The Wire rewatch: I Went to Hampsterdam and All I Got Were These Lousy Spiderbags

[all swedes are racist]

So, yeah, thought I'd get the ball rolling on this. This is the thread for anyone interested in re-watching The Wire, and sharing & discussing thoughts of the episodes as we go through the series. As this is a re-watch, I can only imagine there will be spoilers concerning events in the "future" of the particular set of episodes we are on, so if you haven't finished the series at least once, I'd steer clear.

I think the general consensus is two episode a week is pretty manageable for most? So I guess, just figure out a good day for everyone to get this thing started? I'm totally flexible, so what ever works for y'all is cool with me.

[Reposado]

Are they up on amazon yet

[Summah]

They're going up on amazon mid-late May, i just googled, may 21st; but I noticed HBO put up most of their old series on on demand (at least on Comcast in Baltimore), so if most of us have hbo maybe we can start earlier. Otherwise we can wait til end of May/early June.

[Castel]

Just finished the Sopranos so wouldn't mind seeing some more HBO stuff.

[Larry of the Lawn]

I am very excited for this. Any night is fine with me, although I don't post or lurk much on weekends.

[all swedes are racist]

Rad. I have an irregular retail schedule, so I expect to just be popping in whenever, although I've seen the series enough I feel confident I can keep up with whatever.

Castel, have you watched The Wire before?

[Reposado]

well whatever week tey start, the day to watch by should be sunday.

so if this was the first week, everyone shoudl try and watch the first two episodes by sunday, then we have that week to talk about them

the next two by the following sunday

[Castel]

Castel, have you watched The Wire before?

Oh yes.

[OnionAhaiReborn]

Oh yes.

I'm taking this opportunity to propose that we spend a good deal, if not the vast majority, of our time during this rewatch discussing what Rust Cohle's take on the Wire's happenings would be, were he dropped into that world. Can you imagine how strongly Baltimore's pyschosphere would reek to Rust, what faded memory of a town Hamsterdam's vacants would suggest to him? Endless possibilities, if only we're arrogant enough to rip his soul from nonexistence into the Wire's thresher.

[Queen of Whores]

I'm taking this opportunity to propose that we spend a good deal, if not the vast majority, of our time during this rewatch discussing what Rust Cohle's take on the Wire's happenings would be, were he dropped into that world. Can you imagine how strongly Baltimore's pyschosphere would reek to Rust, what faded memory of a town Hamsterdam's vacants would suggest to him? Endless possibilities, if only we're arrogant enough to rip his soul from nonexistence into the Wire's thresher.

Rust and McNulty would be best friends in the department, I'm thinking. Both are willing to disobey orders to achieve what they think is necessary and right, and they're also both smartasses.

[Castel]

What would Rust do in McNulty's place though? For some reason I can't see him making a fake serial killer.

[Paladin of Ice]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm a couple of episodes into a rewatch already. I trust no one will mind if I throw out a few thoughts I'm having so far.

On my first watch I thought there were some definite parallels between Namond and D'angelo, both being members of families that are famous for their involvement with the drug trade and being expected to go into it themselves, regardless of their desire to do so or their aptitude for it. Both have the intelligence and general ability to do other things than be part of The Game, both are "softer" than the generations that came before them that made their families famous in The Game, probably due to having an upbringing that meant they weren't worried about where their next meal was going to come from, or the sort of abuse that hardens the heart. (Which also, I think, reinforces a theme that the main people who are best suited for The Game are psychos who would be too crazy to do anything else or people who have experienced a ton of poverty, hunger, fear and pain from a young age.)

Despite having noticed that on the 1st time through, it surprised me that I apparently didn't pick up on just how much D was getting shit on by pretty much everyone in the Barksdale group. Avon, Stringer and Wee-bey all lecture him about his perceived failings as a player of The Game or the boss of a crew, Bodie is all but challenging him over control of the crew and D'angelo's reluctance to use violence, whether it's when Bubbles successfully scams Wallace with fake cash and Bodie clearly expects D to lay a beating on Wallace as punishment, or even to retaliate when Johnny Weeks gets caught trying to pull the same scam later. Compare that to things we see later with much more vicious dealers, (or even how Michael, a generally decent enough kid, beats the ever loving fuck out of Kenard because Namon talking to Kenard is taking too long and isn't getting anywhere) and D feels much more like a fish out of water than he did in my first watch, and lots of characters are also aware of that and respond to it.

Also, knowing who is who in the Barksdale organization and what their relationships are make it much easier to pick up on any subtleties and what is going on with them as opposed to trying to do it all on the fly.

[Reposado]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm a couple of episodes into a rewatch already. I trust no one will mind if I throw out a few thoughts I'm having so far.

On my first watch I thought there were some definite parallels between Namond and D'angelo, both being members of families that are famous for their involvement with the drug trade and being expected to go into it themselves, regardless of their desire to do so or their aptitude for it. Both have the intelligence and general ability to do other things than be part of The Game, both are "softer" than the generations that came before them that made their families famous in The Game, probably due to having an upbringing that meant they weren't worried about where their next meal was going to come from, or the sort of abuse that hardens the heart. (Which also, I think, reinforces a theme that the main people who are best suited for The Game are psychos who would be too crazy to do anything else or people who have experienced a ton of poverty, hunger, fear and pain from a young age.)

Despite having noticed that on the 1st time through, it surprised me and I apparently didn't pick up on just how much he was getting shit on by pretty much everyone in the Barksdale group. Avon, Stringer and Wee-bey all lecture him about his perceived failings as a player of The Game or the boss of a crew, Bodie is all but challenging him over control of the crew and D'angelo's reluctance to use violence, whether it's when Bubbles successfully scams Wallace with fake cash and Bodie clearly expects D to lay a beating on Wallace as punishment, or even to retaliate when Johnny Weeks gets caught trying to pull the same scam later. D feels much more like a fish out of water than he did in my first watch, and lots of characters are also aware of that and respond to it.

Also, knowing who is who in the Barksdale organization and what their relationships are make it much easier to pick up on any subtleties and what is going on with them as opposed to trying to do it all on the fly.

sure but in general, can we make it a policy for people not in coordination to preface comments with such, as you did here.

otoh, there is a general wire thread, or alternatively, you could hang onto what ever you want to say in word and post it when others catch up

[Paladin of Ice]

That's everything I have to say so far, I'll wait for everyone to catch up before saying more. Shouldn't be too long, I think I've only completed the first 5 episodes or so and I've got plenty of stuff to keep me busy for the next few weeks.

[Talleyrand]

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm a couple of episodes into a rewatch already. I trust no one will mind if I throw out a few thoughts I'm having so far.

On my first watch I thought there were some definite parallels between Namond and D'angelo,

I saw parallels more between Namond and Clay personally. Both are from the poorer backgrounds but are educated and have a way with words plus they both state "I'll take any motherfucker's money if he's giving it away."

[Paladin of Ice]

I saw parallels more between Namond and Clay personally. Both are from the poorer backgrounds but are educated and have a way with words plus they both state "I'll take any motherfucker's money if he's giving it away."

Also picked up on that similarity. Namond being saved by Colvin might take him from D'angelo's path, (a wannabe player in The Game who isn't suited for it but stuck there because of his family history until it inevitably gets him killed) and onto Clay's, or one similar to it, considering the interest Namond shows in politics during his one scene in season 5 and having used that same line.

[Mark Antony]

Just finished the Sopranos

For the 1st time?

[Castel]

For the 1st time?

More like fourth or something.

[Reposado]

That's everything I have to say so far, I'll wait for everyone to catch up before saying more. Shouldn't be too long, I think I only the first 5 episodes or so and I've got plenty of stuff to keep me busy for the next few weeks.

Cool. It was more in general.

And ideally the more people that are on schedule, the better

[Larry of the Lawn]

so we all watch the first two episodes by sunday?

eta: whoops i missed the post about amazon putting them up in mid may