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July 24, 2005
Waitin' on the netflix
The ep that has launched 1,000 theories …
And the show that just might save me this summer …
HBO's The Wire is a gritty show about cops and dealers set in Baltimore. It's also my new fave show and the one that's going to keep me busy for the next few months as I try to keep myself unspoiled in the aliasverse.
My apologies to The Dickwolf but my old favorite, Law and Order, just ain't what it used to be. The L&O is totally off balance now that that the “law” part has two goodfellas sorting out the crimes. The cops are too similar. Plus I keep thinking Tony Soprano is going to bust in any minute and blow Christopher's scam. Surely he is just "playing" a cop - workin' some angle. Chris may be workin' it but it's not working for me. My advice, Dick: "Switch it up!"
But back to the Wire … the situations are grim, the writing is sharp, the plot is Dickensian in the extreme and it’s full of morally grey characters. Oh and the acting is fucking excellent! Who would have thought that I would end up loving Wendell Pierce (the actor that made me cringe in “Waiting to Exhale”) and Clarke Peters? These two put Fontana and Falco to shame. Plus, now I get plenty of Michael K. Williams. Who knew that before he was Roberts he was a total drug dealing badass, and gay?! The lingo on The Wire is another treat. “Natural police”, “suction”, "the parley"… this is good stuff and examples will soon appear in the “top 5 words” category.
I don’t know why I didn’t take to The Wire when it first aired. It probably had to do with the slow pace and the fact that it takes a few eppies before you can understand what the hell everyone is saying. Between the Baltimore accents and the lingo, man, you really have to pay attention. You can't even be folding your laundry while you watch this - you need to be focused! Don’t get me wrong, I like the way the story and the characters slowly come into view. I guess it was just hard for me to keep momentum back then. But now with Netflix (a.k.a. the best $18 I spend a month) I can watch when I want. I can even take them two or three at a time, which seems to work better for me and my erratic sleep patterns.
So if you're like me and missed this one when it first came out of the box, start on the DVDs! It's really an excellent show!
Note to spyfans:
I’ve got plenty to say about JJ and the re-vaughnification of the aliasverse. My head is full of THEORIES folks, but I'm going to TRY to keep it under control. So, if you want to read my ramblings about the show just look for:
Posted by lk at July 24, 2005 09:44 AM
Comments
Thanks for the kind words. I love stopping by your blog. Your eclectic offerings are terrific.
With all the free time I've had, I'm glad that my "iMac-iVision" is working. Now, if I could only do something about that nearsightedness...
Posted by: Kelly at July 24, 2005 08:46 PM
Kelly,
Sorry to hear about your job woes. I know it's hard but hang in there. I mean, with your awesome supernatural powers - how could you actually SEE my mouth drop open at the idea that you've never seen Alias :) - a good job is bound to come soon!
Thanks for stopping by so often. :)
Posted by: lk at July 24, 2005 06:33 PM
Hey Lisa,
Like you, I missed "The Wire" when it first came out and I plan to get myself caught up. Unfortunately, I had to drop Netflix until I find a job, but it will be first in the queue when I do. :)
I know that this will be sacrilege to your ears, but I've never seen an episode of "Alias". (Yes, I can see through my screen and I see that open-mouthed, incredulous look you have on your face.)
Posted by: Kelly at July 24, 2005 06:14 PM