Television The Wire
- Thread starter VanNistelrater
- Start date
Chinese Seaman: [Speaking foreign language]
Moreland: Hey, hey.
Chinese Seaman: ...English.
Middle Eastern Seaman: No English.
Eastern European Seaman: ...English.
Arab Seaman: English...
Moreland: Kunta kinte, yabbdabba dabba do.
African Seaman: Huh...?
Freamon: Hah mishy gishy gushy gushy mishy meshy mushy, motherfecker.
African Seaman: Eh?
Freamon: Eh! Negro, you can not travel half way around the world and not speak any motherfeckin' English.
African Seaman: [Speaking foreign language]
Freamon: English, motherfecker!
BunkCoooooooooooool Lester smooooooooooooooooooooooooth
Actually no, Slim Charles was the man.
So many great characters in one show.
Hmm, I might actually rewatch it all in HD.
So many great characters in one show.
Hmm, I might actually rewatch it all in HD.
Slim Charles was indeed cool, he had a few almost poignant one liners.
Cutty: "The game done changed"
Slim: "Game's the same, just more fierce"
Body: "shit man, yo, if this was the old days..."
Slim: "The thing about the old day, they the old days"
And of course:
"Don't matter who did what to who at this point. Fact is, we went to war and now there ain't no goin' back. I mean, shit, it'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."
Or just..
when he smoked Cheese. 
"This sentimental motherfecker just cost us money!"
Man, I loved Slim Charles, though. Tough motherfecker, but also had flex... His bearing was just fantastic.
Man, I loved Slim Charles, though. Tough motherfecker, but also had flex... His bearing was just fantastic.
So many levels for me to look forward to
Already planning a rewatch marathon. Complete series BluRay box set on order.
Question: Does anyone here from Germany know if the translation for all the street language stands up or not? Really want to watch with the missus (in original English with D subtitles) as she won't stand a chance with the English audio alone. Normally the translations of these things are so tame that they are pants - probably why most of these shows rarely do well over here.
Sorry dude, my German's no-where near good enough that I could test run an episode and give you an answer with any measure of confidence there
Did a bit of googling and all I could find was George Pelecanos insisting that watching with subs is criminal ;P and an interview with a dubber. If it's anything like the dubbing, they took a great deal of care in preserving the feel of the dialogue as best they could.
The problem with The Wire is that as soon as people start talking about the (many) highlights, my current viewing becomes rubbish and I'm forced to watch it again.
It's peerless.
It's peerless.
that's the problem innit? after I finished watching the first time, every other show just felt so inferior to it.
For real. I remember feeling so deflated when I started watching the highly recommended "the Shield" after, as it's so obviously a TV-show, and you just notice all the sleights of hand that the Wire refuses to utilise, as they want you to feel more like a fly on the wall in a fully realised world.
Thankfully that faded, and TV has upped its game since the advent of the likes of the Wire.
Poot in this scene.
I'm saving some money for a proper home cinema set so I can re-watch it with great sound.
There isn't really anyone you could hate on that show(Well except the journalist). I disliked Bubbles at first but grew to like him
My top five though would be
1) Bodie
2) Slim
3) Omar
4)Chris
5)Michael
My top five though would be
1) Bodie
2) Slim
3) Omar
4)Chris
5)Michael
Officer Walker?
And Marlo's not exactly likeable. Flat and unaffected, kills people regardless of the truth of the matter in order to maintain his rep. We never saw anything like a human side to him.
Clay Davis, aside from having a sense of humour, was an odious arsehole.
Thanks, I'll come back and give my considered verdict once I get it.Sorry dude, my German's no-where near good enough that I could test run an episode and give you an answer with any measure of confidence there
Did a bit of googling and all I could find was George Pelecanos insisting that watching with subs is criminal ;P and an interview with a dubber. If it's anything like the dubbing, they took a great deal of care in preserving the feel of the dialogue as best they could.
Been caught out before, especially with gangster movies, where the translation company (and/or film studio) here in Germany decides to dumb down the swearing and the authentic language. Street phrases like mfkr, gtf outta here, and especially the "n" word, tend to get replaced with softer PC versions like "Gott verdammt" - literally "God-damn" for all you Suits watchers. They even recreate stuff to fill in the lip-sync if it's some brother shouting a long line of expletives which really doesn't really help at all sometimes.
Thankfully these things always have the original audio intact (or mostly anyway). So, we normally watch in English with German subs and she can hear, and at least get a feel for, the original actors delivery and tone. That goes out of the window when you switch to D audio and hear the often dead-pan delivery of the German voice-over actor* reading the badly translated text (anyone who's ever heard Bart, Homer or Marge in German will back me up).
*Some German VO actors actually earn more than their professional colleagues that actually appear on screen acting and talking. If a vo actor lands a gig dubbing a young actor who goes on to become Tom Cruise or something they tend to stick with the same voice for all his films. It's very well paying as these films get seen a lot more than German made films, they are repeated on TV and sell more DVDs etc!
To give you an example: just after I moved to Germany my gf asked me if I wanted to go and see a guy in concert, when I asked who he was (literally never heard of the fecker) she informed me he was the German voice of Robert Redford
When the kids threw paint on him and McNulty was listening to him tell the other officers how it was a bunch of big gangstas
Walker was an asshole no doubt, but we didn't really see much of him and he played little part for me to consider him
I really didn't dislike Marlo but I agree with you on Clay
Clay Davis had the best scene in all of season 5:
Omar
Bubbles
Lester
Proposition joe
Bunk
Rawls
Bubbles
Lester
Proposition joe
Bunk
Rawls
What was the name of the dude who got released from prison and opened a boxing gym? I loved the way that dude would talk.
Cutty.
I've been tryna find the scene on YouTube where Bunny tells the nurse that Cutty is a reformed gangster tryna help the kids out, but I can't seem to find it... That's a good excuse to rewatch the whole thing again, right?
I mean, I enjoyed Marlo's presence, I meant more in terms of his character. We never hear anything from him except low-key murmurings on business, some chest-beating when defending his name, and ice cold with regards to what he does. I can't really like him as a person :\
Cutty.
I've been tryna find the scene on YouTube where Bunny tells the nurse that Cutty is a reformed gangster tryna help the kids out, but I can't seem to find it... That's a good excuse to rewatch the whole thing again, right?
Cheers! Yeah perfect excuse. I loved his voice, just the drawl and the 70's language and expressions he'd use.
Been wanting to show this series to my wife but I lent my season 1 DVD to someone, can't remember who exactly and so never got round to rewatching it/ starting it with her. Found the end of season 1 very gripping and it reached an absurd peak in seasons 3 and 4. Got to get round to rewatching this.
Started it up again, about to be two episodes deep. Knowing that it just keeps getting better and better for most of its duration... <3
Well into Series 3 now … "I hear the, er, WMD is da bomb!"
Never liked Cutty, myself. Can't trust the bastard and found him annoying.
Slim Charles is where it's at. Most honorable man on the street.
Slim Charles is where it's at. Most honorable man on the street.
Well into Series 3 now … "I hear the, er, WMD is da bomb!"
Hamsterdam's interesting, and rooted in real Baltimore history, actually. S3 end game is fantastic.
Whaaat? Cuddy's great. His heart wasn't in the game anymore, and he found his place mentoring kids. Never heard of anybody disliking him before
Asst. State's Attorney Ilene Nathan: How does a man rob drug dealers for 8 or 9 years and live to tell about it?
Omar: A day at a time, I suppose.
Omar: A day at a time, I suppose.
FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland tonight guys only just finished season 3 and that somehow means more to me than playing Barca !
Is it anywhere near Hamsterdam or the docks?
EDIT: Damn – it's no-where near Baltimore - it might as well be in Washington!
only just finished season 3 and that somehow means more to me than playing Barca !Is it anywhere near Hamsterdam or the docks?
EDIT: Damn – it's no-where near Baltimore - it might as well be in Washington!
FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland tonight guys
Is it anywhere near Hamsterdam or the docks?
EDIT: Damn – it's no-where near Baltimore - it might as well be in Washington!
What you think of season 3?
I'm a bit confused and possibly more than a little swayed from the things I've read and the recommendations ttytt, however – and don't forget, you asked:
I found it lacked the direction of series one or two in pure "wire" terms of hunting a target (I think I forgot who the original target was quite quickly). It seemed to be more about setting the scene for what is to come in the following episodes while tying up a load of loose ends. Of course, the background story did a very good job of shining a light on the problems (and possible causes) of the "rot" that had become accepted as every-day Baltimore political and social life.
Really thought that Carcetti bought into what Bunny was explaining (unless I read that wrong) and was hoping he'd make a stand but at the end of the day, faced with the chance of making a difference, I think perhaps he just wanted that election ticket too much and proved he'd stop at nothing to get it. Maybe with all good intentions initially but ultimately … power corrupts.
It's a bit of a mixed metaphor telling us that personal change (à la the kids in Cuddy's boxing gym) is possible and should be applauded but ultimately those that weald the power to really make changes will never make the bold decisions needed because they are always looking towards the next re-election or pay-day. Although re-written as "this shit ain't never gonna change, so you gonna have to make your own changes" I guess it does make some sense as a message!
Liked Jimmy's season arc, he got quite lost along the way there, lower than normal for a Baltimore cop that is, but seemed to have his head much more screwed on by the end. If we don't see him again it'll be a pity. Liked the beer-can roof scene – reminded me of something but for the life of me it eludes me right now.
Interesting to see Rawls in the gay bar (but completely unbelievable that he would be in a bar frequented by even one or two known thugs and criminals (seeing as he loves his photo op he wouldn't be an unknown face in the community). Wouldn't he be more upscale, or more on the down-low? Doubt that will be revisited or addressed any further - but then, why shoot it if it ain't important?
Already know that 4 focuses on the school system so I guess that young banger, with the corn-rows and the strange voice, that started popping up towards the end of 3 will feature heavily in 4. btw: does the lady who stood up and spoke about the Irish cop, in the town social meeting that Colvin took Carcetti along to, turn out to be the bangers mum? I only ask because they did such a good job with D'Angello's mum (gap in the teeth and facial similarities) something just clicked when I rewatched that second from last episode, think it was her voice.
Was surprised and a bit sad to see Stringer go, much stronger and more believable character than Avon IMHO but there again I didn't grow up on the streets of Baltimore and perhaps that's the point. If they are not in the game to walk away with the riches then … doh! Wasn't sure what Avon turned and mouthed to Marlo at the hearing during the montage in the finale (looked like just Marlo's name).
Anyway. That's about it!
I'm really looking forward to reading through this thread once I've finished watching the last two series. Sorry if anything written here is been said 100 times already (I'm sure it has and more).
Series 4 here I come … back to skool!
Nice summary, nothing to disagree with there, it definitely takes a while in season 3 before they finally settle on Stringer and Avon as the target once the war with Marlo gets underway.
I'm someone who thinks season 3 is probably the best single season of television made yet, but I think more on here give the nod to season 4. 4 is definitely the most heart-breaking.
The conflict between Avon and String builds up to the greatest season ending IMO. Add Omar's and Brother Mouzone's narrative into that and it becomes really hard to beat.
The 'street' comes first vs 'business' comes first is done perfectly and you can relate to both Avon and String. At the end both fall short in their respective pursuit of their priorities while turning on each other and ending up getting what they deserve. Perfect ending.
The 'street' comes first vs 'business' comes first is done perfectly and you can relate to both Avon and String. At the end both fall short in their respective pursuit of their priorities while turning on each other and ending up getting what they deserve. Perfect ending.
Mouzone was the worst part of The Wire. Such an out of place, cartoon character.
I find it quite funny if intentional: Season 4, in the opening credits, there's Casting by Alexa L. Fogel and in the background pigeons take off. Fogel means "bird" in Swedish. Awesomery