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

[WarGalley]

So I saw this on Reddit because Melvin Williams died (aka the real Avon Barksdale). It's a 5 piece Baltimore sun article from David Simon from back in 1987 on Melvin. Long read and I haven't finished but it's good so far. If you read Homicide, you might like this.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bal-easy-money-david-simons-fivepart-series-on-melvin-williams-20151203-htmlstory.html

 

 

[RumHam]

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.

I loved justified but you should know going in that it's nowhere near Deadwood quality. Don't give up early on though because it sorta starts as one kinda show and then turns into another more serialized kinda show. In other words most of the first season is not representative of the quality of the series as a whole. 

[Werthead]

So I saw this on Reddit because Melvin Williams died (aka the real Avon Barksdale). It's a 5 piece Baltimore sun article from David Simon from back in 1987 on Melvin. Long read and I haven't finished but it's good so far. If you read Homicide, you might like this.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bal-easy-money-david-simons-fivepart-series-on-melvin-williams-20151203-htmlstory.html

 

 

He also appeared on the show. He was the deacon in Seasons 3-5.

[cdawnb]

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.

Like someone else said, Justified isn't at the level of Deadwood but Raylan and Boyd have one of the best relationships on TV. It ranks as one of my all time favorites simply because of that.

Give POI at least two seasons before giving up on it. Season one is very case-of-the-week, but pay attention anyway because a lot of stuff that happens becomes important later on.

[Joe Pesci]

All this Deadwood talk has made me start a re watch of the series, it's been quite a while but Al Swearengen is still one of my Top 5 favorite TV characters of all time.

[Astromech]

All this Deadwood talk has made me start a re watch of the series, it's been quite a while but Al Swearengen is still one of my Top 5 favorite TV characters of all time.

Wu, Swedgin, hang dai!

[Zorral]

Considering everything including the historical conditions of both shows, Deadwood seems nothing at all like Justified, to me, anyway.

The single thing they do have in common, of course, is the influence Deadwood has had on script writing to have the protogonists and other actors emote in the most ornate language the writers can think of.  But that's still different in the two shows.  Deadwood harks to the King James Bible and Shakespeare -- the other, well, recall, Elmore Leonard is the godfather.

 

[Mark Antony]

Agreed I'd say the main reason they get compared so much is simply cause of Timothy Olyphant and all the other deadwood actors they recycled. 

 

[Nictarion]

Agreed I'd say the main reason they get compared so much is simply cause of Timothy Olyphant and all the other deadwood actors they recycled. 

 

Both have great dialogue too.  But you're right, it's probably most because of Olyphant. 

[all swedes are racist]

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. 

oh man, must disagree is strongest possible terms. at worst I'd say is appropriately rated, if not underrated, even considering the vast popular and critical acclaim this show has garnered. The second season is amazing, and I believe mostly gets a bad rap for the somewhat jarring shift in focus I believe most viewers were/are not expecting. Season 5 probably deserves (in my opinion) the criticism is gets, but the rest is as close to a perfect story as I could expect to see on screen. 

as to the "it's a book come to life", fuck that. it's life come to film, short of straight up documentary, little can shape the way one thinks of the world we live on while being as compelling and entertaining at the same time. definitely amongst the best shows ever, and solid contender to one the best stories put to film period.

[Howdyphillip]

oh man, must disagree is strongest possible terms. at worst I'd say is appropriately rated, if not underrated, even considering the vast popular and critical acclaim this show has garnered. The second season is amazing, and I believe mostly gets a bad rap for the somewhat jarring shift in focus I believe most viewers were/are not expecting. Season 5 probably deserves (in my opinion) the criticism is gets, but the rest is as close to a perfect story as I could expect to see on screen. 

as to the "it's a book come to life", fuck that. it's life come to film, short of straight up documentary, little can shape the way one thinks of the world we live on while being as compelling and entertaining at the same time. definitely amongst the best shows ever, and solid contender to one the best stories put to film period.

Season 2 used every cliched anti union rhetoric available and was completely unrealistic. Sorry man, bu it was just poor writing from the start. It did not come close to achieving the level of storytelling that the rest of the show did.

This show did have incredible acting by the entire cast, it had great writing for most of the way through. It is not the best show ever made though. As I said, I can easily name 20 shows that I enjoyed more. The single season that we got of Terriers was better. 

[cdawnb]

Considering everything including the historical conditions of both shows, Deadwood seems nothing at all like Justified, to me, anyway.

The single thing they do have in common, of course, is the influence Deadwood has had on script writing to have the protogonists and other actors emote in the most ornate language the writers can think of.  But that's still different in the two shows.  Deadwood harks to the King James Bible and Shakespeare -- the other, well, recall, Elmore Leonard is the godfather.

 

I think they are compared not only because of Timothy Oliphant, but because both of them have excellent dialogue. Almost poetry like in some instances. 

 

ETA

Maybe should read the whole thread before I reply 

[Zorral]

Season 2 used every cliched anti union rhetoric available and was completely unrealistic. Sorry man, bu it was just poor writing from the start. It did not come close to achieving the level of storytelling that the rest of the show did.

This show did have incredible acting by the entire cast, it had great writing for most of the way through. It is not the best show ever made though. As I said, I can easily name 20 shows that I enjoyed more. The single season that we got of Terriers was better. 

Entirely disagree with you about Season 2.

 

[all swedes are racist]

Goddamn broken quote function.

@HowdyPhilip, I'm honestly curious as to how you arrived at that in regards to "cliched anti-union rhetoric". I can respect your opinion of the quality of that season, but I'd like to hear your thought on how the portrayal of the was "unrealistic." Was there specific procedural or organizational stuff that flat out cannot happen in a union that you have issue with? Because my take away was that it wasn't a condemnation of unions in general, more a cautionary tale criticizing both the weakness of US port security and the unforeseen consequences of the quiet, behind the scenes gutting of unions political and economic power.

shit, Frank is the goddamn sympathetic folk hero of this season. Ignoring the drugs and violent black marketeers, Andy Krawcyck [sp?] is the chief villian

this particular union, however dysfunctional, is still super localized adn used more as a broad character. That's like saying the portrayal of the police dept, or school system, or hell, even gangs, is unrealistic because they dont operate the same way elsewhere.