Who else loves 'The Wire'?

By the final season almost everything on HBO was in HD. I think HBO was pressuring them to film the final season in HD, but did relent to the creators' choice. As you said, to keep the consistent look of the previous seasons.

 

The show was shot in 35mm and the aspect ratio doesn't necessarily have anything to do with HD. I'm sure the post production was done in In the video format with editing.

 

Some of the actors had raised he possibility of a feature film, but that may have been wishful thinking on their part. And maybe that wouldn't work, as the show seemed to thrive on those long, sprawling narratives, giving McNulty plenty of time to F up... try to cover it up... be discovered....

Actually I think the Wire is one of the greatest achievements ever in film or tv. It demanded a lot from its audience, whose attention was rewarded, and it looked deeply and honestly at complex, disturbing subjects. IMO, it even makes films like the Godfather seem a bit cartoonish.

 

I will admit that it took several episodes before I really got into the show. I was having problems keeping characters straight in the beginning. I am glad that I stayed with the show early on. It was definitely one of the best TV shows I have seen.

 

I had the same confusion. I am watching the series again after seeing it several years ago and it is even better because you don't get confused and can connect the development of the characters over time. Getting ready to start season three. What a joy.

 

Some times, the creators don't know what they're doing, especially when it comes to technical matters. I betcha by this point, they may have been shooting in 3-perf 35mm, which would allow them to easily scan and edit in HD 16x9. If they didn't, they were real, real stupid.

 

Good call. Google turned up this interview with creator David Simon:

Source: http://library.creativecow.net/articles/griffin_nick/hbo_the_wire.php

I was late coming to this show and caught it on DVD a year after it went off the air. I like all the seasons, but three is particularly good and four is in my opinion brilliant, tragic and from my experience its dramatization of education borders on reportage.

Speaking autobiographically, the show seems to keep popping up in my life. My favorite music/video store, Sound Garden, is in Fells Point, where much of season two's gentrification plot took place. Its all condos and shopping now. Fans of the show should visit the store; they post pictures of musicians and celebrities who've visited the store. There are plenty, including most of the cast. It's also just two blocks from the building which served as the iconic exterior for the police station in Homicide.

I currently live about twenty miles from the city, but just two miles away from the site where they shot the last couple seasons' interiors. That site is currently a Wegman's but was a large warehouse at the time. I briefly worked at Baltimore City Hall two years ago and there were three unwritten rules in City Hall: 1) Don't talk about The Wire, 2) Don't talk about The Wire, 3) Don't wear Washington Redskins gear in Baltimore Ravens territory.

I also recently learned that Delaney Williams, who played the particularly obese detective Jay Landsman, worked at the Parkway Deli, where I ate often growing up and still do on occasion. David Simon also reportedly lives along an old biking route of mine. In LA, such proximity must seem novel but it's rare here... unless you count politicians, and those stories are... Never mind, I live five miles from the NSA.

 

Naaaa, Super 35mm 3-perf has much more area than Super 16mm. But he's right in that it's less than Academy 35mm. Not so much to get crazy about it. And this was always a grainy show, but that was part of the look. In fact, I would say The Wire was one of the best, most natural-looking cop shows I've ever seen. I thought it was far less "affected" and over-stylized than CSI or NCIS, which go way over-the-top in terms of image. Dexter also looks very good (shot on video for the last few years).

 

This some outrageous **** !

 

Just finished S05 , excellent !

 

Hard to watch the crap that's on TV after The Wire. Well worth a second viewing IMO. I seemed to enjoy it even more the second time around.

 

one of my fave characters ! you feel me ?

 

'A man's got to have a code' He's also very good in 'Boardwalk Empire'

 

Question for Vidiot or anyone else. I know Simon refuses to do blu-ray for The Wire because it wasn't in hi-def and all, but wouldn't the grainy 35mm film still look better on BR than DVD? I think grain is better served by the format.

 

Mine too... Only wish he stayed alive until the last episode. His presence was sorely missed and I didn't like how he went down

 

Recently watched The
Corner , highly recommend
to all fans of The Wire

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0224853/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

My all time favorite TV Series. Pretty perfect from the first to the last episode.

 

That's what I would think. Regardless of aspect ratio, if it was shot on film, it would look better on blu-ray than dvd. Was't HBO airing it in Hi-def (still 4:3, yes) towards the end?

 

After a 5 year lull I'm watching it again starting with the 1st season. Still great.

 

We're just finishing up a series re-watch, and are currently on the 2nd episode of season 5. Just as good this time around as any previous viewings!

 

I'm restraining myself from a third straight-thru viewing. I want to forget more of it first, if that makes any sense . . .

I do think THE WIRE should have been awarded something like the special Pulitzer they gave to Art Spiegelman's MAUS. A mere Emmy wouldn't be enough to encompass its accomplishment.

 

The Wire is essential viewing and yes it makes 99.9% of what's on TV look stupid and infantile in comparison.

 

It makes COMPLETE sense. It's probably been 2 years since the last time I watched the series, and I did forget quite a few plotlines and outcomes. Unfortunately, most of the major developments did stick with me -- likely never to leave -- so the "holy crap" factor was less this time around.

One thing that my wife and I found we do agree on: The season 4 opening theme song is the best of the bunch. It's been going around in my head for several days and I can't get it out! Aaah!

 

I've watched the entire series I think five times and still haven't reached the point of diminishing returns.

If you want more but also want to wait, there's always Treme.

 

Khandi Alexander is incredible in this!(also in Treme)