THE BEST UN-WATCHED SHOW ON TV...
Folks and FOTJ, if you don't know about HBO'S THE WIRE, airing several times during the week but with new episodes Sunday night at 10 p.m., you are missing out on how truly great and powerful television can be. In an era of catering to the least intelligent, David Simon and company (the people behind the awesome Homicide: Life on the Street series among others) have created a drama that dares to speak on multiple levels to intelligent audiences and is even, shockingly, the most inclusive and anti-stereotypical show around today. I have never seen a show that was so balanced in terms of actual numbers and positive and negative portrayals of black, white, and even homosexual characters. (Asians, Latinos, etc...just wait awhile, it's coming, and this show is a breakthrough for all in my opinion.) In other words, black people don't just play the evil drug dealers, and whites the unstoppable, saintly police. In fact, the smartest cops on the force are black, but even better is that there are likable characters who you empathize with and support on both sides, and characters who you despise and pray for their imminent destruction on both as well. The show centers on a police unit in Baltimore that uses a wire tap to collect evidence on drug-related crime. However, this is just the beginning of the labyrinthine focus that swirls in the plot of The Wire. Entering Season 4, I was concerned that since the awesome antagonists of Barksdale and Bell had probably left the main storyline, where would the show direct its focus? As an answer, the brilliant minds decided to pick up the political storyline from last season, add in a new element in the unsolvable social problem of crime in the school system, and introduced a subplot about a group of kids caught up in this extremely realistic and dangerous enviroment. In short, we are watching the creation of the next Avon Barksdale, Stringer Bell, and even possibly the next Lester Banks, and Carver.....kingpins of crime or great cops. The suspense on this thread is created by attempting to guess which kid will go in which direction. I'm sure they won't let me down and take any obvious or simple option, since simple is usually never a valid description in life. It's also to the show's credit that their thematic focus doesn't just lay the blame at one level of society, but actually portrays all levels of the system as corrupt with predators working for their own selfish ends, and a few good people trying to work within its boundaries but being overwhelmed in the process. As a teacher in a public high school (although not one of inner-city Baltimore) I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed. Entering its 4th season, with new antagonists and storylines, this is the perfect jumping-0n point for all of you to come on board. I'll be watching, (My favorite characters are Lester Banks, and of course...OMAR, the trenchcoat-wearing, shotgun wielding assassain who takes down drug-dealers for personal profit....and he's gay, Take that Mr. Stereotype!) and I hope the rest of the world can take a break from the usual cliche and unimaginative shows dominating television to give this incredible show a chance. I applaud HBO for keeping the show going for its universal critical acclaim, and despite the lack of intelligent viewers watching. In fact, HBO already approved Season 5 based on critical acclaim from the first episode in this new season.
Folks and FOTJ, if you don't know about HBO'S THE WIRE, airing several times during the week but with new episodes Sunday night at 10 p.m., you are missing out on how truly great and powerful television can be. In an era of catering to the least intelligent, David Simon and company (the people behind the awesome Homicide: Life on the Street series among others) have created a drama that dares to speak on multiple levels to intelligent audiences and is even, shockingly, the most inclusive and anti-stereotypical show around today. I have never seen a show that was so balanced in terms of actual numbers and positive and negative portrayals of black, white, and even homosexual characters. (Asians, Latinos, etc...just wait awhile, it's coming, and this show is a breakthrough for all in my opinion.) In other words, black people don't just play the evil drug dealers, and whites the unstoppable, saintly police. In fact, the smartest cops on the force are black, but even better is that there are likable characters who you empathize with and support on both sides, and characters who you despise and pray for their imminent destruction on both as well. The show centers on a police unit in Baltimore that uses a wire tap to collect evidence on drug-related crime. However, this is just the beginning of the labyrinthine focus that swirls in the plot of The Wire. Entering Season 4, I was concerned that since the awesome antagonists of Barksdale and Bell had probably left the main storyline, where would the show direct its focus? As an answer, the brilliant minds decided to pick up the political storyline from last season, add in a new element in the unsolvable social problem of crime in the school system, and introduced a subplot about a group of kids caught up in this extremely realistic and dangerous enviroment. In short, we are watching the creation of the next Avon Barksdale, Stringer Bell, and even possibly the next Lester Banks, and Carver.....kingpins of crime or great cops. The suspense on this thread is created by attempting to guess which kid will go in which direction. I'm sure they won't let me down and take any obvious or simple option, since simple is usually never a valid description in life. It's also to the show's credit that their thematic focus doesn't just lay the blame at one level of society, but actually portrays all levels of the system as corrupt with predators working for their own selfish ends, and a few good people trying to work within its boundaries but being overwhelmed in the process. As a teacher in a public high school (although not one of inner-city Baltimore) I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed. Entering its 4th season, with new antagonists and storylines, this is the perfect jumping-0n point for all of you to come on board. I'll be watching, (My favorite characters are Lester Banks, and of course...OMAR, the trenchcoat-wearing, shotgun wielding assassain who takes down drug-dealers for personal profit....and he's gay, Take that Mr. Stereotype!) and I hope the rest of the world can take a break from the usual cliche and unimaginative shows dominating television to give this incredible show a chance. I applaud HBO for keeping the show going for its universal critical acclaim, and despite the lack of intelligent viewers watching. In fact, HBO already approved Season 5 based on critical acclaim from the first episode in this new season.
posted by The James at 4:09 AM
1 Comments:
According to Beatty, Omar made a choice.
Unfortunately I don't have HBO... so I've missed Sopranos, Deadwood, and yes, The Wire.
Maybe you should bring the dvds down and we can make a weekend of it with the rest of the crew.
PS - And once a week wisdom from The James ain't cuttin' it for me, bro.
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