The Wire 5x09 Reaction
Added 2023-12-06 23:53:59 +0000 UTCim sure you weren’t expecting this, its gonna be a bit of a different schedule this week and we didnt have time to film the last episode of the wire cause the episode is long and the review is gonna be longer im sure and we dont want to rush it, so the last episode is gonna come probably next wednesday
thu - tfothu
fri- hh
sat - violet
sat - hh
Comments
sydnor appreciation 😊😊😊
Oscar Schmidt
2024-01-10 08:20:59 +0000 UTCFr, they made an effort to fix this in BCS
space colon
2023-12-15 21:34:48 +0000 UTCidk why everybody is on your ass, better call saul clearly felt like the writers had learned from breaking bad and tried to correct some of their mistakes.
RH
2023-12-15 15:34:59 +0000 UTCWhat a great, great idea, Mahad Ali. 'We Own This City' is the perfect recommendation for an LM Reaction. I feel very dumb not remembering that incredible mini-series until you recommended it!
Coach John
2023-12-13 01:57:17 +0000 UTCThe Queen's Gambit is a great choice if you haven't seen it. One of my favorite limited series ever.
Farbod
2023-12-13 00:21:13 +0000 UTCA lighter choice could be Queen’s Gambit. Serious but not as draining as The Wire. Paris, Moscow and NYC as settings. Girl power. Bunny is my number one character. A saint in human garb. Yet, still believable. Thx for your reactions.
Joe Gaspard
2023-12-12 03:56:04 +0000 UTCI agree that Sopranos is problematic and does what you’re saying at multiple points, and at the same time Sopranos regularly discusses economic and power discrepancies when it comes to race, both of the kids date outside their race with power dynamics on display (characters who are fully defined with unique motivations and backgrounds and they behave like real people with family members who are real characters) and the cast of characters racist ass behavior is addressed repeatedly They aren’t just killing random evil POC characters with who are silent and receive no focus There are multiple plot lines specifically focused on mob guys exploiting people of color, particularly when it comes to buying up properties. Tony is regularly in situations where he has power over men of color and initially thinks he’ll behave like a good person but then exploits them (Including Arab men post 9/11, unions in black neighborhoods and black police officers, each of these situations shows characters of color who aren’t just emotionless mindless evil people to roll over and in multiple instances actually characterizes them) There’s an episode specifically focused on indigenous native rights that was ahead of its time, the characters are total bitches and exploit the natives (two of whom receive actual characterization, they aren’t treated like evil people to bulldoze over) The whole cast of characters are shown to be a bunch of racist ass bitches, this ties in thematically repeatedly when the discussion of post Reagonomics America repeatedly rears it’s head, the whole show is about these pathetic white men trying to justify their criminal behavior. They complain about exploitation but do just that, and one of the final shots of the show is a member of the mob in the middle of China town, the mob is a bunch of pathetic losers who the world has moved on from and there are real people of color who are treated like second class citizens Breaking Bad on the other hand has nothing to say about race, ignored it with two light discussions about victimization but then those Hispanic characters involved all die Gomez is the only male Hispanic character who isn’t involved in crime or doing drugs and of course he dies (but not before being the butt of 20 million jokes from Hank that are edited and performed in a way that’s supposed to be funny to the audience even if the show is also painting Hank as an insecure bitch) Breaking Bad could care less about it’s characters of color and even mentioning race, the only characters of color to have episodes featured around them are the evil bad psycho men who deserve to die in exciting fun ways for the audience We’re not supposed to feel bad for a named adult male POC dying aside from Combo and Gomez but that is of course overshadowed by Hank dying so no one cares Hard agree though that Sopranos wouldn’t have gotten off the ground if Chris and Snoop were characters
space colon
2023-12-11 18:15:37 +0000 UTC@space1999 - you could say the same about how The Sopranos writes its few black characters. They're the butt of the jokes and are often incompetent. Let me just say if Chris & Snoop were on that show it'd have ended at Season 1. 😂
Chidi.
2023-12-11 01:11:36 +0000 UTCYeah you're right..those kids were going to die...I kind of forgot that..or it was a bit obscured to me. I think a lot of researchers in fields like the dude in s4 do try to support, but they're so far removed from what these kids having going on outside school...Bunny is such a rare example of someone who has a very good idea of it AND can actually help them. At least there was funding for the researchers and Bunny in the first place right? ...I know, low standards, but it was a bit of a start at least..
Ben G
2023-12-09 21:11:17 +0000 UTCI mean, you can call me homophobic for not wanting to force people to bake cakes if it makes you feel better, or a racist for....well, I don't even know why, but it really doesn't bother me. I simply don't care. I don't know what there is to be ''outed'', having principles? I already said I don't know much about those groups, but from what I've heard I probably wouldn't like them that much. Gun ownership IS an important right, as enshrined in the Constitution and confirmed by the Supreme Court, which incidentally has come down on Affirmative Action stuff recently, too :) ''Clueless of the privilege white people in the US have'' Haha yeah, it's always that darn privilege. How convenient to have that as an excuse on standby. It's rich that you'd bring up the cast and writers seeing as David Simon himself would probably disagree with most of the things you talk about and has, on record, spoken about his respect for various institutions and their importance & relevance, particularly the police. Just because the show is a favourite of mine doesn't mean I have to agree with every aspect of its messaging. I appreciate it like I would the work of a renowned philosopher I disagree with. This is also an interesting read: https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crime-in-the-u.s.-2016/topic-pages/tables/table-21 Also, hang on, if white women were over-represented on TV as it were (when missing and such), then why do you think Breaking Bad wouldn't get off the ground if Walter was killing white women instead of hispanic gangbangers? Which one is it? Surely, that would be sensational as all hell and viewers would lap it up.
Aj
2023-12-09 18:23:35 +0000 UTCYou continue to out yourself bro, first the homophobic stuff, then the many many comments about gun ownership being an important right, now saying the NAACP and ADL (which I’m sure you know plenty about) are organizations you don’t respect? 📝 “Chauvin is in jail what else do you want?” That being your response says so much 📝 “I don’t remember white women committing quite so many violent felonies and getting into altercations with law enforcement, but maybe that’s just me…” 📝 Clueless of the privilege white people in the US have 📝 I’d love for you to have a conversation with any cast member or writer or anyone who worked on this show, it’s wild that you’ve convinced yourself you aren’t blatantly racist and continue to claim this show as a favorite of yours Gonna leave this here for you to read about missing white women making news ten times over more than any missing women of color https://ccjls.scholasticahq.com/article/11134-media-messages-surrounding-missing-women-and-girls-the-missing-white-woman-syndrome-and-other-factors-that-influence-newsworthiness/attachment/27402.pdf
space colon
2023-12-09 16:45:07 +0000 UTCI think He’s beyond frustrated that NOTHING is being done for these kids, all that’s coming from the research now is lectures at universities and hopefully years down the line that can evolve into more but atm the city isn’t willing to do anything He knows most of these kids are going to die within a few years, he wanted the grant money to go through and for the schools to incorporate these programs for at risk children to actively help them If the research was being done alongside actual support of the children then he wouldn’t have a problem with that, I’d frankly be frustrated too if that was all that came from his efforts After he says this he says “When does this shit get better?”
space colon
2023-12-09 16:30:48 +0000 UTCThey watched it unfortunately smh
space colon
2023-12-09 16:05:52 +0000 UTCYep, trauma tends to fog the memory. Extremely sad.
Samus Prime
2023-12-09 04:07:21 +0000 UTCIt's so bad - a Hallmark card meets dad jokes. Sickly sweet sentimentality with substanceless boomer humor.
Samus Prime
2023-12-09 04:05:53 +0000 UTC@space1999 ''Horrible depictions'' according to you. That's what you mean to say. They're horrible depictions according to you. You're also not doing yourself any favours by mentioning a bunch of ideologically-driven organisations that I have no respect for. The social justice koolaid really is strong. ''If Walter White was running over white women with his car, strangling white women, shooting white women in the head, the show wouldn’t have gotten off the ground'' Lol first of all, even you don't believe that. Secondly, I don't remember ever seeing white female gangbangers on the streets of New Mexico, do you? Chauvin is in jail, what else do you want? For every Chauvin there are 100 other instances of a cop doing the right thing. Also, that story wouldn't have gotten anywhere near as much air time had it been a white woman and you know that. The only reason there was that much of an uproar is BECAUSE Floyd was black. I also don't remember white women committing quite so many violent felonies and getting into altercations with law enforcement, but maybe that's just me... Look, I know you're a sensitive little ideologue, but at least do a better job of hiding it. Oh, and get a gun. You never know when you might need it, especially since you're so fond of playing the victim.
Aj
2023-12-09 03:08:25 +0000 UTCI waited till today to watch the full reaction and review, just to spread it out. I'm so very sad this incredible experience is ending. I love the show and the girls and all you guys too the show is absolutely phenomenal. Why do good things have to eennnnndddddddd 😭😭😭
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-08 23:15:11 +0000 UTCI felt that way the first time I watched the show but now I love that Kima did that. Earlier in the series there was a time when she had become the female version of McNulty; but she came to some important realizations much earlier than him, in a nice slow arc. She learned to have a separate life from work where close ones come first. Rather than a cop first mentality, she'd rather prioritize dignity and her morality and goes about the "snitching" in a fair way --internal deliberation, consultation with Carver, and going to Daniels who is someone that can be trusted to do right.
Craig Manning
2023-12-08 18:50:57 +0000 UTCReferring to the discussion of the horrible depiction of non-white people in Breaking Bad as “race-baiting” in a comment thread on a show that is at the forefront of media when it comes to accurate and sympathetic depictions of race (something that has been discussed thoroughly in LMs discussions) when both shows are regularly compared… My “narrow, ideologically driven view” is the expected standard of depictions of race in media by a variety of different organizations: the Anti-Defamation League, the NAACP, Color of Change, Know Your Rights Camp All of these organizations and more condone black and white portrayals of ethnically and racially diverse peoples in media People of color are treated as expendable bodies for the white main character to kill while looking cool, to be tortured with their suffering treated by the show as unimportant compared to the death and suffering of their white counterparts If Walter White was running over white women with his car, strangling white women, shooting white women in the head, the show wouldn’t have gotten off the ground If Derek Chauvin publicly murdered a white woman with tons of witnesses and videos of it everywhere there would have been an uproar If Trayvon Martin was a white woman George Zimmerman would have been put to death If 150 white women died every year because of police then laws protecting cops would change Media normalizes killing of black and brown people, makes it cool and fun and exciting while portraying them as evil criminals, it’s okay to constantly show THEIR deaths So maybe be quiet discussing thing you don’t know or understand, keep that same energy though saying homophobic stuff while playing it off like it’s cool and comparing gun deaths to deaths in swimming pools
space colon
2023-12-08 18:47:36 +0000 UTCI joined this patreon back when they were doing fullmetal, but quickly after watching more of their stuff I knew Black Sails would be right up their alley. I've been commenting about it and hoping it would happen ever since, so I get it.
cosmotron
2023-12-08 07:30:56 +0000 UTC@space1999 I don't remember ever saying Affirmative Action should cease to exist, you must have me confused with that malcontent who obsessively replies to your every message. I don't know enough to make a judgement about it, only that it has some issues. But yes, I do think someone should have the right to refuse a service like baking a cake if it offends their sensibilities to that degree (within reason); I'm not in favour of forcing people to do things they don't want to do, go figure. Also, yes, I believe the Second Amendment was quite clear. We already disagree on gun ownership so no point discussing it further. Either way, that has nothing to do with my original reply. There's seeing things through a different lens and then there's the race-baiting stuff you do where you're always looking to criticise certain portrayals because they don't fit your narrow, ideologically-driven view of what's acceptable. Big difference. I would bet my house that most non-white people don't view it the way you do, either.
Aj
2023-12-08 05:48:18 +0000 UTC1 is Stringer telling Avon he had Dee killed. 2 is the molotov being thrown into Randy's house I think 6 is Ziggy shooting up the warehouse 7 is Bubs' suicide attempt in the interrogation room
Mike Conlin
2023-12-08 05:06:41 +0000 UTC7 is Bubs trying to hang himself, I think.
ODIS
2023-12-08 03:28:51 +0000 UTC@Terry Cute. Now go ahead little bro, tell me how this show would go over if Walter White was casually killing and choking white women?
space colon
2023-12-08 00:58:49 +0000 UTCI apologize, I don’t want any of these comments to be framed in any kind of attacking way. It’s important to me that these discussions can be had and I appreciate you joining in Imagine if that scene with Walter choking Crazy 8 was replaced with a scene of him choking a white woman to death You don’t have to compare it to The Wire for it to be bad, most media treats non-white men as disposable but plenty of media does a hell of a lot better than Breaking Bad Everything you say about Hank and the way the show frames him is true, I didn’t mean to imply that there wasn’t more to his character. The problem is that the show uses him as a vessel to communicate racist humor, jokes that are edited and performed in a way to derive humor from the audience AND at the same time the show treats non-white characters as lesser throughout the story Narratively it’s much tighter top to bottom than The Wire with more consistency in quality of scripts Wanna clarify that this isn’t solely a sociological lens but also a moral one, if I had a kid I wouldn’t feel comfortable if he was at a friend’s home and those parents were watching Breaking Bad, not because characters are being killed left and right but because of the WHO is dying and how As you say I think your comparison to Citizen Kane is reductive, most media doesn’t pass the Bechdel test which sucks but it’s significantly better than actually killing women And again, if you replaced all the Hispanic characters in Breaking Bad who are killed in “cool exciting ways” by our main character (in scenes that are shot and performed in a way to make him look cool) with a bunch of white women then the show would never get off the ground
space colon
2023-12-08 00:53:31 +0000 UTCFirst of all, Hank's narrow view of Mexico and Latinos is condemned by the show, and his slurs are intended to signal false bravado or pure ignorance. They are character flaws, and obviously so. Evaluating Breaking Bad through a sociological lens is a valid and useful way of engaging with (and criticizing) the series. And through that lens, of course it comes up lacking compared to The Wire. Every show in history does. But conversely, The Wire isn't as exciting or thrilling as Breaking Bad, y'know? (It isn't trying to be, obviously.) And it isn't as powerful as an interrogation of the nature of evil and masculinity, either. Personally, I find the show's *intentional* choice to repeatedly circle back and frame its increasingly-evil protagonist with "hero moments" to be a fascinating exercise in testing its audience's willingness to accept and tolerate an antihero. You might think that the sociological lens is more important than that other stuff, but that other stuff does exist. Like, to be terribly reductive here: Does Citizen Kane pass the Bechtel test? (It does not.) Media can be important and successful in its specific aims, even if it doesn't excel by other criteria.
Mike
2023-12-07 22:52:13 +0000 UTCI appreciate you sharing that, I’m pan, I know you’ve almost definitely seen the worst of the worst when it comes to gay and queer representation in media Let’s look at it through that lens, imagine if all of the POC characters were blatantly queer people Mexico was a land of violent scary queer people and Hank was constantly making homophobic slurs How would you feel if the show was having these queer characters either killed or on drugs or evil or stupid? While the cis hetero characters received the focus and their deaths were treated like a tragedy? If you swap out Gus for a blatantly queer white man (again he’d be the only queer member of the main cast) and had him acting like the crazy psycho that he is, a remorseless killer with an entourage of deadly gay men beneath him, you’d laugh at first right? Like wtf, this show is making queer people out to be second class citizens who are just there to serve this cis/hetero main cast, not receiving any substantial focus unless they’re evil… then they’re killed by the cis/hetero people 👀
space colon
2023-12-07 18:59:37 +0000 UTCOh that's amazing! Just went and read his comment, it was very sweet.
cosmotron
2023-12-07 17:30:22 +0000 UTCI do see where you're coming from but I honestly don't view it as that pronounced of an issue. I don't view it as any different as the fact that Jesse dropped the f-slur twice in the early seasons; there is certainly an issue of insensitivity there, but I could not actually call that homophobic, and that's from the perspective of someone who themself is gay. The reliance of sepia tone, the bad spanish accent, and the inclusion of perhaps one or two more non-violent Hispanic characters may have been welcome representation, but that's pretty much where I would draw the with regards to the show having a 'race' issue, personally.
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-07 17:06:27 +0000 UTCSnoop Pearson who plays the character Snoop was actually convicted of 2nd degree murder as a 14 year old. Her real life childhood is a combination of all the kids from season 4 except Kenard for Namond. Mother was a drug addict and father was an armed robber, she grew up in foster care. After the show she got 8 years for drug dealing
Timothy Smith
2023-12-07 16:45:09 +0000 UTCOMG! That's great! So happy for the girls
RubénMO
2023-12-07 15:19:48 +0000 UTCHope you're all doing well now ❤️
HenryM
2023-12-07 14:42:45 +0000 UTCtrue bro, and why is Walter's last name White, and not Black? Discrimination everywhere..
terrier
2023-12-07 13:41:59 +0000 UTCThe thing about Dukie and Michael being kids forced to try to raise Bug and give him a chance brings tears to my eyes. It reminds me of myself and my sister who were forced to raise our little brothers when our mom died. It sucks but sometimes forces you to grow up fast.
Karabo
2023-12-07 13:25:33 +0000 UTC@Aj I know you’re not sitting here telling me this after you’ve whined so much about Affirmative Action being racist, repeatedly said that gay people should legally be able to be discriminated against when it comes to the buying/selling of goods, and argued that guns make Americans safer so no one should target gun ownership This comparison was brought up many times throughout the show in the comments here and on youtube, this isn’t an asinine comparison considering they are both regularly held as two of the best crime dramas and television shows It’s almost like people who aren’t white exist and see media through a different lens, how about that?
space colon
2023-12-07 13:03:21 +0000 UTC@TeaDrinker The thing about entertainment is that it’s political regardless of what people do or say. If a tv show is actively trying to be apolitical then that’s still a political stance and if a show like Breaking Bad has a very large cast of non-white characters but chooses to not give them the same screen time and focus that it does the white characters then that’s a choice by the writers (conscious or unconscious) and not us seeing the show through the eyes of the main characters. There are plenty of scenes in the show not shown from the perspective of any of the shows leads, constant shifts to Gus or the Salamancas The show does include very many POC characters and handles their characters in a very narrow way, that’s the problem (would be a separate problem if they didn’t include any). Early 2000s Baltimore did not have a large hispanic population (by 2010 it had risen to 4.2%) but even then the writers room would have liked to have focused on the rising hispanic population in a hypothetical next season New Mexico is a deeply hispanic state, saying they have a substantial hispanic population would be an understatement, especially in 2008. These aren’t asinine points to make and I’m not saying things that haven’t been said before. It’s not about characters having a backstory, it’s about characters being treated with the same level of respect. I could keep listing characters easily (Huel is easily tricked and manipulated while crying like a baby in a way that’s played for laughs, the Salamancas are treated like evil demons devoid of any sympathetic qualities, constant racial jokes are made at the expense of Gomez while he gets no development or focus and is unceremoniously killed, the very large majority of criminals in the show are hispanic and are regularly shown to have no character development or even dialogue, being treated as evil stone cold villains for Walter White to take down) Mike and Gale’s deaths are treated with drama, both are turning points in the show, same with the deaths of Drew Sharpe and Jane and Hank. But the same can’t be said about any POC deaths, many of which are treated like a triumph for Walt and Jesse and Hank when they shoot or blow up or run over these villains Brock and Andrea exist as punching bags for the writers to torture Jesse with rather than have focus or development as characters. Andrea’s brother shoots someone, then is killed so Jesse can get angry and Walt can show up to heroically save him by ending the lives of two hispanic criminals who are shown repeatedly but never given dialogue Race isn’t some abstract thing, hispanic people watch Breaking Bad and see every hispanic character either dying or suffering or engaging in criminal activity, often portrayed in caricaturesque ways with racial humor at their expense
space colon
2023-12-07 12:56:07 +0000 UTCMarlo: “My name is my name!” - says a man seeking notoriety. Spiros (Season 2): “My name is not my name.” - says a man who requires anonymity. L&M were understandably broken by that final scene between Michael and Dukie. Such a terrible fate for those two kids. Those piss balloons were a long, long time ago. This parting scene mirrored the moment when we see Michael seek out Marlo for help, leaving Dukie behind and selling his soul in the process. Namond aside, how depressing is it that Randy - in his group home - appears to have the best future among these kids? Meanwhile, the legend of Omar continues to grow - the corner boys think he died in a huge gunfight involving AK-47s. His legend will continue to grow in the final episode and beyond… Btw, the guy who Daniels was talking to in Evidence Control was one of the drunk, lazy cops in Season 1 who was attached to the original Barksdale case. He was the one who attempted to throw himself down the stairs in order to injure himself and be taken off the case. It was amusing to see Dukie watching “Dexter” on TV - a show about a serial killer who kills other serial killers. Finally, a big shout out to Andre Royo’s performance as Bubbles - not just in this episode but throughout the series. On reflection this might have been the best episode yet. One more to go.
Chidi.
2023-12-07 12:29:12 +0000 UTCI love Lola coming back to Marlo and his name. His name just never hit Barksdale levels and it will forever haunt him. Great way to make a character lose without losing, you know?
Karabo
2023-12-07 12:21:24 +0000 UTCLikewise. :-) I messaged him about L&M a while back but it seems he's been watching them from the start of their Wire reactions.
Chidi.
2023-12-07 11:38:52 +0000 UTCGirls congrats on hitting 250k subscribers on YouTube!!!
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-07 11:04:00 +0000 UTCThat's so dope!! He not only watched the finale, he's actively a fan of the reaction series. We've come a long way since the girls initially said they had no interest in watching The Wire to having one of the main characters not only know of them, but actively go out of their way to watch them. Man I'm delighted for the girls, truly!
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-07 11:02:34 +0000 UTCBtw, the actor who played Bodie (J D Williams) has posted a comment on your season 4 finale reaction on YouTube. Username: @jdwilliamsnorkprojects734
Chidi.
2023-12-07 10:36:39 +0000 UTC@HenryM - good guesses. 6/10 including the ones I didn't cover. :-)
Chidi.
2023-12-07 10:16:42 +0000 UTCBunny and Carcetti are an interesting contrast. Bunny never really set out to be a reformer. Both in the police and the school he's just given a problem, isolates it and tries to understand it better. Carcetti promotes himself as someone who's going to change things, but wilts when he is faced with personal consequences. Bunny is driven by the problems and the people affected, while for Carcetti they are secondary to his career and his reputation.
Mark M
2023-12-07 10:11:09 +0000 UTCThis is quite a rare L for you space. Perhaps the show just isn't to everyone's tastes, but I do think you're leaning a little too hard on the racial analysis. The show doesn't have an obligation to include POC characters for the sake of it, and to be fair even if it did, there's only so much you can expect from a show that began in 2008. Shows like The Wire are truly an exception, and to be fair that too can be criticised for its own lack of Latino characters if one so wishes. Likewise, the show is openly nihilistic from the beginning, I don't think the show glorifies Walt's actions, we're just getting things from his perspective. Same goes for the treatment of sex workers and addicts; we're getting things from the perspective of how the characters view them, not how the show views them. I see where you're coming from with regards to character backstory regarding Brock, Jane and Andrea, but I think that would've made it contrived. There's nothing wrong with some characters having a smaller role than otherwise. I don't think the show has anything "deep" to say about race either, nor do I think it has to, or was ever trying to.
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-07 10:02:04 +0000 UTCGosh, Baltimore truly is a sh*thole, and it's just as bad as ever right now. I'm glad I've never spent more than a couple of days there at one time. I see some friends, grab my pit beef and gtfo of there. Same homicide rate as El Salvador (LOL), corruption up the wazoo, poverty, etc, just a horrible city.
Aj
2023-12-07 07:48:16 +0000 UTCAnother boneheaded comparison with two shows that have virtually nothing in common, and that focus on completely different things with not only their subject matter, but how they're presented. This is what happens when you view every single thing through a certain lens. This race-baiting nonsense is pathetic and should cease to exist.
Aj
2023-12-07 07:30:34 +0000 UTCAlways appreciated how they handled snoops death. True to her character. Not scared. Accepted it. Gave Mike his props for figuring it out. Also choosing to make Marlo never show any emotion until now. it hits harder when he finally gets pissed off. Classic episode.
cheech
2023-12-07 04:37:18 +0000 UTCLol this is fun. I can probably guess some of these 1. Probably Herc related? 2. *blank* 3. Chris beating up Bug's father 4. Omar's death 5. A scene with Namond's mother? 6. *blank* 7. *blank* 8. Naymond/Bunny reaction? You forgot to cover the episode :) 9. I think you forgot to cover the episode for this one as well 10. A wild Spiros appears
HenryM
2023-12-07 04:22:25 +0000 UTCHad to rush this as I wasn't expecting 5x09 to be posted tonight.
Chidi.
2023-12-07 03:37:54 +0000 UTCAhead of their reaction to the final episode of The Wire, here are my top ten favourite reactions by Lola & Milena. Bonus points for guessing what they're reacting to in some of the episodes... 1. He's dumb - https://streamable.com/y8wpvi 2. Bože me sačuvaj! - https://streamable.com/yamn3v 3. Yikes - https://streamable.com/6uhoh8 4. Pause everything - https://streamable.com/5xerne 5. With my own hands - https://streamable.com/7rdnwl 6. He's not imagining this. - https://streamable.com/frvei1 7. Is this how we're starting the episode? - https://streamable.com/afgkw4 8. Synchronised hugging - https://streamable.com/ah4cfe 9. Efige Efige - https://streamable.com/ogscji 10. Look who's back! - https://streamable.com/bo3x4y
Chidi.
2023-12-07 03:36:46 +0000 UTCGiancarlo Esposito is amazing (even if his Spanish accent was awful and distracting) but his character is a literal psychopath, isn’t shown to have a family or be sympathetic outside of a flashback where his partner is killed Gus is an evil character who kills mercilessly, he’s the ONLY non-white main cast member in the show Like I said the other minorities on the show are all either evil or stupid or killed (with the exception of Brock who was given no focus, just a punching bag for the writers to make us feel bad for JESSE). There’s been literature published about Breaking Bad’s poor handling of race, a show set in New Mexico with a huge non-white population. Unlike other prestige TV dramas it’s compared to the show has nothing deep to say about racial dynamics in the US and very little to say about systemic oppression despite having a cast FULL of Hispanic characters, most of whom are criminals or abusing substances Jesse is a great character, love him. But what other characters struggling with addiction are treated seriously and not as frequent punchlines or as punching bags to make us feel sad for Jesse? The only one I can think of is the NA leader who appears in 3 episodes There’s Jane (dies to make us feel bad for Jesse and show the consequences of Walt’s actions) and Andrea (has no development, substantially less focus than Jane and dies to make us feel bad for Jessie) It’s not about Walt winning, it’s about him getting a badass send off with tons of moments that are framed and shot and performed and edited in a way to make him seem cool. He kills all the characters he wants to kill (even poisoning Lydia) and gets his son the money after threatening his ex girlfriend and her husband in a comedic way, still fulfilling the power fantasy despite everything he’s done
space colon
2023-12-07 03:32:38 +0000 UTCI'll vote for For All Mankind if it's on the poll.
Damien Fenton
2023-12-07 03:29:26 +0000 UTCIt's also worth pointing out that he apologises to Bunny specifically for Hamsterdam, and doesn't even mention the thing Bunny hates him for more which was shutting down his school program (because it didn't even get far enough to get to Carcetti's desk for him to even know about it)
Jay Craig
2023-12-07 03:09:56 +0000 UTCCarcetti saying "I'm sorry there wasn't anything I or anyone could have done" made me ill to my stomach...it's crazy because what little of a conscience he had was what propelled him to just say enough to save something of his own pride....it's Bunny that should be the leader, not Carcetti, because leaders are the ones who willing to risk themselves for something better
Ben G
2023-12-07 02:55:01 +0000 UTCI've always looked forward to the next Wire episode with great anticipation but now that we've finally reached the end I'm kind of dreading it. Sad it's going to be over but happy it happened.
Nina
2023-12-07 02:35:46 +0000 UTCSame I’m been waiting a year since last poll for Black Sails but it always loses because they put even more known shows against it which is infuriating. I’m literally praying to all the gods just for it to win if there’s anything I could have it’s this.
Melkor
2023-12-07 02:29:36 +0000 UTCI’m praying people read this because it’s an extremely underrated show that deserved way more attention it’s literally a 10/10 show. One of the best shows I’ve watched or at least in my top 15 somewhere. Honestly I’ve been subscribed only waiting for the poll that can give black sails another chance to win the next poll. I’ve not really watched anything because it’s not of interest to me but that show has gotten close to winning before but is always up against even more known series in the polls and loses. It’s unfair so I’m hoping, no I’m praying this time it’s different.
Melkor
2023-12-07 02:27:42 +0000 UTCHe's also one of my favorites along with Bunny. I love how the girls braced themselves as soon as the speech scene started, we all knew what was coming and it was a long time coming too. "Ain't not shame in holding onto grief, as long as you make room for other things too" Beautiful line, beautiful message
HenryM
2023-12-07 02:27:36 +0000 UTCIf it doesn’t win the next poll then it’s never gonna win because it’s been in many polls so far but always is up against even more well known shows. I have actually been subscribed for over a year only to wait for the next poll in hopes that black sails can win for once. I’m literally begging for it but it probably won’t again. :(
Melkor
2023-12-07 02:23:10 +0000 UTCThat might've been me as well! McNulty talking to Colvin about Hamsterdam and reflecting on whether he stands by it despite what it cost him professionally would've been a nice echo of the Greggs & Carver scene in this episode.
Martin Heron
2023-12-07 02:21:44 +0000 UTCIM BEGGING YOU ALL ANYONE WNO SEES THIS PLZ LET BLACK SAILS WIN THE NEXT POLL. Yes I know you’ll probably do the opposite for this but remember last big poll it’s been on so many and should have won but it always faces even more popular shows. I beg you all please let black sails win next poll I’ve waited so long in hopes that it might win this one.
Melkor
2023-12-07 02:21:01 +0000 UTCReginald living his best life
Ben G
2023-12-07 02:19:39 +0000 UTCI always thought Snoop said "...always actin' wild when you should be doin' what you're told" instead of "...always askin' why." Thanks subtitles.
Michael M
2023-12-07 02:13:13 +0000 UTC“Re-up” is the term used by the dealers when they are refreshing the stash on individual drug corners. “Re-supply” is when the drug gangs get a new shipment of drugs from their supplier (i.e the Greeks)
David
2023-12-07 02:13:07 +0000 UTCAlso Bubbles’ sponsor sings the theme for season 5. (And I’m guessing this has been covered already but the guy who plays Cheese is much more famous as Method Man, one of the most popular rappers in the early 90s. And a key member of the Wu Tang Clan… probably the most culturally-salient rap group of the 90s.)
Mahad Ali
2023-12-07 02:11:04 +0000 UTCIt would be awesome if u could react to We Own this City. It stars John Bernthal and is sort if an unofficial sequal to the Wire — same creator, includes some of the cast and is also set in Baltimore. Its only 5 episodes and is based a major baltimore police scandal from 10 years ago or so. Its quite entertaining and provides real world examples of the major themes in the Wire.
Mahad Ali
2023-12-07 02:08:16 +0000 UTCAhhhh man I can't believe I didn't mention Bubbles/Reginald! Everything with him also made me cry. I think he might be my favorite character in the show, honestly. Or at least the one that consistently made me the most emotional throughout.
cosmotron
2023-12-07 02:06:21 +0000 UTCSomeone here mentioned earlier this season that it would have been nice to see McNulty seek some guidance from his old mentor -- who also decided to colour outside the lines because he was fed up with the police system -- before diving into the fake serial killer plan. I think that would have been a really nice (and useful!) scene.
Mike
2023-12-07 02:03:54 +0000 UTC"Ain't no shame in holding onto grief... as long as you make room for other things, too." Give it up for Andre Royo. Awards don't mean anything in the end, but how this man made it through five seasons without filling up a trophy case boggles the mind. What a performance and what a character. (At least he'll always have his Street Oscar.)
Mike
2023-12-07 02:01:21 +0000 UTCI really like Bunny, but that line of his mocking the researchers researching each others research really, really frustrated me. Whoever wrote that line for him was way off the mark imo...but yeah, I would say the luckiest thing in my short existence on this earth was to be taught by researchers when I went to uni...I think a good example of the very immediate good researchers do for the public at large would be theconversation website...it's a shame Serbia doesn't have one, but I see there is a Europe edition...the Australian one is f'ing great
Ben G
2023-12-07 02:01:13 +0000 UTCGus, when talking to the veteran about his ‘prosthetic’ hands : “they look pretty damn lifelike”. Yeh Gus that’s because he is a well known actor and those are obviously his real hands. Not one of the shows finest moments 😂
David
2023-12-07 01:57:36 +0000 UTCI think it’s fun that we can infer a lot about characters like Snoop, a queer black woman born in 70s Baltimore who doesn’t want a leadership role. She was a character who leaned into morbid humor more than anyone else, perfectly offset Chris’s stoicism It helps that we see through the boys in Season 1 and 4 the environment where all the characters came from Hard agree wishing we had more focus on female characters and tighter storylines in certain seasons (Omar had barely any dialogue with other characters around him aside from Butchie)
space colon
2023-12-07 01:50:46 +0000 UTCYeah, this is another good reason to vote for it. It's not a super long show, and it has an intended ending (wasn't canceled or anything like that).
cosmotron
2023-12-07 01:47:56 +0000 UTCYeah, I get that - I’d argue that you could have maybe trimmed some other things in favor of giving her a little more. But I get it. At the same time, I’ve mentored more than once now that my biggest criticism of The Wire is definitely the way it underwrites for its female characters. Or sometimes writes them in ways that leave them in pretty specific boxes. And it’s a shame, because I think shedding light on what it’s like for characters like Snoop (or say, Shardene or the women in Omar’s crew) grow up in these environments would be just as impactful. Especially because a lot of the characters on the show are written so well. So it feels like a real missed opportunity. Doesn’t make me like the show less per se, but it does bug me a bit and makes me wish for more. That’s a pretty mild criticism to have though!
cosmotron
2023-12-07 01:44:05 +0000 UTCI kinda agree with you on Snoop although the thing is, if we get more on Snoop's backstory then we lose something elsewhere. And there's only so much time which can be devoted to any of these characters in such a vast cast. That said, the show creator did say he wished the female characters were more rounded.
Chidi.
2023-12-07 01:38:47 +0000 UTCPlease be the sopranos next
Cole
2023-12-07 01:36:59 +0000 UTCThrowing another vote for Black Sails. They'd absolutely love it and would be a cool change of pace compared to the last few long-running live-action shows they've done. It's also only 38 episodes so it would be fairly quick with 2 a week
Dante
2023-12-07 01:32:09 +0000 UTCIdk how I feel about Kima snitching on them to be honest. I get is part of her character but she could’ve let it die like Jimmy said but I guess she couldn’t stand people chasing bullshit. Overall, I get there is rules and some people don’t ever bend them but in this case it was for a good reason so.. I guess my only complaint is the fact the Kima snitched of em even know she knows it was for a good reason.
Jack SV
2023-12-07 01:27:49 +0000 UTCOkay, now for me to post about why Black Sails should be the next show Lola and Milena watch. Black Sails is about a lot of things. It focuses primarily on Pirates (and those interacting with them) during the Golden Age of Piracy, but thematically it is about much more than that. I think the biggest question it asks is: What is civilization, and what does it mean to survive under it for those that it marginalizes? That of course is on top of it telling an exciting and gripping story with a big ensemble cast of characters (including some really great female characters btw). I can't rave enough about the writing itself - there are so many impactful moments of dialogue and storytelling that ties into previous moments and continues to build upon itself as it goes on. The acting is excellent across the board - even smaller characters get wonderful scenes or monologues. The show itself also looks great: it was filmed entirely on location in Cape Town, South Africa, and utilizes many practical effects (including actual giant ships that they built for filming). All of the characters are complex, and even when they do terrible things the show will somehow get you to come around and root for them again, despite it all. While it's largely serious, the show also isn't afraid to be funny: there are so many moments I can remember that made me laugh out loud and still didn't clash with the tone of the show. One of the other things Black Sails does really well is show consequences for the character's actions. There's nothing that happens in the show that doesn't have a larger ripple effect, and it's truly amazing to see how all of these branching actions by different characters can effect things, even much further down the line. If you're someone who is both fascinated by, and terrified of, the ocean, that is a feeling you will get a lot with Black Sails. While I wouldn't call it realistic in the same way The Wire is, or historically accurate (it is historical fiction after all), the way it focuses on specific details of what living like a pirate (or in this time period) would be like feels very real. You see how dangerous living on a ship is, what goes into maintaining it, how captains maintain or lose their leadership. You see what those on land have to do in order to work with/survive the pirates. And again, while it's not realistic in the same way as The Wire, I do think the social subjects it tackles and the themes it explores *are*, and continue to be felt today, even if in different ways. That's my zero spoilers pitch. For those who might want a bit more detail, here’s more in ROT13. Gurer ner zhygvcyr abg fgenvtug znva punenpgref. Gur fubj vf zber be yrff n cerdhry gb Gernfher Vfynaq, naq V guvax vg’f fnsr gb fbeg bs ivrj vg va n frafr bs guvf orvat gur “gehr” fgbel gung riraghnyyl yrnqf gb Gur riragf gung trg jevggra nobhg va Gernfher Vfynaq. Vg’f abg na nqncgngvba bs gung obbx, ohg vs lbh’er snzvyvne lbh jvyy erpbtavmr frireny punenpgre anzrf. Ng gur fnzr gvzr vg nyfb hfrf fbzr erny uvfgbevpny cvengrf fhpu nf Naar Obaarl naq Puneyrf Inar. Juvyr gurer ner zhygvcyr nagntbavfgf, V guvax vg’f fnsr gb fnl gung gur erny ivyynva bs gur fubj vf Gur Oevgvfu Rzcver naq pvivyvmngvba. I’ve mentioned in previous comments about the show that there are some content warnings to keep in mind before checking it out. It can be quite violent, and it deals with the sexism/racism/homophobia that was present in the time period. I do also have to give a warning about sexual assault. This is the only one I’ll go into detail on in ROT13. Fnvq frkhny nffnhyg cybgyvar vf rnfvyl zl ovttrfg pevgvpvfz bs gur fubj. Ubjrire V jvyy fnl guvf: gur fgbelyvar bayl ynfgf sbe guerr rcvfbqrf, naq gur encvfg raqf hc zheqrerq. Ba gbc bs gung, gur jbzna fhssrevat ng fnvq encvfgf unaqf vf bar bs gur znva punenpgref naq unf n jbaqreshy nep tbvat sbejneq. Naq nsgre gung? Gurer ner ab frkhny nffnhyg cybg yvarf va gur fubj ng nyy. Vg’f abg yvxr va TbG jurer srznyr punenpgref jrer pbafgnagyl orvat guerngrarq jvgu encr. Guvf vf gur bayl fgbelyvar vaibyivat vg - nalguvat ryfr vf rvgure whfg vzcyvrq (nf fbzrguvat gung unccraf qhevat n fvrtr) be unccrarq va gur cnfg naq punenpgref ner whfg gnyxvat nobhg vg. Anyway, that’s my very long pitch. Please vote for Black Sails, y’all. ❤️
cosmotron
2023-12-07 01:21:43 +0000 UTChow can people possibly compare the wire to breaking bad? the wire is a totally different league and so much deeper
Josip
2023-12-07 01:05:51 +0000 UTCSeeing Namond again immediately made me start crying. I wish we'd seen more of him and Bunny this season, but at least we got this. One of them got out, and is moving forward to a better future. It's what I have to remind myself when we see the scenes with Michael and Bug and Dukie. Or when I think about Randy. I also wish we'd gotten a little bit more of a look at Snoop's interior life? With Chris we've seen he has a family, and we've gotten some dark implications about his childhood. It's not a lot, but it makes him a more rounded character, even if no less frightening. I wish we'd gotten the same for Snoop, though the moment of her death still feels quite sad on a number of levels. The way Jimmy's actions get discovered just shows how little forethought him and Lester put into this, honestly. That's not really a criticism, at least not toward Jimmy. This whole thing started with what was clearly a spur of the moment decision made when he was very emotional, and then he had to keep it up afterward. It was very much a 'lay the tracks out in front of me as the train continues to close in' kind of scenario. Anyway, Michael and Bug separating broke my heart. As did Dukie trying to turn back to Michael one last time, only for him to already be gone. None of them can turn back. That moment just last summer where they were still kids is gone. Lost. And so are they. :(
cosmotron
2023-12-07 01:03:30 +0000 UTCFeel like Breaking Bad comparisons are surface level for the most part, would tell anyone to watch this before that In Breaking Bad addicts are often derided and made fun of, prostitutes are the butt of jokes and all minority characters are either evil or stupid or die while the white leads often outsmart them Criminals who aren’t white aren’t treated like people to be sympathetic for while deaths of White people on Breaking Bad, (including criminals, are usually treated like a tragedy (with the exception of Neo Nazis which is a pretty low bar) They’d never have given a character like Snoop or D’Angelo a send-off that made them feel like actual people or tried to give scenes to a character like Michael or Cutty (probably wouldn’t have even given them dialogue)
space colon
2023-12-07 01:01:57 +0000 UTCI've watched this show countless times, it's almost an annual thing for me to get back on. But I've never quite put it to perspective that Marlo is Lester's Stringer until you guys talked about it. And it all makes sense with Jimmy having to figure out and constantly be beat by Stringer at the start of season 1. Lester was the one to crack the murders at the vacants and watch as nothing was done. Glad my re-watch this year was with you guys, your media literacy is through the roof.
Donny Austria
2023-12-07 00:58:44 +0000 UTCI would beg for this if I could. For real though, I hope that's what they watch next. I'll be posting another comment encouraging people to vote for it if there's a poll.
cosmotron
2023-12-07 00:52:24 +0000 UTCIt looked like Bunny wanted to clock the mayor right in the face
HenryM
2023-12-07 00:49:58 +0000 UTCI really, really wish we had more Colvin (and by extension, Namond) this season, and not such a relatively meaningless cameo, but their appearance here does counter the sadness of Michael's goodbyes. This season does end so well after such an odd first half. This episode hits just as hard as anything in past seasons, and even with the serial killer stuff there's been enough time for you to settle into it. People are getting into recommendation mode for next shows, so I'm going to throw one in there too - Halt and Catch Fire. I think for reactors who latch onto characters so empathetically, you'd have a blast.
Martin Heron
2023-12-07 00:48:19 +0000 UTCMentioned you were looking for something 'light' after this very dark series? Hoping you make an executive decision for the sun-shiniest show of the last decade - 'Ted Lasso' (3 seasons/30-something episodes).
Coach John
2023-12-07 00:30:10 +0000 UTCThe only thing I’d prefer over Black Sails at this point would be Atlanta (they made the writers room watch every episode of Fleabag for its dialogue and it shows)
space colon
2023-12-07 00:29:48 +0000 UTCI’m so ready for the discussion next episode Glad Namond and Bunny make everyone else choke up too… and Bubs and Mike and Duquan… and Bug Adore Bunny not giving Carcetti the time of day, real life hero I think an example of a legitimately good politician would be Stacey Abrams, her efforts to protect and fight for voter rights are legitimately amazing, she’s had a HUGE impact on Georgia in national and federal elections. A real hero who champions worker’s rights and fights for kids Fighting for rights is a low bar but that’s where we are rn with states like Texas and Georgia attacking Unions and voters in every way shape and form. We’re lucky to have some local politicians on the streets fighting for radical change like Bunny (even if they fail later at least they help open the eyes of voters)
space colon
2023-12-07 00:28:32 +0000 UTCIts a rough couple of episodes, no worries taking some time
William Clinton
2023-12-07 00:27:43 +0000 UTCTo repeat a detail that is often missed. Cheese is Randy's biological father.
David
2023-12-07 00:16:23 +0000 UTCMichael saying he doesn't remember the event in which we met these children is one of the most devastating scenes in the entire series, maybe even in TV history (for me, it can only compare to the scene from 4x12, when Michael hits Namond). He was forced to abandon the innocence and the spark of his childhood
RubénMO
2023-12-07 00:14:51 +0000 UTCMake the executive decision to watch Black Sails.
Eric
2023-12-07 00:14:39 +0000 UTCLmao that's hilarious
HenryM
2023-12-07 00:14:36 +0000 UTCShould consider watching the Godfather of Harlem next. Three seasons and very underrated and critically acclaimed like the Wire.
Timothy Smith
2023-12-07 00:03:56 +0000 UTCI've been waiting so long to share with you the fact that iCarly directly referenced Snoop's death scene https://youtu.be/CoaCR0mL4Gg?si=er3QANFFAKAuvb8n
TeaDrinker3000
2023-12-07 00:03:46 +0000 UTCDon't be sad The Wire is almost over. You actually have a few minutes left :) It's nothing earth shattering, but a few extra prequel scenes were produced by HBO. Check them out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7gg8zQvEY
Michael M
2023-12-07 00:02:13 +0000 UTC"I'm sure you weren't expecting this" I guess it's time to unexpectedly cry
HenryM
2023-12-07 00:00:59 +0000 UTCThanks!!!!
RubénMO
2023-12-07 00:00:38 +0000 UTCNo worries! A week of anticipation will just make the finale reaction hit that much harder.
Mike Conlin
2023-12-06 23:56:40 +0000 UTC
