As advertised above, sometimes here at MTGTTM we go eslewhere - and what better place to start than with the vexing question, "just how good is The Wire?"For those not in the know, this is a US TV cop show (now just finished, after five seasons) made by HBO and only broadcast in the UK by FX, which means that very few people have seen it. But TV reviewers are all but universal in their praise of the show, and when even Mr Grumpfest himself, Charlie Brooker, calls this the best show on TV in the past 20 years, well, notice must be taken. And so your reviewer has bravely gone forth, sought out season one, and is now in a position to comment. And let it be said immediately, this is a show that will have an effect on you - or at least on the way you speak...
Yo. A-ight?
(To make matters easier for y'all, this review will now offer subtitles for those not yet fully versed in Baltimore street-patois...)
'Fo we get to the main, y'all gon have to unnerstan the way ma man be talkin' atcha.
Now before we proceed, let us deal with the matter of the way that characters speak in the show.
Fo' sure, m_________f___________.
Indeed.
Cuz they all be gettin' with this mofo this an' mofo that sh__. 'til that stuff be comin' out yo' ears, bro.
Many of the characters make frequent and recurring allegations about sexual relationships in a maternal sense.
Mos' def. A-ight?
I say this with certainty, and I do hope that you concur.
OK, enough of this sh__, y'all be gettin' the hang of it now. Unless y'all really be some poor-ass n_________ m_________ f___________.
Enough already
OK, on with the review, before I start sounding like Ali G. But all the same, language is important in this show, as - unlike most others - the story is not instantly and easily understandable. You have to listen carefully (as the tagline says), and you may well find yourself rewinding frequently to try to catch what the heck is going on. (At this point, a useful tip: the HBO website offers very full episode summaries, which make good reading after you've watched each episode. Boy, do I wish I'd realised this before getting to the end of the box set.)
All in all, I'd say this is a grower. I'm on board for season two (mos' def), and I'm pretty impressed with what I've seen so far. But: best TV show of all time? I hae ma doots... though perhaps it's unkind to judge so early. I mean, Buffy season one wasn't up to all that much, and it may well be that greater things lie ahead for officer McNulty and the gang (and, indeed, the gangsters, or crew, or whatever they are called).
On the plus side, this is great DVD box-set fare. Apparently the episodes are meant to feel more like chapters in a book, and it's very easy to get through quite a few pages in one sitting. I think the show will be keeping me company through the remaining winter months - well, that and Masterchef.
Tell it like it is, Holmes
OK, let's be honest: it's not Doctor Who. (Best. TV. Show. Ever.)
Dr Who best TV show ever? Hmmmmm. Even sticking to SFF type shows, better than Buffy? Than Firefly? Than, for heaven's sake, BSG (new version)? I think not.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I clearly do need to check out The Wire come summer holidays.
Firefly was a bit hit and miss for me, dr rick (though I enjoyed Serenity a great deal at the movies). Buffy Seasons 2 and 5 are things of great beauty, and BSG has its moments too... but the moments of greatness in Doctor Who (of which there have been many of late) are at the top for me. To have been a fan, back in the day, then see the programme you loved as a child come back better than ever - bliss.
ReplyDeleteWondering what Maths teacher is up to and why he hasn't revieved Slumdog Millionaire yet? Truely wonderful film - get on to it.
ReplyDeleteAx