the wire.

just finished the first season. INCREDIBLE show. thanks for the perfect recommedation.

heart broke for wallace.

I'm on season 2 or 3 (the one with Andy fr True ), and I still think about Wallace.

Who's Wallace again? Best show ever.

I still get excited when I see the actor who played Wallace show up in other shows because for a brief moment I think he is still alive.

cleg said:

I still get excited when I see the actor who played Wallace show up in other shows because for a brief moment I think he is still alive.

Then check out Friday Night Lights He's a prominent character in later seasons

My wife and I binged watch Friday Night Lights a few years back (a great show in its own right) and when he showed up I basically jumped out of my chair and yelled "Wallace." He was in Parenthood too and I think is starting to be in a bunch of movies.

We felt like that when D'Angelo was on Friday Night Lights too It was only one episode but a fun sighting!

And yes, Michael B. Jordan was on Parenthood too. He was the star of the film Fruitvale Station, which I can't bring myself to watch.

TarheelsInNj said:

He was the star of the film Fruitvale Station, which I can't bring myself to watch.

I can't bring myself to watch it either. {shudder}

oh, wow. I saw Fruitvale Station but didn't make the connection to Wallace.

but while we're on the subject of The Wire, I have to say that while I Iiked the show a lot, I'm not getting the "one of the greatest shows ever" vibe that is often attached to it.

drummerboy said:

oh, wow. I saw Fruitvale Station but didn't make the connection to Wallace.

but while we're on the subject of The Wire, I have to say that while I Iiked the show a lot, I'm not getting the "one of the greatest shows ever" vibe that is often attached to it.

For the sake of context, what shows would you put in your top 5?

drummerboy said:

oh, wow. I saw Fruitvale Station but didn't make the connection to Wallace.

but while we're on the subject of The Wire, I have to say that while I Iiked the show a lot, I'm not getting the "one of the greatest shows ever" vibe that is often attached to it.

One of the most realistic portrayals of the drug/cop/kid/media/street interactions.

Klinker said:

drummerboy said:

oh, wow. I saw Fruitvale Station but didn't make the connection to Wallace.

but while we're on the subject of The Wire, I have to say that while I Iiked the show a lot, I'm not getting the "one of the greatest shows ever" vibe that is often attached to it.

For the sake of context, what shows would you put in your top 5?

I don't know if I can stretch it to 5, but Breaking Bad, Sopranos, West Wing, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, maybe the first few Seasons of Lost. There. 5.

I think these shows excelled for originality and writing and complexity of character, and while I grant the realism of The Wire, I'm not sure it excelled in other areas. (though the scene that was composed entirely of the f-word was one of the more genius scenes I've ever seen.)

Though I might buy the argument that the realism itself was enough to separate The Wire. I don't think its portrayal of the police was terribly unique, but it's view of the antagonist side, especially the drug dealer culture, was kind of remarkable.

I'm not saying the show sucked, not by a long, long shot. Quite the opposite. But it occasionally lands on the top of "Best Series Ever" lists, and that I don't get.

to each his own db. Buffy? Its cool, I dont have a top 5 either but if its HBO, its probably damn good.

I think the realism was what made The Wire a top 3 show. The acting is superb as well. The first few seasons of Homicide was groundbreaking as well.

drummerboy said:

oh, wow. I saw Fruitvale Station but didn't make the connection to Wallace.

but while we're on the subject of The Wire, I have to say that while I Iiked the show a lot, I'm not getting the "one of the greatest shows ever" vibe that is often attached to it.

Oy. Between this, Boyhood and punk rock, you're just one Sondheim-is-overrated thread away from an EGOT in dunderheaded contrarianism.

See, I would definitely include Buffy and The Wire but I think Lost got lost in Season 3 and never really found its way back. Didn't care for West Wing that much.

ETA: Buffy got lost along the way too but Hush alone is enough to make up for all of that.

Klinker said:

See, I would definitely include Buffy and The Wire but I think Lost got lost in Season 3 and never really found its way back. Didn't care for West Wing that much.

ETA: Buffy got lost along the way too but Hush alone is enough to make up for all of that.

It's hard to keep being original for a full 7 years or any similar long run. The Sopranos was probably best at that. As for Buffy episodes, I'll take Once More With Feeling. Not only the best of the series, maybe the best ever single TV episode.

And I think someone just called me a dunderhead.

eta: Also have to take into account the lengths of the series. The networks have to pump out 20+ episodes a year, every year. Shows like The Sopranos do it with 13 or so with longer breaks in between. When you look at it that way, shows like Buffy and West Wing are remarkable examples of talent.

knowlton said:

Who's Wallace again? Best show ever.

In season 1, he was a lookout in the Towers. He was raising a bunch of little kids and made sure they got to school on time and gave them their lunches etc. Very sweet kid with cornrows, beautiful face. He decided he wanted to be "in the game.". He had some minor role in the assassination of Omar's boyfriend but had a reality check when he saw the body. Stringer put a hit on him because he was freaked. Another guy in the crew shot him at point blank range at the end of season 1.

Oh, West Wing is in my top 5 for sure, and the Sopranos. Friday Nights may be THE top. After that, I'm going to say Friends and maybe Mad About You, especially in thinking of things I can watch over and over.

Friday Night Lights and The Wire for sure in my top 5. Have to think about the others.

cleg said:

I still get excited when I see the actor who played Wallace show up in other shows because for a brief moment I think he is still alive.

TarheelsInNj said:

cleg said:

I still get excited when I see the actor who played Wallace show up in other shows because for a brief moment I think he is still alive.

Then check out Friday Night Lights He's a prominent character in later seasons

cleg said:

My wife and I binged watch Friday Night Lights a few years back (a great show in its own right) and when he showed up I basically jumped out of my chair and yelled "Wallace." He was in Parenthood too and I think is starting to be in a bunch of movies.

I did the same thing the other night! My kid was watching Friday Night Lights and I yelled, that's Wallace!

His character on Friday Night Lights is Vince Howard.

Michael B. Jordan actually grew up in Newark and attended Arts High.

I completely missed Friday Night Lights. I've always meant to watch that.

Gaius Charles (aka Smash) is a NJ Native as well and was part of Mayo Performing Arts Center's classes!

drummerboy said:

I completely missed Friday Night Lights. I've always meant to watch that.

I hear you have a good excuse to stay inside tomorrow... It's on Netflix!

OMG and I forgot Mad Men. That's silly. Friday Night Lights, West Wing, Sopranos, Mad Men and Friends/Mad About You. I'll split the last spot since they're each a half hour

One of my top 5's is a show named "Life" that starred Damien Lewis. I think it's on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

I lived in the City when Friends was on and that show drove me insane. The most unrealistic portrayal of life in NYC ever filmed.

I lived in Baltimore and found the Wire very realistic. Go O's

Speaking of Friends, has anyone watched The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow? I haven't seen the new season yet but I saw the original one and I thought it was quite good, and Kudrow was especially impressive. I never cared for her or gave her much credit based on Friends, but she proved me wrong with The Comeback.

Klinker said:

I lived in the City when Friends was on and that show drove me insane. The most unrealistic portrayal of life in NYC ever filmed.

Yes, that was true But man it was funny. I still find myself quoting it all the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrSy9r0-lMg