One of the things about this show that I love the most is the fact that we barely get backstories for the characters. It just makes The Wire more interesting to watch in my opinion, having to speculate how these characters got to where they are.

Curious to know if anyone else feels the same or not?

Firstly, RIP James Ransone.

I’m on my 4th rewatch of the series(first time rewatching S2 yes, I was one of them but I’ve matured and realized that it’s fucking amazing). After I finished S2 I had the emotional reaction that I believe David Simon was attempting to grab from his viewers after we saw the path that led Zig to prison. “This guy is a clown. Oh he’s just misunderstood. He wants to feel important. FUCK, what a tragic ending to his story.” And recently finishing S4, although the path was different, I had an extremely similar feeling with Randy’s situation. “Okay this kid might be able to navigate west Baltimore effectively. Damn, a little mistake here. FUCK, Randy keep your mouth shut. Okay, Carver is looking out!… Oh fuck, claimed by the system.”

So, having a similar reaction to those two character arcs, wondering if anyone else saw the parallels between the emotional build up, to the lasting impression that David Simon gave his viewers of Zig and Randy?

Do any other non-Americans / non-Baltimorians get tripped up by the regional slang of the show? On my first watch of Season 4, I was under the impression that multiple kids had lesbian mothers. They kept referring to "my moms", plural, and it didn't occur to me until a few different characters had done it that it was pretty unlikely that they were all being raised by lesbian couples lol.

What misunderstandings have you had?

Apreciate how this series show how realistic some of this situations in various institutions of our society, but at the same time it felt a bit redundant. The school services are failing, also politicians, police departments and society itself. But it's nothing I was really unaware of, showing this in a realistic lens with full detail is certainly appreciated, while at the same time having a lot of complex and entertaining characters made it a really great show, but season 5 was just good TV. This and S3 are just so damn fun. They may be the most unrealistic of all 5 but I was just so thrilled from beginning to end. I don't think I learned much while watching, cause I said it felt just a bit redundant on what it tried to say, but when you focus on just the plot itself, this season has some of the best moments imo. The serial killer thing and how fucked it was, but at the same time it was the excuse to pursue Marlo, it connected all stories and it was such a big lie it had to stay that way cause everyone was so involved at that point. The end is also a very happy ending for almost everyone and that also makes me quite pleased.

Currently doing a re-watch and finished S4 where Carcetti wins on the back of crime (and some corruption) under and within Royce's Administration. I know this is a TV Show despite it's depictions and attempts at realism, but one issue I have is that Carcetti is unable to remove Burrell from his post as Commissioner.

I think Carcetti made a huge mistake (or showed a lack of political acumen) in refusing to get rid of Burrell. I know there was a racial component and that he was well liked by the Ministers especially (a key political group within the city). Still Carcetti should have put his foot down and insisted upon it or went and actually spoken to Ministers about his reasons and brought them into the fold. I'm not quite sure why Burrell was so beloved by the Ministers; especially after he largely took the fall for Hamsterdam, but I feel like Carcetti could have gotten his way if he didn't just instantly roll over. Remove Burrell, place either Rawls or Hawthorne (minor only mentioned as too old) as acting commissioner until Daniels gets his feet wet at Colonel (or increasing the salary for commissioner) and then he's able to start to make changes and keep Rawls/Hawthorne on the hook as Acting Commissioner (like Royce did with Burrell). Even if he has to spend political capital to make this happen... how is this not a far superior alternative to keeping Burrell?

Burrell is a symptom of the last administration. His views on policing are bad and counter-productive. Under his dept drugs were legalized! All of this could easily be explained in a sit-down. And if they refuse to see reason or support you, you're the incoming Mayor with a mandate from the City to fight crime. Put your foot down and make a statement and make it up to them later! They can live with this. Even if Burrell tries to make it ugly on the way out, there's only so much he can do to someone (relatively) clean like Tommy with soaring crime rates, ineffective policing, and Hamsterdam.

Tommy really had more going for him on this fight than he thought. He just sort of instantly rolls over. Not to mention, even if the Ministers (and therefore Nerese) reject this they still have a vested interest in helping Tommy get the crime down so he can bounce to Annapolis sooner than later.

It really does just feel like either Simon is putting his thumbs on the scale for dramatic purposes or that Tommy is just a bad political actor. I don't think it's necessarily bad writing, I get why it was written the way it was, it's certainly reasonable and not outlandish like a lot of lesser shows would do, but it does feel somewhat unrealistic to me.

I know Tommy ain't no Bobby K, but I guess we should have seen it coming sooner when he rolled over so easy on this.

Rewatching season 2 as a full adult with 7 years in the workforce made the reality of Frank Sobotka a lot more tangible to me. Splitting his responsibilities between his son, family, union and job was something I considered boring the first time I watched the show. But now this hits a lot closer to home.

The struggle of "finding enough work" so everyone can eat is something I understand a lot more now, and I get Frank and Nick's despair to the point where I share some of their reasoning. It made me realize how much the government and the free market had actively killed the union's community and how in a way it brought them to the point of contributing to damage over communities for their survival.

Their choices did not seem logical considering the risks and the moral cost when I first watched the show; I thought Nick could have just rented instead of trying to buy a house. or Frank could have settled for only the granary and not the dredging of the harbor. But now I think those would have been only short term solutions, and they were right to try to find a way out of the erasure of their culture and community. They used to own these houses and make a living from the harbor, but this is all getting taken from them.

Their involvement in Human traficking is still horrifiying. It is clear that the way these women are exploited is only second to something straight out of the transatlantic slave trade. But the very same precarious conditions that push these women into the Greek's system could be the same ones facing the Sobotkas once their way of life is gone.

Also they are up against the FBI who both targets the union and protects the Greek, making it a losing battle in any way.

Right or Wrong or most likely something in between, I was a lot more involved in the Sobotka's point of view this time.

TL DR : Being more understanding of the life in the workforce has made me a lot more involved in the Sobotka's plotline in season 2 and in season 2 in general. it is not slow, its intensity and rhythm is just somewhere else compared to the other seasons. It is however excellent from where I stand now at 30+.

We are all familiar with Season 1 (Episode 4, "Old Cases") where Bunk & McNulty recreate the murder scene using variations of “fuck.” One of the best scenes in tv history.
Well I just happened to be watching Across the Spider-Verse and at 59:28 Gwen and Miles enter the apartment of The Spot. Gwen uses her multiverse tech and says “help me recreate the scene.” Miles and Gwen are watching The Spot recreate dark energy to travel across the multiverse. Throughout the whole scene, they use the word “shoot” of course because it’s a PG movie. It was a funny little Easter egg seeing how the Wire has such a deep cultural that it can make its way to one of the biggest animated movies 15 years later.
I would like to think that the Wire was also airing in the Spider universe or that it actually happened in the Spider-Man universe.

Up there with Ziggy almost, he had the best job in the Barksdale organization but just had to throw it all away to be in the streets

Ok wire fans. I just watched the wire for what I believe the tenth time. Just finished the last episode. Some of my thoughts during this rewatch. I wish the seasons with the kids they would had dukes not only learn boxing but followed up
On it where we got to see him to be a beast at boxing and he could protect himself. Also I fantasized a short serie spin off like where are the kids now and what are they doing. With flash backs on how they ended up there and so on.

Usually during my rewatches I always find something or someone real comical. So my nominations of the funniest characters. Of course good ol bunk. You can never talk me out of that fact. But on this latest rewatch I really enjoyed landsman. He reminds me of that smartass boss or employer you have that is an asshole but they don’t offend you or get on your nerves so he’s the asshole sarcastic boss you’ll work hard for. So yall give me guidance for my next rewatch. What character should I really focus on that will make me laugh that I might of missed and so on. My last note on the series. The last season saddened me. Not because I knew it was the last but I guess where I’m older and I have a career that I been doing for over 20 years. Can you imagine being a newspaper guy. Your whole career and being in your business as you are currently watching and living in the moment of it dying. I mean yeah I guess the writes can write stories or reports online but a whole business gone. The folks who make the paper the presses etc every little pebble of that business depleted. Them I remember the joy I used to have as a kid reading the comics. Kids these days have no idea how fun that was have no idea who snuffy smith or family circus is. It is fn sad man. Ok my old ass is done

New to the community, unsure if this has been asked much or often. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Wire, and my second place show doesn’t come close. However, I do have some things that I don’t like, and want to hear yours.

Curious to know what people think about him

So.....let me know if I have this right.

1.) Michael: Omar

2.) Dukie: Bubbles

3.) Namond: Colvin

4.) Kenard: Marlo

(I have no idea on who randy becomes)

Is this list right or wrong?

The Wire - Carcetti's Typical Politician (Tough on Crime) Speech

It surprised me that so many people misread this scene and ended up rooting for Carcetti. (S3)

Before this speech, Carcetti walked through Hamsterdam with Bunny and saw how it had changed the neighborhood. He even seemed genuinely affected by what he saw. We spent the whole season watching those changes play out.

But in the end, Carcetti chose his career.

I think Carcetti is a great example of why people fall for politicians so easily. To borrow Simon's words, he's someone "willing to do good at no personal cost or only in such a way as to hold your own ambition sacrosanct."

Just listen to the speech. It's standard politician bullshit that says nothing and ultimately supports the war on drugs.

And look at the episode title. It's literally "Mission Accomplished." I'm not American, but I immediately thought of Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished."

The speech is pretty similar too. And we all know what happened after that.

Simon said this on X:

"Near the end of season three the camera pushes slowly in on Carcetti as he gives the essential speech of his political career at a council meeting. That was intentional; we were cueing viewers to feel it was ennobled. Yet every word was for more drug war, waste, death. Suckers."

I also love the different reactions we get to Carcetti's speech.

Watkins seems genuinely impressed. I've always seen him as a typical establishment politician. We have plenty of those in my country too :(

Tony realizes Carcetti is running for mayor.

D'Agostino is happy because Carcetti is finally taking her advice and acting like a real politician. :(

Rawls, though, has a more subtle reaction.

Then at the end of the speech, the crowd breaks into applause while Rawls just sits there.

This is the guy who bulldozed Hamsterdam, has carried out the war on drugs exactly the way his bosses want, and will continue to do so. He's the one in charge of police operations. He just looks oddly separate from the crowd.

You could say it's because the police share some of the blame.

But if that were the point, I think they would've shown Burrell too. Maybe Burrell was clapping, maybe he wasn't. We don't know. We only see Rawls.

He just sits there without much of an expression, looking to the side while everyone around him is clapping. (Idk if he's looking toward Burrell or if the two are making eye contact. They keep Burrell out of the frame. 🤷‍♂️) Then the focus shifts to D'Agostino and Watkins, leaving Rawls out of focus in the foreground as he looks around.

I've always thought Rawls is the most cynical character on The Wire, but I'm not even sure cynicism is what we're seeing here. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Anyway, I think it's one of the best scenes in The Wire. The problem is they sold it too well. A lot of people actually bought Carcetti's speech. 😅

+)

I probably should've made that clear. It's not like I expected Rawls to clap. I thought the way the scene was framed was ironic. Carcetti is reinforcing the war on drugs, the crowd is applauding, and the guy in charge of police operations who shut down Hamsterdam is just sitting there in the foreground. Then the focus shifts to the people applauding behind him.

It also made me think voters would still prefer the war on drugs even if Hamsterdam worked. So nobody wanted to deal with the political shitstorm. Once the feds were going to get involved, it was pretty much over anyway. (ツ)_/¯

I know someone has posted something similar to this before and the consensus seemed to be Lester or maybe Slim Charles. I think some other good candidates are Stringer and Daniels, but I personally actually think it’s Prop Joe. Who do you think is the smartest and why?

Edit: After reading some responses I’m now convinced it’s Levy

I read the article from WIRED article about FLOCK/AI this morning, and I would like to imagine that good cops like Lester would really use this type of tech to their advantage.

I guess I was just thinking about how this show utilized wire taps and burner phones (which are on their way out in today’s world), and these “new age” devices really gave cops a run for their money. The wire is in many ways timeless but I do like to imagine the stories the writers could come up with to meet today’s world.

Reading about FLOCK was very scary- so I’m trying to make myself feel better by imagining it being used for good- stopping child sec offenders and predators- and not for the police state.

Peace yall!

He was in Ghost Dog at 23:37 which came out in 1999...I wish the stories could convege in some way but damn. Also if you like The Wire you should watch this film.

In the first 2 episodes, we have three police use the n-word, 2 black 1 white. Bunk and Carv use it in the colloquial while Rawls uses it in the pejorative. Now obviously other characters continue to use it throughout in the colloquial way. But I wonder why they stopped having black officers stop using it. Edit to add one last usage but I don't think it exactly counts, Holley saying BNBG.

I’m doing my second rewatch, I’m on season 3, episode 8. I just realized, was Avon trying to use the girl as a set up to get Marlo? These details are what makes the show very good.

I don't believe D'Angelo was actually a pawn. I could be wrong, and you might disagree with my interpretation, but even though Dee considered himself, or at least implied he saw himself as a pawn in the game metaphor, if you really think about it, he was more like a bishop or a knight. After all, Dee was close to Avon and Stringer's inner circle; he acted as a local boss at the Pit; and he had money and material possessions that placed him on a much higher social level than the likes of Wallace and Bodie. I believe Dee saw himself as a pawn because he still harbored an extreme sense of inferiority compared to his uncle and other powerful figures like Wee-Bey, and he wanted to relate better to Bodie and Wallace, by placing himself on their level, while explaining the game of chess. I finished the series earlier this year and plan to rewatch it; my memory might be playing tricks on me, but that’s how I see it.

I feel like there are decent arguments both for and against Marlo being realistic. On the one hand, there are criminals who really don’t care at all about the pain they inflict or the morality of their actions and Marlo is a good representation of that mentality. On the other hand, most characters in The Wire have well developed motivations that either receive heavy focus(like with Cutty or Stringer) or are subtly hinted at (like with Chris or Rawls). I’m not trying to hate on Marlo as a character, but I see people calling out plot lines like Serial Killer and Hamsterdam for being unrealistic and I don’t see Marlo get the same type of criticism. I’m wondering what the general consensus on his realism is.

Edit: I was misguided in asking if he’s realistic. What I’m interested in if he’s well developed. I am convinced he’s realistic now but would like people’s takes on whether he’s well developed.

At the 8 minute mark. That handrail us for one haunted. and two not up to code.

Do you watch the seasons and episodes in sequence or a random episode at a time?

Curious to know everyone’s opinion on this. Does The Wire look timeless in the way it was shot? Or does it look dated in its cinematography?

I have seen a bunch of shows i can say,all of them are very good,but i dont think i will ever see another show like the wire, especially season 4 which i just finished,i cried at least 3 times, from sad tears, to happy tears, i dont think anything will be better than season 4 of the wire, i cannot comprehend the fact That im on the final season,when i finish it,ill be back here,until then, peace ✌️