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Post by seyfried on Apr 9, 2008 22:12:45 GMT
I'll probably echo a few of your sentiments. Then again, with Jim and Pam "getting together" they've almost rendered their comedy ineffective by replacing the comedic elements of them "not being together" with romantic consummation. It's like...we waited all along for this?
I'd say Season 2 was the high-point, but bits and pieces of Season 3 had me hysterical. I've given up from Day 1 that it's a documentary - that is, when you get 15 cuts in one scene, from ostensibly 6 different cameras. But yeah, lately it's been AWFUL.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Apr 9, 2008 22:17:15 GMT
Shit, my apologies to Wetdog. Never realized I dropped a The Sopranos spoiler in Reply 111 even after reading Capo's reply to it! I just realized it now. (However given the milieu of The Sopranos it shouldn't be that much of a spoiler.) ^^Me trying to make it better. For real, though, I feel terrible. Don't worry about it. I've seen seen lots of bits and pieces of episodes. I read that and didn't even register it as a spoiler.
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 10, 2008 20:19:22 GMT
Whew. I'm relieved. Cheers.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Apr 11, 2008 0:17:35 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERSHave you finished watching Season 2, wetdog? Yeah, I devoured it.
I actually didn't like it as much as Season 1, I found it sprawled too much and too many of the characters were reduced to supporting roles (Herc and Carver particularly).
Some great character development for those that weren't sidelined, however.
I understand Season 3 focuses on a single case from various perspectives though. I can't wait! I hope it arrives tomorrow.
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 11, 2008 0:53:26 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERSHave you finished watching Season 2, wetdog? [/quote] Yeah, I devoured it.
I actually didn't like it as much as Season 1, I found it sprawled too much and too many of the characters were reduced to supporting roles (Herc and Carver particularly).
Some great character development for those that weren't sidelined, however.
I understand Season 3 focuses on a single case from various perspectives though. I can't wait! I hope it arrives tomorrow.[/quote] Yeah, this show is perfect for devouring on DVD when one can rip through 3+ episodes straight. The storylines are in memory better and the nuance doesn't get lost.
I love the broadened scope, though, I personally wouldn't call it sprawling because it doesn't seem disorderly to me.
Yeah, adding the docks and The Greeks on top of the characters and stories returning from Season 1 will mean some major supporting characters characters from Season 1 turn to minor ones. There's always a cost to something.
I've come to appreciate the character development much more on revisits; never really sunk in on my first viewings.
Love the portrait of a working class that is disappearing and the global context of drugs (makes winning the city war on drugs even more impossible).
Not sure if the above description of Season 3 is accurate, but I'm probably taking it to mean something else than what was meant.
I think it's the funniest of all the seasons. I'll shut up now and check back in when you've finished ripping through Season 3 in a couple of days. (It's so fun that way.)
Some quick questions:
Favorite scene(s), characters, episodes, and/or whatever you feel like mentioning?
Standout theme(s) or commentary?
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Apr 11, 2008 17:57:12 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERS
One thing: Brother Mouzone is an awful character. He's like something out of The Boondock Saints. He's completely out of keeping with the style and agenda of the show. I see on IMDb that he's only in 7 episodes, though, so it's okay.
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 11, 2008 19:21:31 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERS
Didn't like the Brother Mouzone character on my first viewing of Season 2, but didn't mind so much on subsequent viewings; I still have some reservations to this day, though.
The Wire does get "literary" though. Though Simon and Burns are meticulous and want to get everything right, they have stated that it's a work of fiction and they'll treat it that way. I think a mistake that some people make is to view the show as purely realist/neorealist/fictional verite. (Not saying that you were.) I have another point about this and Mouzone, but that'll have to be put on the side 'til much later.
Another point about Mouzone is that he's modeled after members of a more militant sect of the Nation of Islam. That's how they and some of the Nation of Islam are. Shouldn't mean you should like the Mouzone character or think he isn't out of place, though; I'm aware of that.
I also read on a forum that the Nation of Islam and the "Black Mafia" merged in Philadelphia some time back. So perhaps The Wire used that as a template.
I feel you, though. While I think the show is the greatest tv series, I don't think it's perfect.
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RNL
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Post by RNL on Apr 12, 2008 0:47:26 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERSAnother point about Mouzone is that he's modeled after members of a more militant sect of the Nation of Islam. That's how they and some of the Nation of Islam are. I know, but it's not that, it's the fact that he's a walking post-Tarantino cliché: an over-educated, impossibly self-composed, very obviously ironically juxtaposed killing machine. It's "cool", which is the worst kind of cool.
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Post by The Ghost of LLC on Apr 13, 2008 23:44:06 GMT
I don't watch much TV, hence my usual absence in this section of the site.
But to finish the statement starting in the title of this thread, Spongebob Squarepants.
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Post by seyfried on Apr 18, 2008 18:32:56 GMT
This has nothing to do with current, but just got Potter's The Singing Detective (after having to deal with a shoddy VHS version for quite some time) in the mail, so hopefully I'll get to that this weekend and a get a review up along with a few Hitchcock's. ;D ;D ;D
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Apr 19, 2008 0:13:33 GMT
Seasons 2 and 3 arrived yesterday. Haven't delved yet. I just noticed they're both 15 certificate. This show's for kids, really, isn't it?
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 20, 2008 1:29:30 GMT
Capo, there's a very good article on The Wire in the May issue of Sight & Sound, but you shouldn't read it as it contains major spoilers of gigantic story arcs peppered throughout the article so it's not like you can read the first couple of paragraphs or so and come out spoiler-free.
I copied & pasted it so if it's not still up on the site after you've finished the final season, I can post up the entire article here.
It's very good because it's not a puff piece (though, I do disagree with some of the writer's points and judgements) and there are a few art cinema references here and there.
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Capo
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Post by Capo on Apr 20, 2008 3:41:43 GMT
Yeah, I saw it (have the issue). Funnily enough, I coulda sworn I posted about it on here; seems the page didn't go through, though.
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Omar
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Post by Omar on Apr 23, 2008 18:57:21 GMT
SEASON 2 SPOILERSThree episodes in. Stringer has disappointed me. Having sex with D'Angelo's missus? I thought he was just into marketing and business stuff. He was my role model in life. You just wait and see, mister!
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Post by Michael on Apr 23, 2008 19:15:45 GMT
He was my role model in life. I can't stop laughing at this.
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 23, 2008 19:56:51 GMT
He was my role model in life. I can't stop laughing at this. So you've been reading some/all of the spoilers posted? No biggie, though, if you never intend on watching The Wire.
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Post by Michael on Apr 23, 2008 19:58:59 GMT
I always read spoilers. Doesn't matter anyways considering none of it makes sense to me and I'll probably forget what I read while I'm watching the shit anyways.
Family Video by my work had the first 5 seasons on DVD available to rent but one disc was missing so I sayz fuck dat sheeeit.
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Kino
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Post by Kino on Apr 23, 2008 20:14:01 GMT
Yeah, I see now. I guess just reading the spoilers once wouldn't hurt you considering there're so many characters and plots that the chances are slim that you'll identify situations to certain characters.
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Post by Michael on Apr 23, 2008 20:25:29 GMT
Indeed, friend.
Indeed.
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