The Wire

The one good thing that’s come out of the writer’s strike is that I’ve been watching a lot of canned video lately that I might not have otherwise watched. These are shows that been on my list for awhile but due to the constant stream of “fresh television” haven’t had time to get into them.


“The Wire: The Complete Seasons 1-3″ (HBO Home Video)

One such show is The Wire. Written by David Simon of “Homicide: Life On The Street” fame, it’s about a task force of Baltimore detectives setting up and running a surveillance operation against a notorious drug lord. The case itself is fascinating to watch unfold and takes great pains to explain its development in realistic detail. This is not “Enemy of the State” grade surveillance, but a low-tech wire-tap operation on a bunch of payphones and cloned pagers. Through this simple funnel, the case emerges.

One of the nice things about HBO is that they can run a single story arc through multiple seasons. This show uses the slow build to great effect, giving the characters room to develop and the story to unfold at a more believable pace than most network tv shows. If you’re used to immediate action, this might come as a bit of a shock to you. Stay with it. The pay-off will come.

boolean is listening to: Chromakey Dreamcoat from the album “The Campfire Headphase” by Boards Of Canada

About this entry

You’re currently reading “The Wire,” an entry on n3wblog

Published:
01.13.08 / 10am
Category:
Entertainment
Tags:
, , , , ,

Related Posts