The Wire Season One: A Review

Published by Toronto Mike on March 17, 2009 @ 10:46 in The Wire

Last night, I wrapped up episode 13 from Season One of HBO's The Wire. That was the season finale. I'm going to throw down some thoughts after each season, but I'm not going to include spoilers. Nothing would piss me off more, so I'm going to treat you the way I'd like to be treated.

It's not surprising that The Wire didn't get the Nielson ratings that Six Feet Under or The Sopranos got. The Wire makes you work. The characters speak in the language of their streets, and if you miss one line you very well may have missed a great deal. Part of the fun is listening closely, learning the characters nicknames and following the money. Ii you follow the drugs, all you find are drug users and drug dealers, but if you follow the money, you don't know what you'll find.

Spending a week in Baltimore following Avon Barksdale, Stringer Bell and their crew quickly makes you realize why Jimmy McNulty drinks. Here are a few of my favourite scenes from season three, but there were many. As I said, I'm addicted and can't wait to start Season Two tonight.

McNuggets

I always enjoy the scenes with D'Angelo Barksdale in the pit with the young dealers. In this scene, D'Angelo sets them straight about the guy who invented Chicken McNuggets for McDonald's.

The King Stay The King

Again, here's D'Angelo chatting up the young dealers who are playing checkers with chess pieces because they don't know how to play chess. Chess, as we learn, is just like the street.

I Got One More High Left In Me...

It's supply and demand, and there's great demand for the drugs Avon Barksdale sells in the towers. One extremely likable junkie is Bubs, and here's Bubs at an court-orderd NA meeting listening to Waylon. Waylon, played by Steve Earle (Copperhead Road!), sums it up perfectly.

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