The Wire

datura · Post by **datura** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:51 pm

This is David Simon on Melvin Williams who plays the Deacon:

Mr. Simon
Excellent show! Wouldn't miss an episode.
Question: How did you and Melvin Williams become friends.

David Simon:
This is amazing. True story:

In December 1984, Melvin Williams - a lgendary player in the Baltimore drug trade -- was arrested by Det. Edward Burns as a result of an investigation of more than a year that included cloned pagers, wiretaps, undercover reverse buys of drugs, etc. Because of Little Melvin's long history, I was assigned to write a longer piece on his life, a profile so to speak. Over two years, I gathered string on Melvin -- meeting and getting to know Detective Burns in the process -- and ultimately, I wrote a long, five-part series about Melvin that ran in January 1987. During the reporting for that series, I was able to talk at length with Melvin at Lewisburg Penitentiary.

Less than a year ago, after winning his release from federal custody on a parole, Melvin Williams, Ed Burns, myself and Norris Davis (who plays Vinson on the show and has a lot of street history of his own, I must say) met for lunch in Little Italy, enjoying each others company, reflecting on things past and possible futures. It was a remarkable lunch, one of the strangest and improbable gatherings to which I have ever been a party.

At one point, Melvin handed me a business card with his cell number and Ed, dry as dirt, looked up from his salad just long enough to say, "What I wouldn't have given for that twenty years ago." Melvin smiled at that, and later, he gave Ed -- the man who had run the wiretap that finally caught him talking furtively at city payphones, who had brought about his last conviction and longest incarceration -- a little tease back. Professing that he was now retired from the game, Melvin declared that he was grateful that he was now free, that he had some good years left and that he still had a little money to spend.
"We didn't find much of the money, did we?" said Ed.
"No," said Melvin, smiling slightly. "You didn't."
I genuinely admired the way these two guys handled that lunch. Like professionals. Nothing personal, just two men with a lot of shared history accepting each other on present terms.

Melvin is now very active in Bethel A.M.E. church and outspoken against the drug culture. It seemed perversely appropriate to cast him therefore as the Deacon. He seems real and credible to me in the role. Having paid his debt and served his sentence, I wish him well and look forward to getting an expensive lesson in billiards from him.

habitualbeatscamp · Post by **habitualbeatscamp** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:07 pm

I cannot wait for the new season.. It's supposed to air early next year.

I have been following the show for a couple of years.. I remember in my old, old apartment.. we would smoke a blunt and let that shit kick. Good memories. None of my friends now are into it.

I thought it was interesting that they had Aaron Neville do the opening song for a season.

schamotnik · Post by **schamotnik** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:43 pm

shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, this is gonna brilliant. with all other tv-shows on hiatus at the moment I'm even more excited about this.

rickyricardo · Post by **rickyricardo** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:06 pm

I managed to guilt my cable provider into giving me free HBO (w/ On Demand) for the next 6 months.

On Demand is the best thing since wobbly basslines. I can re-watch all of season 4 without having to shell out $60 for the dvd's

FSTZ · Post by **FSTZ** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:15 pm

yep

I pay $13 bux a month extra for the wire.

I paid $17 for 2 shots of patron Saturday night.

the expense is EASILY justified

habitualbeatscamp · Post by **habitualbeatscamp** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:20 am

unklefesta wrote:
pk- wrote:wish i hadn't watched those

i'm going to have to go watch all the other series now
any word when this show is starting up again?>?

Sunday.. Jan 6 2008

FSTZ · Post by **FSTZ** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:35 am

^^^yeah thanks

its premiering new years eve on HBO in-demand. sounds like its going to be a good night for me!

schamotnik · Post by **schamotnik** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:12 am

has anyone seen the special 'the last word' last week?? pretty nice preview on the new season and about journalism in general.

joenicedj · Post by **joenicedj** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:23 am

unklefesta wrote:its premiering new years eve on HBO in-demand. sounds like its going to be a good night for me!

Just watched the season opener on demand. The last 5 minutes -- too many twists and turns....Amazing start to the show.

Last season -- really hit home. My girlfriend was a middle school principal at the time and what you saw on the show happened in her school -- in one form or another. Her exact words, "They could do three seasons on the school system alone." I believe her...i've heard the stories.

This season -- i know of no one that works for the newspaper, The Baltimore Sun....but i live down the street from the place. That has to count for something....maybe.

Observations...we'll call this ART VS LIFE:

ART: The mayor on the show, Thomas Carcetti, a white male in a predominantly black city with his eye on becoming governor of Maryland.
LIFE: The mayor (about 2 years ago) -- Martin O'Malley. A white male in a predominantly black city who becomes governor of Maryland.

(The actor that plays the mayor on the show and the current governor of Maryland share a striking resemblance.)
ACTOR - GOVERNOR

I'll take it a step further. The former mayor, is of Irish descent. The actor that plays Carcetti, is Irish.

ART: In the show, you will see an African-American female. She's the city council president that serves under Carcetti....that seems to have aspirations of becoming mayor of Baltimore.
LIFE: O'Malley's city council president was an African-American female named Sheila Dixon. The current mayor of Baltimore -- Sheila Dixon.

The real mayor of Baltimore -- JOENICE. JUST KIDDING....SORT OF.

ART: One of the characters on the show is a detective named Edward Norris. He works in the office -- the bald-headed guy.
LIFE: The man that plays Det. Edward Norris is Ed Norris...the former Baltimore City police commissioner who was forced to resign and was eventually jailed for corruption.

ART: During one of the scenes on the first episode of the new season, there's a man making a phone call. He's heavily bearded, bald in the middle and works for the newspaper. They don't mention his name....but he's there.
LIFE: The bearded man in the scene, former Baltimore Sun columnist, Michael Olesker. He worked for the Baltimore Sun and was forced to resign b/c of allegations of plagiarism.

Can we start a petition for season 6? PLEASE ?

__________ · Post by **__________** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:40 am

i've started watching season one of this program, it looks alright but alot of it goes over my head when im stoned and not paying 100% attention. there's too many character names and things that seem crucial to the story, i can't keep up with all the shit they're chatting. there's some funny characters in it though

boomting · Post by **boomting** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:41 pm

literally just razzing through the first series. the best thing ive seen in ages.

datura · Post by **datura** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:42 pm

it get's better as well..best tv series ever imho.

showguns · Post by **showguns** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:28 am

£10 Bag wrote:i've started watching season one of this program, it looks alright but alot of it goes over my head when im stoned and not paying 100% attention. there's too many character names and things that seem crucial to the story, i can't keep up with all the shit they're chatting. there's some funny characters in it though

you need this: http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/

missedthebus · Post by **missedthebus** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:17 pm

I saw McNulty on the Bakerloo line yesterday morning. why isnt he patrolling the streets of Bal-ti-mooore

86. · Post by **86.** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:49 pm

some favourite scenes:

some time ago I went and found the group that did the song. Lorem Ipsum...track is Wax Music Box (obviously has been stated somewhere in all these pages of the thread). they part of a larger collective of Bmore musicians. check their page

http://www.cytoplastik.com/

other scenes :

<____lol @ method man trying to read

could go on and on

-dubson- · Post by **-dubson-** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:13 pm

Good bump!

By far and away the best tv ever. There has litterally 2 or 3 days i havent watched my boxset since i got it last month.

Pedro Sánchez · Post by **Pedro Sánchez** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:15 pm

-dubson- wrote:Good bump!

By far and away the best tv ever. There has litterally 2 or 3 days i havent watched my boxset since i got it last month.

Same here had to cop the box set, seen the entire thing twice now and on the 2nd watch I still got wounded the way the two kids turned out at the end with one becoming a gear head.

86. · Post by **86.** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:17 pm

I've told myself I'm not watching The Wire again til perhaps February....I started watching it again in Feb and watched it literally EVERY day from first to last episode until september.

I need to get unfamiliar (pun intended) and then watch it with fresh eyes.

Pedro Sánchez wrote:
-dubson- wrote:Good bump!

By far and away the best tv ever. There has litterally 2 or 3 days i havent watched my boxset since i got it last month.
Same here had to cop the box set, seen the entire thing twice now and on the 2nd watch I still got wounded the way the two kids turned out at the end with one becoming a gear head.

yea Michael becoming a stick up boy was crazy

everytime I see Stringer get killed I'm like 'daaaaaaamn'

-dubson- · Post by **-dubson-** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:18 pm

Watched the end of season 3 yesterday, the episode with slim charles talking about war. Thats a great scene.

86. · Post by **86.** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:23 pm

"don't matter who did what to who at this point. fact is we went to war, and now there aint no turnin back. i mean shit...that's what war is you know? once you in it....you in it. if it's a lie, then we fight on that lie. but we gotta fight"

one of my fav tv quotes ever. crazy shit

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