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Huge Wire fan here as well.
It can be a challenging show to get into as the story is written and edited together unlike most other shows on TV. It's much more similar to the experience of getting into a book with a long setup, complicated characters, many interweaving storylines, etc. where you have to read a few chapters before deciding this is a good experience. Much different than most shows on television that hit you first with an entertaining hook and then develop the show (not a criticism necessarily of the norm, just a difference - Lost comes to mind as an example of a well-written show that's much more grounded in hooking you on entertainment). The show treats the audience like adults and trusts that you'll invest the time necessary to become engrossed.
What I love about the show is how each season adds layers to already complicated societal issues and shows how decisions in a seemingly unrelated area can have huge impacts elsewhere. Also love how it challenges the ideas of good vs bad and the economic loops that people get stuck in combined with the forces that keep them down.
A show that just explores those issues could be quite bland. What makes The Wire truly special is how it can demonstrate that complexity in an extremely entertaining way.
It can be a challenging show to get into as the story is written and edited together unlike most other shows on TV. It's much more similar to the experience of getting into a book with a long setup, complicated characters, many interweaving storylines, etc. where you have to read a few chapters before deciding this is a good experience. Much different than most shows on television that hit you first with an entertaining hook and then develop the show (not a criticism necessarily of the norm, just a difference - Lost comes to mind as an example of a well-written show that's much more grounded in hooking you on entertainment). The show treats the audience like adults and trusts that you'll invest the time necessary to become engrossed.
What I love about the show is how each season adds layers to already complicated societal issues and shows how decisions in a seemingly unrelated area can have huge impacts elsewhere. Also love how it challenges the ideas of good vs bad and the economic loops that people get stuck in combined with the forces that keep them down.
A show that just explores those issues could be quite bland. What makes The Wire truly special is how it can demonstrate that complexity in an extremely entertaining way.
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