My Favorite Season : #3 - "The Wire"

Left to right: J.D. Williams and Dominic West

Every Tuesday, I will be attempting something unique. I will look through the pantheon on TV and determine what my favorite season of any show is. The goal is to explore the heights of these shows and better understand why they are beloved, at least by me. This is an experiment that I hope will last for awhile, though I am sure around the 30th entry, things will look a lot different and I will be grasping at straws. Anyways, join me for as long as this last and feel free to share some of your favorites with me as I go through this wonderful medium.

THE SHOW

Michael K. Williams

The Wire (2002-2008)

Widely regarded as the greatest drama series of all time, David Simon's perception of Baltimore, Maryland is quite an amazing feat. Focusing on all dynamics of the society from criminals to the law enforcement to the government and even the school systems, it is one of the most satisfying narratives on TV. It did so not by presented close-ended episodes, but creating series that told a singular story that shared overlapping themes and motivations in ways that ended up causing the series to be called "Dickensian." With a list of memorable characters, the series managed to become something of a juggernaut and paved the way for HBO series that would follow after. The Wire is a series that is bother overpraised and yet unrecognized for its brilliance. It is something that TV enthusiasts HAVE to see, if just to have an opinion. It is a creation that hasn't been imitated since, even by Simon.

MY FAVORITE SEASON

Jim True-Frost

Season 4 (2006)

EPISODES

1. Boys of Summer

2. Soft Eyes

3. Home Rooms

4. Refugees

5. Alliances

6. Margin of Error

7. Unto Others

8. Corner Boys

9. Know Your Place

10. Misgivings

11. A New Day

12. That's Got His Own

13. Final Grades

HIGHLIGHTS

Andre Royo

5 Reasons Why It's the Best

1. By this point, the series had everything worked out. Following up the rather impressive season three, the series decided to go bigger. If the series had focused on communities (season 1), the docks (season 2), and the drug operations (season 3), then it only seemed right that they eventually cover the schools system. In doing so, it introduced a lot of new characters, including the unfortunately tragic Dukie. In doing so, they connected the overall theme of criminality to its core element: the spark that starts someone down that path. Even if season 5's journalism plot helped to cover all of The Wire's bases, season 4 was so solid in presenting how everything was impacted by the schools system that it tied everything up in the series nicely if given an unexpected cancellation. 

2. It is strange that while there has been personality throughout all of The Wire, they didn't feel laid back and "perfect" until season 4. This is largely thanked to the introduction of playwright Eric Overmyer to the writing cast. His ability to make the characters' conversations into witty, engaging stories is unprecedented. Even if the series had plenty of great metaphors prior, including the famous chess sequence, the writing reached new levels and allowed all of the characters to feel far more significant as they evolved in their own ways.

3. With the series also exploring a fascinating plot about dumping bodies in boarded up abandoned houses, the opening sequence in which Snoop goes into a hardware store is excellent. It sets up the series nicely for all that is about to come. She refuses to pay at the counter and the humor is awfully dark upon understanding Snoop's actual motivations with the nail gun. While the series had always been great with an opening statement, there's nothing quite as laid back and excellent as Snoop in one of my favorite scenes from the series' entire run.

4. After being a secondary character for most of his run, Presbo becomes one of the most redeeming characters of the series. He finds that his true calling is teaching students, which results in quite an exploitative experience. He interacts with a violent inner city class that has a fair share of shocking experiences. Through him, we are introduced to a lot of elements, including how funding works and the ways to inevitably attempt to keep children out of trouble. It isn't entirely effective, but it works enough. Considering the tragedies that are to follow, this is both an amazing and sad aspect of the series as a whole.

5. The strange decision to have characters needlessly draw out the word "Shit" may be one of the simplest, greatest things that the series has done since the season one conversation involving the word "Fuck."

BEST EPISODE

Wendell Pierce

The entire season

This may seem like a cheat, but I have trouble figuring out what qualifies as the best episode of The Wire. To me, it is all one singular narrative and to look at a piece is to not fully appreciate it. The story evolves from the first minute and every continuous piece doesn't work without the last one. To drop a viewer into the middle would leave a lot of confusing questions and take away from the brilliance of the series. By having the viewer watch the entire season, it helps to build the story as a whole and gives far more satisfaction to the conclusion. You don't need to watch every season of The Wire, though it is encouraged. You can watch individual seasons and get the gist of what the series is going for, provided that you can easily pick up on the show's rhythms. 

FAVORITE PERFORMANCE

Royo

Bubbles

It is impossible to fully appreciate just one performance on The Wire. People will tell you that Omar Little is the best. Some will say Marlo or Bunk. These are all acceptable answers and I would even argue that Presbo dominates season 4's overall satisfaction. However, I suppose that I will always have a soft spot for Bubbles. I am not entirely sure why, but his progression from drug addict to outstanding citizen is unprecedented for the series and is one of the most hopeful aspects. Also, his "revelation" moment that comes towards the end of the season is phenomenal and sad in ways that makes his payoff in season 5 all the more worthwhile. Yes, Omar may draw more menace and Bunk may be funnier, but Bubbles is a damaged individual who wants to change his life. That's quite a noble feat for a series like this.

IS THE REST OF THE SERIES LIKE THIS?

Jermaine Crawford

Yes and no. Yes as in the series is one evolving narrative that builds to something far greater. Its ability to mix imagery with poetic justice has always been one of the defining aspects of the series. However, season 4 is the best because no matter what, there hasn't been another season like it. While season 5 built on ideas present here, it didn't necessarily have the same energy or continuous impact. The revelations have never been as satisfying and the writing was never as strong. Let's just say as great as season 5 is, it did get ridiculous at points. Also, the first three seasons, while impressive, don't necessarily have as satisfying a payoff as season 4. They are sort of rugged and serious in ways that are great, but lack the personality that makes season 4 so wonderful. Yes, there's some tragedies that give the first few seasons some power, but I am just too enamored with the school story line to ever fully appreciate the other seasons as much. So yes, The Wire is rather unsurpassed in terms of overall quality, though there's a reason that this is often regarded as the best. It is just the most fully formed.