I thought I read on these boards that the Wire wouldn't be coming out in Blu Ray because of the way it was originally filmed- is this the case, and if so, does anybody know if there is anything special planned for the sd release of season 5 (besides just a normal set of all 5 seasons)?
They did announce an a complete series DVD boxset, but the only special feature unique to that set is a new gag reel. So, nothing really special.
And, yeah, creator David Simon prefers the show in 4:3 standard-def... so that's likely the way it will remain, although 16:9 masters of the show exist per HBO's wishes. But I doubt we'll see any attempt at a Blu-ray release anytime soon.
They did announce an a complete series DVD boxset, but the only special feature unique to that set is a new gag reel. So, nothing really special.
And, yeah, creator David Simon prefers the show in 4:3 standard-def... so that's likely the way it will remain, although 16:9 masters of the show exist per HBO's wishes. But I doubt we'll see any attempt at a Blu-ray release anytime soon.
It was really filmed in 16:9?! I would KILL for a widescreen blu release of the Wire.
Sigh, it is criminal when a director says stupid things like that. Joss Whedon did the same with Buffy, even though it was released in the PAL world in widescreen. I'd take a 16:9 transfer any day. And if you want it 4:3, I'm sure that could easily be encoded into the Blu Ray. I mean they have done that on DVD using black subtitle bars. Failing that, put a piece of cardboard on each side of the screen.
It was really filmed in 16:9?! I would KILL for a widescreen blu release of the Wire.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mobe1969
Sigh, it is criminal when a director says stupid things like that. Joss Whedon did the same with Buffy, even though it was released in the PAL world in widescreen. I'd take a 16:9 transfer any day.
In the case of the Wire, it was preferred by the show's creators (not the various directors) that the show be framed for a 4:3 standard-def presentation to give it a more gritty, documentary feel. Even the last seasons on HBO HD were upconverted from SD and left at 4:3 to maintain that look. For all the promos and weekly recaps, though, they were edited and broadcast from the widescreen masters. The film was always shot with an intended AR of 4:3, though, so many will have issue with 16:9 transfers even if it is additional material on the side.
In the case of the Wire, it was preferred by the show's creators (not the various directors) that the show be framed for a 4:3 standard-def presentation to give it a more gritty, documentary feel. Even the last seasons on HBO HD were upconverted from SD and left at 4:3 to maintain that look. For all the promos and weekly recaps, though, they were edited and broadcast from the widescreen masters. The film was always shot with an intended AR of 4:3, though, so many will have issue with 16:9 transfers even if it is additional material on the side.
Exactly, the same holds true for "The Shield"...There are 16:9 dvds of it, the show looks "off" in that aspect ratio.....You can tell that the show is supposed to be 4:3.
Simon made the decision to keep the entire series in 4:3 SD to keep the look of the show "fluid" from season 1 to season 5. I would NOT call his move stupid at all, it was more of a creative decision that IMO works for this show.....If he had gone HD 16:9 at Season 4 when he could have, I think the look and feel of the show might have been thrown off a bit.
For showing on HBOHD, HBO uses a line doubling method that upscales the picture of the show and makes the picture look great, but it is still the same source material.
While I would have loved to have this show in HD, I dont have a problem with how it was done.
I would NOT call his move stupid at all, it was more of a creative decision that IMO works for this show.....If he had gone HD 16:9 at Season 4 when he could have, I think the look and feel of the show might have been thrown off a bit.
Since you quoted me for your response, I just wanted to point out that I didn't call the decision stupid at all, and quite agree that OAR (or intended aspect ratio in this case) is the way films and TV shows should be presented.
The Wire has surpassed The Sopranos as my favorite show on television. Season 2 wasn't that great, but I still enjoyed it.
Yeah, Season 2 is much harder to get into (starts off very slowly), and I didn't care for the characters nearly as much that season, but it does introduce some minor characters (the "Greek", etc) that become important later on. It also was necessary to expand the scope beyond "the corners" and that was a good way to do it. In the end, I think it was also good to show that many of the issues facing the inner-city are economically driven (and not racially driven).
Season 3, on the other hand, provided an incredibly realistic look at the political workings of the city and the police department... as well as providing an amazing resolution to the story started in season 1.
Overall, it's probably my top show EVER, and like you, the Sopranos is right up there near it, but just a step behind.
The Wire has surpassed The Sopranos as my favorite show on television. Season 2 wasn't that great, but I still enjoyed it.
I liked your first statement.
Then you had to keep typing.
Season 2 may very well be my favorite, though I'm a fan of all five (especially 2, 3, and 4).
While The Sopranos has some characters and moments that may never be matched, The Wire is undeniably the series with the strongest vision and consistence of quality. Season 5 lagged a bit, but the second to last episode alone was enough to justify all the extra hours and dollars that went into keeping the show running an extra season. Even though it's my favorite show of all time, I think they ended when they needed to, and I eagerly await whatever future projects David Simon delivers.
Of course, since this is a forum where people seem to care more about technical shit than stories, characters, etc., let me just say that I don't know of any Blu-Ray plans for The Wire. Even if they did release a stunning box set with all 5 seasons, I'm not sure I'd buy it anytime soon (if ever). And I own 3 different Wire shirts, a poster, and wrote a huge piece on it for our local paper. So you can tell what a nut I am for it.
I currently own Seasons 1-4 on DVD, so a BD box set would have to be very cheap or given to me as a gift. And would the quality be all that different? I have no idea, since I'm not much of a technical guy. I will say, however, that if a Sopranos series box set was released on BD I'd probably want that one before The Wire. I'm not really sure why.
Of course, a complete series box set of Lost is what we'll all be needing come late 2010.
I currently own Seasons 1-4 on DVD, so a BD box set would have to be very cheap or given to me as a gift. And would the quality be all that different? I have no idea, since I'm not much of a technical guy. I will say, however, that if a Sopranos series box set was released on BD I'd probably want that one before The Wire. I'm not really sure why.
I agree, but Sopranos is a different matter. They have been airing ALL the seasons from 16:9 HD transfers for years now. The creator's okayed it, and it was shot with that possibility at least in mind (for the few first seasons) and with that as the intended presentation (for the last seasons). So... a 16:9 HD BD release of the complete series would feel "natural" for the show.
The Wire, on the other hand, never felt "correct" in the 16:9 promos and "previous episode" clips on HBO, and, obviously, they wanted the 4:3 framing. If they did a BD set (in proper 4:3 ratio) I'd buy it, but I doubt it will happen.
BTW, given your taste in TV shows, you should really like the "Mad Men" set you mentioned picking up in the other thread.
Here's an article I wrote for the regional newspaper before I moved northward. It was written just before Season 4 aired, and in case you didn't yet know, The Wire recently concluded its fifth and final season. So yes, this piece is a bit dated, but I think it still explains the series enough for someone who simply wants to know a bit about it.
Earlier this week I sat on my sofa to watch some TV. Given the massive number of stations currently available to customers willing to pay an arm and a leg each month, it’s hard to believe that such a small fraction of the programs are intelligent and well written. While many critics claim that the reality show era is coming to an end, my rapid inventory of several hundred channels told me otherwise. With all this flash and melodrama flooding the airwaves, it’s easy to understand how some truly amazing shows get lost in the shuffle.
One such show is HBO’s stunning cop drama, The Wire. Despite numerous critical accolades, The Wire has proved far less successful than its sister programs (Six Feet Under, The Sopranos). However, HBO knows smart TV when it sees it, and has kept the show alive despite some close calls. Season 3 of The Wire hit DVD shelves on August 8th and its fourth season is scheduled to debut on September 10th. This show must be watched from the beginning, in sequential order, with no episodes skipped in between. That means you have your work cut out for you if you want to watch all 37 episodes before Season 4 begins.
But why bother? you might be asking yourself. Because folks, this is quite possibly the finest show on television, and certainly one of the best to ever grace the small screen. For those of you somewhat familiar to the show, indulge me while I bring the newcomers up to speed. The Wire is the brainchild of David Simon and Ed Burns. Simon, a former journalist for the Baltimore Sun, wrote the book that inspired the groundbreaking series, Homicide. Burns, a former detective, brings his own personal experiences and expertise to The Wire, which focuses on the Baltimore drug trade and the detectives who try to dismantle it.
Classifying The Wire as a cop show does it a great disservice. In most cop shows, you’ve got the good guys catching bad guys week after week. In The Wire the good guys are flawed individuals who don’t have all the answers. The so-called bad guys are multi-faceted people given nearly equal screen time. This allows us to see what leads many into the drug world and why so few ever make it out alive.
Season 1 introduced us to Homicide detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), a streetwise officer with a penchant for philandering and drinking himself to sleep. The only thing he knows he’s good at is being a “murder police,” which is partially why he’s assigned to a detail that's probing a budding drug empire ruled by a man named Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). The powers-that-be created the detail to appease a local judge, hoping to make a few quick arrests and get their officers back to regular rotation. This irks McNulty who slowly realizes the full extent of Barksdale’s organization. He surmises that the only way to truly make an impact is through the use of electronic surveillance, which is where the show gets its name.
Those of you who begin watching the show may find yourself getting a bit antsy after a few episodes. Do not let these feelings dissuade you from giving the series a fair shake. The Wire is more like a novel than any other TV show I’ve ever seen, and I mean that in the best way possible. Like any great book, you can’t read a few chapters and hope to get the whole picture. If you can make it through all thirteen episodes of Season 1 and still decide you don’t care for the show, I apologize for wasting your time. However, if you find yourself slowly sucked into its brilliantly conceived universe, you won’t likely need my recommendation to continue watching.
Season 2 is probably my favorite, though it may be initially off-putting for some viewers. Just as we had finally grown accustomed to the characters and rhythms of Season 1, Simon & Co. decided to throw us a curveball. The second season shifts its focus to a community of dockworkers battling against a waning economy. When a marine policewoman discovers thirteen dead women in a cargo container during routine inspection, McNulty and his colleagues are reassembled to investigate possible waterfront corruption.
Season 2 showcased The Wire’s greatest strengths: well-developed characters, believable dialogue, rich performances, and a bird’s-eye view of lifestyles and social circles we might never have experienced otherwise. We become so deeply immersed in the dialects, speech patterns, and daily routines of this community that we don’t want the season to end. But end it must, and what a powerful finale! If Shakespeare or Sophocles were alive today, they might consider scribing a few episodes for The Wire.
Laugh if you will, but by Season 3 various major authors were clamoring to hammer out scripts for the series. The third season, which finally convinced Entertainment Weekly to name The Wire “Best Show of the Year,” features segments penned by novelists Dennis Lehane (Mystic River), Richard Price (Clockers), and George Pelecanos (Drama City). Fans of the first season will likely rejoice over the show’s return to its initial focus on the Barksdale drug empire. As competition between rival drug gangs heats up, one tired police lieutenant decides to push all the local traffickers to several designated areas. If dealers and addicts will keep their activities confined to those areas and refrain from violence, the lieutenant and his men will look the other way. The show examines this bold experiment from all sides. Baltimore politics play a much heavier role in this season, charting the gradual rise of a baby-faced councilman to mayoral candidate. Meanwhile, across town, an ex-con named Cutty struggles to open a boxing gym for wayward youth. It’s a small yet remarkably moving plotline. I can’t imagine another show designating that amount of time to such a seemingly insignificant character. Cutty’s conflict, however, is one faced by many men and women who have tried to abandon a shady past for a brighter future. Even a show as bleak and uncompromising as The Wire finds ways to inspire and offer hope.
As Simon and Burns’ vision continues to evolve and expand, so does the complexity of the show. It is not just about cops, drugs, or even, but rather how people, organizations, and political structures shape an American city. One moment we’re watching a teenage boy feed a houseful of orphans, and the next we’re eavesdropping in the mayor’s office. How the writers manage to balance these myriad storylines while keeping us deeply engaged baffles me.
Season 4, which may or may not end up being the final season, will revolve around the education system. Few plot details have leaked to the public, but I’m not sure I’ll want to read them when they do. The Wire works best when you let it unfold slowly, one chapter at a time, revealing its countless layers over the course of a season. Next time you’re at the video store, I implore that you give this series the chance it so richly deserves.
And for the record, Season 4 ended up to be a phenomenal season that many critics picked as the series' high point. Season 5 was still really good, but probably my least favorite season. Regardless, it is one of the greatest series ever made.
And for the record, Season 4 ended up to be a phenomenal season that many critics picked as the series' high point. Season 5 was still really good, but probably my least favorite season. Regardless, it is one of the greatest series ever made.
Nice article you posted above, but I noticed you failed to make any mention of Homicide: Life on the Streets, which was a nice bridge between Simon's book of similar name, and The Wire.
This is just one sad reminder of what HBO has become. I recently got into Six Feet Under, and actually like it more than The Wire, but both are great shows. Certainly much better than what HBO has going today.
Nice article you posted above, but I noticed you failed to make any mention of Homicide: Life on the Streets, which was a nice bridge between Simon's book of similar name, and The Wire.
you might have missed this part...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moniker
The Wire is the brainchild of David Simon and Ed Burns. Simon, a former journalist for the Baltimore Sun, wrote the book that inspired the groundbreaking series, Homicide.
This is just one sad reminder of what HBO has become. I recently got into Six Feet Under, and actually like it more than The Wire, but both are great shows. Certainly much better than what HBO has going today.
Two points to be made here.
A) I've seen all of Six Feet Under, and while I love the show, it is rather inconsistent. If you're just getting into it, it's understandable that you might prefer it to The Wire. The early seasons of SFU are certainly the best.
B) It's true that HBO hasn't yet recovered from its loss of such small-screen milestones as The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, and even Deadwood. However, they have a slew of new programs on the horizon. Will they live up to the station's past glories? Probably not. But I'm going to hope for the best. Maybe Boardwalk Express or True Blood will be good. As for their current series, I only watch Big Love and Flight of the Conchords now that Extras is most likely finished. I used to enjoy Curb Your Enthusiasm, but haven't kept up with the show since late Season 3. Too many shows to wade through, I guess.
This is just one sad reminder of what HBO has become. I recently got into Six Feet Under, and actually like it more than The Wire, but both are great shows. Certainly much better than what HBO has going today.
What, you aren't excited for Season 5 of '4 D0uch3bags Whine While Roaming Around LA Not Doing Anything' (AKA Entourage)? Can someone please either fix that show or put it out of its misery? Props to Jeremy Piven, though, for actually being able to act, which is more than the two 'actors' on the show can say.
For those who enjoyed 'The Wire', be sure to check out 'Generation Kill' (which started airing last Sunday), a seven part miniseries produced and co-written by 'The Wire'-creator David Simon. It's a really cool look at one of the first marine units to move into Iraq at the start of the (current) war.
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