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Opinion: Generation Kill - Part 1: "Get Some"
David Simon is a smart, smart dude.  That much is clear.  He never shies away from dealing with important, contemporary issues in important, contemporary ways, like racism, disillusionment, corruption, hope, and many more.  But at the same time, it's also crystal clear that David Simon began his career as a journalist, not an author or screenwriter.  David Simon looks for the story, the verisimilitude, the interesting idea.  He doesn't look for the emotional hook, the character arc, or the vu...   [read the full post]

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This Week

 

Rate Favorite Brand Names On The Wire

Original at misgatos (WordPress) external link    Thu, Nov 27

By misgatos For more, read a discussion about Blue Tops at The Wire’s forums. Even better, dealers in Philly have a brand of heroin called The Wire. Did I miss any good ones? Let me know… One of my favorite things about The Wire is how it’s tied in so completely to contemporary Bal

Rate Is Hollywod Narrative Dead?

Original at recordpreserveshare (WordPress) external link    Thu, Nov 27

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By recordpreserveshare If Hollywood storytelling is in danger, we are arguably seeing an opposing trend in television narrative. Thanks to innovative TV shows like The Sopranos, The Wire and Damages - which demand audience attention - there has been an increase in complex narrative structure and subject...

Rate David Chase speaks again! (But not really)

Original at NJ.com external link    Wed, Nov 26

By Alan Sepinwall Last night the tour went on pause for the Television Critics Association Awards, a swingin' event where the critics try to put right what the Emmys got wrong. (Mostly; somehow, we couldn't find a way to give "The Wire" an... Last night the tour went on pause for the Television Critics Associati...

Rate "The Shield" Finishes Up

Original at Huffington Post external link    Wed, Nov 26

By The Huffington Post News Editors During the past year two of the greatest crime dramas ever on television have come to an end: "The Wire" left us in March, and "The Shield" on Tuesday in a cut deep enough to leave us bleeding for quite a while, no matter how tight the tourniquet.

Past Two Weeks

 

Rate Tube News: Chances of Actor's Strike (Mostly) Unlikely

Original at Watch with Intelligence external link    Tue, Nov 25

By Aleks Chan Now for some good news: Amy Ryan, her of the Academy Award-nominee and all-around awesomenes fame, has signed on to reprise the role she played in the fourth season finale of NBC's The Office. She'll continue being Dunder Mifflin's human resources rep for at least five episodes -- or at lea...

Rate Opinion: Best drama endings ever?

Original at sepinwall (Blogspot) external link    Mon, Nov 24

By Alan Sepinwall(asepinwall@starledger.com) So, in writing my review of "The Shield" finale, I'm going out on a limb and declaring it my favorite drama series finale ever. This prompted a question from my editor about what other finales I would put in my top 5. "The Wire" is definitely on there (though, as with all things "The Wire," it was...

Rate The song of the unsung - Diversions

Original at Diamondback Online external link    Sun, Nov 23

Few shows can claim such a feat besides FX's crooked cop drama The Shield, which comes to an end after seven seasons tomorrow at 10 p.m. Even HBO's lauded The Wire slogged its way through a slow second season. ...

Rate The Wire Troll: Lasso Rasho?

Original at RotoRob external link    Sun, Nov 23

With Herija away for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be taking over the Troll for the time being. Anyways, I have to head off to a Grey Cup party shortly, so will make this snappy. No, I really don’t give a flying fuck about the CFL, but it’s a good excuse to drink some beers (not that I need an excuse)....

Rate Blind Boys still have soul - The Huntsville Times

Original at AL.com external link    Fri, Nov 21

Blind Boys still have soul The Huntsville Times - al.com, AL - Nov 21, 2008 In recent years, their music has been pivotal in shows, including "Lost" and HBO's "The Wire." They are helping blur the lines of color in music and style. ...

Rate The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Original at Atlanta Journal Constitution external link    Thu, Nov 20

  USA - Nov 20, 2008 Diversions: First, The Sopranos and The Wire were put to rest at HBO, and now The Shield is coming to an end at FX. What promises to be a deliciously, ...

Past Month

 

Rate Saying good-bye to The Barn: Chatting up The Shield's Shawn Ryan as series finale nears

Original at TV Squad external link    Mon, Nov 17

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By Jonathan Toomey Over the past several years, TV fans have been fortunate enough to be able to say a proper good-bye to some of the medium's finest dramas ever made. Alias, The Wire, The West Wing, The Sopranos, and Six Feet Under have all bowed out within the past four years, and the list could go on. They all got...

Rate True Blood: "To Love Is To Bury"

Original at A.V. Club external link    Sun, Nov 16

The penultimate episode of a season is always where a great show excels the most. Think of The Wire: The Wire’s penultimate episode was generally left to crime novelist George P. Pelecanos to write—he did so in three of the five seasons—and that was usually when the heavy shit went down. The fi...

Rate The Wire Troll: Foster-ing Rebounds

Original at RotoRob external link    Sun, Nov 16

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By Herija Green Washington’s JaVale McGee has seen his minutes increase recently, playing better than 24 minutes in three of his last four games. He has posted two double-doubles and blocked five shots in that time, and with Brendan Haywood out indefinitely there’s a hole to be filled in the middle in the...

Rate 'Snoop' Pearson is found not guilty of drug charge

Original at baltimoresun.com external link    Fri, Nov 14

Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, a 28-year-old murderer-turned-actress on HBO's The Wire , was found not guilty yesterday on one count of marijuana possession, according to Baltimore District Court records. Pearson was arrested in August after homicide officers busted into her home, actin...

Rate The Wire Troll: Pau’s Bro Making his Mark

Original at RotoRob external link    Sun, Nov 9

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By Herija Green Marquis Daniels, Indiana Pacers: The absence of Mike Dunleavy has opened up playing time for Daniels, who has shown more in the first four games of ‘08-09 than he did in the last four seasons. He has notched two double-doubles in his past three games and is currently second on the team with 8.0...

October of 2008

 

Rate Richard Vine: Catching up with the cast of The Wire

Original at The Guardian (UK) external link    Fri, Oct 31

By Richard Vine If you're jonesing for more post-Wire sightings, this week's Heroes (BBC2, 9pm) is a good place to start, with Marlo (Jamie Hector) feeding off fear and Bubbles (Andre Royo) summoning up black holes. Both skills you feel they could have put to good use in B-more. Dominic West is next, rompin...

Rate The Audacity of Despair and the Obama Coalition.

Original at postbourgie (WordPress) external link    Thu, Oct 23

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By G.D. Case in point: last week, shani-o and I attended a discussion at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School about "The Wire" and urban crime. The panelists were David Simon, the show's creator, and Michael Nutter, the mayor of Philadelphia. Simon launched into one of his trademark seething rants...

Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress is a member of the Boxxet Network

Rate Life on Mars #5 Meets the Wire in New YorkVideo included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress external link    Tue, Oct 21

By Paul Levinson(noreply@blogger.com) When you walk through the garden, you better watch your back ..." Hey, they could almost have played that superb Tom Waits "Way Down in the Hole" theme song from The Wire in last night's episode #5 of Life on Mars, which had two* Wire veterans on hand, Clarke Peters (Lt. Freamon on The Wire) and Chad Coleman ("Cutty" on The Wire). Even Whoopee Goldberg had a cameo. *(And an anonymous commentator just mentioned that Chris Bauer, Frank Sobotka from The Wire, played the priest in this episode of Life on Mars - so that makes three Wire people.) See also Life on Mars Debuts in America ... Life on Mars 2nd Episode in America: Coma, Time Travel, Mars Rover ... Life on Mars Goes On in America: What Happens When a Time Traveler Runs Into His Earlier Self? ... Life on Mars #4: Al...   [read the full post]

Rate Call For Papers

Original at Got that New Package! external link    Fri, Oct 17

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By raynola Critically acclaimed and nationally syndicated, HBO’s series The Wire depicts a racialized postindustrial cityscape, marred by the brutal provenance of the drug economy.  In its five seasons, the series is as much a dramatic achievement as it is a complex portrait of a black urban expe...

September of 2008

 

Rate The Wire Troll AL All-Wire TeamVideo included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at RotoRob external link    Tue, Sep 30

By Tim McLeod John Danks, Chicago White Sox: The 23-year-old lefty currently has White Sox fans saying “Brandon who?” Acquired from the Rangers for Brandon McCarthy in February, Danks managed a huge improvement in virtually all categories in his sophomore season. In 187 IP, he put together an 11-9 re...

Rate The Wire Troll: Shoppach-ing for Help

Original at RotoRob external link    Sun, Sep 14

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With Tim McLeod taking a well-deserved vacation from his disability leave (hey, eating chocolate chip cookies all day is hard work), RotoRob takes over the crafting of The Wire Troll for the next couple of weeks. Being much less fortified with Kathy’s delicious baked goods than Tim gener...

Rate David Simon and The Wire: The Audacity of Despair

Original at steelcloset (WordPress) external link    Thu, Sep 11

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By casanovaruffin Yesterday I had the chance to see David Simon, creator of the greatest television show ever made forever and ever, The Wire. He was giving his lecture, The Wire: Audacity of Despair, to a tightly packed, moderately sized, room of about 140 people. I never thought I'd have the chance to see the...

Rate ● Best show poll results

Original at kottke.org external link    Thu, Sep 11

By jason@kottke.org Almost 4000 people have taken the best show on TV poll so now is a good time to take a look at the results. Here are the top five: The Wire: 16% The Simpsons: 8% Seinfeld: 7% Arrested Development: 7% The West Wing: 6% Thanks to everyone who voted.

Rate The Wire Troll: The Call-up Edition

Original at RotoRob external link    Mon, Sep 8

By Tim McLeod George Sherrill, Baltimore, RP: Sherrill is currently rostered in only 45 per cent of all leagues over at CBS. That would mean that almost half of all leagues are going to be missing out once he returns from that left shoulder inflammation, which is tentatively slated for next week. In the ev...

Rate The Wire Troll: A Little Ray of Sunshine

Original at RotoRob external link    Sun, Aug 24

By Tim McLeod Chris Ray, Baltimore, RP: Okay he’s probably not going to see any action this year, but he is the Orioles closer of both the past and the future. The Orioles have repeatedly said they have no interest in rushing Ray back into the Baltimore lineup, and are working towards a healthy return for S...

Rate Opinion: The Wire, Season 1, Episode 9: "Game Day" (Veterans edition)

Original at sepinwall (Blogspot) external link    Fri, Aug 1

By Alan Sepinwall(noreply@blogger.com) Spoilers for episode 9, "Game Day," coming up just as soon as I put on my sun visor... I just don't wanna play. Don't wanna play no more." -Wallace Coming up next Friday: "The Cost," in which the detail tries to find the stash, Stringer reaches out to Omar and Kima has a night out.

July of 2008

 

Rate Opinion: On a Grand Scale: The Similarities between "The Wire" and "The Dark Knight"

Original at memles (WordPress) external link    Sat, Jul 19

By Myles What sets The Wire apart from other crime shows on television is its emphasis on all impacts of a particular event or scenario. It is not a story of the police fighting against the Baltimore Drug Trade, but a show about the expansive impacts of that trade on the people fighting it, the people t...

Rate Opinion: On a Grand Scale: The Similarities between “The Wire” and “The Dark Knight”

Original at memles (WordPress) external link    Sat, Jul 19

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By Myles So, I decided that I’d kill two birds with one stone. I’m halfway through Season Four of The Wire, David Simon and Ed Burns’ HBO masterpiece, and I see a lot of connections between the construction of that series and what Nolan has accomplished with The Dark Knight. I’m not suggesting that the...

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Rate Opinion: Generation Kill - Part 1: "Get Some"

Original at Media Maven Musings external link    Mon, Jul 14

By Media Maven David Simon is a smart, smart dude.  That much is clear.  He never shies away from dealing with important, contemporary issues in important, contemporary ways, like racism, disillusionment, corruption, hope, and many more.  But at the same time, it's also crystal clear that David Simon began his career as a journalist, not an author or screenwriter.  David Simon looks for the story, the verisimilitude, the interesting idea.  He doesn't look for the emotional hook, the character arc, or the vulnerability of his primary players.  And until David Simon can crack this code and find a way to combine his journalistic eye for riveting stories with the human need for emotional connection, not only will his projects struggle to find viewershi...   [read the full post]

Rate Opinion: The Wire, Season 1, Episode 6, "The Wire" (Veterans edition)

Original at sepinwall (Blogspot) external link    Sun, Jul 6

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By noreply@blogger.com (Alan Sepinwall) There's an episode coming up called "The Cost," but in some ways, that title applies better to this one, as the murder of Brandon illustrates the emotional cost of living in this police/drug world. The episode opens and closes with the image of Brandon, no longer beautiful after being tort...

Year 2008

 

Rate Opinion: COULD IT BE: "THE WIRE" TO FINALLY RECEIVE AN EMMY NOMINATION?

Original at meaningfuldistractions (WordPress) external link    Mon, Jun 30

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By shadowcampaigner It's an absolute travesty that "The Wire" -- probably The Single Greatest Television Series in History -- has for years now been snubbed by people who decide what's best on TV.  After 5 seasons of positively brilliant, wrenching work, the Wire may -- may -- receive an Emmy nomination t...

Rate Opinion: The Wire, season 1, episode 1: "The Target" (Veterans edition)

Original at sepinwall (Blogspot) external link    Fri, May 30

By Alan Sepinwall(noreply@blogger.com) David Simon likes to say that the first scene of each season of "The Wire" encapsulates the themes of that season. In the case of Detective Jimmy McNulty investigating the murder of one Omar Isiah Betts, known to friends and family as Snot Boogie, Simon gets to explain what the entire series...

Rate Opinion: ● The end of The Wire

Original at kottke.org external link    Tue, Mar 11

By jason@kottke.org Yanksfan vs. Soxfan views The Wire through the lens of Baltimore sports. Assorted other articles that I'll leave unexcerpted: AV Club interview with Simon, final episode recap from Thoughts on Stuff, and a letter on HBO's site from David Simon to the fans of the show.

Rate The Wire Episode 59 Review: Lies - They Get Things Done

Original at Dork Nation external link    Sun, Mar 2

By Mark Namond is the lucky one. Someone pulled him from the soup. The "system" failed him as much as it did the other kids, it's just that he was lucky enough to end up where there was someone with a hand to lend. Dukie was too smart and Michael too functional to be in the "corner kids" program, never got a c...

Rate The Wire Episode 58 Review: Omar Bagged Up

Original at Dork Nation external link    Sun, Feb 24

By Mark Freamon and Leander crack Marlo's code. Marlo is going down, and so is Chris, thanks to Bunk. Now, we know Micheal didn't sell out Chris but he's sure to be blamed - probably not by Chris, though. Marlo may go down due to the cell phone number that Herc stole from Levy's office. Levy is sure to figur...

Rate 131. Blogging The Wire Episode 7 w/ Post Bourgie!Video included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at GAK CITY external link    Sun, Feb 24

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— Kenard, on seeing Omar: “Gimpy-ass motherfucker.” Clay Davis: “I don’t know how they do it out in Roland Park? Maybe Prosecutor Obonda can enlighten me on that. But my world is strictly cash and carry, and I am Clay Davis. My people need something, they know where to find me.”

Rate The Wire Season 5 Episode 7 ReviewVideo included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at mcnulty (WordPress) external link    Thu, Feb 21

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By mcnulty Bunk seem to be about to crack soon, don’t think he’ll rat on McNulty or Freamon, but he’s pretty pissed off. Also liked the scene when he’s interrogating Michael. Hope he gets to Chris and Snoop soon. btw, did you notice that Dominic West (playing McNulty) directed this episode? How cool is th...

Rate Why David Simon Should Shut Down The Wire [Backlash]Video included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at gawker.com external link    Wed, Feb 20

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By Nick Denton Devotees of The Wire, myself among them, should be delighted by this hint given by one of the HBO drama's actors. Dominic West, who plays the increasingly manic police detective, Jimmy McNulty, tells the Los Angeles Times some of his colleagues are lobbying David Simon for a movie spinoff...

Rate ● Some thoughts on The Wire, season 5

Original at kottke.org external link    Thu, Feb 7

By jason@kottke.org How are they going to wrap this up? I don't care what happens to Carcetti or McNulty or Freamon or Daniels and we're obviously going to get some sort of closure on either Omar or Marlo, but if they leave the Dukie, Bubs, and Michael threads significantly hanging, I'm gonna be pissed. (Predict...

Rate Omar For President

Original at OpEdNews external link    Thu, Jan 31

By Rick Monaco In a mildly radical departure from traditional political values, I've decided to endorse Omar Little from "The Wire" as my choice for presidential candidate. Let me be clear about this: I'm not endorsing Michael Kenneth Williams, the actor who portrays Omar on the show, but rather the ch...

Rate The Wire - Season 5 - Episode 6 [Part 2 of 2]

Original at WorldStar Media Player external link    Tue, Jan 22

Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress is a member of the Boxxet Network

Rate Opinion: The Wire Season 5 Episode 3: McNulty and MarloVideo included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at Paul Levinson's Infinite Regress external link    Sat, Jan 19

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By Paul Levinson McNulty has picked up the pro-active make-things-happen and damn-the-consequences approach he played so well in the very first season of The Wire. It's good to see McNulty really on top of his game again. This time, he's trying to make his colleagues and bosses think there's a serial killer loose in Baltimore - the only way McNulty can think of to keep the cops focused on Marlo and the drug business. The only person wise to what McNulty is doing - because he was there when McNulty started hatching this plan - is Bunk, who is none too happy about it. See also The Wire's Back! Review of Season 5 Episode 1 and Episode 2: The Great, Dangling Conversation challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly   [read the full post]

Rate Barack Obama on his favorite TV show

Original at Chicago Tribune external link    Mon, Jan 14

By Tempo Sen. Barack Obama has previously said that HBO’s "The Wire" is his favorite show. But now Obama's revealed another tidbit. In a story from Monday's Las Vegas Sun, the presidential candidate said that the bold thief Omar is his favorite character on "The Wire."

Rate David Simon talks about his career in journalism and the final chapter of 'The Wire'Video included in this story.  Click to view.

Original at Chicago Tribune external link    Thu, Jan 10

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By Tempo Here is a feature/review of Season 5 of "The Wire," as well an interview with the HBO show's creator and executive producer, David Simon. The full interview, which is below the story, does not contain Season 5 spoilers.There's also a transcript of my talk with John Carroll, Simon's former e...

Rate The Wire Season 5 Episode 1 in Review

Original at mcnulty (WordPress) external link    Mon, Jan 7

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By mcnulty Another bright point was the journo crew at the Baltimore Sun which seem to be just as much of a  motley crew as the gangsters and police. It was great to see so many familiar faces in one single episode - McNulty, Bunk, Kima, Herc, Marlo, Prop Joe, Bubs, Carter, Carcetti, Chris, Snoop, Michae...

Rate Arts, Briefly - New York Times

Original at nytimes.com external link    Tue, Jan 1

Arts, Briefly New York Times, United States - “The Wire,” HBO’s urban drama, has won critical acclaim and honors including the prestigious Peabody Award. But one of its stars, Wendell Pierce, said, ...

Rate With strike, it comes down to 'The Wire' - San Jose Mercury News

Original at mercurynews.com external link    Sun, Dec 30

With strike, it comes down to 'The Wire' By Chuck Barney "The Wire," one of television's best shows -- if not the very best -- returns to HBO for its fifth and final season on Jan. ... The Wire' loses spark in newsroom storyline Baltimore Sun Inside 'The Wire' Wall Street Journal

Rate The Wire - Season 1-4

Original at Free Data external link    Mon, Sep 3

By Lukeio Avon Barksdale, accompanied by his right-hand man Stringer Bell, enforcer Wee-Bey and many lieutenants (including his own nephew, D'Angelo Barksdale), has to deal with law enforcement, informants in his own camp, and competition with a ...

Rate Opinion: Emmy Fortunes of House vs. The Wire Reveal Awards' Weaknesses

Original at Blogcritics external link    Fri, Jul 20

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By Diane Kristine Outstanding Drama SeriesOutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Hugh Laurie, naturally)Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (for David Morse as Detective Tritter. Even though I was disappointed in the resolution to his story, the man formerly known as Boomer creeped the hell ou...

Year 2006

 

Rate TV Review: The Wire Returns, Bringing "Boys of Summer"

Original at Blogcritics external link    Mon, Sep 11

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By Eric Berlin Like a new chapter in a grand and sweeping novel, The Wire returned tonight, opening up its fourth season on HBO. Perhaps The Great American Novel is making way for something else. If that's so, I'd argue that The Wire is a Great American Story, made up of some of the richest and most fully reali...


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