District of Columbia
formerly dcmade
- Mar 17, 2013
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Yea I can def agree with that ...although the Wire started to get too convuluted by the end of the show. The Newspaper angle was completely unnecessary
OFFICIAL THE WIRE THREAD.. ''The game is the game"
- Nov 20, 2007
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All great shows but I really wouldn't compare The Wire to The Sopranos and Breaking Bad.
It's one of those rare things that doesn't really have a real good similar counterpart.
It's one of those rare things that doesn't really have a real good similar counterpart.
- Apr 12, 2011
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For me it looks something like this
The GOATS for lack of a better word- Wire , GOT
Clearly better than most -Sopranos
Great shows- Homeland (this one is probably dropping after last season) , Boardwalk empire
Things that I enjoyed but really are not in the same category- entourage , walking dead
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- Jul 29, 2001
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It wasn't unnecessary, you just have to know a little history. It's a story about how the media gets manipulated, and how the media manipulates right back.
It was more or less based on a famous, Pulitzer Prize-winning story in the Washington Post in 1980 that profiled an 8-year-old heroin addict. Here's the Wiki entry:
Is that not dissimilar from what happened in Season 5?
The reporter (Templeton) who bought Mcnulty's BS was already established as having fabricated stories (mainly, the one about the kid at Orioles opening day) and having his colleagues question him. He jumped at the chance at a story he initially felt was real, and then added his own details and quotes to make it more juicy. He knew this would appeal to his editor-in-chief, who aggressively pursued stories he could submit for Pulitzer consideration. Command caved to public pressure and began allotting hours to search for the non-existent killer. It just spiraled out of control to the point the lie became so great it collapsed under its own weight. The only thing Simon did differently was make McNulty the ring leader of the circus, rather than have Templeton make up the story. In a way, it made more sense to do it that way because viewers would be like "why should I care about this reporter making up this story about a homeless serial killer?" Simon had to tie it to a character (a loose cannon) whose motives people could at least understand.
I hope that at least provides some context to the whole thing. Yeah, it wasn't necessary, but Simon wanted a media-focused story arc. Which is perfectly fine.
By the way, for those of you who don't know who Bob Woodward is, he basically invented investigative journalism. Woodward (and Bernstein) broke the Watergate scandal. Woodward was no idiot, and even he got taken for a ride by Janet Cooke.
EDIT: I should clarify that I don't know if that was the inspiration for the Season 5 story line. I'm just pointing it out as an example of reckless "journalism" that exploited a disadvantaged segment of the population for one's personal gain. The parallels are uncanny to the point it doesn't strike me as coincidental, though. Also, that was D.C., and The Wire is Baltimore. It's close enough.
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- Aug 11, 2014
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I've never disliked a character in television more than Scott Templeton. Typical privileged and preppy jackass who couldn't do his job, yet felt like he deserved the **** he didn't want to work for. His entitlement was outrages to me. He was working round legit reporters like Alma and Fletcher but still couldn't gain the motivation to do his damn job, correctly.
His bosses are even worse. I hated that one of them played Gale in Breaking Bad because Gale is actually a likeable character, but when he got killed I was like "**** that guy."
His bosses are even worse. I hated that one of them played Gale in Breaking Bad because Gale is actually a likeable character, but when he got killed I was like "**** that guy."
- Feb 14, 2007
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Just been randomly saying **** like Clay Davis all week 
- Dec 27, 2014
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Man the Sopranos was so much more than the mafia and people getting clipped. Everything about it was great. Tony might be my favorite television character ever. Christopher is up there too.
Sopranos, GOT and The Wire are pretty easy top 3 for me.
(Haven't seen Breaking Bad).
aepps20
Supporter
- Feb 8, 2004
- 42,533
- 90,748
The Christopher/Paulie love hate dynamic was incredibly underrated.
- Feb 3, 2015
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Sopranos was a dope show indeed. The crazy thing is the I got older the less I was into these shows. I can't watch them today. But dope always.
- Dec 27, 2014
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When they're at the Bada Bing retelling the "Pine Barren" story for the guys and it gets heated real quick
- Jul 18, 2012
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Holy crap. This thread is still active? I just started my first re-watch since the airing of the finale. My life has meaning again.
Thats My Word
formerly derrty6232
- Apr 29, 2006
- 9,561
- 3,218
Shhhiiiiiiieeeeeettt....
Nike Jordan
Supporter
- Jun 27, 2002
- 33,938
- 81,199
Which city is that at?
Thats My Word
formerly derrty6232
- Apr 29, 2006
- 9,561
- 3,218
San Francisco.Shhhiiiiiiieeeeeettt....
Which city is that at?
- Mar 27, 2004
- 18,386
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Another thing to add is that recent media coverage related to the Freddie Gray case highlights just how important journalism is in influencing the dynamics of the city. The street violence, drug trade, education system, politics, and the media all work together to impede progress.
On another note, the Wire continues to play out in real life as Carcetti runs for president.
- Apr 30, 2010
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That worked perfectly into the media angle though, creating a story.
- Jul 18, 2012
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Just started S4 Ep.1
Not sure if my heart can handle what's gonna happen to Dukie. =(
Not sure if my heart can handle what's gonna happen to Dukie. =(
- Apr 12, 2011
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Sobatka !!!
- Dec 3, 2007
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- Nov 20, 2007
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It was such a weird cameo in that commercial. He wasn't even the driver.
I did realize he currently doesn't have a steady job.
I did realize he currently doesn't have a steady job.
- Apr 12, 2011
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Ziggy was driving and nick was in the back
- Nov 20, 2007
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Wait that was Ziggy!? 
I'll have to watch that again. Now that's an even weirder nod to The Wire. Making the Sobotka's bank robbers now
I'll have to watch that again. Now that's an even weirder nod to The Wire. Making the Sobotka's bank robbers now
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- Feb 5, 2011
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And frank riding shotgun
- Apr 12, 2011
- 4,903
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Wait that was Ziggy!?
Yea i was like wtf. I was waiting for Mcnutty to be one of the cops lol
- Dec 3, 2007
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Ohh snap, didn't even notice ZIggy and Nick...
That's awesome...
...
That's awesome...
...
