I like The Wire but it's seriously flawed

Submitted by Bushgjl t3_10izah0 in television

The characters for the most part are unlikable(I know "but it's reality") that's fine but even a show like The Sopranos goes out of it's way to find likeable or amusing attributes to these scumbags.

Besides D'Angelo, Carl, Omar, and maybe Bubbles there just isn't anyone to care about so that you are invested in what's happening. The show is well written, has good actors, has good camerawork, but the plot meanders for the first half of every season. You are only watching to see the pieces for when things get interesting later on, but by that time you are already kind of tired.

I would say as far as early 2000s shows go The Sopranos for the most part seems to blow by The Wire by a country mile.

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bernsteinschroeder t1_j5hippq wrote

"You didn't find more characters likeable" does not equate to "those characters are, therefore, unlikable by anyone"

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hju0n wrote

Who likes stupid power tripping cops?

It works in a show like Deadwood where you have a lawless town and the sheriff brings his own brand of frontier justice, etc. But in modern day Baltimore I don't want to see our main characters beat the shit out of some black kid and then cheer for him later on.

Between the corrupt groups in the show who are you supposed to care for? What story are you supposed to be invested in?

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bernsteinschroeder t1_j5hnsz1 wrote

It's a shame that you have such a shallow viewing strategy.

Stranger still that you found D'Angelo (who's killed someone and deals drugs) and Omar (who's killed a lot of someones and is happy to sell drugs) to be characters you can care for but a cop Greggs you can't, or an ASA like Pearlman, or a police LT like Daniels, or even spare some sympathy for Bunny Colvin...

> Between the corrupt groups in the show who are you supposed to care for? What story are you supposed to be invested in?

I hate to break it to you but people are complex and often a mix of good and bad.

And you could just say "I tried to get into The Wire but I just couldn't" or "The Wire just wasn't what I was looking for" and move along.

Here, watch: People love Homicide: live on the street but, despite many similarities to The Wire, I simply can not get into that show despite trying once every few years, and I generally quit from sheer boredom with only one character I find interesting.

See? No bolt from on high strikes me down either.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hwu65 wrote

Because it was not just about not getting into it, within the first few episodes of the first season you notice some serious flaws.

Overall Michael Kenneth Williams and Idris Elba took the show home for me but still, not the best show of all time by a long run.

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Yourbubblestink t1_j5i0f56 wrote

I’m starting to wonder if you watched the same show the rest of us did, or perhaps we live on different planets?

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bernsteinschroeder t1_j5i1nxd wrote

"I didn't love the characters" is not a 'flaw'. You wanting something it doesn't deliver isn't a per se 'flaw'. Not having simplistic characters that fit neatly into 'good' and 'bad' is not a 'flaw'.

Mind you, The Wire does have flaws...you've just failed to name any of them.

What you have is called "an opinion" about a show you couldn't get into that has characters with a complexity you can't have sympathy for.

I could have respected someone starting a post and listing your grievances with the intent of understanding what they missed and others got, or to find a more effective way of approaching the characters, story, or the show itself. But you seem to have started this just to bitch.

It's fine not to like a show -- it's even fine not to get what people see in a show -- but you're hyper-defensive about it like you're jealous, or feel left out, or something.

And that's something no one on this site can address.

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bloodyturtle t1_j5hp9yp wrote

What would you prefer? copaganda? a show about a secret order of honorable samurai helping the downtrodden citizens of Baltimore?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hpuew wrote

This is copaganda.

It's portraying racist and abusive cops as worthy of the audiences sympathy. It's like horshoe theory where they wanted to make a show about how corrupt these government organizations are but because they are the main characters it circles back to having the audience cheer for them.

It would have been ok if it was like True Detective where the detectives have flaws and there is corruption but they don't overplay it to where you are like "Fuck these people" whenever someone is on screen.

−57

DiggyMcGriz t1_j5ic0dh wrote

Lmao. The Wire, of all things, is not copaganda.

Literally one of the central themes of the show is that the cops sometimes do shady, immoral things and the criminals are still capable of doing things that are good. That at the end of the day these are ALL still just people trapped in their particular modern societal roles.

The pawn is a pawn, the king is the king. The game isn’t checkers.

Best of luck with this post, though.

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Emergency-Reindeer55 t1_j5hs5om wrote

The show doesn’t say you have to like anyone. It’s just here’s what’s going on and take it how you want.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hxrs6 wrote

That might be ok for a movie, but a TV show with like 40 minute episodes will leave you wanting more.

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Emergency-Reindeer55 t1_j5hzkzk wrote

I didn’t feel that way. The show covers a depressing aspect of society and there wasn’t supposed to be a hero or a desired outcome at the end. You just watch the cycle. If that isn’t for you that’s fine, but it’s not a flaw.

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Sojourner_Truth t1_j5jbxg1 wrote

40-42 minutes is network or cable TV episode length. All of The Wire episodes were 52+ minutes as is standard HBO runtime.

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[deleted] t1_j5iecam wrote

Oh look, the old "portraying something is always a full-throated endorsement of it" argument again.

I swear that most of my generation has gotten lobotomies.

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tigersanddawgs t1_j5oed4u wrote

Welcome to human nuance. I know it’s tricky to reconcile in your brain

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druidofnecro t1_j5htjj6 wrote

Its almost like the cops may not be the good guys 🤔

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5htpdy wrote

I want characters with depth, The Wire has too many characters that are "bad" but not good.

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addwood5 t1_j5l4oas wrote

Some character depth in the wire

Stringer taking college courses and reading Adam Smith

Omar being outwardly gay in a very homophobic environment

All of the kids in S4 are not evil but have their personal issues that lead them down their own path

Mcnulty’s struggle with alcohol

Bubbles’ entire story

Sobatka flipping to protect the Union

No killing on sundays

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orangemaroon25 t1_j5hm5zl wrote

The fact that Carver is himself black is what makes that interesting and makes him an intriguing character to follow when he does that.

"You do not get to win" yeah, who's this "you"? You're one of them

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[deleted] t1_j5idxiy wrote

The Wire explores the absolutely SHOCKING idea that the same people can do both horrible, indefensible things and also good and noble ones. It's a shame that that concept seems to be dying among all of Gen Z.

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KYWizard t1_j5hripm wrote

Why do you need to like them or agree with them in order to watch the show. I don't think this for you. Have you tried Big Bang Theory? You would like that it is way less complicated.

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FreyrFreyja t1_j5hn89t wrote

Oh look, the daily "The Wire Isn't Good" post is up.

This one is hitting the good hallmarks, guys. We've got whining about not having black and white good guys to care about. We've got unneccesasry Sopranos comparisons. We've got a deeply defensive OP responding to all comments.

Honestly, probably the best Downvote Collector since yesterday.

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KamiNoItte t1_j5hyi20 wrote

And here I thought that was me, for daring to suggest that prayer flags aren’t garbage. Downvoted into oblivion!

Oh, and btw the Wire is one of the top 5 best shows since after tv went all color.

It’s not for everyone, but most great novels aren’t. Even the ones that happen to be in television form.

For OP: it’s fine if it’s not for you; but you need to consider that doesn’t make it not a good show. There are plenty of objective criteria that make this show groundbreaking and set it apart from other shows.

For everyone who’s seen The Wire and not yet The Corner- give it a try, it’s hard to watch, but worth it if you’re interested in the same themes. Also, seeing some of the same actors in very different roles was quite interesting.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5ifw2j wrote

I think it's a decent show, I just don't think it is great.

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KamiNoItte t1_j5ipzzq wrote

Your criteria seems to be finding a character you like. You can’t, cause you think they’re all assholes. Many find redeemable and relatable qualities in these complex characters in difficult dramatic situations. You don’t appreciate any of it, so do something else. Why go on to troll about watching something you don’t like, instead of just watching something you do like? Unless of course, this is your real form of entertainment. [Cue Maximus McNutty]

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DingoFrisky t1_j5qx15t wrote

I feel like there have been so many poorly constructed ‘takes’ on why a bunch of HBO shows are bad. I’m starting to think it’s a conspiracy….or people fled Twitter and want to post lazy takes here

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5ho6av wrote

I don't want black and white good guys, I want characters you have some capacity to care about.

I mean the closest thing you have to a main character cheats on his wife, endangers his children, fucks over his co-workers, illegally detains people, drives drunk, and is exceedingly unapologetic about all of it.

And his character isn't charismatic or interesting enough to justify any of it.

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[deleted] t1_j5iekzm wrote

Oh horror.

I'm sure YOU'VE never done a wrong thing in your life, since you can't even bear to watch other people who have on screen.

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taylorwhoo t1_j5heylm wrote

Who the fuck is Carl?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hg7fm wrote

Sorry I mean Lester, there are so many characters you forget names.

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um_ok_try_again t1_j5hf77y wrote

The Wire is a far better IMO

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hgkm4 wrote

The Wire had the potential to be better if they dropped some of their ambitions, got a tighter cast, and tried to make these characters more interesting(for the most part) and have sympathetic qualities.

The show strikes me as obsessed with realism at the expense of the narrative.

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um_ok_try_again t1_j5hif4k wrote

Ha ha. I couldn't disagree with you more.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hj203 wrote

My example would be Jimmy McNulty which is the character we are first introduced to and the lynchpin of the series. He is an asshole in every way imaginable and has virtually no charisma, and when he fucks up you are supposed to feel for him but why?

The actor may very well be good but the character is mostly uninteresting dogshit, which you can extrapolate to much of The Wire.

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um_ok_try_again t1_j5hkw0w wrote

Friend, we're not going to agree here.

If you can't see charm in McNulty, if you can't empathize with his self-destructive nature, then I don't know.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hlfxe wrote

Honestly I kind of hated him after he sent his kids to follow a drug dealer, and then had the nerve to argue with his wife in court over custody.

He's not that interesting and he does a lot of dumb reckless shit, and the show tries to portray him as a great detective. He's an idiot asshole.

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um_ok_try_again t1_j5hlww5 wrote

He is a great Detective, he's good police. It takes a toll on him. This is reflected in his personal life and overall health. Again, it doesn't matter. We are not going to influence each other here.

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chimchooree t1_j5hq9py wrote

What the fuck did Jimmy do?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hqj5g wrote

>I mean the closest thing you have to a main character cheats on his wife, endangers his children, fucks over his co-workers, illegally detains people, drives drunk, and is exceedingly unapologetic about all of it.

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spareparts91 t1_j5hs4fs wrote

Do you understand what drama is? Are those not things that make him compelling to watch.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hssvd wrote

No what should make him compelling to watch is the complexity of the character, in this case he's kind of a wooden scumbag.

There is nothing to relate to him with. No heart.

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spareparts91 t1_j5hucy5 wrote

Ok, I read a bunch of you're criticisms in other comments. You call it copaganda in some and then complain about not being able to relate to the police officer characters in other posts. I think (and I'm not saying this to be mean) you are either a troll or have abysmal media literacy. Jimmy is a scumbag. He has major flaws. Many come from his inability to cope with the things he does and also he's a selfish asshole. But also, Jimmy is good police. Take politics out of it. Just on a level of catching murderers, he's good. It's the only thing he's good at, and sometimes he's scummy to do it. On you're problems with the show being copaganda. I don't know, I have pretty left leaning political views and I feel like the wire falls more into just a story about complex people. Sometimes they do the right thing sometimes they don't, that's part of what's interesting in a story. If everyone did the right good thing the show would be fucking boring. Also I might suggest you think about the themes. The wire is a pretty hard critique on capitalism and the drug war. I would argue that it's pretty hard on the police who are outright targeting the barksdale drug organization while politicians involved all skate free in harmed. The real scammers through the show are the contractors and businessman who are stringing stringer bell along to funnel more money out of him into their pockets. All legal.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5huq5i wrote

>Ok, I read a bunch of you're criticisms in other comments. You call it copaganda in some and then complain about not being able to relate to the police officer characters in other posts.

Yeah it's weird right? I'm saying that in spite of the characters being so terrible that you are still expected to root for them, in a weird way making it almost like an "ends justify the means" mentality the creators are pushing.

Which post 9/11 would not surprise me.

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spareparts91 t1_j5hvpj1 wrote

Troll

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hw7ed wrote

Dude they literally mention 9/11 multiple time in the show, what am I trolling about?

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somedickinyourmouth t1_j5hhiec wrote

It's just not for you. It would be literally impossible to make a show about criminals that had a "tighter" cast. I don't know how you'd expect that to work. Did you think gangs were just 5 people?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hi0kz wrote

The Sopranos did it easily, that's my point.

You have Tony, Tony's family, Christopher, Paulie, and then the rest are mostly supporting characters. It was kind of an ensemble cast but Chase knew that the focus was primarily on Tony and people close to him so they could weave a consistent narrative.

It's not scattered like The Wire where you are watching events unfold without caring much how things go down.

−3

Cool-Ad8928 t1_j5k9b1z wrote

Sopranos were a single family yea? Or at least the family goons/workers etc..

The Wire shows the corruption across a city, and the systemic problems it faces, up to the state level even (and international to an extent)

They did easy because there’s like 10 chars max.

There’s ~10 cops assigned to Barksdale’s case. There’s ~10 crew members in the towers. There’s ~10 east side characters to pop in and out (Joe & such), and 10 members of the court system (lawyers/da/judges etc) and at least 3 street characters (bubs/his boy*/wayland)

I don’t think it’s supposed to be easy.

*forgive me y’all - drew a blank on the name of bubs’ underling.

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Victorcreedbratton t1_j5hps34 wrote

I disagree. Although I prefer The Sopranos, I think the shows are on equal footing and it comes down to personal preference. Sopranos fans likely prefer the psychological depth, while Wire fans love its sociological bent. I don’t know how “likeable” any of the Sopranos characters are, as they are mostly amoral, detestable liars. If anything, it’s the Wire’s departures from realism that I dislike.

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DougieJackpots t1_j5hlpyl wrote

You don’t find Bunk and McNaulty entertaining? Assholes? Sure. Amazingly entertaining characters? Absolutely.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hmetv wrote

Maybe it's just the time this show was made in, But since 2002 there has been Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, etc fucking endless.

So watching this show about cops abusing their power in such ways, there isn't anything amusing about it to me. And they make jokes about it in the show and I have to wonder if people at the time laughed at it.

The police since that time I feel like have lost a lot of respect in general society.

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Dirtytarget t1_j5hnmtt wrote

It wasn’t supposed to be funny. It was showing that the police were fucked up people who often did things just as horrible as the criminals they arrested

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5homie wrote

They frame it in the show as a joke.

Like in season 1 they detain one of the goons and assault him in the interrogation room. And then Omar says "He really knows how to bring it out of people", and then the scene ends like it is an actual fucking joke.

I don't get it, I just don't. I have to believe police lost a lot of respect in society after this show ended to even think about putting that in there.

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Dirtytarget t1_j5hoy84 wrote

Do you not understand story telling or is this rage bait?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hp76j wrote

It's not storytellings thats the issue.

They horrifically beat a guy during interrogation, made a joke, and then that just gets dropped from the show. It is like even the writers forget they are actually police.

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bloodyturtle t1_j5hpm9n wrote

police do that shit all the time dog

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hq68x wrote

Yeah but I'm not gonna watch an HBO series sympathizing with Derek Chauvin, am I?

If you want to make a police show where the3 police are that shitty and have them as main characters, it needs to be an almost lawless setting like Deadwood or Justified.

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DougieJackpots t1_j5hrjhl wrote

For the most part bunk and mcnutty are “real police”… there are much bigger assholes in the show. They’re chasing monsters

Edit: also there are a lot of shows with shitty awful characters that are wildly entertaining

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hsdvp wrote

I found the characters to be too wooden so that their bad attributes were the only things that stood out.

There was no heart to them.

−1

chimchooree t1_j5hpjve wrote

Why not wait til you're done watching it and make ONE post about it?

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visionaryredditor t1_j5izm2y wrote

how do you watch The Wire and not care about the characters? character work on The Wire is one of the best on tv.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5izqq4 wrote

I didn't like any of the actors except the gangster cast, which unsurprisingly actually went on to have a career.

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jethropenistei- t1_j5hj149 wrote

There’s things likable about some of the criminals, you just don’t like them. There’s not really a overarching plot to the seasons other than criminals deal drugs, cops try to stop them. There’s seasons where they focus on different aspects to that, the docks, the schools, the politicians, the media but it’s not a single narrative designed to make one singular commentary about crime and poverty in American society.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hj8a0 wrote

Yes who can forget such masterful characters as Ziggy....

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jethropenistei- t1_j5hjusb wrote

I don’t get how that is a cogent response to what I was said. You don’t like it as much as The Sopranos, that’s fine, but what you say is a serious flaw with the show is actually by design.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hk7hz wrote

If a show completely detaches you from the characters by design then that's not good design and is a flaw.

We are reaching "I can't hear shit" Christopher Nolan levels of justification here.

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jethropenistei- t1_j5hkwrh wrote

The not having a singular, overarching commentary or narrative is by design.

If you’re detached from the characters, that’s kinda on you. A lot of people like myself, we’re heartbroken for certain characters like Duquan, loved the triumph of others like Bubbles, wished the downfall of some like Marlo or Rawls, and ambivalent about other like Mayor Carcetti. Etc.

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KYWizard t1_j5hread wrote

Sounds to me like you need to stick to stuff like super man. Very clear lines between protagonists and antagonists. Simpler stories. Nothing wrong with that.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hrq3q wrote

Nah man the characters in this show are just underwritten, they followed in the footsteps of The Sopranos trying to make likable or amusing scumbags but they just made scumbags.

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KYWizard t1_j5hvhvm wrote

They were not trying to make likable or amusing scumbags. You clearly don't understand what this show is, but you DO understand...it's not for you. Again, nothing wrong with that.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hw1q1 wrote

This isn't a documentary though, it's a fictional TV show.

If you are going to make morally reprehensible characters then you have to give them more depth and personality than they did. At least for a long running TV show.

If they are not interesting and they are not good people, then what is left?

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KYWizard t1_j5k2fww wrote

What is left is a gritty realism that might be hard for some people to accept. I have to say, it's one thing not to love the characters, but to not find anything interesting in the characters in The Wire?

The show isn't for everyone I guess.

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philovax t1_j5mze5p wrote

Its so close to a documentary. The show is very accurate to real life in Baltimore during the early 2000’s. Very accurate.

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jcaashby t1_j5i2976 wrote

I found everyone on the Sopranos to be disgusting human beings. But still loved the show!

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NPJazz t1_j5izu8h wrote

How is the bunk not likable? The kids in s4? Colvin? Sonja? Even Prez ends being likable.

Anyway, I don’t know why you have to find characters likable to enjoy a show anyway.

Walter White is an asshole but we all love him.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5izyi3 wrote

For me a morally bad character can still be likable or at the very least entertaining.

I didn't get that from The Wire.

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NPJazz t1_j5j0c5t wrote

Well, that’s on you then. Not you taste, but that’s not a flaw, your taste in not universal, that’s subjective.

I did find them entertaining and I remember most characters and their arc and it’s quite a huge ensemble cast.

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thejazzophone t1_j5i7ffp wrote

Bruh if you think the characters are shallow id like to invite you down to Baltimore. Police are corrupt and asshole like they're shown. Drug Dealers are not cartoonishly evil ppl. The whole point of this show is that things are broken fundamentally. From the police, to the government, to media, and beyond. If you can't handle a show that shows how complex humans can be then you may not be ready for The Wire.

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Solid_Rice t1_j5m95sy wrote

Have you considered that maybe you have garbage taste in TV shows?

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5m9h1n wrote

No because I love most well received TV shows.

The Wire feels so disjointed and wooden it's hard to care about anything.

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KarenIsAmused t1_j5hzn4w wrote

It wasn’t their business to make the characters “likeable.” What the F?

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StuffonBookshelfs t1_j5k1b0f wrote

It’s okay if shows aren’t for you. It’s allowed. But a show isn’t inherently flawed just because you don’t like the characters who are in it.

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retroman1987 t1_j5n6gse wrote

I'm one of those people that steers away from hype. If people tell me something is great, I go into it with a really critical eye, if I even engage with it at all.

For fifteen years people would tell me how great The Wire is. I finally watched it and I honestly think it was under hyped. It is bar far the best television show I've ever seen. Every single character is nuanced. Every motivation is understandable and every action has believable consequences. It occasionally veers into being preachy and heavy handed but when the messages are so visceral that can be forgiven.

It's a show with a million tiny moments that add up to produce a layered masterpiece. Do not shit on The Wire. The Wire shits on you.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5n87ov wrote

Maybe but I'll list out the flaws I had with it more concisely

  1. I hate Tom Waits(personal opinion)

  2. The acting on the "white cast" for the most part was lacklustre, Dominic West in particular could not carry his character. When you write a character this flawed you need really good writing and acting to keep the audience invested. West is ok but he is no John Hamm, James Gandolfini, Bryan Cranston, etc. He's kind of a charisma drain.

  3. Leaving "events" or major plot points out of the series is a mistake for a multi-season show. Watching The Wire past the first season is real slog because the stakes aren't raised, the characters are not facing some new threat or something. There are shows like Deadwood and The Sopranos that are light on plot but even they have something driving them forward, raising the stakes, things progress(or regress) from season to season.

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retroman1987 t1_j5n8tjx wrote

I also hate Tom Waits so I'm with you there.

I might also agree that none of the main characters match the actors you mentioned (though Idris Elba might come close), but the Wire isn't a vehicle for a single lead. It is a much, much better show than either Mad Men (which is just really boring and has no stakes) or Breaking Bad (which gets too stylized and has an absolutely awful final season). I've never seen the Sopranos, so I couldn't say.

I think you just like shows made for mushy-headed dumb dumbs with predictable action and traditionally structured plots. That's ok.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5n9ewl wrote

Man I don't know because I went from watching The Sopranos which felt like a timeless masterpiece of drama/comedy to The Wire which was barely a step above daytime TV.

You think about what acting powerhouses James Galdolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Braco, Michael Imperioli, Nancy Marchand, Frank Vincent, Dominic Chianese, Steve Buscemi, Joe Pantoliano, etc all are and then look at The Wire....

The only actors that stuck out to me in The Wire were Idris Elba(who unfortunately felt underwritten) and Michael Kenneth Williams. These were shows that came out at the same time and differ in acting and to a lesser extent writing capabilities a lot.

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retroman1987 t1_j5n9pvj wrote

>barely a step above daytime TV.

Lol. Ok you just have no taste. No fixing you.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5na46h wrote

I'm not even joking man, if it wasn't for any of the violence or swearing I would think I'm watching a completely episodic crime show like CSI at parts.

It feels like a network police show that wanted the exceed the boundaries of what it was but never fully could.

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jl_theprofessor t1_j5i57p4 wrote

Is it me or are there more “Critically acclaimed and widely beloved show is actually flawed/overrated/not good” type posts?

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earthvsmatt t1_j5i5o68 wrote

The point of the show has definitely been missed by you

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Craphole-Island t1_j5jgg71 wrote

It’s okay if you don’t like The Wire, because tastes are subjective. However, based on your comments here it’s clear you don’t understand The Wire. The show is not as simple as “good” and “bad”. I genuinely don’t understand how you came to some of the conclusions you did while watching the show.

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SeparateAddress9070 t1_j5jl4ks wrote

The wire's characters are supposed to be unlikable because real people, especially cops, are typically unlikable. Also - you not liking them doesn't mean nobody likes them.

lol @ the sopranos blowing the wire away

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QuintoBlanco t1_j5kdvqx wrote

Here's the thing: nobody cares about your opinion.

Posting your negative view on a widely praised show 14 years after the end of the show and making a few random remarks about how you feel about the show is worse than pointless.

You are just taking up space.

If you wanted to have a meaningful conversation, you could have just asked people what they like about the show.

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Chemtrailmail t1_j5ijsxq wrote

Youre entitled to your opinion, even if its wrong

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pjhalsli1 t1_j5jfvmf wrote

Bodie was likable - kid had heart - he even got morals - he felt Marlo went way too far and it's kinda hard to disagree with that

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Wight3012 t1_j5jpzt9 wrote

I liked a bunch of characters. but the thing is they all evoke different emotions from you as the show goes on. thats why its so good. at first mcnutty is fun, then im happy for him then im sad/angry he goes back to his old ways. at first i hated the cup-teacher guy but as he goes through his transformation i started liking him. then there are omar and borther mouzone...well they are just awesome.

i'll give you that the show is bad escapism. if i want to unwind i dont want realistic people. there's something comforting about TV people being the same. jack oniell will alway be the same guy, and you know what you are getting.

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MasterTeacher123 t1_j5k5yli wrote

I like 3 of the 5 seasons. I was bored by the last one

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shr2016 t1_j5khd0d wrote

Your opinion is bad and you should feel bad

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no_more_secrets t1_j5ks2h5 wrote

Being dead inside doesn't mean the characters aren't likeable.

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Artistic-Toe-8803 t1_j5hqpaa wrote

The Wire is definitely very flawed, but just having unlikeable characters is not a flaw. Many of the greatest shows of all time are rife with unlikeable characters, you mentioned the Sopranos yourself.

I thought you were goung to say something about the many issues season 5 had, or how disjointed season 2 is and how it sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the show

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5hr22n wrote

Unlikeable characters without redeeming qualities is a flaw to me.

Even Tony Soprano does seem to legitimately care for his family, and the show makes it known that somewhere within in him there is still good although much farther down than the bad.

Almost all the characters in The Wire are underwritten the the only things that stick out are the bad and unsympathetic moments.

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Artistic-Toe-8803 t1_j5hso8l wrote

All the good we saw from Tony was very clearly shown to either contradict/betray his true nature, be a facade, or have limited reach. Loving your biological children is not some saintly characteristic, we are literally programmed as humans to do so. The character protrait that the Sopranos managed to paint of Tony Soprano is one of the greatest feats in television history for sure. But if you found him 'likeable', yet can't empathize with any of the Wire's major characters, then idek what to say. That's just very strange.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5ht726 wrote

I can only assume that the characters in The Sopranos are just far better written and acted.

I didn't find The Wire characters compelling for the most part so maybe that makes their worse attributes stick out more.

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Artistic-Toe-8803 t1_j5i0ou4 wrote

What made the side characters in the Sopranos more compelling to you? Apart from Paulie, Silvio, Chris, Bobby, Junior, Janice, Patsy, Phil (who was only introduced in the 5th season), and Adriana, most of them are not very distinct or memorable imo. Even out of those characters, several don't show that much growth throughout the series or have all that potent of character arcs.

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5ig0rd wrote

All those you listed are the main side characters though....

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addwood5 t1_j5l3wkp wrote

You seemed to have failed to notice the main character of The Wire… Baltimore Itself. How is an environment so terrible going to create these great humans? It doesn’t. They are all flawed and that’s what makes them interesting.

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Worried-Good-6593 t1_j5i8nqy wrote

Agreed, dropped it mid season 4. Boring as hell

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Bushgjl OP t1_j5ig57c wrote

Yeah I didn't even hate the first season, I just thought it ok-good.

I just genuinely do not understand the acclaim I have been hearing for years. Other than the show just being a landmark at the time.

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