I have it as a bi-annual rewatch cycle
How many times have you watched it so far? I'm definitely watching it once more, more than that depends on how enjoyable I find it watching the 2nd time round.
Television The Wire
- Thread starter VanNistelrater
- Start date
How many times have you watched it so far? I'm definitely watching it once more, more than that depends on how enjoyable I find it watching the 2nd time round.
Dunno mate, probably 4 all the way through.
How many times have you watched it so far? I'm definitely watching it once more, more than that depends on how enjoyable I find it watching the 2nd time round.
Incredible.
I recently watched it for the 2nd time and I still enjoyed it, in fact maybe as much as the first time. The level of depth in The Wire is just so crazy good that you understand some stuff better in a rewatch. Besides that, the dialogues are fantastically well written so they'll never be boring to listen to.
I've re-watched it three times so far. I definitely felt it got even better on second viewing; particularly season two which took a while to get going on the first watch.
Yeah, my first reaction when season 2 started was like Wtf, bring us back to the streets. Got better as the episodes got by.
Most people tend to agree that The Wire, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Deadwood and The West Wing are the best shows of TV's golden age but most people I've spoken to just don't 'get' one of them. For me, it's The Sopranos. I mean, I like it, and James Gandolfini is great, but it just left me cold at times and the middle series were a bit of a slog.
I could watch The Wire any time though. The ambition, the characters, writing, themes, the acting...it's just fantastic.
Just realized Bodie played a cameo in the Sopranos. fecking hell. 
Season 2 is my favourite, I think it's got some of the best performances of the entire series in it.
That's everyone's reaction on the first viewing it seems. And then the second time they watch it season 2 becomes their favourite after realising how brilliant it is.
Time to watch this in 16:9 format on blu-ray... this'll be my 5th viewing ^_^
Finally finished season one and it was epic. Season two has started really slow.. does it surpass season one once it gets going?
Absolutley not, season 2 sucks IMO, you are introduced to alot of irrelevent characters who do not appear in any other series after this. but stick it out because season 3 and 4 our the two best.
Season two is considered the 'worst' of the five as it's largely irrelevant. But stick with it.
Season 2 is a slow burner but better than Season 5 for me. I was disappointed when I first watched it because like everyone else I wanted the show to stay in the streets; had I known that the following seasons would return to the Barksdale/Stanfield scene then I wouldn't have been disappointed, but at the time I thought it was going to become a completely different show. I didn't realize that the show wasn't departing from the streets, more like expanding the scope of its subejct matter. It's only later when everything connects that you realize how necessary that second season is.
Let's see. I'm rewatching Sopranos now. Wire after a few months. I did like the season fwiw, compelling story and characters, it is just the move away from the streets that puts people off.
Sobatka's kid makes you want to punch him through the screen btw
Thanks for that. . I've been feeling so frustrated but I will just keep grinding through. Any scene with Stringer and Avon etc I'm still all wide eyed and in awe but I just can't connect to the dock stuff and don't really care for these murders yet.
I don't think that's widely acknowledged at all. There is a significant portion of people that think season 2 is the best and without it the scope and ambition of the series would have looked so much smaller. I'm amazed anyone could call it irrelevant. The Wire wasn't a series about cops and drugs, it was a series about Baltimore...you couldn't tell the story without the docks.
Yeah I think season five is widely considered the worst of the lot.
Yeah I've began to watch The West Wing, and it is brilliant so far, Deadwood i'll add to my list afterwards.
The middle series of The Sopranos just dragged on I couldn't even tell you what happened largely, it's all just a blur but some of the characters in the Sopranos were absolutely brilliant, but equally some were just terrible so I couldn't really love it in the same way like The Wire - someone said a few posts ago that every character was developed brilliantly, even if you didn't like them they were written in with lots of consideration.
Just realized Bodie played a cameo in the Sopranos. fecking hell.
Watching Sopranos for the first time and just finished that episode. Omar has a cameo too.
Well when I say irrelevant I mean in relation to the main story that people are interested in. You're right though but people prefer the 'streets' themed seasons.
I see. Will look out for him.
Season 2 is actually "widely" considered the second best, if not the best, after season 4. Which itself is only considered superior due it's slightly better accessibility. 5 is most certainly the worst, and yes, WIDELY considered so.
But yeah, season 2 is flawless TV, and dare I say, too intelligent for it's own good?
But yeah, season 2 is flawless TV, and dare I say, too intelligent for it's own good?
Thats exactly how I felt too, All that dock stuff finishes with the series and it goes back to the main characters and Baltimore
Same here, watched a couple of episodes of the West Wing recently, it's good. Bit dated (the incidental music throws me a bit - very 90210) but I'm on my way to being hooked.
Deadwood is class. The dialogue is something else!
The Wire is the benchmark for me though. How many shows would be courageous enough to lose a chunk of their established cast and begin again with a group of kids? And not only match what had gone before but to arguably improve? TV rarely takes chances like that.
Sky Atlantic have 2 episodes on every Friday, get it on record series, boys. Currently back on Season 2.
In a second viewing I enjoyed season 2 so much more than the first time.
No. It's very good and important in analyzing The Wire in the grander scheme of things, but let's not go over the top.
Season 2 has reached the point where people start overpraising it to offset everyone's original reaction to seeing it. Like how we overrate Ji Sung Park when going on about how he's really unappreciated.
Not sure how season 2 is any more intelligent than the other 4 seasons.
Season 2 and 5 are average. Season 2 is always eulogized as a masterpiece and what not, but it really isn't.
I do agree with the motion that watching season 2 a second time makes for better viewing, but that's because you're already gearing up for what seems like a different show altogether. Not because it's fecking brilliant.
The only significance season 2 had - was revealing the origin of the drugs, other than that is was pretty meh.
The Sobotkas were fecking boring and the whole union storyline was almost as bad as the printing press in season 5.
The Sobotkas were fecking boring and the whole union storyline was almost as bad as the printing press in season 5.
I do agree with the motion that watching season 2 a second time makes for better viewing, but that's because you're already gearing up for what seems like a different show altogether. Not because it's fecking brilliant.
I did not think it was any better than season 4, which I thought was the best but the way they track down the missing containers and link it together with the murders was pretty damn good and as intensive as a sting investigation. They link the chain of culpability from the lowest man in the union to the leader to the criminals.
I have a soft spot for winter-periods in movies and TV shows so maybe that contributed to why I do like season 2.
I need to find time to watch it again greatest series i've watched.
Can't agree with your assessment.
I think the storyline around the Sobotkas is brilliant. Frank is a middle-aged guy who is so deeply rooted in the union movement and docks business that he cannot deal with the change in time. He desperately tries to influence politics to stop that change, quite reluctantly gets involved with criminals to support his cause and slowly but surely looses control with his son and nephew getting into crime, too, and the crimes getting out of hand, ultimately leading to his son facing murder charges and he himself loosing his life. He is portrayed as a decent, caring, hard-working man who does not want more than things staying the way the have been for decades but who is overwhelmed by change and ultimately killed by his desperate attempts to spite the way the world is developing. That is proper drama and brillant TV.
Season 2 expands the scope of the drug business to the suppliers of drugs, underlines the corruption in politics that were only hinted at in season 1, explains one of the reasons for white-people poverty and ties in with the homeless story in season 5. Season 2 is essential for The Wire.
Season 2 expands the scope of the drug business to the suppliers of drugs, underlines the corruption in politics that were only hinted at in season 1, explains one of the reasons for white-people poverty and ties in with the homeless story in season 5. Season 2 is essential for The Wire.
I agree, well said.
Calling season two "irrelevant" because it doesn't focus too much on the gangs and cops as season 1 is completely missing the point.
I plan to start my seventh viewing before the end of the year, don't want to end my yearly streak.
Also season 2 is by far the best season. Absolutely stunning television.
Also season 2 is by far the best season. Absolutely stunning television.
Apt review.
It's not terrible, it's not just a masterpiece - like some claim, not to me anyway.
Season 2 was fantastic.
Like someone else said, on first viewing you're wondering wtf is going on as it's so different, but once you realise the scope of the show is so much wider than season 1 it makes sense.
Like someone else said, on first viewing you're wondering wtf is going on as it's so different, but once you realise the scope of the show is so much wider than season 1 it makes sense.