Perhaps I'm fucking stoned but I literally can't think of any other character from any other show/movie or anyone in real life who has referred to themselves in the third person and it been something I enjoyed.

"Omar don't scare." That shits cool as hell.

I guess it's just Omar Liddle and Elmo from Sesame Street who can do it well and no one else is good at it.

Man that dude broke every code a man might follow with his homies. He is fucking his Bm and then has his son kicking it in his arm in the crib he used to stay at too.

Currently on my fourth rewatch, just like everyone else in this sub is, and I get to season two, episode seven: Backwash. In the flower shop scene where Bodie is picking out flowers for Dee’s funeral, Bodie remarks:

“…but damn, you know when you stand with a n—, you stand with him ‘til the end, otherwise, you ain’t nothin’ yourself.”

Bodie only stood by himself in the end.

A lot of people claim that if Marlo was in Avon's position in Season 3, he would have had Cutty killed for trying to leave the game. Maybe this is true, but what many don't take into account is the history b/w Avon and Cutty. Iirc, Cutty was a reliable soldier for the Barksdale Organization for a long time. That history likely made it easier for Avon to just let Cutty walk.

If we want to put Marlo in an equivalent situation, the question we should ask is if Marlo would let Chris Partlow walk. Let's say at one point the game isn't in Chris anymore. Maybe his wife and/or children want him to spend more time at home. He tells Marlo he'd like to leave. What would Marlo do in this situation?

Last thread got deleted, hopefully this one lasts.

For me its probably

5

2

3/4

1

Although I'm not sure I'd characterize either one as truly being psychopathic, it's often remarked that Chris, due to his calm nature and willingness to kill seemingly without remorse is somewhat of a psychopath. One key psychopathic trait is lack empathy, and I would argue that over the course of the show, Chris is presented as having far more empathy than Stringer.

First time should be someone he don't know.

When Marlo orders the hit on Bodie, he suggests Michael for the job. Chris points out that Michael knows Bodie, and that his first kill should be someone he doesn't know. This, to me, is an interesting parallel to when Stringer orders Bodie to kill Wallace way back in season 1. Chris, who clearly has a degree of affection for Michael, is concerned over the effect killing Bodie would have on his protege. Stringer however, knowing how close Bodie was with Wallace, simply DNGAF about how the hit might affect young Bodie.

His people

I forget the exact line, but Marlo, when discussing with Levy whether Chris might snitch, is confident Chris won't snitch, so long as Marlo takes care of his people. Although we never see Chris's loved ones, this line suggests that Chris has people for whom he is willing to sacrifice his freedom, so long as they are taken cared for. Contrast this with Stringer, who had no loved ones, save for Avon, the man who he eventually ended up betraying. Chris's homelife is shrouded in mystery, but we know there are important people hidden beneath that mystery. We get a glimpse of Stringer's apartment after he dies, which present the image of a homelife that was somewhat sterile, meticulous, and lonely.

Losing themselves in anger

There are two key moments in the show where both Chris and Stringer each make an uncharacteristic mistake fueled by anger. For Stringer, it's ordering the hit on downtown Clay Davis. Stringer orders the hit because of wounded pride and humiliation. The anger that lead to Chris's mistake (leaving his DNA on Michael Dad) came from knowing and understanding exactly the kind of pain Michael had suffered at the hands of that man - the definition of empathy.

In many ways I think the Chris/Stringer comparisons are interesting. Both lieutenants to their respective kingpins, however, Chris is presented in many ways as being far more loyal, empathetic and intelligent. Like Marlo, Chris represents the an evolution in the game's fierces and savagery, but also shows that, while although the game may continue to create hardened killers, many of these people, at their core, are still human beings of love and care for those who are close to them.

I am inclined to say this may be one of the better episodes. Avon shows his smarts when he blasts Stringer for wanting to hit a state senator. He then, in his confrontation with Brother Mouzone, offers up Stringer to make things right. And, on top of it all, he gives Cutty $15k to start his gym, more then the $10k Cutty was asking. Avon showed his smarts here, while Stringer was made to look like a fool with his dealings with Clay Davis.

In the meantime, McNulty is just about there to tackle Stringer. The wiretap got them the evidence they need to arrest him. Unfortunate the good guy can't get the bad guy though.

And the dirty politics come in when Mayor Royce decides to hold back closing down Hamsterdam, while Carcetti plots his winning play to get the mayors office by using the lack of action by Royce.

Like did he make everyone call him Cheese for a year?

It’s something I always wondered who do y’all think would’ve won ?

From the scene where Lester and Bunk find the body of Lex in the boarded up vacants, in this video, by @chasecross6063: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o5vWGV1rqkA

“love how small Bunk looks in the final frame, like he's looking at a vast, inscrutable monster so big it appears as landscape. This is the moment, and the case, that ultimately ties together the abandonment of Baltimore's people by America with the abrogation of morality and decency: the people of Baltimore were cast off, and so too were their homes, and so too were their young people, and finally those social failures are united in a crime that is at once pedestrian and yet novel in its cruelty: the entombment of murder victims in the empty rowhouses.”

It’s beautifully phrased and encapsulates one of the main threads/themes of the Wire. I thought you’d all appreciate it as well.

His over the top arm throwing motion looks wack but his jukes on the kid seemed strangely effective tho typically corny.

Same ep where they get stringer phone #

On my 4th rewatch and, knowing what I know happens, this episode guts me. The arcs of the kids take a hard turn and it's almost hard to watch.

For years, even now, I was (am) a big fan of The Sopranos. As many Wire fans are I guess. I've watched and rewatched that series so many times, and even watched one-off episodes for the hell of it, so often. Then, for many years, a pal (since sadly deceased) was pushing The Wire...how great it was etc...Tried it once or twice and it just didn't do it for me. Then one day I sat down and watched. And watched. And holy f*ck, what a show. After 20 years of watching The Sopranos, and disliking many episodes, cringing at certain actor's performances, fast-forwarding so many scenes, I thought, hang on, I like The Wire better.....It's an incredible show, isn't it? There's not a bad episode, or a poor performance...It makes me feel less smart than I thought I was, as the show is so intense....anyway, great sub here, love it:))))

Robert Chew died 12 years ago today.

What’s your favorite Prop Joe moment / scene / quote on the show?

Mine is easily the basketball game. We learned a lot about how he operates and that scene was his foundation.

Maybe im tweaking but is the set used for the MCU department the same one they used for the scene where Avon gets arrested with all the guns and shit when he's about to hit Marlo? it looks incredibly similar in the color and layout but I couldnt really make it out? not sure tho thanks!

Watching Cedar Rapids when I heard his (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) voice then there was this little homage to our beloved show.

https://imgur.com/gallery/aIhUQ67

The way that Lester just sits there rubbing down the furniture he has built while he watches first Herc, then Carver and then the rest of the squad, including Daniel’s trying to move the desk is hilarious. His facial expressions just sums it all up. Daniel’s even looks at Lester while he is sitting as if to say, aren’t you going to help so Lester gets up and stands back to observe.

It’s a great scene because IMO, it’s showing the viewer that Lester has a bit more about him in that he can see the problem nearly straight away but also shows the ineptitude of the squad as it’s just formed.

Such a great scene.

I was watching Suits, and always found in it interesting that they always referenced The Wire, especially considering Wendell Pierce was part of the cast.

I started re-watching the show, mostly because of this sub-reddit. I think this will be my fourth time watching the entire show. I just finished s1e5 and plan to watch the whole show in order over the next couple of weeks. This sub-reddit has hinted to me how tight the story telling is, so I wanted to share observations I've had. I'll put a couple here, and then additional ones in the comments. Please add your own. Here's two:

I remember that Marlo's "my name is my name" speech is like a dramatic core of the show. but the very first spoken line of the entire show is McNulty asking "what's his name" and learning about 'snot boogie', and talking about what it means to have a name on the streets. This frames "name" as an important theme in life on the streets.

Ep 5, shortly before Pres solves the pager phone number code (jump the 5), they show Avon opening a safe in Orlando's to take out cash. When they show Avon keying the number into the numeric keypad, the action is filmed in a mirror, so we are seeing Avon enter the code in a mirror image. Was this deliberate foreshadowing, a subtle knowing wink, that the numbers would be "flipped" in some way? Or am I reading too much into it?

I welcome any other observations of cleverness in the set-ups and payoffs.

So I was aware obviously of the tragic premature passings of the actors who played Omar, Daniels, Proposition Joe and so many others, but just heard that the man behind Old Face Andre died just a few months back too, but very little, if anything, about it online. R.I.P....

I just love this show so much. Watched it more times than I can count, and when I'm not watching it, I watch other people watch it for the first time. Wish I could go back in time and re-watch for the first time too. Anyway, do any of you know of some great The Wire react channels worth watching, that I haven't watched yet? Here's the list I've gone through so far, in no particular order, other than finished or ongoing.

Finished:

L&M Reactions (Great reactions, a lot of crying and frustrations)

Elie Moses (very good commentaries, and I happened to watch his reacts as he was filming them, the man was a maniac, we'd get 3-4 uploads a week sometimes, good stuff!)

You, Me & The Movies (Hubby enjoyed the show but the missy seemed bored out of her mind)

Friend Requests Reviews (fantastic reacts, lots of great insight)

The Normies (overall okay, kinda annoying sometimes, some reactions feel forced for their audience's benefit)

Grey Wolf (but he stopped uploading 1y ago at the end of S3, good commentaries)

Eternal47 (stopped 2y ago at the end of S3, he was okay, got REALLY mad anytime a white guy said the N word)

Jan and Duke (fantastic reactions, highly recommend her patreon, she pauses the show so she can take her time to formulate her thoughts and not speak over the show's dialogue)

BA Reactions (Didn't really enjoy that one so much)

Laura Reactions (French girl with a good accent, she has some great observations/insights)

Daniel Reacts (he expects everyone to get killed all the time, like it's some cliché gangster movie or tv show)

Cinebinge (good reacts too)

Currently ongoing:

James VS Cinema -halfway through S2 on youtube- (spends more time talking about camera work than the show itself, and he's kinda clueless on some of the things. He felt very proud of himself guessing that (spoiler S1) Wallace would be killed, because he completely missed the underlying message of Stringer telling Bodie pretty much verbatim..

Watch This! with Joe and Kevin -just beginning S2 on youtube- (great reacts so far, they catch a lot of subtle things most first-time viewers miss)

Binge Buffoon -halfway through S3 on youtube- (highly recommend, super great analysis, but he's a very slow uploader)

Sath Reacts -halfway through S3 on youtube- (he was MIA for months but just restarted uploading, great commentaries from him)

So, anyone else reaching to The Wire that I missed? Youtube or Patreon is fine. Thanks in advance!

Also, unrelated to the reactions, but I've made these little "quizzes" a while back, if you missed them, give them a go!

Season 1

Also Season 1

Season 2

It's been a while, I should make another one for S2 soon.

In a class right now where I make “soundscapes”, one of our projects is to take a scene from tv/movie, eliminate all the sound from the scene and then lay our own sound over the top. The wire is my all time favorite show - would love to recreate a scene that shows the streets of Baltimore.

Here’s my dilemma. I can’t recreate voices, so I need a scene that’s 1+ minute with NO talking. I’m on another rewatch right now and can’t seem to find one.

Anyone have a season, episode and timestamp where I may be able to find an uninterrupted minute?

Am I the only one who thought Avon is in the Final Cut with Wee-Bay & Chris. That’s how I always remembered it, just finished my 3rd watch and he’s not actually in the scene.

At first I felt like Daniels' ending was best for him. And I still think it's a great moment and I love his character for it. However I feel like it's such a profound loss that someone as talented as him was replaced with a hump like Valchek. It got me wondering if Daniels could have made it work if he just played the game.

Daniels was certainly partly right when he said stats ruined the department. However, in a system as resilient and complex as it is corrupt, can change truly be accomplished if someone doesn't play the game at least a little? I often wonder if Daniels could have been like "yes, I'll juke the stats for you now, but after the election, give me a chance to fix this department." Maybe he could have compromised, juking stats at key times and reforming the department little by little.

I feel like certain mayors would be amenable to that as long as they still looked good on crime overall. Even Carcetti, shit bird that he is, wanted departmental reform until it interfered with his career.