The Wire - it's all over for me... (no spoilers within)

[portlock seagull]

Finished series 5. Mrs Portlock and I are devestated. What do you do when you know there's no more of the finest tv series ever made. It was pure class from start to finish. The final episode, when they're all in the Irish bar and all the faces from the past and present are there was a lump in throat moment.

Absolutely brilliant, a programme like that comes along once or twice in a lifetime. Sadly, it's all over for me now..... thank you HBO.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Time to fling open those curtains, clear away the empty pizza box/2 litre Tizer bottle mountain, take a lungful of fresh air and shout "World I'm back from the dead!"

 

[Questions]

Just started series 4 and I really think it is the best thing I have ever seen on the box. Still coming to terms with losing ........ .... though at the end of series 3.
I was devastated when that happened.

 

[Icy Gull]

I am up to episode 3 of series 5 and am already starting to feel the same as Portlock. What can I watch to alleviate having to find something worth watching on terrestial TV, I have f***ing loved every single episode of the Wire. Great story lines, characters and acting

 

[Questions]

Is this the first time it has been shown on British TV ?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Is this the first time it has been shown on British TV ?

It was shown hidden away on FX on Sky from the start (I think). Only really got popular when Charlie Brooker said how good it was.

 

[BlueWhite]

My come down from watching all series of The Wire was: 1) watch them all again. 2) find and watch all you can of Homicide, a Tv series made from David Simon's book in the 1990's. 3) Watch his series The Corner, made before The Wire - incredibly, it's tougher and more bleak; weirdly, it has actors who played cops from TW as drug addicts etc! 4) Watch the mini-series Generation Kill - totally brilliant 7 hours about an advanced US marines unit's first week invading Iraq. 5) Wait for his new series Treome, due to broadcast later this year I think about musicians in New Orleans. 6) Er... repeat the above After you've watched David Simon's work, it's very hard to take any other telly seriously.

 

[Teddy Maybank]

I finished series 5 a couple of months ago and went straight into Generation Kill. It will help you.
And Ziggy from Series 2 is in it.
BIG QUESTION
Who is favourite chracter from The Wire?
For me it would Springer, Omar and Snoop.

 

[Slough Seagull]

Read David Simon's book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets - superb!

 

[portlock seagull]

Some good suggestions on here, thank you all.

The Wire, for me, was almost the only television programme I've ever watched where the hype was if anything, underplayed. I cannot believe just how good it really was; writing, the characters, acting, music. It had it all. People rave about all sorts of tv programmes; personally I love 24 and Prison Break. But TW, well, they and no other tv drama I've ever seen comes close. Not even Band of Brothers, another fine HBO series. I honestly cannot speak highly enough of TW. People who've yet to see it - you lucky bastards. You've got the most amazing programme to look forward to it.

Favourite character? Bubbles with "Omar! Omar's coming!!" a close second.
Star of the show? You don't realise you've been watching it all the time until the end, but it's Baltimore itself.

 

[Questions]

Some good suggestions on here, thank you all.

The Wire, for me, was almost the only television programme I've ever watched where the hype was if anything, underplayed. I cannot believe just how good it really was; writing, the characters, acting, music. It had it all. People rave about all sorts of tv programmes; personally I love 24 and Prison Break. But TW, well, they and no other tv drama I've ever seen comes close. Not even Band of Brothers, another fine HBO series. I honestly cannot speak highly enough of TW. People who've yet to see it - you lucky bastards. You've got the most amazing programme to look forward to it.

Favourite character? Bubbles with "Omar! Omar's coming!!" a close second.
Star of the show? You don't realise you've been watching it all the time until the end, but it's Baltimore itself.

The theme song was written by Tom Waites and is on his 'Franks Wild Years' album. Its his voice in series 2 which is the best version of the 5.
Stringer for me on best charecter, and to think both him and Dominic West (McNulty) are both English. If you are having withdrawal symptoms go to the HBO site on The Wire where there is some interesting stuff about the series.

 

[portlock seagull]

The theme song was written by Tom Waites and is on his 'Franks Wild Years' album. Its his voice in series 2 which is the best version of the 5.
Stringer for me on best charecter, and to think both him and Dominic West (McNulty) are both English. If you are having withdrawal symptoms go to the HBO site on The Wire where there is some interesting stuff about the series.

Yes, one of the surprises was to find out they're both English! I'll check out the website. Good call. Thanks.

 

[Gwylan]

Stringer for me on best charecter, and to think both him and Dominic West (McNulty) are both English.

And Aiden Gillen (Tommy Carcetti) is Irish. Clarke Peters (Freamon) is American but has spent most of his working life in the UK and still lives here I believe. I have seen all three of them on stage (Gillen and West in Shakespeare) which is something I find a bit freaky.

Dominic West was very good in that drama about penicillin shown last week.


I too am having suffering the effects of lack of The Wire - the only programme I've seen that lived up to the hype.

 

[fatbadger]

I have great sympathy for your plight. Mrs fb & I were bereft at the end of it.

So we're watching it all again.

 

[fatbadger]

*deleted*

 

[Brightonfan1983]

My come down from watching all series of The Wire was: 1) watch them all again. 2) find and watch all you can of Homicide, a Tv series made from David Simon's book in the 1990's. 3) Watch his series The Corner, made before The Wire - incredibly, it's tougher and more bleak; weirdly, it has actors who played cops from TW as drug addicts etc! 4) Watch the mini-series Generation Kill - totally brilliant 7 hours about an advanced US marines unit's first week invading Iraq. 5) Wait for his new series Treome, due to broadcast later this year I think about musicians in New Orleans. 6) Er... repeat the above After you've watched David Simon's work, it's very hard to take any other telly seriously.

Also, start reading George Pelecanos books. He wrote some of the screenplays and they're written in that street-speak style of The Wire. Superb stuff.

 

[dannyboy]

youre gonna be jealous of me then , been reccommended it by so many people i thought i have to give in. so have just got series 1 to start . so if its really all that good i got 5 whole series to work through

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Check out: The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood by David Simon and Ed Burns.

Mammonth book and a decent read.

 

[mr sheen]

Just starting on Series 4. Think Series 2 was the best so far

 

[folkestonesgull]

saving series 5 on the HD recorder for when the clocks go back and there is nothing to do in the evenings. I'm almost a bit sad to start watching it, counting down the hours until it is all over.

Best program ever, though i thought series 2 was the weakest.