The Wire S3
Jul. 8th, 2009 09:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
falafel_musingsSo I finished The Wire: S3...
I loved it. Totally loved it. Probably my favourite season after S4. I've gotta go back and rewatch S1. I must be really dumb and slow on the uptake not to get hooked on this show sooner. I remember I was really struggling to latch onto certain characters and story threads. But I think I get it now. To love The Wire you just have to invest in one thing: Baltimore.
RIP Stringer Bell. I gotta say I'm surprised that Stringer's death is the one that Wire fans seem the most grieved and devastated over. Well, I get it and I don't get it. Stringer IS a brilliant Machiavellian Shakesperian type character and Idris Elba gives the performance of the season. No denying it. I loved watching Stringer. But there are more sympathetic characters than Stringer, yeah? Like every other major Wire character that has died was more sympathetic than Stringer, I think. In S3 alone felt sadder over poor dumb Johnny Weeks dying than I did over Stringer getting his. I was compelled by Stringer's business sensibility and his ruthless ambition. But I also wanted to see him get his comeuppance for having D'Angelo and Wallace murdered to protect his own ass and having Brandon tortured to death just to spite Omar. Personally, I think it's a big shame to lose the actor and the character, BUT the Avon/Stringer story was played out to the max. I think the writers resolved it brilliantly with the two kingpins taking each other down.
"We ain't gotta dream no more." = Epic line. Poetry in one sentence. Fucking Shakespeare.
Omar Little and Brother Mouzone = My OTP of Doom. That scene with them in the alleyway was outstanding. They were such a great pairing. They could give me nightmares though. I think I'd rather meet Chris and Snoop in a dark alley than those two.
*sniff* Oh Prez!! My poor blundering luckless white boy. *sigh*
Gotta say I support Bunny and Hamsterdam. It wasn't a perfect solution but I think the idea served a greater good. Not just for the police, but for the ordinary folk who want drug crime away from their neighbourhoods. It gave both dealers and junkies some liberty and dignity. It even gave groups interested in AIDs prevention, drug rehab, etc, a place to fight for their causes. If only everyone in the system had the gumption that Bunny does. Ooh, I loved how Bunny echoed Stringer's last words when he was getting fired "Get on with it, Mother-F..."
I'm still more interested in the street, than the cops and politicians, but I did love McNulty and Kima's interactions in S3. They make a really great team. And McNulty, Kima and Bubbles could be my OT3. There are still some major characters I feel indifferent too; Daniels, Ronnie and Carcetti all have me itching for the fash forward button. And I hate Marlo. I don't even enjoy him as a villain. I just hate the guy and his cold sadistic evillness. He makes Avon and Stringer seem like the cuddly mass murdering drug lords.
Hehe. I loved Bodie's "contrapment". I just love how every season Bodie gets caught by the cops, but always finds a way to get out of trouble. He's like the Baltimore version of Brer Rabbit. I always like to think his nickname is short for Bodacious.
Anyway, great season. Loved the final music montage. Best one yet!
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-08 10:14 pm (UTC)I liked reading your thoughts on S3. I have to say that I do not have an opinion on Hamsterdam. I can't make up my mind. Remember that scene in which Bubbs was walking down with his trolley in the night and we saw what was really going on in those houses? I can't forget that. Or ignore that. I know it goes on also in the streets and that fighting in is just pretense, but I can let it be and think it's the less bad of two wrongs.
Also. I liked Stringer as THE EVIL MASTERMIND. Marlo as the baddest guy is a much simpler charachter, but I learned today that in this sick fucked up game there is indeed Karma. Like Bodie getting shot for doing what Wallace did. I do agree the story of the barksdales was resolved in a wonderful way. But STRINGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Never getting over that.
Also - I always wanted to work in a Museum! So jealous!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-08 10:55 pm (UTC)Remember that scene in which Bubbs was walking down with his trolley in the night and we saw what was really going on in those houses? I can't forget that. Or ignore that.
Hmm. That moment creeped me out too. It's like the real Amsterdam. When I've visited the red light district in that city I can't decide if it is liberating or just sordid. Like I said it isn't a perfect solution. But I think it was a good idea to move the problem to one place and have drugs/AIDs outreach people coming to help, rather than the police who just hunt, beat and demonise people caught up in that world.
Yeah, Marlo has zero personality compared to Stringer. And Stringer was a mastermind in both crime and business (is there a difference for Stringer?). Marlo is just a kill-crazy megalomaniac. Somebody steps on Marlo's toe: kill them. Somebody says Marlo's name in a sarcastic tone of voice: kill them. Somebody is seen standing 10 yards near to a cop: kill them just to make sure. Ugh.
I learned today that in this sick fucked up game there is indeed Karma. Like Bodie getting shot for doing what Wallace did.
I don't know if I'd call that karma. Maybe cos I don't believe in karma. It didn't feel the same as Wallace. More like Bodie was unburdening himself to McNulty. For me, Bodie's death was connected to Wallace in a different way; like he was making a stand for the lowly corner boy who is killed at the whim of his bosses. Almost redemption more than karma. It was a futile last stand, but I was still glad that is what Bodie stood for in the end. It's not like he was ever going to get a happy ending after the Wallace thing.
*cries* Bodie!!!!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 12:29 am (UTC)Where are you getting your info on the fan reactions to certain events? I've never ventured onto any Wire fan boards. I only know how my circle of RL life friends feel. I would say they were more blown away by Wallace's death than Stringer's, but the big one is still to come in S5. That had everyone cursing the heavens.
Marlo's lack of personality is what makes him so chilling.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 09:05 am (UTC)There are no decent Wire fan boards that I can find. Only a few good blogs with episode reviews. But my Wire DVD extras had interviews with the writers saying that the fanbase were in uproar over Stringers death, more so than any other.
Yeah, Wallace's death was the most painful scene for me too (though D'Angelo and Bodie were the characters I was saddest to lose). I was unspoiled for Wallace and it just kicked me in the gut. I was happy to be spoiled for the rest of the deaths after that. I'd rather be prepared. So many favourite characters of mine have died (on this show and others), I'd just rather be pre-warned than get the nasty surprise.
I still don't know how I'll feel about *that* S5 death.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 09:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 09:14 am (UTC)Dude, was that Rawls at the gay bar or am I seeing things? *blinks*
I was fascinated by how depressed Jimmy was over Stringer. I'd forgotten that line in S1! He had been wanting to catch Stringer for a long time and had all the satisfation ripped away by his death. But I also loved how Avon knew Stringer gave him up (and visa versa). The scene where Avon saw Marlo in the courtroom was pretty amazing too.
Man, I can't believe Kima cheated on Cheryl!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 08:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 10:46 pm (UTC)