I Finally Started Watching “The Wire” and I’m Hooked
No, this post wasn’t written in 2003. I’m just tardy for the party as always. For a long time, folks have been telling me about the greatness that is The Wire. A slew of my favorite nerdy Black boys have even called it “the greatest TV show ever” unabashedly. Even the President of the United States, Barack Obama, said it’s his favorite show. I definitely shoulda paid more attention. But I hadn’t seen one episode, and I was being told that my life wasn’t as full as it could be because of this. “The Wire” has some very passionate stans.
What happened when I finally decided to see what the hype was about? I watched 8 full episodes in one night. And when I went to bed, I actually dreamt about what I saw. I dreamt about West Baltimore, the low-rises, the police force, the drug rings… And when I woke up, thoughts of The Wire woke up with me. So I watched the remaining 5 episodes of Season 1 and itched like Bubbles to get my hands on Season 2. They got me.
I see the hype and I buy into it fully. The show’s so good that I forget it’s scripted. The dialogue is realistic and the conversations flow like they would in real life. The characters feel like real people. All the characters feel natural. There are gray areas like in real life and every time you think you’ve figured out the bad guy, he’s just another layer of this larger story that won’t end. The fact that no one person is a 3-dimensional cartoon villain in a show that revolves around crime is hella impressive. And the stories are intertwined believably, not in the far-reaching “that’s this person’s uncle’s 3rd cousin’s stepson by marriage twice removed” way.
D’Angelo Barksdale, Avon, Jim McNulty, Bunk, Kima, Prez, Lieutenant Daniels, Bubbles, Bodey, Stringer Bell, Omar and the others have me caring about their lives. I’m so into their story and I’m losing sleep to find out what happens next. I haven’t been captured by a TV show like this since the first time I watched “Scrubs” and I had to go out and buy all the season DVDs so I could catch up.
The Wire is amazing so far, and I’ve been told that I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet. And this makes me so excited that I could just roll around on the floor. The anticipation of the other 4 seasons has me giddy. The show is smart, captivating, enthralling and all around phenomenal!
A whole decade late, but I am finally a fan of The Wire. Nay, I am a stan. Better late than never, right?
So… did you guys and gals watch “The Wire” when it was on? Or were you like I was 2 weeks ago: a stranger to its’ awesomeness?
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45 Comments
This happened to me two years ago when I finally watched my first episode. I became a junkie overnight and Netflix couldn’t send new discs fast enough! SUCH a dope show…no pun intended.
Imma HUGE fan and hated to see it go off the air. MMMMMMM Stringer Bell lol
And their right….the best is yet to come. Enjoy!
What’s your favorite moment so far from watching Season 1?
Know that Season 2 takes a different topic/approach than Season 1 but it all fits into the larger narrative about the decline of the city of Baltimore.
I watched in real time, one episode per week as HBO showed them.
I was late to the party. I watched all five seasons in seven days.
GOOD GRAVY!!! That’s a G!!
My best friend gifted me with the entire 5 seasons a few weeks ago and I too have been losing valuable sleep because of it. Last time that happened for me, I was catching up on Greys Anatomy once it hooked me in the middle of season 5.
Like they said a couple comments before me, season 2 starts off a bit slowly but just keep watching.
I got hooked about a year ok and was the same way! Netflix could not send DVDs fast enough! I will give you no spoilers, but the show just gets better!
I was like this with Dexter. If you haven’t seen it, that is another show that will hook you really hard. I just randomly started watching on Netflix one day and now I pay for Showtime because I can’t miss it.
Also try In Treatment. Very realistic.
De-lurking to say…yes, better late than never! I discovered this show 5 years ago and I was living in Baltimore before that time. I didn’t know either. You’ll definitely be disappointed once you’ve watched all the episodes. Gone too soon.
I watched about 2 years ago. I got so caught up I watched all 5 seasons in 2 weeks. I’ve now bought the entire box set and plan to watch once a year.
I too was late to the party and overwhelmed by the greatness of the wire (#amish). There is a very positive upside to discovering The Wire now as opposed to then though. Your ability to watch 8 straight hours and finish season 1 in a day is a gift. I’ve told friends of mine who were die hards during the original run that I would have been dying from week to week for a new episode. Let’s not even talk about the gap between seasons, which I was told was up to a year and a half long. I downloaded episodes to my phone and took a day off to watch the final season. Devoured the entire series in one weeks time…..
The Wire is awesome. Once you start, you cant stop. When I get into a Wire mood, I’ll start off wanting to watch one episode and I end up watching the entire series. My boyfriend and I spent and ENTIRE weekend watching the entire series straight through. I too, am a stan. I’m rambling now. Did I mention that I LOVE The Wire???!!!
Yasss! The Wire is EVERYTHANG!! I watched it two years ago when a friend of mine got the whole season as a gift. He graciously lent it to me and I was HOOKED!I watched the whole show (all 5 seasons) in two weeks.It was ridiculous and soooo worth it. Definitely one of the best shows ever made.
This happened to me last weekend. I went through all of Season 1 in two days. It was fascinating, epic, and pulled me in like gravity. You’re only a week later than I was, so it’s ok.
I saw seasons 1 and 2.It was MUST SEE for me. Only season 4 was shown here, so I tried not to watch it. I MUST buy it on Ebay complete, so I can love it in its entirety. I was hindered, shall we say, lol
I was toardy to the poarty, too. I finally started watching the episodes during the summer of 2010 and finished the entire season within a month. I was hooked too! I would rush home from work with snacks ready for the next episodes.
What’s also fascinating about that show is how it all came together: the writers, producers and crew. It’s like deep down in their guts, they were creating greatness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXcOAUt2Ds0
I started watching a few months ago because of almost everyone’s recommendation and @areefuhstanklin’s live tweeting when she first watched. She was enthralled and I decided to jump right in.
I finished season 4 a few days ago and it truly is without exaggeration the best television series. At least in my opinion. Season 4 messed up completely. Amazing is too mediocre a word.
I love love loved…this show. I wasn’t quite a decade late like you were but I was LATE FOR REAL. I forgot I had friends cause I was watching this so tough. My sister would be like did you BATHE this weekend??? It was that serious for me. Oh, 10am church service…miss me on that…Lord knows this show is good, he’ll give me a pass! I mean I was on it tough; had my friend who worked at Half Price Books checking the dvd’s out for me so I didn’t have to wait on Netflix slow arse! CRUCICAL! You have NOT gotten to the best part yet. One of the best scripted shows EVER written!!!
in the words of Clay Davis Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiit. Best show ever hands down. I loved the 4th season for the commentary on the school system. You’ll love the last season for the journalists/reporter/newspaper storyline
you will NOT with the Clay Davis…hilarity!
The Wire has given me EVERYTHANG..An old friend(whom I’ll never forget) had hipped me to the show during it’s third season. hooked…i immediately went out and rented the first two seasons. i think i may have cried when the series ended…((SPOILER ALERT)) hell i cried when prop joe ‘got da bizness’ sh*t omar too, oh and don’t talk about the showdown between brother mouzon and omar…LIIFFFFE!
(shameful but true, marlo had me moist everlasting honaay!!)
there’s not enough that can be said about that show…bunk moreland, cheese, brother mouzon, lester freaman (love), carcetti, dukie, michael, bubbles, kima, kenard, clay davis, stringer, slim charles, cutty, wee-bey, daniels, chris and snoop, bunny…and so on
AWESOME!
YASSSSS! Welcome to The Wire cult! LOL. I was also a tardy for the party Wire viewer (I borrowed my coworker’s DVDS in 2010 and I got so hooked I bought the entire series on DVD after seeing it so I can just own it and look at commentaries and ish). Knowing how I kept popping in DVD after DVD even while I was sleepy and tired because I couldn’t wait to see what happened, I don’t even think I could’ve STAND IT while it was on HBO.
It’s seriously the perfect show. The underlying messages, the characterization (seriously, each of these actors will ONLY be their Wire characters from now on lol), the realism… it’s just… *faints*
^THIS! Yes! Whilst I was watching Red Tails today, all I could think about is how the cast was made up of Wire characters 🙂
….and Luvvie, I bought the box set for my guy and I swear I watch it morethan him! I love everything about the show and how the characters really capture your heart (enter Bubbs and Randy) enjoy whilst you can b/c there are only 5 seasons 🙁
I was a stan for the Wire when it origianlly aired. I believe that I finally began watching at the end of the first season. An ex-boyfriend convinced me that it was sh*t.
I could never afford HBO, so I watched each season a year late on Netflix. And then I slowly bought the boxsets using my employee discount. I never buy dvd’s. Once I’ve seen something I’m usually done. But I had to own these.
Luvvie you’re seriously on that Naija time! I started watching the show in college, when it first aired…we thank God for cable in the dorms. Be happy you’re watching it back to back. Imagine waiting a week, a whole 7 days for the next episode! And each episode leaves you wanting more! Then imagine having to wait like 1.5 years for a new season! I felt Bubbles struggles.
The world could end and I wouldn’t care less, I just want to know what Boadie and Avon and McNulty are up to. I cried during every finale episode during their #wallside worthy montages. I get so amped about that show. Every season was Emmy worthy, all of the actors are CRAZY good, the show was realistic and truly authentic. The writing was BRILLIANT and intelligent all at the same time. Enjoy the rest of the series.
And let us know when you finish the whole series!! I would love to hear your thoughts about the show in its entirety.
I still haven’t seen it but I’ve heard such great things about it.
I’m from West Baltimore. I’ve only watched a few eps of the Wire because I was too busy trying to forget it. Basically, I lived it. The characters are real b/c some of them were plucked right from the corners.
Note that I did not read this post or any of its comments because…..I just started the Wire too! And I dont want any spoilers. I am on Season 1, Episode 4. I always avoided it b/c I knew I wanted to watch it from the beginning some day. Soooo after I finish I will come back and see exactly what it is you had to say about it.
i too was late (but i blame canada, we’d get things let from y’all anyways back when it was airing on tv).
i spent many a nights, trolling the webs to find the next episode.
i finally in my fave second hand bookstore, found seasons 2-5 just sitting there. waiting for me. my sis completed my collection by stalking and finding season 1. 1 of the best things i own.
i was told it’s a hard show to get into, and if you can get past the 1st episode – you’ll be hooked. i don’t know why people say that, but that show is absolute greatness. and if they ever brought it back OR made a movie? that ish would break records.
better late than never. 🙂
I, too, was late….an ex boyfriend was a stan and we watched all the seasons together…sometimes we even forwent sex to watch a couple of more episodes before bed. I cried, I laughted…..I didn’t know whether or not to be on the police side or the gangstas sides….We were so into this damn show that sometimes we called each other by some of our favorite characters……I thought weebay was so DAMN gangsta! He will kill a nikka in heartbeat…I was so pissed off at the end of season 1 cause the only reason he confessed is he thought Kima had seent him but she didn’t…..I fell in love with stringer bell…I woulda been his down ass bitch….we woulda been like that lil wayne song….”I put my gun in my boo purse and I don’t bust back because I shoot fiiiirst.” Yes….as so unhood as I am I woulda carried that nikkas gun in my mf purse! And Bodie….If I just walked past him I prolly wouldn’t get excited….but he is one of the most gangsterest, loyalist one EVER! He definately could get it….I woulda watched the stash for him…..him and stringer bell…I woulda been like that dumb bitch on twitter….I would give my kidney for #him….And like another commenter said…after watching this…when I see the characters in something else…I be like…oooh…there go Omar, there go Bodie….I am pissed that the characters in this show did not win any awards….except Mcnulty….all of em shoulda got one. See….I don’t evenmuch post on here…I come ereday and can’t wait till you write something new…..but “The Wire”? This shit right here, nigga….this shit….this shit right here…..I was a little disappointed that you didn’t write your favorite and sad parts about season 1 though.
cosign, it’s just too much to say…
True story: I work for the company, own all 5 seasons, know some of the folks who appeared in the series and STILL have not watched it lol. Ive been told I’m doing myself a disservice having not watched it. My Dad wanted something to watch one day so I out on. I got up the next morning for work and there he was finishing season 1 bothering me for season 2. One day I will. I promise. Pinky swear with thumbs touching I will!
So awesome you’re watching it. It’s an amazing series and I believe it lives up to its hype. I watched the show as it aired and every week was mind-blowing and every season end was painful. The second season wasn’t my favorite, but it just gets better and better. The fourth season…oh my. Can’t wait to hear what you think once you’ve watched the entire series. To this day I get excited when I see any of The Wire’s actors on other shows. STAN FOR LIFE!!!
Loved it then and still love it now. Caught up during the summer before season 4 began and was PISSED that I had to wait a week between episodes. I have the DVD’s now and will routinely watch the entire series from beginning to end. Great, great series.
I was late to the party as well. I started watching it last summer on youtube. I was hooked (staying up all night, replaying episodes, googling articles about it). I’ve ordered the DVD box set. It is must see tv and is definitely rewatchable for all the little things you missed the first time.
[…] show ever in history of TV and all things awesome. I watched ALL 5 seasons in 1 month this year and I was hooked from episode 1. It’s […]
Im so glad im not alone. Never before have i seen a show that hooked me before the opening credits of the first episode. Mcnulty interviewing the thug about his boy “snot boggie” getting got, is still one of my favorite scenes of the entire series. “got to man! this america” Im also hear to tell you that i have watched the entire series three times now and im still picking up on things that i have missed previously. LOVE THIS SHOW!!!!!!!!
I too have become a wire junky. I am on season three episode 7 or 8 OMG the first and second seasons were good but the third season WOW!!! From the beginning i was hooked i watch like 8 episodes a night.
D’angelo and Omar are my favorite characters. D’angelo because he is a good guy and is caring and Omar because he is just a bad a*s!!! I wish it was still on the air. 🙁 It spoiled me for other mini series no other show measures up for me.
Omar Is Coming! “You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss” Brilliant Line!
Actually Dexter was an awesome show too.