Comments on: The Wire Season 5 Episode 3

By: urbanfervor

urbanfervor — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:54:55 +0000

Bunkie:
Yeah, seems like everyone on The Wire is based on a real detective, cop, writer, etc. based on Simon’s experiences with The Sun and in researching Homicide.
You summed up my original post: I like Season 5 least for the same reasons.

By: bunkie#1

bunkie#1 — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:49:10 +0000

UF,

Thanks for your comments. Detective Bunk is based on an actual detective who went by the nickname ‘bunk.’ You’re not going to find it in any dictionary. It’s a local thing, as in:

“Hey bunk, you want another boh?”

There’s a short clip in the features section where John Waters says, “It (the wire) is not a tragic picture of Baltimore, it is a part of Baltimore that is tragic.” My point is simply, if you focus on the personal investment of Simon, you lose the greater picture of what is happening.

Baltimore natives are idiosyncratically non-crusaders. If anything, a bland malaise permeates the city (not to say that they are not intelligent, ambitious or politically-driven people). David Simon knows this, and wants to tell the story of it, but I don’t believe he is looking to roll heads. It is more important that we sympathize with the citizens of the community, and understand the various circumstances which leave them with no options.

I prefer Season 5 the least, as it comes across a little inbred, and slightly un-Baltimore (thus far). Let’s hope that changes.

-b

By: urbanfervor

urbanfervor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:03:56 +0000

Bunkie:
I didn’t use the word “crusade”, but certainly did say, and do stand behind my assertion that, The Wire is fiercely liberal in its politics, which I don’t mean as a criticism or a compliment. (Based on my own politics, though, if I were to use it as one or the other, “fiercely liberal” would be a compliment.)
On “crusade”: while I didn’t use the word, it’s not a bad one for the newspaper storyline of Season 5: see the links in a comment I made above. Anyone who reads what Simon has said about his motivation in general, and this season in particular, who wouldn’t describe him as on a crusade would be fooling themselves.
On “bunk”: While it may be a term of endearment in certain areas, there are only three real definitions of the word according to most dictionaries: 1. relating to beds or lodging, 2. fleeing a place or situation, and 3. nonsense or unacceptable behavior. It’s defined nowhere as a term of endearment.

By: bunkie#1

bunkie#1 — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:15:00 +0000

Your first comment is a little sensational. This work is not a fiercely liberal crusade. It is an accurate depiction of corruption and poverty in a community without sufficient resources. It’s not about one writer’s agenda, it’s a tale of the way things are, the situation and environments in which residents of the fair city of baltimore live and work and breathe and survive. Baltimore is a fierce town – the story is more primal than activism. It really is about survival.

Bunk is a term of endearment, not an adjective.

By: urbanfervor

urbanfervor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:10:31 +0000

Tony, lucky you the past seasons are all available on DVD, many are streaming or available as torrents online. I highly recommend devoting a weekend to playing catch-up. As much as I’m sure you’re enjoying the new season, The Wire requires knowledge of the past to appreciate what’s going on now. Like Nick Sobotka yelling at Carcetti during his ribbon cutting. Seems like a throwaway, but highly rewarding for those who know who Nicky is. (Though personally, I’m confused. Thought he entered witness protection to avoid his drug charge in S2E13.)

By: tony1381

tony1381 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:04:41 +0000

I just started watching this show, and it is damn good. Not sure how I missed this one the past few yers.

By: urbanfervor

urbanfervor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:33:34 +0000

Sauerkraut:

1. Your loss
2. The Wire has always been on HBO, which has always been a premium channel.

By: sauerkraut

sauerkraut — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:56:04 +0000

I was a Wire watcher until this year. That’s when Comcast put it on the premium tier. I ain’t helping the Roberts family get richer; I just want to watch better tv!!

Jim Haner sure sounds like Mike Barnicle.

By: Jeff Milner dot Com » Blog Archive » The Wire - S05E03

Jeff Milner dot Com » Blog Archive » The Wire - S05E03 — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:12:50 +0000

[...] to watch tonight’s episode of The Wire (The best TV show ever). As always, urbanfervor has a fantastic review. (Spoiler Warning). Read More Post a [...]

By: urbanfervor

urbanfervor — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:27:42 +0000

Failan–quite true. And who began allegations against Haner? None other than David Simon.

http://www.citypaper.com/news/story.asp?id=10193

The same David Simon who co-created The Wire and who said he “watched Carroll and Marimow ’single-handedly destroy’ The Sun.” And who “told an audience over 15 entertaining but chillingly self-aware minutes, he has spent more than a decade trying to get back at them.” …and… “anything I’ve ever accomplished as a writer, as somebody doing TV, anything I’ve ever done in life, down to, like, cleaning up my room, has been accomplished because I was going to show people that they were [bleeped] up, wrong, and that I was the [bleeping] center of the universe and the sooner they got hip to that, the happier they would all be.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.vozzella06jan06,0,2145567.column

Don’t get me wrong from this, or from my review of Episode 3 above, that I’m a Simon hater. I love The Wire, I think it’s the best thing on TV. But I think his desire to get back at the Sun is hurting the last season of the show.