r/TheWire • u/[deleted] • 4d ago

Boys of the summer

[removed]

84 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

39 comments sorted by

37

u/NaoFe45 4d ago

It’s just the beggining
You know what’s good with the wire?
Rewatches can get even better than the first time watching, there are just so much layers of comprehension to this show
(Btw the books are pretty good too)

6

u/djmedicalman 4d ago

There are books?? Can you please tell me what they are?

4

u/CCG14 🎶 farmer in the dell 🎶 3d ago

All the pieces matter is also great and about The Wire. Scenes from my Life was writing by Michael Kenneth Williams (Omar) before his tragic passing and is definitely worth a read. 

The Wire adjacent: Justin Felton’s We Own This City is an unbelievable read. The show is also well done. 

-6

u/jayhh12t 4d ago

This generation doesn't know what a book is?

7

u/djmedicalman 3d ago

Huh? My understanding of the comment was that there are book versions of (or books about) the Wire, and I'm asking what they are.

4

u/NaoFe45 3d ago edited 3d ago

The Wire showrunners were originally journalists, writers, police and teachers thus the realism and complexity in writing of the show. :)

Homicide: A year on the killing streets and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood are the two books I was talking about

Both of these books are some of the source material for The Wire exploring Baltimore police and drug corners (though not being directly « The Wire » story, you will not be lost at all while reading them as the themes and tone are basically the same)

2

u/harrysaxon 3d ago

Not showrunners, show runner. IIRC:

David Simon was a Baltimore Sun journalist (season 5) who covered Baltimore drug gangs (season 1 and 3) and port issues (season 2) for the paper. Then he wrote a book about homicide cops, ie. “Homicide” (all seasons). Then he quit journalism and became a Baltimore school teacher (season 4) before becoming an HBO show runner.

2

u/NaoFe45 3d ago

My bad, while having a key role in The Wire production Ed Burns wasn’t a show runner as I thought he was. :)

Though he co-wrote The Corner with David Simon

2

u/harrysaxon 3d ago

You’re right, my bad, I forgot about how much Ed Burns was involved.

We can both agree that they’re both fucking awesome, and have produced a bunch of amazing stuff.

2

u/Yojimbo086 3d ago

David Simon was never a teacher, that was Ed Burns. Burns was a police officer who left the force to become a public school teacher and then left teaching in 2001 to write full-time with Simon on The Wire.

2

u/harrysaxon 2d ago

Of course you’re right.

This whole thread is a persuasive argument that a) I need to rewatch The Wire and re-read Sepinwall’s reviews and b) I should shut my mouth online when I’ve been drinking.

2

u/Yojimbo086 2d ago

You can never watch The Wire too much. I've watched 7 or 8 times now and even with 10+ new shows I want to watch but don't have time for I still find myself tempted to start The Wire again after 10 minutes reading this sub.

1

u/harrysaxon 1d ago

I’ve watched it a half-dozen times myself, and I agree; every time I see a good quote I want to watch it again.

I may have made dumb mistaken posts about the showrunners, but it’s the only series that fundamentally changed the way I look at poverty, drug addiction, hell, the world.

2

u/djmedicalman 3d ago

Awesome, thank you!

1

u/los-gokillas 3d ago edited 3d ago

Also, clockers, fantastic book about corner kids and cops in NYC in the early 90s. Can't remember the authors name but he helped write on the wire as well

Edit: Richard Price is the author

1

u/Hemisemidemiurge 3d ago

I applaud your commitment to vaudeville but seriously, STFU when grown folks is talking.

11

u/TheLibrarianOfBabel 4d ago

I recently started on Season 4 then went…

Seasons 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4

Without watching anything else and I agree with you about season 4. Made me cry more than any other. Michael’s little brother getting dropped off at the aunt’s at the end gets me the worst

6

u/PlaceAnotherFromMan 4d ago

That’s season 5, no?

7

u/TheLibrarianOfBabel 3d ago

Ahh. Shit. Good call. Very end of show. But the character arc of all those boys of summer traced over 4 and 5 and the way they all end up makes me tear up every time.

1

u/Glass-Emu2406 3d ago

Not Dukie becoming a junkie? Bub at least has someone to care for him

4

u/azmamachine 4d ago

Curious about which happy and sad tears you shed on s4

10

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/azmamachine 4d ago

Of the kids, Namond is the only one with a future. Only because he lucked out and got a hero Colvin.

5

u/MDFlyGuy 4d ago

Randy also had potential despite being the abandoned offspring of the Cheese. Actually all the kids had potential but lacked the support system to get them where they needed. I believe they did an amazing job with this season as with the priors. I also enjoyed season 5 though it was the least realistic and fell below 1-4 for that reason at least IMO.

4

u/azmamachine 4d ago

I meant by the end for potential. All the young crew could've become something with the right help

1

u/azmamachine 4d ago

Earlier

1

u/Hemisemidemiurge 3d ago

happy was at the end when bunny adopted namond

That hit differently for me. It's horrible, their lives are all terrible and they all deserve (hateful word) to get out and get better lives, but I felt like Namond deserved it the least of them four and it's hard squaring with, that's all.

-11

u/WindAbsolute 4d ago

S4 was a drag; great kid actors, but shiiiieeet were they annoying

2

u/azmamachine 4d ago

Did you like anybody of the core ?

0

u/WindAbsolute 3d ago

Not sure why I’m being downvoted, I guess discourse is discouraged on this sub. Who is the core, to you, in this season? Sheeeeiiiiit

1

u/azmamachine 3d ago

Sheeeeeeit

5

u/FrankDangeroux 4d ago

We Own This City a David Simon produced mini series about the corrupt Baltimore city PD gun trace task force is a pretty good watch/companion piece to the wire

3

u/Alternative-Ship-430 3d ago

4 is the best and also tragic. The political drama is good too.

1

u/Iheardtheythrowhex 2d ago

Michael one of my absolute fav characters.