Ok,
i been watchin The Wire on HBO, because The Shields season
was done.
The Wire is alrite and the plot is gettin thick, but it just doesn't do it for me the way The Shield did.
something in The Shield was more realistic to me.
Could it have just been the acting???
How about the story line???
Anybody got a spin on this subject???
OOOOORRRRR,
is it FX vs. HBO???
[This message was edited Sun Sep 1 23:11:02 PDT 2002 by 00769BAD]

The wire is real tight show

oh man, i thought this thread was about birth control !!!

XxAxX said:

Honestly, so did I!

Sorry, I've never seen The Shield. So I can only respond to half of your question.

If you just now started watching The Wire, you've missed a lot! The show has been fascinating and entertaining to watch. The plot has been first rate, filled with twists and turns. As for realism, I can't say. I was able to suspend disbelief, so they must be doing something right. Another thing that I use to measure good tv vs. bad tv, is whether or not I care what happens, and how much I value the characters. I really anticipated each show and there are several "people" on the show I really enjoy.

During the last two weeks, the writers have been killing off main characters left and right! I liked the Orlando character. I really like the actor; I remember him from Homicide: Life on the Streets. When he and Kima were shot a couple of shows back, I was really upset.

There are a couple of other characters that I cared about who were killed off as well. This is some way to end a season. At least Kima is still alive, on life support, but not dead. I was wondering how they'd stretch this premise into another season. Logic says that when "the wire" is terminated the show would end. But this "clean sweep" has been a wicked thing coming out of left field. I don't know what they are going to do next season!

The show is a good one. I'll look around for The Shield and check out an episode. But I doubt that I'll have much to say since on episode does not make up for not seeing an entire season's worth of shows.

teacherlady88 said:

Hi... I dont think we've met...
any way to get back on point, i've seen the whole thing, from show one, of both these shows.
the thing is, The Shield is (imo) more graphic and detailed.
one would be hard pressed to think that they know whats going to happen next with that show, the fact that the Cops are GOOD AT THEIR JOBs and still DIRTY as fuck, just
makes the show that much more for me.
if you need a kind of reference...
The Shield is a lot like "Training Day" which was indeed a hellova movie...
as for The Wire, i feel that i already know where it's goin. although i thaught that the kid Wallace was going to get past seeing the dead dude, and climb up to be someone to recon with, but you see where that went...
THANX FOR YOUR INPUT!!!

I really wanted Wallace to make it. That really threw me. I didn't see that coming at all.

The writers' decision to kill him off is one thing that caused me pause. I'm sick to death of shows that show only hopelessness. This isn't to say that there aren't people in hopeless situations. I've seen a couple of kids born addicted to crack who just don't have a chance. But I also know that people make it out of these horrid environments every day. (I've seen them in my classes.) I hope The Wire doesn't slide down that slope in an attempt to be realistic.

One thing I know is that realism isn't ever real. There is always some perspective that is left unexplored. And the stuff that goes on behind the scenes (ratings, focus groups, politics, etc.) play too of a part of what we see on the screen.

teacherlady88 said:

then it is more of a qwestion of FX vs.HBO...
FX seems not to be concered with politics and the such.
The Shields new season, maybe starts in oct./nov.
before then i'm sure FX will replay the whole first season.
as to the hopelessness of those on The Wire,
when you think of it, Wallace was fair trade for the cop.
all for the greater good.
they want to point out that, once you're in the GAME, gettin out could cost yoour life, even if you have a change of heart.
THE TRUE POINT... is IF YOU STAY TRUE TO DA GAME the game is true to you...
had he not fell off, he'ld still be in the script.
yes it does go to the Real of Thangs, to a point,
also look at the treatment of BUBs...
no-one understands WANTING TO BE CLEAN!!!
His death will be a tragic one also.

"Good cop and bad cop went home for the day. I'm a different kinda cop."

Aaron said:

Is That Classic...Or WHUT???

00769BAD said:

"Mackey isn't a cop. He's Al Capone with a badge."

another thing about The Sheild,
i think it was done (like Trianing Day)
in response to the Rampart Police incidents,
and the embarissment it caused the Brotherhood of the Force. and the craetors (of the show) need to see some kind of closure, in his own mind.

00769BAD said:

when they first started running ads for the show, it was called Rampart, i believe.

Aaron said:

Spooky Shit HUH???
The movie about that, would be truely intense...
i don't know who directed any of these projects, but
i'ld like to see the ones involved in training day or the shield... or even david kelley, they go deep.
Or whut about dude who does LAW AND ORDER!!!

humph!!!
why should i let my thread die???

00769BAD said:

This is my point exactly! I teach college English. I had a little drug dealer in my class years ago. He wrote the most beautiful (and scary) essay about a night of selling drugs on the corner. I could not believe the wonderous stuff in this guy's head. And things were really bad. He was served a summons WHILE HE WAS IN MY CLASS. (Forgive the shouting.)

Anyway I was sure he wasn't going to make it. But he did. His attire changed. And the way he carried himself. After a couple of years, he looked like a citizen instead of like a thug. He made it. So why did Wallace have to die? What message are we giving? He cared about the kids in his care. He made sure they knew education was important. He had heart. He was a decent person. But, they killed him anyway. So, are we telling the youth to stay in their place, in their world, that they shouldn't try to better themself, but live for the streets or we kill you?
This sucks. And it's not just on The Wire.

the Wire is a hot show I just wish they take them off of that damn orange couch a bench would be fine

teacherlady88 said:

the thing is... and i enjoy your post.
that in the city there is a sort of class distinction that
will determine wheather one makes it or not.
PROJECTS are the low end...
if one lives in a resident area (real houses with yards)
onre has a better chance of surviving...
remember this is just my opinion.
i didn't do the education thang, (can you tell )
but i didn't do the prison or death thing either.
msot say i've lived a CHARMED LIFE.
anyway there are many stories that show that there is a way out, but in a siries it is, or must be nessisary, to explore the avenues of all that goes on, or the show dies.
in the end they will show the thing you want most, to boost
the MORALE (sp?) of the public. but it will only be a sugar coating. the fact of the matter is that this gov. is a bunch of street hustlers in suits and police protection.
i guess that what these writers are trying to get at.

I never seen "The Wire". Comes on about the same time as "Street Time" which I like a lot. But, "The Shield" was a very good show.

Aaron said:

whut was that other one
"when it come to cops, it's dont ask, dont tell"

whats is the strippers name i think she is real cute

MilesIsAlive said:

i dont know offhand, but she'll be the wife, or death of that cop...
and he's brilliant.

how'd this get back on page two???

00769BAD said:

Yesterday's show began by indicating why Wallace was killed. D'Angelo flipped because he felt betrayed by his friend's murder and he asked only for a life that would allow him a fresh start. But then his mother got into the game and pulled him back into the pack. (Talk about motherly love.) So once again, Wallace's death is senseless.

OK, they have to be controversial for ratings. And life isn't fair. I don't see a happy ending coming, so I would argue about the idea of "sugar coating." But I agree that most of our biggest criminals are in govenrment.

teacherlady88 said:

teacherlady88 said:

Yikes and good heavens! Let's try "government"!

teacherlady88 said:

don't sweat it ... nobody noticed

00769BAD said:[quote]

teacherlady88 said:

OK...I'M RELOADED!!!
ok, here's the thing.
they really fucked me up with the ending of this season.
so whut... everybody took a deal, the smallest amount of time being 7 years, now where does the story go???
as you'll notice, everybody got fucked off, except the ones that stayed TRUE to da GAME.
none of the cops are happy, Bubs is back on dope, puting his life on the line for a hit, Kima is strugglin with
whut to do. etc. etc. etc..
the only person to come out on top... is OMAR!!!
He do whut he do, til he done...
Stringer... He alrite, but his crew is new...
Whut storyline could they possibly have now???

the second season of THE SHIELD starts 01/03.
one may get caught up on pass episodes at FXnetwork.com
or whatever the site is for FX.

00769BAD said:

UPSET VICTORY AT THE EMMYS!!!
that's whut i'm talkin 'bout...
"so does treating them like the dealin,thievin,killin scumbags that they are..."
[This message was edited Mon Sep 23 10:05:54 PDT 2002 by 00769BAD]