The Wire: Greatest Show Ever Made

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Adebisi

Clump of Cells
<Silver Donator>
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He probably meant Ziggy.
No doubt.

Iannis, bro. Do you even The Wire?

I still haven't watched Treme yet. How does it compare in terms of characters and story quality (knowing it's not at all the same type of show).
 

Slaythe

<Bronze Donator>
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Treme is kind of all over the place and there are a lot of NOLA musicians with recurring roles that just can't act. It isn't bad. It's not the same
 

Xarpolis

Life's a Dream
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I watched the first episode of Treme. Couldn't get in to it, so there was that. I guess it was cancelled for a reason.
 

foddon

Silver Knight of the Realm
747
5
I've watched all of Treme and it's pretty boring and uninteresting honestly. I still watch it and somewhat enjoy it but I can definitely understand why most people don't. I'm completely shocked that it's stuck around as long as it has (it actually has a new 5 episode final season coming up).
 

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
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and they weren't even greek!

ha! ha! ha!


Why always boris? In my country we have prison. This is not prison.
 

Bondurant

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Treme is watchable if :

- you have extensive knowledge of New Orleans culture (music, social, hurricane, customs, people, institutions, etc).
- you don't mind a tv show spaghetting its stories without any point or direction.
- have manual selective memory, where you can erase stuff from your mind once you've watched it.

Otherwise, and especially if you're a David Simon hardcore fan, stay away from Treme, it will just make you sad about how an ambitious tv show with great actors and awesome showrunners can be ruined bigtime with bad decisions (or no decisions, for that matter). The main problem of Treme (on which it also succeed at accurately depicting the general feel of New Orleans people post-Katrina) is boredom. Absolute, alienating boredom. Every character is bored. Bored because they have shitty lives, bored because they're struggling, bored because they're bored. Every story is boring. Whiteknight cop fighting against the tide, musicians living the boheme life, families struggling in FEMA trailers, it's so boring it's depressing.

I'm a huge fan of David Simon and I love Homicide, Generation Kill and of course The Wire. I still don't understand why he did Treme, but to me it feels like the guy got money and went like "hey I like New Orleans, let's go film some shit right there, oh and I also love dem musicians, I'm gonna put them in my show, fuck acting and we'll write the story as it goes". I hope he'll come again with some good material, but Treme is for me a no-go.
 

Nola

Trakanon Raider
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Snoop all the way. One of my favorite quotes from her. "Fuck them west coast Wakandans, cuz in B-more we aim to hit a Wakandan ya heard".
 

Szlia

Member
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I agree that Treme felt like it was missing at least one dramatic arc that gave a sense to where it was going, but in a way it serves the portrait of a city that does not know where it is going. It works more a sociological study than a fiction, but the study is fascinating in its own right.
 

Bondurant

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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I agree that Treme felt like it was missing at least one dramatic arc that gave a sense to where it was going, but in a way it serves the portrait of a city that does not know where it is going. It works more a sociological study than a fiction, but the study is fascinating in its own right.
I agree, that's why I didn't say Treme was bad, only boring. Treme was also kind of educational, I'm from Europe and I had no idea what happened in NOLA post-katrina with FEMA fuckups, NOPD killings, politics boogaloos and also who's who concerning musicians / guests, I had to wikipedia my way through episodes. Fucking FEMA, man.
 

Slaythe

<Bronze Donator>
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Eyehategod was on an episode of Treme. That alone is pretty cool. I agree with the other negative comments though.
 

Xarpolis

Life's a Dream
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16,328
The Wire should come up with a sequel. New actors and a new story, but it can take place in Chicago. One of the most dangerous cities in America for gang violence.
 

Asshat Brando

Potato del Grande
<Banned>
5,346
-478
Season 3 may not be the best, but the realization between Stringer and Avon that one was going to have to go might be as good as TV can get.

Edit: As far as a sequel, David Simon will say the Wire wasn't a crime drama even though it involved crime happening at almost every socioeconomic level of the city.
 

iannis

Musty Nester
31,351
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What would David Simon call it?

If he just doesn't want to be lumped into the category with CSI:Miami or Law and Order: Baby Rapin' Psychos I can understand that.

But it's a Drama of which the pivotal focus is crime and the questions surrounding criminlality. What else do you call that? A RomCom?
 

Adebisi

Clump of Cells
<Silver Donator>
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I recommend that anyone who likes The Wire should read Sudhir Venkatesh's Gang Leader for a Day. Deals mostly with the community in the projects and how they function outside of what you or I might consider normal. After I read (listened to it. It's on audiobook too.) and watched The Wire again, I had an even deeper appreciation for David Simon's skills (if it's even possible to further appreciate The Wire)
 

Asshat Brando

Potato del Grande
<Banned>
5,346
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What would David Simon call it?

If he just doesn't want to be lumped into the category with CSI:Miami or Law and Order: Baby Rapin' Psychos I can understand that.

But it's a Drama of which the pivotal focus is crime and the questions surrounding criminlality. What else do you call that? A RomCom?
Simon has said that despite its presentation as a crime drama, the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed"

That's from Wikipedia and you can find him posting similar stuff on his own blog or on the finale Time article
 

Intrinsic

Person of Whiteness
<Gold Donor>
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Eyehategod was on an episode of Treme. That alone is pretty cool. I agree with the other negative comments though.
The band, lol? In like 1998 I went to a White Zombie and Pantera concert in Birmingham, AL and this band named Eyehategod opened for them. After two songs they were booed off stage and threw their mics at the crowd. Didn't even realize they were a real band.
 

Bondurant

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Simon has said that despite its presentation as a crime drama, the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals. Whether one is a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge or a lawyer, all are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution to which they are committed"
If some lads are interested aboutAmerican city television dramaI'd like to propose BOSS, a Starz politics drama with Kelsey Grammar as the mayor of Chicago. It's not The Wire, but it draws a quite large picture about US city politics, it features a top notch cast (Grammar is awesome, as well as the supporting cast). Starz cancelled the show after 2 seasons (2 x 9 episodes) because "lol ratings" but if you enjoy twisted fucks doing politics like ancient Rome, you'd sure flap your balls up to the ceiling with BOSS : it's as cruel, realistic and merciless as a tv show can be nowadays.
 

Slaythe

<Bronze Donator>
3,389
141
The band, lol? In like 1998 I went to a White Zombie and Pantera concert in Birmingham, AL and this band named Eyehategod opened for them. After two songs they were booed off stage and threw their mics at the crowd. Didn't even realize they were a real band.
Yes. Pioneers of the NOLA sludge metal scene. Jimmy Bower ended up becoming Down's drummer. Anyway, this is pretty off topic other than it was neat of Simon to showcase someone from the NOLA metal scene because as a whole it was hugely influential. You maybe didn't like Eyehategod, but don't discredit their importance. Anyway, we can continue in the metal thread if you'd like.