The Wire

[Stratman]

Wow, you Brits really are attached to those two shows.

[Tom M]

I recored S01E01 last night, so I'll give it a whirl later

[Moon-Crane]

I'd say to at least record and watch the whole week to get a true idea of the show.

[Tom M]

I'd say to at least record and watch the whole week to get a true idea of the show.

I fully intend to

[Mr Blue Sky]

There was some tv critic on the radio yesterday and he said he'd only ever watched the first episode of The Wire, and thought that people only thought it was a great show because they felt they looked stupid to others if they didn't He said he was more looking forward to two upcoming wedding episodes on Eastenders and Coronation Street than The Wire starting on BBC. Way to look like a credible critic.

I wouldn't have given it a second though if he'd watched a season and then had constructive reasons for not liking.

Hehe. I bet it was 5Live you were listening to – their TV critics are an absolute joke. I heard one of them ‘reviewing’ the last ever episode of ER yesterday and the presenter said “I suppose it’s a bit like the US version of Casualty?” to which the astute critic replied “Yeah, but it’s nowhere near as dramatic as Casualty!”

I mean, I’m no fan of ER, I’ve only ever seen the pilot, but I’ve seen enough of Casualty over the years to know that show has no dramatic merit whatsoever! It’s basically a very cheap soap opera set in a Hospital’s A&E department. To compare it to a show like ER must have US critics in fits of hysterics!

Going back to Eastenders, I did watch the much-ballyhooed Wedding Episode last night – it was piss funny! Not intentionally of course. A bunch of Cockneys screaming at each other does NOT constitute decent drama in my book. The plot ‘twists’ could be seen coming a mile off and the hammy acting made me cringe. Ugh. I can’t believe I used to agree with BA that this was a cut above the average soap. I haven’t seen the show for a while but last night’s offering was shite. It’s depressing to think that a professional critic (and by that I mean they get paid, rather than they're any good) could see more merit in that bunch of toss than they could in The Wire.

[Paul B]

I mean, I’m no fan of ER, I’ve only ever seen the pilot, but I’ve seen enough of Casualty over the years to know that show has no dramatic merit whatsoever! It’s basically a very cheap soap opera set in a Hospital’s A&E department. To compare it to a show like ER must have US critics in fits of hysterics!

It has me in hysterics too! I agree with everything you said about Casualty. In recent years I've even seen it vainly trying to mimic ER's style, right down to the plots (one example was a character getting brutally stabbed by a psycho patient with the knife for a celebratory cake). Of course, everything was hunkey-dorey in the next episode for Casualty, and there were little to no consequences. This country's fixations on soap (and the fact that they get called 'serial dramas') is an embarrassment.

[Stratman]

Going back to Eastenders, I did watch the much-ballyhooed Wedding Episode last night – it was piss funny! Not intentionally of course. A bunch of Cockneys screaming at each other does NOT constitute decent drama in my book. The plot ‘twists’ could be seen coming a mile off and the hammy acting made me cringe. Ugh. I can’t believe I used to agree with BA that this was a cut above the average soap. I haven’t seen the show for a while but last night’s offering was shite. It’s depressing to think that a professional critic (and by that I mean they get paid, rather than they're any good) could see more merit in that bunch of toss than they could in The Wire.

Finally, you're starting to realize that BA hadn't an ounce of taste, I've taught you well. Soon you'll be petitioning that British comedies be gang banged 22 times a year by a staff of ten writers. One day you might even come to the realization that advertising is a necessary evil.

[Mr Blue Sky]

Finally, you're starting to realize that BA hadn't an ounce of taste, I've taught you well. Soon you'll be petitioning that British comedies be gang banged 22 times a year by a staff of ten writers.

Hehe, I was just thinking that about British comedies the other day. There was an interview with Dave Spikey (co-writer of Phoenix Nights) about what's wrong with British sitcoms at the moment. He actually mentioned Frasier as an example of why US sitcoms have been far superior for the last couple of decades. He said "The writers of Frasier used to hire one guy and pay him $10,000 to 'funny-up' a script. He only used to insert 4 jokes but got paid 10 grand for doing it! That's the level you're talking about."

I think he must have been referring to David Lloyd, who was a bit of a hired comedy gun. He's right though. I definitely think Britain has got plenty of writing talent, but it's certainly not 'pooled' in the same way it is in the US. If all our best writers got together in a room, I'm sure they could write a truly great sitcom.

One day you might even come to the realization that advertising is a necessary evil.

Nah, it doesn't matter how many adverts are inserted there'll only be a finite amount of money to pump into a British production. In fact the BBC have no excuse as their model is the same as HBO's. Except of course the people of Britain are forced to subscribe to the BBC by law through the licence fee system. Unfortunately they tend to blow a lot of that money on high price celebrity entertainers instead of funding a top notch comedy writers' room.

[Mayday Malone]

I saw this, don't know if y'all be interested.

Caitlin Moran, on The Wire

she's got a point about what happens if you don't like it. Listening to Richard Bacon talk to Dominic West (fantastic as Oliver Cromwell in The Devil's Whore), I was getting excited (and annoyed that I missed this week's batch)...then wondered, what if I did not like it? Ostricised?

enjoy.

[Mr Blue Sky]

I saw this, don't know if y'all be interested.

Caitlin Moran, on The Wire

Cheers for that. I think her premise that all people who enjoy The Wire must be clever is a bit flimsy. It's a cops and robbers show. Goodies vs Baddies; but it tells the story from both sides. The dialogue may be a little tough to access at first but once you're into it I don't think you have to be particularly clever to enjoy it.

she's got a point about what happens if you don't like it. Listening to Richard Bacon talk to Dominic West (fantastic as Oliver Cromwell in The Devil's Whore), I was getting excited (and annoyed that I missed this week's batch)...then wondered, what if I did not like it? Ostricised?

enjoy.

iPlayer?

[Mayday Malone]

It is not on the Iplayer, sadly.

I'll get my mate at the library to rent it out, free.

I saw an advert in the paper for The Corner which apparently is done by the writers/creators of The Wire.

[Stratman]

I saw this, don't know if y'all be interested.

Caitlin Moran, on The Wire

Cheers for that. I think her premise that all people who enjoy The Wire must be clever is a bit flimsy. It's a cops and robbers show. Goodies vs Baddies; but it tells the story from both sides. The dialogue may be a little tough to access at first but once you're into it I don't think you have to be particularly clever to enjoy it.

It's just like when people say you have to be super smart to get all the highbrow jokes on Frasier. It's not really the case.

[Moon-Crane]

If people don't like it they don't like it. No big deal. If they dismiss it as badly written they're idiots, but it's fair enough to simply not like the show.

You certainly don't have to be smart to 'get' it - just follow it - it's only a tv show.

[Mayday Malone]

Does anyone in Blighty know if the episodes go straight into Season 2 on BBC2? I ask as I'm likely going to download S1 and want to get them before S2 starts...looking on my digibox (which shows up until 21APR)...they go onto April16, S1 finale...so I'm guessing there's a break.

[Agides]

Does anyone in Blighty know if the episodes go straight into Season 2 on BBC2? I ask as I'm likely going to download S1 and want to get them before S2 starts...looking on my digibox (which shows up until 21APR)...they go onto April16, S1 finale...so I'm guessing there's a break.

I believe the entire five series are being run back-to-back.

[Mayday Malone]

I see. Thanks.

[Agides]

You're more than welcome.

[tenpercenter]

this show is a slow burn. you really got to get deep into the season to get the pay off

but the best ever song intro to a show!

[welshben23]

this show is a slow burn. you really got to get deep into the season to get the pay off

but the best ever song intro to a show!

It's good but I prefer the music on the titles of The Sopranos and The West Wing.

[Moon-Crane]

It's an ok theme, but there are plenty around that i prefer - even if many are on inferior shows. I could write a list as long as my arm of theme tunes i prefer. Still a great show though.