# Which season of The Wire is best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2011, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813 "2011-06-25T09:43:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/21 "2011-07-23T20:28:02Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Everybody seems to like season four, and frequently mention the importance of the “school” story line. For me, all I seen was another “Dangerous minds” style ‘new teacher tries to help troubled kids’ story, and it didnt really grab my attention. Did you actually watch all of Season 4? It was much more than that. For me it was the most heartbreaking because it showed how the failures of adults cause a vicious cycle of crime and addiction that kids in the inner city have little hope of ever escaping. Season 2 was also a favorite - so very Shakespearean. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/22 "2011-07-23T22:17:47Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > Did you actually watch all of Season 4? What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/23 "2011-08-06T10:38:33Z")
Having just watched all five seasons in a marathon session (having never seen the series before), I can tell you conclusively that season 1 is the best, followed closely by season 4. If the series had gone no further, season 1 would stand on its own as a work of genius. The ending is brilliant – the frustration as sympathetic characters on both sides of the law get hurt and the machine rolls merrily along. McNulty on the boat pulling out of the harbor at the end is a nice visual summation. ---
**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:** [August 6, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/24 "2011-08-06T12:25:19Z")
OP checking in. I’ve just started season 4. Of the first three, season 2 - the union/docks - is my favorite. Looking forward to getting schooled in #4. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/25 "2011-08-06T15:07:09Z")
By the way, season 5 is getting bashed here, but it is actually quite good in taking on the news media and showing its foibles. You could fairly argue that it’s the “weakest” season, but it’s still excellent television. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/26 "2011-08-06T15:17:11Z")
I liked Season 2 the most. I was particularly charmed that the whole season hinged on two examples of pettiness, McNulty’s efforts to prove that the 13 dead women are his former commander’s “unsolvable” problem; and Valchek’s vendetta over a church donation of all things. Without this petty assholery the whole story wouldn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Yogurt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f0a364/32.png) [@Yogurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yogurt)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/27 "2011-08-06T15:40:08Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Well, it was inspired by positions advanced by an actual Baltimore mayor. While not as freely permitted as depicted in season 3, the City Police routinely surrender large portions of the city to drug traffickers and prostitutes in order to secure other sections. They will attempt to direct these persons away from key areas, or across district lines (Make it a problem for some other officer). This is extremely prevalent along the Greenmount Ave. corridor, where officers from the Northern, Eastern and Northeast Districts will send the drug crews back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/28 "2011-08-22T19:47:32Z")
Just finished the series last night. Season 4 was my favorite, narrowly edging out Season 2. Seasons 1 and 3 were still excellent, and I like them both about the same, followed by Season 5 bringing up the caboose. Favorite characters overall were probably Frank Sobotka, Norman, and Cool Lester Smooth. Oh, and Omar, but I guess that goes without saying. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813/29 "2011-08-23T02:09:05Z")
This just in: [The Wire actress pleads guilty to drugs charges](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8690217/The-Wire-actress-pleads-guilty-to-drugs-charges.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-season-of-the-wire-is-best/586813.md?page=1)