The Wire Season 5 Discussion (BEWARE - FINALE SPOILERS!)

jah wobble · Post by **jah wobble** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:24 pm

someone numbered those wrong, more with less is ep. 1 this season.

schamotnik · Post by **schamotnik** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:59 pm

all the sadness apart.. how funny was:
'I hope shardene is still awake, cause I believe Lester Freamon is in the mood for looove'

..oh yeah by the way, shardene (!), remember her from season 1?

RubiconMan · Post by **RubiconMan** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:30 am

Schamotnik wrote:all the sadness apart.. how funny was:
'I hope shardene is still awake, cause I believe Lester Freamon is in the mood for looove'

..oh yeah by the way, shardene (!), remember her from season 1?

aah yeah i know the one...glasses... worked at orlando's....good fer him

joenicedj · Post by **joenicedj** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:37 am

RickyRicardo wrote:(fun fact: The building Gus went to that was supposed to be Walter Reed in Washington DC, is actually Morgan State University. Coincidentally, I was driving home from work the day that this scene was filmed and remember scratching my head when I saw the sign. The Wire does this pretty often. From the previous seasons, alot of the locations that are supposed to be Philly or New York, are actually just different places in Baltimore )

Good call on this sir. Infact, it looks like the new dorms on Loch Raven Blvd or the other ones on Argonne Drive. I love Morgan State -- for a lot of reasons. Their radio station - WEAA FM, 88.9 is brilliant....especially on Saturday: Caribbean Affair, Africa & World Beat and The Audio Infusion.

The real Walter Reed hospital looks nothing like the hospital on The Wire.

The school where Namond delivers his speech, Lake Clifton HS.

I have an idea where most of the scenes take place -- you either drive by them while they're filming or you just know where things are from living in Baltimore. e.g. Baltimore Sun HQ, City Hall, BCPD headquarters...etc. The docks...the Inner Harbor......the places are obvious.

One question -- where Marlo holds his meetings....WHERE IS IT ? I have a feeling it's on the west side and -- i really don't know it as well as i know the east side.

corpsey · Post by **corpsey** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:22 am

Definitely the best episode of the season in my view, as others have said its quality was in its emotional power. I thought Bubbles speech was one of the finest moments in the entire show's history, and reminded me of how often I forget how important his character is and how fantastic the actor portraying him is.

The Mike and Snoop scene was fantastic. Her ''how my hair look'' line reminded me of Ol Face Andre asking Chris if he could be left in his crib rather than a vacant- the attitude to violent death being that its inevitable. It was also a moment of (bizarre, given the circumstances- but that says it all) tenderness between them. Mike never has been one of them but when Dukey asked if he remembered throwing the piss bombs at the other kids and Mike said he couldn't, to me it showed that he had definitely left his childhood self and his optimism far behind.

Can't believe Kima blew the whistle- she's always been loyal to Daniels but you would have expected her to side with McNulty and Lester on this one. I think the writers' sympathy has been with McNulty throughout the season- obviously the fake serial killer thing is fucked up but its been shown to be a necessary lie in order to get some actual police work done. Those who conform to the power structures within the Wire are usually selling themselves short.

Business as usual from Carcetti with the need for a return to stats, the dope on the table saved the police department in the short term but presumably not for long. And as other people have said, if the whistle is blown on McNulty's bullshit then Marlow might still have a chance of being sprung.

Again, the limitations of time frustrate me- the Wire tap bust has happened so quickly. More importantly, there is so much still left to resolve and with only one hour left I wonder if all those threads can be done justice? It will be interesting to see anyway.

I'm gutted there's only one episode left. To repeat- that was the best episode of the season by FAR.

corpsey · Post by **corpsey** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:23 am

Oh, and the newspaper storyline has been interesting but again hasn't had enough time to develop and so isn't as interesting/powerful as it could have been.

relaks · Post by **relaks** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:21 pm

Corpsey wrote:Oh, and the newspaper storyline has been interesting but again hasn't had enough time to develop and so isn't as interesting/powerful as it could have been.

qft

I could almost do without it, whenever it switches to the newspaper I count the seconds til we get back to our beloved cast of character

joenicedj · Post by **joenicedj** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:50 pm

Corpsey wrote:Definitely the best episode of the season in my view, as others have said its quality was in its emotional power. I thought Bubbles speech was one of the finest moments in the entire show's history, and reminded me of how often I forget how important his character is and how fantastic the actor portraying him is.

I'll go as far to say that this past episode was the best in the history of the show. Normally -- you get one of those scenes that grips your mind and heart. How many of them were there in this past episode.

We've been so wrapped up w/Michael and Dukie's "breakup", Marlo in jail, Michael and Snoop...etc., that Bubbles was completely overlooked. I teared up during his speech.

"It's ok to have grief, as long as there's room for something else."

For so long -- Bubbles' life was drugs and the street; there wasnt room for anything else. He cared about Sherrod and ultimately Sherrod's death and blood was on Bubbles' hands. So emotional. So real.

When you see Bubbles now, he looks better. His skin has cleared up. His hair is neater. His clothes fit his frame. He no longer looks tired -- emotionally, mentally or physically.

Contrast Bubbles' improvement with DuQuan. Dukie's clothes are hanging off his body. His hair hasnt been cut in weeks. He's been eating western fries and lake trout (that's a Baltimore thing everyone -- trust me) every day. The bags under his eyes and the weariness in his voice tell the story. He's beat down. He's had it. He's traveling down the road that Bubbles just left.

Is it me -- or is this more than just a tv show? Will there ever be another show like this? Maybe it's me because i live where show is filmed. Life imitating art -- art imitating life. There are too many issues that are discussed on the show that hit home. Sure -- a lot of urban sociopolitic and socioeconomic issues on The Wire are prevalent in any major city, nationally and/or internationally...but if the city was New York, Los Angeles or London -- would the show have the same impact? What bout Detroit? DC? Houston? New Orleans? Would we care as much as we do?

For me -- I care because what you see on the show is what happens or what has happened (for the most part) in Baltimore. Granted, it's not all doom and gloom in Baltimore, but at the same time, no one is confusing DuQuan or Michael for The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

For everyone else -- you care because your city isn't the topic of the show -- and you're happy that [insert your home city here] is in a better place. You care because you wonder how a city could be so decayed and dysfunctional. The car accident / trainwreck will always grab your attention. You care because you wonder what will happen next.

I'm gonna miss The Wire when it's gone. Maybe 5 seasons was enough.....

rickyricardo · Post by **rickyricardo** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:13 pm

joenice wrote: Is it me -- or is this more than just a tv show? Will there ever be another show like this? Maybe it's me because i live where show is filmed. Life imitating art -- art imitating life. There are too many issues that are discussed on the show that hit home. Sure -- a lot of urban sociopolitic and socioeconomic issues on The Wire are prevalent in any major city, nationally and/or internationally...but if the city was New York, Los Angeles or London -- would the show have the same impact? What bout Detroit? DC? Houston? New Orleans? Would we care as much as we do?

You know, about the time I finished up Season 3 on DVD, I asked myself the same question. Why is it that I like the show so much? Is it b/c I live and work where it's being filmed, or is it first and foremost a great story, and the fact that I live here is secondary?

When I first began watching the show, most of the excitement was from that second part. I would scan almost every scene for some sort of familiar landmark (Orlando's? Hah, that's the Ritz Cabaret. Hull Street Blues? I just ate lunch there the other day). But honestly, at some point I just stopped doing that, b/c the storyline had become so compelling that it created a parallel Baltimore. It looked and felt like the city I knew, but at the same time it wasn't. Despite the realism to which it is portrayed, it's still a Baltimore of fiction, and an archetype for every city.

I can't think of any other show that has dealt so honestly w/ issues that are flatly ignored by most of the media. Homelessness...the failure of the drug war....institutional malaise...failing school systems...the decline of the working class...etc...etc. David Simon's intimacy w/ Baltimore allowed him to create a damningly realistic setting upon which to stage this human drama, and delve deeper into these issues. It wouldn't have worked w/ any other city, b/c I don't think he knows any other city as well. But in the end, it's the drama that draws people to the show. It's the depth of the storytelling, the cast of characters, and the compelling narrative that gets people from the UK and elsewhere, to identify so strongly w/ a story that takes place in a city they've never set foot in.

Great story definitely transcends setting...and the wire is just a great story

diablo · Post by **diablo** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:34 pm

I want one of thoses refrigerators.!!!

A few million dollars worth of RAW would hit the spot

your mum · Post by **your mum** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:17 am

Baltimore gets The Wire and Bristol gets Skins. Gay

corpsey · Post by **corpsey** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:31 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT_CDbKEVTw

Preview of Episode 10 in case you haven't seen it

I can't wait

tmu · Post by **tmu** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:23 am

episode 9 was definetly one of the best of the show.

especially the scenes that has been mentioned allready (snoop & michael, marlos crew in jail, etc)

how pissed was marlo when he heard that omar has been calling his name out! he almost lost his cool there.
(the trailer of ep 10 shows that marlo is out of jail and taking matters into his hands?) the jail scene was a hint that he is ready to step out from the comfort of his kingpin status and take it to the streets if he has to, and i really hope that he is forced to in the last episode, it would be nice to see a hint of the character who he was when he was coming up in the streets.

marlo etc are probably gonna walk because of some technical issue how mcnulty and lester got the wire...

i fear what will happen to mcnulty now that kima has told mcdaniels about him.

RubiconMan · Post by **RubiconMan** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:51 am

ah man....no on demand for the finale......another long week.
hold tight everyone rattling

schamotnik · Post by **schamotnik** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:04 am

Are-K142 wrote:ah man....no on demand for the finale......another long week.
hold tight everyone rattling

oh nooooo! I was looking for to it..

corpsey · Post by **corpsey** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:06 am

One or two episodes a night until next monday then

joenicedj · Post by **joenicedj** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:57 am

here's a thought:

Who are your top 5 characters on the show? (IN ORDER)

omar
stringer
mcnulty
gus (the paper guy)
bubbles

Maybe this will change next tuesday -- but for right now, this is it. DuQuan is honorable mention. VERY HONORABLE MENTION.

datura · Post by **datura** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 8:59 am

Top 5 charachters:

Stringer
Clay Davis
Bunk
Bubbles
McNulty

honourable mentions to Levy, Landesman, Freamon, Omar, Boadie..too many. The only charachter i hated was Ziggy, but i think that was the point.

schamotnik · Post by **schamotnik** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:45 am

Stringer
Omar
Reginald

Bunk
Freamon

obviously McNulty.. Snoop, Michael, Boadie.. and many more

corpsey · Post by **corpsey** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:37 pm

Omar
Boadie
Slim Charles
McNulty/Bunk (2 in 1 deal)
Bubbles

The Wire Season 5 Discussion (BEWARE - FINALE SPOILERS!)

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