Thirith on 21/9/2009 at 19:56
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
Thirith, regarding season 5, I like it because in so many ways the main narrative is a twisted parody of everything that came before it, all the hard work (in politics, police) was shown to be futile in the face of absolute sensationlist garbage and that the only way they could effectively police was to break the law. It ultimately surrenders itself to the notion that people working hard towards a good force can ever succeed without compromising themselves or their idealism. That may sound bleak, but the season delivers it in such a way to provide bitingly funny satire that comments on the whole arc of the show. I never laughed so in The Wire than I did in many of the scenes involving McNulty and his serial killer.
I definitely found it the *funniest* season - but it also affected me least, and that's pretty much what finally determines my favourite, well, any kind of storytelling. Does it move me? Does it touch me? I appreciated S5 intellectually, but it simply didn't resonate with me the way the earlier seasons did. There were moments that did resonate, such as Proposition Joe's last scene in the series or Michael and Snoop, but coming out of the devastating S4, the last season was bound to be somewhat disappointing, seeing how it went for satire over drama much of the time.
fett on 25/9/2009 at 17:55
Just finished it, and I have the sinking feeling that this show may have actually ruined television for me forever. What do I watch now? What possibly compares?
Thirith on 25/9/2009 at 19:30
Something (almost) equally good, but in a different style. Say, Deadwood or Six Feet Under.
fett on 25/9/2009 at 20:06
Isn't Stringer Bell (the actor) in Deadwood?
Geez - I feel like I did after finishing the Firefly series, scouring the web looking for cast interviews, deleted scenes, or anything else related. I don't want it to be over. I have to agree with the OP that this is without comparison, the height of what the human race has accomplished in this medium thus far. If TV were more like this, I might actually watch it more. Can't say enough good things about it - I can't remember being so thoroughly sucked into a show that continued to deliver right up to the last episode without pandering or winking at me.
Scots Taffer on 26/9/2009 at 01:32
Quote Posted by fett
Isn't Stringer Bell (the actor) in Deadwood?
Nope.
It does contain one of the finest acting turns on TV though.
Muzman on 26/9/2009 at 05:18
Quote Posted by fett
Just finished it, and I have the sinking feeling that this show may have actually ruined television for me forever.
Tell me about it. I was hunting around for some other stuff once and caught someone raving about Maura Tierney in an episode of ER. I think she's great so I checked it out, and she was good but I had forgotten how shit regular TV was. Every line was like "HELLO, THIS IS A LINE OF DIALOGUE CONTAINING EXPOSITION" "REALLY? EXPOSITION YOU SAY. I'M NOT SURE THE AUDIENCE HEARD US OVER THERE AT THE FRIDGE. PERHAPS THEY WERE SWITCHING CHANNELS DURING THE BREAK" "YES, EXPOSITION. LET US GO OVER IT AGAIN TO BE SURE. CAREFUL HERE COMES AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT. THE SCORE TELLS ME SO" "-comic relief-"
And my reaction was basically "Fuuuuuck eeeeeyooooo". It does make life difficult.
Regarding the standing of s2 in the rankings; I sympathise to a point. It is the season I feel is sorta tangential for some reason. It looks different with all those red containers and bright days; the theme tilts towards jazz in a weird way (fun fact: s2 is the only season of the DVDs that has been presented as interlaced footage for no apparent reason). I'm a little ambivalent toward it. That is, at least, until I actually watch it again and remember that it's wall to wall gold like all the others: Kima and the frat boy; Jimmy the human car wreck; "What those girls need is a union"; "Cool Lester Smooth!"; Bunk in a track suit; Fuzzy Dunlop; Frank and Bruce discuss differing family histories; "You mother fuckers gave me bad advice!"; and of course D, no more need be said there; Vertigo zoom from the looming grain pier in the rain to Steve Earl accompaniment for the closer.
It kinda retakes its place in my vague impression once done though. It's funny how that works.
Sulphur on 26/9/2009 at 06:16
I'm just getting into season 2 of Deadwood. It's been pretty consistently the best thing I've ever seen as far as a TV series is concerned. I'm only halfway into the first season of The Wire, though, so we'll see how that goes.
fett on 26/9/2009 at 13:18
Quote Posted by Muzman
And my reaction was basically "Fuuuuuck eeeeeyooooo".
More like "Shhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiitttttttttttt...."
fett on 4/10/2009 at 04:35
Jesus shit I tried to watch the Shield did you know this black guy is the bad guy because because because look at him he's BLACK and he's ALSO FUNNY like Chris Rock but also dangerous, see? because he might have shot somebody. BAD GUYS SHOOT PEOPLE THAT'S WHY THEIR BAD also white cop has guilt for shooting another cop I KNOW THIS BECAUSE HE THINKS ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME IN HIS HEAD BUT HE HAD TO DO IT, he HAD to, don't you see the MORAL DILEMMA but UHOH the boss might be onto him becuaseJA0ONIV0E[89HN8NEE09JI!!!j09PDNBBAWAHAH
The fucking Wire has DESTROYED television for me. I'll try Deadwood but seriously, how do people watch this shit? :mad::mad::mad:
SubJeff on 4/10/2009 at 10:09
i feel your pain everything else is a shell
