Easily as good as BSG, if not superior. I didn't care for Mad Men. I watched a couple of episodes and felt like I was getting lectured at about how morally superior we are today.
The Wire is by the same guy who did Homicide, but it's simply far more immense in scope. Homicide was largely about police bureaucracy. The Wire starts from that premise and expands. Each season tracks a different case (most of which are extensions of an older case). Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
In short, it's HUUUUUGE. The characters are fantastic, wonderfully real/disturbing/fascinating/hateable/loveable. I actually yelled out "NO!" when one of my favorite drug dealers got offed.
Easily as good as BSG, if not superior. I didn't care for Mad Men. I watched a couple of episodes and felt like I was getting lectured at about how morally superior we are today.
The Wire is by the same guy who did Homicide, but it's simply far more immense in scope. Homicide was largely about police bureaucracy. The Wire starts from that premise and expands. Each season tracks a different case (most of which are extensions of an older case). Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
In short, it's HUUUUUGE. The characters are fantastic, wonderfully real/disturbing/fascinating/hateable/loveable. I actually yelled out "NO!" when one of my favorite drug dealers got offed.
If you liked Homicide, you'll simply love this.
I just got my wife's permission to put Season 1 in the Netflix queue.
Don't be too hard on MadMen, there is a lot of that contrast, but there a moments, like when Dryer fences with his wife's Psychologist, that are deft. (I've always wanted to see a cage match at any respectable college, where the Marketing & Psych faculty are pitted against each other -- my money's on the Marketing people.)
Maybe the rest does smack of a crypto-George Carlin rant, but the characters seem to be written well.
One of the elements of BSG that I like is that it's a spectacle. This is true with most "big-budget" Sci-Fi. But yeah, there have certainly been series with more interesting writing, better characters, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by midwinter
Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
Heh... Baltimore is extremely corrupt. Honestly, I've been told that it's the most corrupt city in America, at least per-capita, and based on some experiences I can't claim that to be untrue.
Comments
The Wire is by the same guy who did Homicide, but it's simply far more immense in scope. Homicide was largely about police bureaucracy. The Wire starts from that premise and expands. Each season tracks a different case (most of which are extensions of an older case). Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
In short, it's HUUUUUGE. The characters are fantastic, wonderfully real/disturbing/fascinating/hateable/loveable. I actually yelled out "NO!" when one of my favorite drug dealers got offed.
If you liked Homicide, you'll simply love this.
Easily as good as BSG, if not superior. I didn't care for Mad Men. I watched a couple of episodes and felt like I was getting lectured at about how morally superior we are today.
The Wire is by the same guy who did Homicide, but it's simply far more immense in scope. Homicide was largely about police bureaucracy. The Wire starts from that premise and expands. Each season tracks a different case (most of which are extensions of an older case). Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
In short, it's HUUUUUGE. The characters are fantastic, wonderfully real/disturbing/fascinating/hateable/loveable. I actually yelled out "NO!" when one of my favorite drug dealers got offed.
If you liked Homicide, you'll simply love this.
I just got my wife's permission to put Season 1 in the Netflix queue.
Don't be too hard on MadMen, there is a lot of that contrast, but there a moments, like when Dryer fences with his wife's Psychologist, that are deft. (I've always wanted to see a cage match at any respectable college, where the Marketing & Psych faculty are pitted against each other -- my money's on the Marketing people.)
Maybe the rest does smack of a crypto-George Carlin rant, but the characters seem to be written well.
Each season adds on a new dimension: season one is about a wiretap on the biggest drug gang in Baltimore. It explores both the cops and the drug dealers. Season two adds the unions (stevedores). Season three adds a political dimension (both for the city and for the police and the dealers). Season four adds the politicians and the schools. Season 5 is adding the Baltimore Sun.
Heh... Baltimore is extremely corrupt. Honestly, I've been told that it's the most corrupt city in America, at least per-capita, and based on some experiences I can't claim that to be untrue.