Better series, completed and in progress:
Breaking bad
Westworld
The Leftovers
The killing
Mad Men
Black Mirror
Lost - borderline
Better call Saul - probably
Narcos - probably
True Detective - maybe
Stranger things - maybe
Man in the high castle - maybe
House of Cards - maybe

Is The Wire available on Netflix?

HBOGo/Now or Amazon Prime

Just finished Season 4.

This one was a little weird for some reason. The first time I watched 4 I was convinced in my brain that it was the best season of the show. Having now watched it three times, I think it gets a little worse each time I watch it (as opposed to season two which gets better each time I watch). It's hard for me to buy into Michael as this stone cold ghetto hitman at the end, Namond is annoying throughout, Randy and Duquan both nail their roles. Having kid actors is hard I'm sure so I try to give them some credit but it's a tough sell.

The Omar story line started getting a little corny in this season as well. In the first few they used him sparingly but it was really effective. By season four, it's almost like Michael Kenneth Williams had done such a good job with the roll that they wanted to utilize him a lot more.

Chris and Snoop are still awesome and I'd love to hear her on a talk show just talk about gangster stuff (albeit with CC on).

Overall, thinking back to how I felt after watching it for the first time.....those last two episodes are still heartbreaking (Randy calling out to Carver in the hospital, Bodie doing his thing, Bubs in the detox freaking out with Waylon). It's a great season of television, and despite not being as powerful as it was the first time through, is still one of the best seasons of any show all time.

I know I'm in the minority but I really disliked season two. It was a snooze fest imo. Still good because the show is great but not my cup

Just curious, how many times have you seen it?

JUst once (about 3 years ago). I've thought about watching the series again but watching that particular season again doesn't sound fun. Everyone tells be how great it was but I just didn't see the appeal. I loved the other seasons though

That's fair enough. I felt exactly the way you did after my first time through; thought it was the 4th worst. After the second and third times through, it keeps getting better and now it's tied for first for me.

Well maybe I'll get my bf to watch it with me soon. He's a wire virgin so it will be like watching it for the first time all over again

Love the series.

Season 5 really sucked to me though. They even managed to screw up the intro song. I think folks are lying to themselves who say this one is good. The kids should've been a side story in a season... not the season.

I really dig S2. It showed even the blue collar union guys weren't straight in Baltimore.

I just finished season 5 last night. Season 4 was completed last week and I am still thinking about it. I've never had a tv show mess with me this much. The Wire is one of the best shows ever. Seasons 1-4 are amazing.

Frank Sobotka was my favorite character up until season 4. I didn't think the kids story lines would over take the other story lines but damn did they ever. After the 1st episode of season 4 you knew you were going to watch the innocence of those kids lives begin to end. Dukie's story was extremely sad but for me it was Randy's that was the worst. Michael saying goodbye to Bug was another heart breaking scene but for me the silver lining was that Bug would be out of the drug scene his brother had embraced.

In seasons 1 and 3 I liked Herc. At the end of season 4 I despised him and at the end of season 5 I hated him.

There were so many great characters on the show. It seemed like almost every actor and actress were made for their role in The Wire.

My rankings are 4, 2, 1, 3, 5. EVERY SEASON IS GOOD but the 5th season is last for me by "The Wire's" standards. It had some of the most gripping scenes (Dukie, Michael and Bug, Bubbles revival) but the newspaper story line was weak. Halfway through the season I didn't care about most of the characters from the paper and didn't care about what happened to them. Gus was the only interesting character. The serial killer story line was a little out there but you got to see McNulty do his thing so that was entertaining. The finale was one of the best episodes to ever conclude a series.

Stive said:

---

Squirrel Master said:

---

Man, Deangelo was such a critical character, and in my mind, not at all the weak link. He had some of the best commentary and lines from season 1.

---

I don't disagree about him being critical (my comment about necessary). I guess I just didn't like the actor or how he was portrayed. His part was absolutely necessary and his commentary is super important, but he just bugged me as season 1 went on.

---

I think he just isn't a good actor, but I love the role.

claym711 said:

---

Better series, completed and in progress:
Breaking bad
Westworld
The Leftovers
The killing
Mad Men
Black Mirror
Lost - borderline
Better call Saul - probably
Narcos - probably
True Detective - maybe
Stranger things - maybe
Man in the high castle - maybe
House of Cards - maybe

---

Those two, along with The Wire, are 3 of my top 5 favorite series. Everything else is still good, just not on the same level for me.

I have a big 4, in this order:

1) The Wire
2) Mad Men
3) Sopranos
4) Breaking Bad

My Big 5 in alphabetical order

Breaking Bad
Seinfeld
Simpsons
Sopranos
The Wire

I may have to replace one with Game of Thrones, but it'll need to wait to see how it ends.

for dramas

Top 5 pretty consistently this:
Sopranos
GOT
Breaking Bad
The Wire
Justified
--------------------------not ordered next 12ish--------------------
The Americans
Mad Men
LOST
Sherlock (BBC)
The Crown
Downton Abbey (ITV)
Westworld
Fargo
Better Call Saul
Stranger Things
Black Mirror (Ch. 4)
NYPD Blue
Magnum PI
Twin Peaks

----honorable mention either fizzled out or were short lived------------
Firefly - 1 season
My So Called Life - 1 season
Homeland - about 3 seasons of it
House of Cards - about 4 seasons of it
True Detective - for at least 1 season
Shooter - 1 season
Goliath - 1 season
Freaks and Geeks - 1 season
Cobra Kai - 1 season

My new order:

1) BB
2) The Wire
3) The Americans
4) Sopranos
5) Firefly


Once GoT finishes it will probably be the new #4. The final season would have to blow me away to get above that, and would have to be a disappointment to get below.

Last week I finished reading "All The Pieces Matter" it's an oral history of The Wire. It's not as good as the SNL or ESPN oral history books but it's definitely worth a read for Wire fans. Has some great moments.

Jim01 said:

---

Last week I finished reading "All The Pieces Matter" it's an oral history of The Wire. It's not as good as the SNL or ESPN oral history books but it's definitely worth a read for Wire fans. Has some great moments.

---

would tell me the name and author of the SNL book? sounds good

https://www.amazon.com/Live-New-York-Complete-Uncensored/dp/031629506X

Ag_07 said:

---

Stive said:

---

And I really wish there would have been a way to include Nick Sobotka and the Greek characters more in later seasons. He was a good character in season 2.

---

Plus his GF had some glorious cans. I could've gone for a couple more glimpses of those hogans.

---

claym711 said:

---

Better series, completed and in progress:
Breaking bad
Westworld
The Leftovers
The killing
Mad Men
Black Mirror
Lost - borderline
Better call Saul - probably
Narcos - probably
True Detective - maybe
Stranger things - maybe
Man in the high castle - maybe
House of Cards - maybe

---

Would love to se what you think now????

Series often have a hard time holding up to their early success. Case in point despite being very good these shows tailed off and I would rank NONE of these above The Wire now:

Westworld - production value maybe but I'd rewatch The Wire before this
The Leftovers - nah
House of Cards - no way
Lost - no way, certain episodes were awesome but I'll never rewatch the entire thing, not enough payoff vs investment
True Detective - only S1
Man in the High Castle - nope and I loved it
Black Mirror - nah
Mad Men - great series but I have no desire to rewatch it

others:
Better Call Saul - the jury is still out until it wraps up but still may surpass The Wire but I doubt it
Narcos - you know this is damn close it is soooo good.

My ranking of shows since 1999 is

Sopranos
Breaking Bad
The Wire
Justified
Narcos
GOT
LOST
Mad Men
The Americans
Westworld
Better Call Saul - could move up still
Sherlock
The Crown
Downton Abbey
Peaky Blinders
Stranger Things
Fargo
Orange is the New Black
True Detective
Cobra Kai
Ozark
The Last Kingdom
Firefly
Jack Ryan
Sneaky Pete
Goliath
Shooter
Red Oaks
Freaks and Geeks
The Good Place
Pushing Daisies
Silicon Valley
Halt and Catch Fire
The Deuce