because he killed Wallace! Oh, Wallace. His death haunted me throughout the rest of the series. I was disappointed when Poot didn’t get his for firing the kill shot. The “Where’s Wallace” scene between D and Stringer was awesome, though. I hated all the shipping/seafaring/port stuff during the 2nd season. Just the word “stevedore” nearly sends me into a coma. I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to see Ziggy get beaten to death by a baseball bat. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/34 "2012-03-18T23:50:58Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Omar and Brother Mouzone. > > Yes Omar was awesome, but come on. There’s no such thing as ghetto Batman. The only realistic thing about Omar was how he went out. Random and senseless. Omar was a rich playboy who led a secret life fighting crime? 😕 The only “batman” like thing Omar did was at the very beginning when he bought a vial of crack for that single mother. I don’t recall him doing anything else that wasn’t either for profit or revenge. He’s a sympathetic character but he wasn’t “batman”. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/35 "2012-03-19T00:14:07Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > Omar was a rich playboy who led a secret life fighting crime? 😕 > > The only “batman” like thing Omar did was at the very beginning when he bought a vial of crack for that single mother. I don’t recall him doing anything else that wasn’t either for profit or revenge. He’s a sympathetic character but he wasn’t “batman”. I think he(?) means stuff like escaping 3 hitmen by leaping off a fourth floor balcony with only a limp to show for it. Hoodlums running for cover when he’s on patrol. One man (and Robin) taking down a house full of armed guards. Omar is most people’s favorite, and I like him a lot too, but I always found him to be the TV Show-iest character of them all. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/36 "2012-03-19T00:34:02Z")
My fiance, when we were still in the messaging stage at OKCupid, won me over by suggesting there should be a sitcom called “Oh Shit, Omar Comin’.” I responded with the fact that it’s a damned shame Katherine Hepburn isn’t alive to make “Oh Shit, Omar Comin’ to Dinner”. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/37 "2012-03-19T00:45:34Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > I think he(?) means stuff like escaping 3 hitmen by leaping off a fourth floor balcony with only a limp to show for it. Hoodlums running for cover when he’s on patrol. One man (and Robin) taking down a house full of armed guards. > > Omar is most people’s favorite, and I like him a lot too, but I always found him to be the TV Show-iest character of them all. I think I remember reading once that the jumping off the balcony thing was something that really happened to the real-life guy that Omar was based on. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/38 "2012-03-19T00:49:36Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > I think he(?) means stuff like escaping 3 hitmen by leaping off a fourth floor balcony with only a limp to show for it. Hoodlums running for cover when he’s on patrol. One man (and Robin) taking down a house full of armed guards. He broke his leg and was in pretty bad shape; I thought it implied the man was quite possibly going to die or be crippled, eventually, if he didn’t get to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/39 "2012-03-19T00:56:14Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > My fiance, when we were still in the messaging stage at OKCupid, won me over by suggesting there should be a sitcom called “Oh Shit, Omar Comin’.” I responded with the fact that it’s a damned shame Katherine Hepburn isn’t alive to make “Oh Shit, Omar Comin’ to Dinner”. Omar’s coming, you better better hide your heart… mmm ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947/40 "2012-03-19T14:43:45Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I think I remember reading once that the jumping off the balcony thing was something that really happened to the real-life guy that Omar was based on. Yeah, I read an article about the real characters of the Wire and they mentioned one of the characters Omar was based on (he was a composite of a couple of stick up men) jumping off a balconey during a shootout from an even higher distance than on the show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-didnt-you-like-about-the-wire/615947.md?page=3)