The Wire

[Einstein]

the first few 24s were excellent, but I feel it really hasn't been great in the last couple of series. Jacks father/the Chinese/Wayne Palmer/Noah Daniels just got too crazy for me!

****** 24 SPOILER - POTENTIALLY ******











Personally thought that only season six was a little too crazy. You have to adjust the mind for unbelievable things in series such as 24, but being able to save the world after spending 18 months in a Chinese prison where you should leave 5 stone lighter and beaten every day was a little OTT. Really feel that they should have amended the storyline and just said he was released one month ago to make it easier to believe.

I personally think season five is the best so far though.

 

[Beefy]

I liked 24 on and off for the first couple of seasons, but soon got bored. The storyline and writing became very similar to the pattern I hear Lost / Heroes have fallen into, jettisoning character arcs and a coherent story for more series than were intended thanks to the studios meddling, coupled with episodic diversions seemingly made up on the hoof. It also meant we got good entertainment on a weekly basis, but a programme that when viewed in one hit just isn't as fluent. And whereas those other shows we've discussed left me itching for the 'next episode' button, '24' in one sitting just doesn't work as well for me: "Oh, Miss Bauer got kidnapped. Again. For only the third time this series. Great..."

I don't think it's fair to put Lost and 24 in the same boat. In fact the two shows couldn't be further apart in terms of how they are structured. Lost was and has been planned in great detail, and for the past year the writers have known exactly how many episodes they had left to play with and have structured the story accordingly. 24 is written on the fly with very little planned more than a week in advance hence the writers regularly writing themselves into a corner where they need to use one of their standard plot devices (Presidential pardon for random bad-guy/Chloe saving Jack with some kind of secret satellite coverage) in order for them to move on to the next shocking twist (*TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK*).

To be honest, they're probably my two favourite non-comedy shows of recent years but they couldn't be more different. Not least because Lost is so incredibly slow, and teases you by answering one question whilst at the same time asking two more; whereas 24 rattles through each episode at 150mph as Jack overcomes his obstacle of the week just in time to encounter another obstacle at the cliff-hanger.

As for The Wire, I've only seen the first year but really liked it. I've got the second season on DVD but haven't got around to watching it (although I may stick it on right now, actually) and I've heard a lot of people call it the best show on TV. I don't think I'll think quite that highly of it because I just don't see anything surpassing Jack Bauer's place in my affections, but I'm certainly looking forward to catching up on the next four seasons.

 

[seany t]

I don't think it's fair to put Lost and 24 in the same boat. In fact the two shows couldn't be further apart in terms of how they are structured. Lost was and has been planned in great detail, and for the past year the writers have known exactly how many episodes they had left to play with and have structured the story accordingly. 24 is written on the fly with very little planned more than a week in advance hence the writers regularly writing themselves into a corner where they need to use one of their standard plot devices (Presidential pardon for random bad-guy/Chloe saving Jack with some kind of secret satellite coverage) in order for them to move on to the next shocking twist (*TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK*).

I haven't seen Lost since series 2 so totally bow down to you on this one mate, I just remember reading that the Lost team of writers were very hacked off with the studio during Season 3. I think their beef was to do with the studio extending the number of seasons from Abrams' preferred 5 to a money grabbing 7, meaning that they had to put in some filler or didn't know where the story was heading at times, affecting the quality of the series.

In terms of debating shows better than The Wire, I can't comment yet as I've not seen it. But I guess shows like 24, Lost, BSG, Heroes etc are more suitable for mainstream consumption - from the bits I've seen - than The Wire and as such along with The Sopranos & Mad Men will (rightly or wrongly) not be as applauded by those more critical / high brow / elitist publications.

 

[seany t]

I think I really ought to give Lost a proper go sometime?

I just get scared of long term commitment...

 

[Beefy]

Lost isn't everyone cup of tea. I know I stopped watching it about halfway through the second season because the pace was just too slow for me. I think it works better if you can watch all the shows on DVD or download them so you can watch them back-to-back rather than having to wait a week between instalments.

 

[seany t]

6 episodes in now and loving it. The ladyfriend is hooked too, which always makes watching these long-running TVs a bit easier.

Generally very very impressed at how just a load of very well written dialogue is holding my attention so strongly?

 

[seany t]

Now 2/3's of the way through series 1, and its been 9 or so hours of telly gold to date. Very impressed at how much I'm starting to care about these characters.

I read this the other day too; very interesting piece:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/06/wire

 

[Pubey]

Now 2/3's of the way through series 1, and its been 9 or so hours of telly gold to date. Very impressed at how much I'm starting to care about these characters.

I read this the other day too; very interesting piece:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/06/wire

yeah, you really build up some love for the characters, especially the ones that are still in season 5.

 

[seany t]

Finished Season One at the weekend and loved every minute of it. One of the best series of TV I've ever watched.

Started Season Two last night though and it had a totally different feel to it? Like it had had a real injection of money? Half of the characters were different, and there seemed to be little connection between the storylines too. But I'm guessing time will reveal all...

Did like how it didn't automatically just go "The old team are back on the case!" though like most programmes would do. You really got the sense that they'd all moved on and had new lives / roles to play...

 

[Pubey]

Finished Season One at the weekend and loved every minute of it. One of the best series of TV I've ever watched.

Started Season Two last night though and it had a totally different feel to it? Like it had had a real injection of money? Half of the characters were different, and there seemed to be little connection between the storylines too. But I'm guessing time will reveal all...

Did like how it didn't automatically just go "The old team are back on the case!" though like most programmes would do. You really got the sense that they'd all moved on and had new lives / roles to play...

exactly. Series 2 is a bit of a slow burner but the finale is superb. The way each series' link but are quite separate is genius

 

[seany t]

POINTLESS UPDATE ONLY PUBEY WILL BE INTERESTED IN:

Finished Season 2 last night, and already on Disc 2 of Season 3. Cracking stuff once it got going and a few of the cast established themself. Love how the subject matters are all intertwining and characters come in and out of the show when it suits the storyline. Also like how you really have to fill in a lot of the gaps and do some thinking for yourself.

I fear watching normal TV after this show will never be the same again...

 

[seany t]

Finished Season 3 yesterday and the girlfriend thought it was the weakest to date, but I have to say I thought it was superb.

Don't think I've ever enjoyed a programme as much as this one before. The characters are superb, impossible to predict and with story arcs that span years. The pace of the show is gripping, yet spacious and realistic. The events are often shocking, but never judgmental or gratuitous.

I've not met one character or heard a piece of dialogue yet where I've been taken out of the experience of watching the show, such is the perfect tone of every line. Its like there is a different writer creating every single actors individual script.

Cannot wait for the last 2 seasons. Just wonder what I'll do once they're over?

 

[MK Shrimper]

Another pointless update! Final series of Battlestar Galactica starts tomorrow!

 

[seany t]

Another pointless update! Final series of Battlestar Galactica starts tomorrow!

Sure is, I'm just trying to convert you all into believers! You can't blame a man for trying...

As I don't have Sky, I watched the new Galactica on one of those sites that stream recently aired TV shows yesterday. No spoilers, don't worry...

I'd kind of lost all hope for the show after the last 15 or so episodes all getting progressively convoluted and repetitive, but it was an intriguing start of the end.

Not sure where it'll go from here, but I darn well hope they have some explanations to back up some of the more revelatory moments they put in this half-season debut.

Bleak as **** too...

 

[Rob Noxious]

Finished Season 3 yesterday and the girlfriend thought it was the weakest to date, but I have to say I thought it was superb.

Don't think I've ever enjoyed a programme as much as this one before. The characters are superb, impossible to predict and with story arcs that span years. The pace of the show is gripping, yet spacious and realistic. The events are often shocking, but never judgmental or gratuitous.

I've not met one character or heard a piece of dialogue yet where I've been taken out of the experience of watching the show, such is the perfect tone of every line. Its like there is a different writer creating every single actors individual script.

Cannot wait for the last 2 seasons. Just wonder what I'll do once they're over?

My guess is you'll want to form the Jimmy MacNulty Appreciation Society on SZ- it's up there with 'The Sopranos,' sometimes better on occasions. They had a good writer on the show- George Pelecanos, which kind of helps...

 

[Pubey]

Finished Season 3 yesterday and the girlfriend thought it was the weakest to date, but I have to say I thought it was superb.

Don't think I've ever enjoyed a programme as much as this one before. The characters are superb, impossible to predict and with story arcs that span years. The pace of the show is gripping, yet spacious and realistic. The events are often shocking, but never judgmental or gratuitous.

I've not met one character or heard a piece of dialogue yet where I've been taken out of the experience of watching the show, such is the perfect tone of every line. Its like there is a different writer creating every single actors individual script.

Cannot wait for the last 2 seasons. Just wonder what I'll do once they're over?

i can't really add anything that you haven't said, it's just simply amazing. i've started watching it again from the beginning!

 

[seany t]

Another pointless update! Final series of Battlestar Galactica starts tomorrow!

You watched it yet MK?

 

[Pubey]

Almost finished re-watching the first series. it's sooooo good! love the bit when Bunk gets wasted and burns all his clothes, hysterical!

 

[seany t]

Almost finished re-watching the first series. it's sooooo good! love the bit when Bunk gets wasted and burns all his clothes, hysterical!

That bit is amazing. I love The Bunk.

Saw the scene where Clay Davis says: "Shhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeaaaaaaatttttttt" yesterday. ****ed my sides for ages...

 

[Pubey]

That bit is amazing. I love The Bunk.

Saw the scene where Clay Davis says: "Shhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeaaaaaaatttttttt" yesterday. ****ed my sides for ages...

there is one near the end where he says it for ages... ssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaattttttttt. also, which character imitates it at one point? it's excellent because up until then you seem to think that noone else has noticed!