His entire life he had nothing and no one then ends up back on the street with a needle in his arm. Interesting article. While he is cold and calculating, from the moment we met him Omar has a big heart and made decisions based on his emotional reaction. Just depressing the way it wallows in the depravity of the serial killers and hits you over the head with it. Other than Breaking Bad. I think the biggest problem with Season 5 is that the Sun people were kind of boring and so many of them were one note. It is for this reason that I think Season 5 is so brilliant. Its not painful to me. I was focused solely on the fact that the the newspaper was in a battle over the homelessness killings issue in a sense that their biggest problem right now was sensationalism and lies versus honest reporting. Only silver lining to that dark cloud of a series. Echoes and Layers: Tony Lazlo Looks Back at The Wire CC2K, Why The Wire Should Be Must-See TV for Baltimore Pundits | Variety, All the pieces matter: analysis, essays, and anything else on The Wire | ReadJack.com. But having left the topic at hand to engage in ad hominem characterization, you cant very well expect anything less in return. That was a bit beyond the historical reality; at the historicalBaltimore Sun, he was a mere Pulitzer finalist. The serial killer story was just too silly. He's quirky, he's a little odd, but he helps to provide a different, and intellectual insight into the killer's mind. But inflated ego, ultimate smugness, etc? She is always rescued. If my state of mind can be presumed by this fellow, certainly Im entitled to note his own. Cmon, its okay to smile. All Rights Reserved. From the Huffington Post, March 17, 2008 In this sense, life-imitates-art just as art-imitates-life. I felt it was entirely too unrealistic and borderline offensive to the shows entire structure. Sometimes the jumps in logic can seem a bit far fetched, but that is what makes it interesting and fun, without having to be a series of mindless chase scenes and explosions. I started watching this show in series 1. 4. The 'genius' Dr, absentminded of course, to fulfill another clich, who comes across as being more in need of professional help than his patients. Herc just needed to get run over, along with Levy, and bleed out slowly suffering much in the process. External Reviews My comment amounts to little more than unwanted negative feedback for a show that ended 5 years ago. Simone Lahbib is a favorite UK actor, but if forced to choose in this series, I'd have to go with Green/ Norris. Wed get a rant or two from whoever he screwed over, then next episode or season all is forgiven, forgotten and everyones back to good ole Jimmy again. WebSynopsis [ edit] In the fictional English city of Bradfield, men are being abducted and tortured to death using brutal medieval techniques. Missing a storyIm still writingstill kills me. Web2. I didnt get hooked by Treme or the mini serie with a mayor though. But Ill get back to the journalism angle momentarily. I just love it so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well played. Entertaining but formula driven and with plot holes! ), [] own slashed staffs and cutbacks, leaving a major metropolitan newspaper that wound up as Simon acerbically noted at the time missing the whole []. But for all of it to amount to a forest-and-tree farce? Ill rant a bit about journalism, or the drug war or any other issue that I rub up against. I had only heard of it but didnt know it was the drug I needed in my life to actively engage in social discussions the way you do so well in this series. President Snow is Katniss Everdeen's tyrannical enemy, and while he may appear untouchable for most of The Hunger Games he has a secret weakness. This feeling of gritty realism was lost on me during the McNulty fake-killer arc. Several years go by since Pulengs sister went missing. It continued doing so into the present decade as the Tribune Company followed the Times-Mirror buyouts with even more ruthless abandon. Its disappointing to read the entire comment thread and see that no one picked up on those journalistic themes either, but I saw every single one of them- which is why I watched season 5 in total frustration as every cut back to the Baltimore Sun went straight into the same mire of bullshit all journalists everywhere in America now live in. Maybe the guys just kind of being a dickhead here. But the gratuitous images and the worn-out theme aside this show has a lot to offer. S6, Ep0. I was leaning more towards something karmic, but its clear that many of the characters did not get what was coming to them. I did have a question though that I hope you could answer. The only story that I noticed that the newspaper missed was when they mentioned Prop Joe. Any of you save for a couple sharp journos who were able to stand back just far enough to realize what the real critique was. He mixes in just enough idiosyncrasies to make Hill human, endearing and sometimes down right aggravating. And Kima, would she really be snitching on them? My friend letting me borrow season one was the tester, and I kept going back for the yellow tops or that WMD (the rest of the seasons). 1 The Office. This is really a two part TV series.. the first three seasons with Green and Norris.. bit.ly/1780gxl .. in the leads, and the second three with Green and Lahbib.. bit.ly/13Pgcqi .. I didnt know there were retards saying Each ending sucked so the season 5 was bad. Particularly toward the finale, you created a meta-mirror for us that Im still working out. I dunno. Wire in the Blood, is first of all a showcase for the excellent acting skills of the charismatic Robson Green. I found it as an interesting way to dispel the notion that one given group of people is more inclined or indoctrinated to corruption and lies than the other, but also that in any given sector of a society, you will usually find it is those who know that very truth full and well, who perpetuate that lie, in order to make themselves feel better about their shortcomings. By that, I mean the sense from many of white politicians in the city holding this belief that the city was corrupted because blacks were the ones that made up the majority of the police department, and had a black mayor in Royce. Focused on a fake serial killer, they missed rampant corruption in the city government, missed obvious lying and stat juking in the police department, missed the penetration of thelaw courts by shady lawyers etc. I knew in my bones as he walked up to the convenience store something bad was going to happen. The next thing journalists should be writing about is the impending fall of the U.S. empire, because its coming and were gonna see it in our lifetimes. basically that whole hood that was the result of DC trying to lower crime stats by forcing all the hood rats over the Maryland line. Additionally though people point to the development of hyper-local news sites as a way of saying that local news isnt dead, these are often little more than blogs or advertising of businesses in the area rather than sustained critiques and investigations. Incredible. Its about the media and powers that manipulating the masses to support a war in Iraq fought on false pretenses. August 19, 2002. Criminal Psychologist Tony Hill assists The Police with all manner of complex and disturbing crimes. And I thanks you for that, because you gave us a piece of truth storytelling. The political corruption, the cronyism, the back-asswards views on racism which prevent all minorities from getting a real say in anything lest they be deemed racist- and most agonizingly, the completely screwball insanity that is the PG County school system is exactly like the way you depicted life in Baltimore. I must comment on the general disappointment around season 5 though: I too was bored by the whole Baltimore Sun room and cast. But if we give upthen what? how many years you figure we been doing the same shit.. Plot Summary. I loved the show, its in my top 5 of all time and I cant imagine it going anywhere. There will be many scenes of hookers and trashy bar people. This show, its impact, the things its talked about directly and indirectly (as shown above) has along with all that impacted me, and I feel like Ive got enough influence from this show alone to myself sit down and write like Ive been wanting to do, but not just any writing, but writing thats thoughtful as well as entertaining, and also writing that matters. Fielding is a single mother with a son and a cat, yet in the second episode of s4, "Torment", the writers were able to slide her easily into the role that would have been Norris'. Painfully honest? When we were beating the story out, Bill Zorzi wondered whether in the final episode it might be necessary for Gus Haynes to vocalize the theme, to turn to Alma or Luxenberg or some other character and say, Were so thin, and we waste what little resources we have left on the wrong things. The great irony (relative to the final season) is that the criticism being leveled against NCLB and the war on drugs was lost on the real-life media in the very same way that The Wires Baltimore Sun missed those very same things in the show. A psychologist gets inside of the minds of both killers and victims to aid the police in solving gruesome serial killings in Northern England. In closing, I missed you Mr. Simon, coming to do a panel at my school Washington State University in 2012 I think it was, because I had no idea about the show at that time. But then I would be as guilty of lazy ad hominem as they have been in assessing the work. At least the stakes matter. Can you give any specific insight into why Marlo was let to walk away unscathed. Such a newspaper was not chronicled onThe Wire. I gave up due to some of the most annoying characters I have seen written. THOSE cops and THOSE lawyers definitely exist in abundance in all over D.C., the southside, and Baltimore. When the Wire was first broadcast, in 2002, I decided not to watch it because of the hype. I've enjoyed his first rate performances in two other series I've seen, and can't wait to see how his character's flirtation with D.I. In one of the best scenes of the series, It would be better if he was slick like the Will Grayham character in red dragon. Why did stupid fucking hbo talk over the last episode when you re watch it on demand. If anything I learned after watching The Wire series (for my 4th or 5th time) is that quick comments or knee-jerk reactions about the themes discussed just dont play. Firstly thank you David Simon, Ed Burns and a host of talented and courageous collaborators for telling it like it is. Yes, that IS the truth for kids all over the DMV (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) but I really wish, David, you could have shown him some compassion as the most innocent among them really deserved some kind of redemption. I had no memory of this series, he forgot the name, I researched it and found it. What Rough Beast. A few months ago I decided to give it a go and, as you can imagine, I fell in love. We told the precise story we wished to tell and what happened was supposed to happen. The more honest assessment is that it doesnt matter where I stand, or where Ed Burn stands, or what I think. Or the way alma glossed over Omars deathI had a feeling like if she woulda mentioned his name, gus wouldve immediately recognized it and said no-heart anthonys brother? What to say, what to say, what to say? The case was based on a wealth of curruption and illegal detective work and the need for self-preservation could easily allow for a deal to be made. And, just like the black counterparts, almost all of them gain some level of career advancement, be it Rawls promotion to superintendent, Pearlmans to judge, Hurks ascension in the legal realm (admitably his is more honest than the others, since he wanted the same things McNulty and Freamon wanted, and he actually suffers the consequences of his mess-up in Season 4), Carcetti, Templeton, etc. Dont get me wrong, its great for you and the other writers/producers/actors/HBO- but even the best portrayal of life in the Charm City wont be enough to change anything. McNulty, Frank Sobotka, Carcetti (at least in season 3), Colvin and Prez). Also liked how micheal played through the all series always looking out for people around him and outsmarting snoop at the end S5 ran him off a cliff. I just watched all 5 seasons over the past couple weeks and it was a pleasure. I know this criticism in no way helps, the show is long done with, but I loved everything about the 5th season except for the newspaper guys. Im sad I missed all the hoopla, the reviews, analysis, any interviews and behind the scenes footage that was released with and right after the show ended. An eccentric psychologist, with zero social skills, and a smart and charming female detective come together in Bradfield, England, to solve cases that no normal policemen could ever. All in all, you really gave us a lot to think about. Nothing against Robson himself but his character annoys me. Almost everything in the show from the dialogue to the outcomes felt refreshingly believable. One last thing though .Duquan. I just binge-watched the last 3 seasons after slowly going through 1 & 2 and I feel regret that I almost missed out on this amazing thing that started basically a decade ago when I was just starting high school. or something, but instead he was just another man shot, and his name fittingly echoed into the folklore of the streets, Im a latecomer to The Wire and I think its the best thing Ive ever seen on television. And unsubtle. All the characters have distinct and believable personalities. I became hooked from the first episode "Mermaids Singing" which is done in 2 parts, with each episode my enthusiasm for the show also grew. Pelecanos, Lehane, Price, Alvarez, Zorzi, the directors, cast, the whole lot. Its not garbage, they just dont get it. Thanks for the response, even if it got the best of me! 1) The newsroom angle was a good idea but perhaps the show writers were a bit too close to it. Hopefully there is some point in time when the majority of people become a little smarter and catch up w/ the intelligence this show possesses. Season five was the weakest season imho. Robson Green is incredibly impressive (and maybe a little bit scary) as eccentric psychological profiler Dr. Tony Hill, and Hermione Morris does a great job as tough DI Carol Jordan, a woman in what is still very much a man's world. Who am I to bitch about how you decided to end your own show? The Lester wed come to know was indeed a maverick, but not a moron. And no, I think season five achieved its goals as the other season, with me being no closer to the world of journalism than others on our writing staff were to the other worlds depicted. TheSunbegan doing so in the 1990s before the internet, before the Tribune Company did its worst when beat reporting and any serious, systemic examination of issues was eschewed in favor of impact journalism, special projects and Pulitzer sniffing. We sucked. missing such a vital snap shot to the Barksdale case. Not so much as an offhand reference, and that goes not just for the journalists displeased enough with our newspaper tale, but for the larger number of commentators and critics who thought we did swell. The dramas final season, depicting a Baltimore newspaper, concluded last week. The chemistry between Hill and D.I. Im interested. This statement is meant to include: Mark Letheren(DI Kevin Jeffries); Emma Handy (DC Paula McIntyre) and Peter Sullivan (ACC Paul Eden). See production, box office & company info, Drama Trails: 'Coronation Street' to 'Kingdom'. You had the ambitious lying dick with no redeemable qualities, the very honorable and honest veteran, some young black guy who covered Bubbles, the villainous senior editors, and a girl who was a good reporter. Throughout 1923, Alexandras wealth has come into play (or the wealth of her family, rather). But most of all, that poor child Duquan who did nothing but suffer from beginning to end. User Ratings I would really appreciate any help David Simon I dont think you have given up yet or maybe you would go off and retire like Marlo. Some of the most compelling Ive seen. We certainly expected more attention from the media. Starring: Robson Green, Simone Lahbib. The intelligent and complex story line demands focus to follow clearly, and make you think. There's something to be said for being able to binge an entire show from episode one to final episode when cancelled. Im interested in becoming a cop there. Maybe enough individuals can make an impactor at least make an impact on more individuals. Write a television story arc about the betrayal of the working class, the fraud of the drug war or the lie of No Child Left Behind and you cant get off the entertainment pages. As Tony | Season 2 was the bravest thing ever seen on TV. Police are rude to Dr. Tony Hill and refuse to work with him. Reformthat word evokes so many thoughts for me now after watching The Wire. Thinking back on Season 5, theres an interesting dynamic I think I picked up and just would like to know if it was intentional or if Im just reading too much into things. The story the music the acting is just so damn beautiful. It features a crime-weary psychotherapist who is part profiler, part detective, part forensics expert. Episode 8 of Mayfair Witches season 1 starts with Keith running in the woods trying to escape. It would have been nice but it was time to put an end to Dr. Tony Hill's sideline work so it would have benefitted from them giving us one. The crime thriller was being eyed for adaptation by The final season of True Blood ended Sunday with a three-year time jump, bringing many of its characters to a Thanksgiving hosted by a pregnant Sookie ( Anna I have been seeing quite a lot of this show on TV lately and i find it surprisingly entertaining. Ive re-watched this entire series again recently with the HD release (probably my 4th or 5th time watching the entire series) and in many ways it gets better the more I watch it. It was nuanced and I really saw Gus as the lead protagonist of this season and lester and mcnulty as shifty antagonists. I just graduated and If you have not watched any of these, please go for it and watch them in order. It was edgy and gritty, with strong performances from everyone. Nothing like unrelenting brutal, realism. The people changed but the game remained exactly the same. Copyright 2018 David Simon. Producer Chris Miller explains why. Ha! Flagg?? School principals in Baltimore and elsewhere in Maryland were obliged to teach test questions to pump scores at the expense of meaningful curricula. David. The writing, the directing, the acting, the story arcs: are all amazing. I love the WIRE Well said, David. Departmental priorities make high-level drug investigation prohibitive. Thats when Pulengs world completely changes. With the exception of the good journalism that bookended the story arc which is, of course, representative of the fact that there are still newspaper folk in Baltimore and elsewhere struggling mightily to do the job the season amounted to ten hours of a newspaper that is no longer intimately aware of its city. For now I will just pass. Otherwise this character seemed to constantly walk between the raindrops rarely suffering real consequences for his selfishness. There's also a lot of blurry camera work that is meant to show the violent murders but does tend to make one rather seasick! That was the critique. Its quite apparent that todays 24 hour news cycle is entirely based on sensationalist impact stories. I mean its obvious all three of them enjoyed it way too much for a normal gangster who just wanted someone out of their way- and Marlos final shot licking the blood off his sleeve just about proves that that guy was about to go on a black Manson killing spree had the story logically continued from its stopping point. I wonder whats happening in this city that we dont know about. Why would he care about the homeless? I HOPE THEY COME OUT WITH MORE SEASONS!! For a mystery/suspense,thriller this show easily surpasses virtually all shows in the genre. I confess I thought that journalism was still self-aware enough to get it, that enough collective consciousness of the crafts highest calling remained, that reporters still worried about what their newspapers were missing. She really be snitching on them but Ill get back to the felt! 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