So about The Wire...and other Shows worth mentioning...

[Myrddin]

FWIW, Northman, when I first started watching the Wire, I stopped after a few episodes. I had no confidence that the show would be able to juggle the multiple storylines and characters into anything resembling a satisfying experience. Then I kept seeing posts here raving about it. Sigh. Ok, I decided to try again and was blown away.

Stick through at least the first season.

[Ramsay B.]

I also had a hard time getting into it after the first 4-5 episodes, it didn't grab me right away like shows I like usually do...now it's probably my all-time favorite show. 

[Relic]

Can someone explain to me why The Wire is accused of being partisan, when it is one of the most impartial critical portrayals of urban dysfunctions and realities ?

Because a majority fair amount of Americans are idiots. 

[Nictarion]

Because a majority fair amount of Americans are idiots. 

Yeah, it's definitely unique to the U.S.  

As for quitting on The Wire without giving a fair shake, your loss.

[Martini Sigil]

One of my best friends gets turned off very easily when watching shows..... he bails for the weirdest reasons .... and as a result he's missed some great TV.....Watch the Wire... it is the best show I've ever seen..... Don't be silly.... Domenic West is an actor.... he plays lots of roles...

[Bonesy]

I'd say stay through the criminally underrated 2nd season at least.

[Astromech]

That's an issue with a series with as large of an ensemble cast as The Wire. It takes at least half of the season to really see all of the threads coming together. When they do, it makes for fantastic television. I can only suggest giving it another shot for several episodes.

[Astromech]

I'd say stay through the criminally underrated 2nd season at least.

Yes. The only season that didn't hold up for me was the 5th. Still good but the story fell a little flat in parts.

[Joe Pesci]

Quit during the first episode? Well...

[Mike]

So many Shows to catch up on, so little time.

I am now deciding between Justified, Boardwalk Empire, Ray Donovan and Vikings. Haven't watched any of them yet. And then there's this Downtown Abbey that everyone also goes on about, but that seems like something that may not be my cup of tea exactly.

Oh yes, then there's  Rome and Da Vinci's Demons, both of which I'm quite unfamiliar with.

Then again, maybe I'll just stick to something I can quickly get into and watch Star Trek Enterpirse, with the guy from Quantum Leap.

EDIT

For purposes of clarity, I've had babies in the house for the last 4 years or so, and have a lot of catching up to do. I was basically limited to Walking Dead and Game of Thrones as far as series were concerned. Then my wife got me to watch Outlander with her, until that odious last episode which put me off the series.

But now I am emerging from this period of zero free time, and I can start doing some catching up.

Of the ones you mentioned that I've seen, I'd binge them in this order:

Rome - great series and only 20 to 22 episodes, so you'll be done and on to the next pretty quickly.

Justified - My favorite show since The Wire ended.  1st season is okay, but it's gold after that (minus the 5th season, which is probably the worst).  The best dialogue this side of Deadwood, maybe the funniest drama I've ever seen, an iconic protagonist, awesome sidekick types, and a Rogues Gallery that puts Batman's to shame.

Vikings - Quality TV.  You should watch for the battle scenes alone.  Season Four comes out next spring sometime, so you should be all caught up by then.

Boardwalk Empire - I watched the first two seasons, cancelled my HBO subscription, and never bothered to catch back up to it after I subscribed again.

The Wire - Watch this last because anything you see right after it is going to come off like shit.  Seriously.  The only show to resonate with me after binging The Wire was Deadwood.  Those are the only two shows I continue to revisit in their entirety.  

 

[cdawnb]

So many Shows to catch up on, so little time.

I am now deciding between Justified, Boardwalk Empire, Ray Donovan and Vikings. Haven't watched any of them yet. And then there's this Downtown Abbey that everyone also goes on about, but that seems like something that may not be my cup of tea exactly.

Oh yes, then there's  Rome and Da Vinci's Demons, both of which I'm quite unfamiliar with.

Then again, maybe I'll just stick to something I can quickly get into and watch Star Trek Enterpirse, with the guy from Quantum Leap.

EDIT

For purposes of clarity, I've had babies in the house for the last 4 years or so, and have a lot of catching up to do. I was basically limited to Walking Dead and Game of Thrones as far as series were concerned. Then my wife got me to watch Outlander with her, until that odious last episode which put me off the series.

But now I am emerging from this period of zero free time, and I can start doing some catching up.

You should finish The Wire. Truely. However, if you don't opt for that,  I would start Justified. It may not technically be the "best" show ever, but it is one of my all time favorites.

Imho, the only show that had better dialogue was Deadwood.

[RumHam]

Of the ones you mentioned that I've seen, I'd binge them in this order:

Rome - great series and only 20 to 22 episodes, so you'll be done and on to the next pretty quickly.

Justified - My favorite show since The Wire ended.  1st season is okay, but it's gold after that (minus the 5th season, which is probably the worst).  The best dialogue this side of Deadwood, maybe the funniest drama I've ever seen, an iconic protagonist, awesome sidekick types, and a Rogues Gallery that puts Batman's to shame.

Vikings - Quality TV.  You should watch for the battle scenes alone.  Season Four comes out next spring sometime, so you should be all caught up by then.

Boardwalk Empire - I watched the first two seasons, cancelled my HBO subscription, and never bothered to catch back up to it after I subscribed again.

The Wire - Watch this last because anything you see right after it is going to come off like shit.  Seriously.  The only show to resonate with me after binging The Wire was Deadwood.  Those are the only two shows I continue to revisit in their entirety.  

Well, you really need to be rating them less on quality and more on face weirdness. So I'd recommend he stay away from Boardwalk Empire altogether. Which is a shame cause I thought it was a really great show. 

[Astromech]

I need to watch Justified. Boarders seem to have pretty positive opinions of it. For some reason I get a Banshee vibe whenever I read about it.

[Nictarion]

I need to watch Justified. Boarders seem to have pretty positive opinions of it. For some reason I get a Banshee vibe whenever I read about it.

It's nothing like Banshee. Which is a good show, so not sure why that would be a bad thing. 

[Astromech]

I love Banshee. Just some of the descriptions and comments I've read about Justified make me want to compare it to Banshee. A cross between that and Longmire.

[Fat Mac]

Man I love the Wire, I'd recommend it to anyone. If someone chooses not to watch it, all I can say is that it's their loss, since it's the best series ever made on television. The only thing that comes close for me is the Sopranos.

Granted, I don't even think the Wire is the most entertaining show out there. If you're into shows with big shootouts, explosions, constant plot twists, and neatly wrapped up stories, then the Wire isn't for you. But it manages it's huge cast well in multiple interweaving storylines in one of the most intricate and well thought out shows ever. This has been said before, but it's almost like watching a book come to life.

[Nictarion]

 

 

Man I love the Wire, I'd recommend it to anyone. If someone chooses not to watch it, all I can say is that it's their loss, since it's the best series ever made on television. The only thing that comes close for me is the Sopranos.

 

Granted, I don't even think the Wire is the most entertaining show out there. If you're into shows with big shootouts, explosions, constant plot twists, and neatly wrapped up stories, then the Wire isn't for you. But it manages it's huge cast well in multiple interweaving storylines in one of the most intricate and well thought out shows ever. This has been said before, but it's almost like watching a book come to life.

 

 

It really is.  I also can't think of another show where the setting/city (in this case Baltimore) feels like an actual character on the show. They did a great job in that regard. 

[Werthead]

I need to watch Justified. Boarders seem to have pretty positive opinions of it. For some reason I get a Banshee vibe whenever I read about it.

I actually get a modern-day Deadwood vibe from it, probably from the casting but from the brief summaries I've read there are some other (at least very superficial) resemblances.

Justified and Person of Interest (which I gather is great fun but not on the same level as some of the other shows we're talking about, more like something like Fringe) are both on my "binge complete series over a few weeks" hit list.

[john]

Is Person of Interest finished now? I'd say it's slightly better than Fringe, but it's more heavy on the action scenes and less on the SF concepts, so it probably depends on what you like.  Both very enjoyable, anyway.

Justified is great. One of the best marriages of familiar concept tv with high quality writing and performances.

[Howdyphillip]

I figured that I might as well put my two cents here as well. I liked The Wire. It was outstanding acting, and very solid writing for the most part (with the exception of season 2). It doesn't come anywhere near my top 20 television shows of all time though. I still say that it is the most over hyped and over rated show that I can think of.