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[Gimpson]

Has anybody been watching The Wire?  I got into the show this summer when they were re-airing season two, rented season one just before season three started, and have been enjoying the hell out of season three this fall.  I kept hearing that ratings were poor and the show might not be picked up for a fourth season, but after last night's episide I wonder if David Simon had this planned as a three season arc.

Edited to remove spoiler

[miles]

I avoided the body of your message, as I'm currently renting season one (right after finals--Thursday at 5PM is when my last final paper is due--I'll start on Disc 4).  I don't have HBO so I'm a long ways off from seasons two and three, as season one only came out in October.  Anyway, the show's brilliant!  I love it.  I never got into Homicide, but I loved the book on which its based.  The Corner was also pretty good.

Is there an easier, quicker way to watch seasons 2 and 3?  Can't afford HBO, but don't want to wait for the DVD releases...

[slink]

Is there an easier, quicker way to watch seasons 2 and 3?  Can't afford HBO, but don't want to wait for the DVD releases...

Suprnova.org perhaps. In the meantime.

[Gimpson]

I did not have good success finding episodes online, but I've heard that Season 2 will be released on DVD early next year.  If this season is the last, as I think it will be, I don't see any reason they'd delay its DVD release much longer.

[miles]

Is there an easier, quicker way to watch seasons 2 and 3?  Can't afford HBO, but don't want to wait for the DVD releases...

Suprnova.org perhaps. In the meantime.

I'll check that shit out.  Thanks.

[miles]

I did not have good success finding episodes online, but I've heard that Season 2 will be released on DVD early next year.  If this season is the last, as I think it will be, I don't see any reason they'd delay its DVD release much longer.

Holy Jesus lover of my soul!  I just watched season one episodes 9 through 11.  Amazing shit.  Yeah, I saw that it was coming out on Jan. 25.  I was worried that the wait would be as long as it was for season one.  I'm not going to read your original post because I don't want to know why it may be the end of the show, but I sure as fuck hope not!  There's nothing better on TV, and I haven't seen anything better in the theaters for a long time either.

But really, anyone who is curious about the show, try to find a copy of the first season to rent.  It's an amazing show.

[miles]

Caution!  Minor Spoilers Below!

Just started on disc one of Season Two.  Great so far.  It's good to see that Wood Harris still has a prominent role.  I was worried he wouldn't be in the show for a while.  I saw part of an episode that was either in later in this season or earlier in Season Three and I know he gets out eventually (also know this thanks to the big fuck*ng picture on HBO's webiste.  Thanks assholes!).  I was worried that I'd have to wait till then to see more of him.

I loved the part when the kid, on his way to get the car taken apart to find the (money/drugs?) is totally engaged by Prairie Home Companion on the radio.  Something about that voice...

Question:  I can't remember if it was here or another film forum, but someone mentioned that Season Three is already showing up as coming soon on Netflix.  Netflixies: is this true?  Does it give release date?

[slink]

I loved the part when the kid, on his way to get the car taken apart to find the (money/drugs?) is totally engaged by Prairie Home Companion on the radio.  Something about that voice...

I think I might have to look into this series. Sounds possible...

[wombat]

This is going to sound stupid, I guess, but I have watched most of season one and about half of season two on DVD at this point and I still can't decide if I actually like this show.  I might just be watching it because it's the home team - set up the road in Baltimore where I know some of the settings, one of the writers lives in my neighborhood, I get the local in jokes and references (like a long gratuitious shot of Bunk reading a mystery by Baltimorean Laura Lippman), etc.

I guess the other thing is that some of the characters do seem real and interesting.  But it just seems to go on and on.  Say all they want about how they've made a novel for television, the difference is that with a real novel, you get to read it at your own pace.

[miles]

This is going to sound stupid, I guess, but I have watched most of season one and about half of season two on DVD at this point and I still can't decide if I actually like this show.  I might just be watching it because it's the home team - set up the road in Baltimore where I know some of the settings, one of the writers lives in my neighborhood, I get the local in jokes and references (like a long gratuitious shot of Bunk reading a mystery by Baltimorean Laura Lippman), etc.

I guess the other thing is that some of the characters do seem real and interesting.  But it just seems to go on and on.  Say all they want about how they've made a novel for television, the difference is that with a real novel, you get to read it at your own pace.

Not stupid.  Just wrong.

Just kidding.  But I do disagree about the show seeming to go on and on.  It's hard for me to wait in between getting discs in the mail (I'm renting it from Blockbuster online).

Which writer lives in your neighborhood?  The show caught my attention at first because I really like David Simon.  I liked the Corner and his book Homicide (one of my favorite books).  The show Homicide was only OK I thought, probably because there is only so much you can do on network television.

I think most of the characters are great, thanks to great acting and writing.  It's shot really well too, in my opinion.  And the stories are all engaging.

I guess the show is now over?  Don't have HBO so I'm not sure (and won't be able to watch the third season for quite some time), but I saw some kind of online petition to bring it back.  Disappointing.  The Office, the other show that I've been impressed with recently, pulled a similar stunt, but ended after two seasons and a special.  I imagine the shows' creators wanted to end on a high note, and hopefully they will go on to create more great stuff.  I guess Gervais (of The Office) is already working on something, and will be writing and appearing in a Simpson's episode.

[wombat]

But I do disagree about the show seeming to go on and on.  It's hard for me to wait in between getting discs in the mail (I'm renting it from Blockbuster online).

Yeah, actually I am always impatient to get the next disk - it's hard to watch them in order getting them from the local video store - it's more that sometimes individual episodes or scenes make me wish I could skip ahead.  Especially, while I appreciate that they spend some time on character development of the characters outside of their work, I feel like a lot of those non-plot-related scenes go on a little past where I want to say, OK, I get it already.

I was a big fan of Homicide.  But I probably wouldn't have watched that if it wasn't set in Baltimore either.  But I guess none of this is surprising, it is so unusual for me to sit down in front of the TV and stay seated for a whole hour, there has to be a lot of different kinds of incentive to add up.

The writer who lives around here is George Pelecanos, whose books are set in DC and in my part of Maryland, which is not near Baltimore, but are also a lot about drug dealing and race relations and all that.  So I guess he fit right in. Continuing the theme,  I probably wouldn't have read his books either if they hadn't featured characters who hung out in my neighborhood.  But given that there isn't time to read all the books and watch all the TV in the world I suppose that's as good a way as any to narrow it down.

I don't have HBO either - unfortunately doesn't make sense to add it to the 200 channels I already don't watch - but I do have the internet, so am trying hard not to read the episode synopses for the whole third season...

[miles]

Especially, while I appreciate that they spend some time on character development of the characters outside of their work, I feel like a lot of those non-plot-related scenes go on a little past where I want to say, OK, I get it already.

I'm a sucker for cop dramas.  Even ones I don't particularly like, such as the CSI franchise.  I don't watch them most of them often (because of classes and work), but usually enjoy it when I do.  I prefer the Law & Order type because they avoid the character development outside of the workplace, which is usually boring and tedious.  But the Wire gets it right for the most part, I think, and the outside of work moments retain the tension and interest that the plot-related scenes have.

I don't have HBO either - unfortunately doesn't make sense to add it to the 200 channels I already don't watch - but I do have the internet, so am trying hard not to read the episode synopses for the whole third season...

I would probably get it if I had the money, even though I would rarely watch it.  One day I hope cable/satellite services will begin offering channels a la carte, as long as the individual channels remain affordable.  I like some television, but not enough to spend the ungodly amounts of money they charge every month to get those services now.  So, I have to wait for the shows I like to come out on DVD.

[Gimpson]

Question:  I can't remember if it was here or another film forum, but someone mentioned that Season Three is already showing up as coming soon on Netflix.  Netflixies: is this true?  Does it give release date?

Yes, it is on there as Coming Soon, but no release date.  

I guess the show is now over? Don't have HBO so I'm not sure (and won't be able to watch the third season for quite some time), but I saw some kind of online petition to bring it back.

David Simon met with some HBO executives a couple of weeks ago to discuss what he wants to do with a fourth season.  Everybody expected they would have made a decision about the show by now, but they still haven't said anything.  The only news has been this quote from HBO President Chris Albrecht:

I have received a telegram, I think, from every viewer of The Wire -- all 250 of them.

The ratings haven't been good, but HBO might just be cool enough to bring it back for all the critical acclaim.  David Simon has said that the fourth season would be all about education.  

Education.

[Gimpson]

Oh, and apparently McNulty is in the running to be the next James Bond.

[wombat]

Isn't the McNulty guy too, um, funny looking to be James Bond?  I can never understand why every woman on the series is willing to fall into bed with him at a moment's notice.  I'm obviously missing something.

That quote from the HBO president is pretty funny.  Just the other day I described the series to someone who had not heard of it as 'you know, one of those HBO series that get great reviews but no one seems to watch.'