Three words. "Omar DON'T SCARE!"

I hear ya!

Chris

Ok then I will give it another go! Did not know it got better after the first few. Thanks!!!

Three more: "Oh, MOST definitely."

More realistic than OZ, (which I love), and less stereotypical and two-dimensional than The Sopranos (which I like.)

The Wire is the best, most realistic show on HBO. I wrote here before that I thought it was the best mini-series I ever saw. If I have to change that to continuing series, I'll do so.

The fact that this show is so great is no surprise (the creative team was also heavily involved in Homicide: Life of the Streets. The fact that it finishes behind a shallower, more flashy competitor (The Sopranos), shouldn't be a surprise, either. Homicide always labored in the shadow of the more prosaic (but still quite good) NYPD Blue.

If McNulty's exile to Harbor Patrol pays off, I will be one happy, happy guy. I'd pay money to see Bunk on a boat.

Sweet I loved this show and didn't think it was going to continue but this new info rocks!!!! I would say give this show a chance I didn't think it was any good till like the third or fourth episode but those first few shows were all character development. This was a great cop show!

By way of answering bdshort's question, HBO is running the first season of The Wire on Sundays starting next week. DO NOT miss this. It's incredible. Watch it from the beginning, you will be glad you did.

Never understood why people didn't watch this the first time around, but HBO always gives people a second (and third, fourth, fifth) chance. As if airing on HBO isn't enough of a sign of quality, you'd think David Simon's resume of Homicide: Life on the Streets and The Corner PLUS teaming up again with Edward Burns would make people sit up and take notice. Whatever ... if you screw around and miss this again, it's your loss.

das

Simon's name alone was enough to hook me.

I just got HBO back (well, Tuesday) after haveing lost it for 2 years. What's "The Wire"?

The Wire is a story about a band of gypsy trapeze artists who use their circus as a mob front while roaming the country. Much like those Irish Travellers aka that bitch who beat up her kid in the parking lot and got caught on tape.

DeputyDave, it's about the intertwined stories of an inner-city drug operation and the "wire" that's set up to find and take down the guy at the top of the chain. Much like Murder One, we get the story from the ground up and from all angles. The characters on both sides of the law are painted brilliantly, and the faithful presentation of true policework is absolutely fascinating.

das

But as Gypsies performing on the tightrope

I did see the first episode when it first aired, but for whatever reason, I didnt keep up with it, and just watched whatever was on before it (the Sopranos I think)... but I heard it was terrific, so I'm definitely watching it this time.

Brian

• Quoth dek •<HR SIZE=1>But as Gypsies performing on the tightrope <HR SIZE=1>

Well, yeah, that's a given.

das

Here's a little update about the 2nd season coming up.

http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?30436?

Wed, Mar 5, 2003 07:04 PM PDT


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The second season of HBO's intricate cop series "The Wire" is shifting locations.

As with its first season, the show will shoot in Baltimore, but it will focus on the city's waterfront. The new plot arc will focus on "the steady decline of the working class in American cities," HBO says.

The first season dealt with a police investigation -- with its bureaucratic frustrations, tedium and occasional breakthroughs -- of drug dealers at a public-housing complex. Equal time in the show was given to the dealers and their organization.

In the new season, scheduled to premiere in June, the cops will investigate union activity on the docks.

Series regulars Dominic West, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce, Wood Harris, Larry Gilliard Jr., Lance Reddick and Frankie Faison will return. The change in locale also means the addition of several new regulars, including Chris Bauer ("Third Watch"), Amy Ryan ("You Can Count on Me" ), James Ransone and Pablo Schreiber.


I wonder if any of the old 'hoods' will find their way down to the docks to do their dirty work?

Chris

Is this the place Oz inmates go when they die? It looks (according to the website) like there's a lot of Em City actors on this show...

I didn't think it was a bad show, or anything, but I just couldn't get into it at all - I'm not sure why.

And for the record, I love shows like Oz, The Shield, NYPD blue - also, Homicide (which it has the most in common with) is one of my favorite shows of all time.

I hadn't rememberd, until I watched the first epsiode again Sunday, that the Harbor Patrol was where McNulty said he'd least like to go, if push came to shove. Someone ratted him out, because that's exactly where he ended up.

Watch this show folks, trust me, it's brilliant. It's what drama shows should be.

I've got the first episode on Tivo still. Is this a series that starts off slowly and picks up steam, or is it brilliant from minute one like The Shield?

I would say that it starts off slowly as it tries to introduce us to the characters. And believe me there are alot of them, good guys and bad guys. But if you like a thinking man's police drama, this will grab you and keep hold of you. You might even feel sorry for some of the bad guys, who are doing what they are doing, just to stay alive. Though you won't feel sorry for the high up bad guys. It's just greed for them and they don't care about anybody else.

Chris

As said, it starts slow, but it's obvious from the start that there's serious depth to the show. It's not like a show that stumbles around finding its way and gets better later; it's always a great show, just slow at the beginning.

das

Have to agree. I watched the pilot and thought, "Eh." But there was enough intelligence there that i tuned in to episode two, which I thought was "okay." But then some layers started getting peeled in episodes 3 and 4 and by 5, this show was in high gear and I was riveted from then on.

Oz->wire question

Stay tuned for OMAR!