The Wire - The Complete Third Season
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Movie Reviews of The Wire - The Complete Third Season
Movie Review: The best season yet. A-infinity-plus
Summary: 5 Stars
For those who weren't put off by The Wire's unflinching depictions of violence, drug use, profanity, and urban decay, the show takes a new and frightening direction in season three. Yes, the first two seasons of The Wire dealt with some heavy subject matter, but some of the content of this season may be dark and depressing enough to make even the show's most loyal and unflappable viewers turn away in horror. Yes, season three of The Wire sees the best show of all time venturing into the corrupt, depraved arena of politics, and once you go down that road you never come back. For the first time, fans of the show get a look at those roaming the halls of power not just in the Baltimore Police Department (though there is a great deal of that) but of the city itself. What goes on in the mayor's office, the City Council chamber, and the police headquarters isn't always a pretty picture--even the drug game seems to have more room for loyalty and honor than the political game--but the show's newfound emphasis on political maneuvering does contribute to its evolution from a crime drama with elements of social commentary to a full-fledged urban drama with (according to David Simon) heavy inspiration in Greek tragedy. And we should all be grateful for it, as it helps further The Wire's claim as the most relevant and challenging show yet to hit TV. I don't vote and tend to wonder why so many people concern themselves with politics, but The Wire approaches the subject with such a personal and philosophical emphasis that even the most apolitical viewer should be riveted.
Of course, it's not all politics, as pretty much every character viewers know and love from season one is still in play, and there's plenty of violent action and intricate electronic investigating to be found. After shifting focus for a season to examine crime along East Baltimore's docks, The Wire in season three finds the Major Crimes Unit once again pursuing the drug empire of Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell, whose damaging bust at the end of season one has left them even more cautious and (in the case of Stringer) looking to make some inroads into legitimate business. Stringer isn't the only one looking to make some changes either, as season three's predominant theme is the idea of reform, whether it be personal or political, in the ghettoes or in the city government. Naturally, as experienced viewers might expect, reform in the morally ambiguous world of The Wire is a tricky concept, often temporary or illusory, much talked about but difficult to actually attain. Not to mention, all talk of reform aside, Baltimore is still a dangerous place, with cops, fueding drug crews, and freelance criminals thrown together in a limited space with a set of shifting agendas and alliances that practically guarantees they'll come into conflict.
Season three introduces several key new characters, all of whom are seamlessly integrated into The Wire's ever-expanding universe--Tommy Carcetti (Aiden Gillen), a calculating city councilman whose occasional idealism does little to temper his ambitions; Dennis "Cutty" Wise (Chad L. Coleman), a newly-freed ex-con trying with mixed success to go straight; Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector), an almost cartoonishly evil drug dealer who decides to take on the Barksdale empire; and Maj. Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom), the Western district commander who decides to try a decidedly unconventional and controversial approach to prevent his command from being overrun by drug dealers. The infusion of new blood helps bring The Wire's "visual novel" approach to its fullest fruition yet, with the show juggling a huge (and brilliantly portrayed) cast of characters and multiple intersecting plot strands, many of which build on the events of the preceding two seasons. The Wire may be the best example yet of why cable is the home to such a disproportionate share of TV's most highly regarded shows--only on a network like HBO, where a show's creators are allowed to plan for the long term, would a show with The Wire's level of future orientation be able to survive. Even in season three, we're still seeing the payoff of plot elements that were introduced in the first two seasons, thanks to Simon and co.'s unbelievably meticulous and deliberate plotting. Everything that happens has its purpose, even if it's not always apparent right away, and the fierce intelligence and complexity of the writing is bolstered by the ingenious use of crime novelists to author several of the episodes. The attention to detail is way beyond anything else I've seen on TV; there's just so much going on in these episodes it defies easy summation. Even with the expanding cast, the characters are kept multifaceted and relatable, and more than ever before the show elevates conversation to high art, with dialogue laden with authenticity and humor througout--be it the relentlessly inventive and colorful slang of street criminals, the slick pandering of politicians, or the world-weary philosophizing of seasoned cops.
At all times, maximum belivability is the objective, making this season, even more so than the first two, into a microcosm of the world at large. Whatever your stance on the more politically provocative aspects of this season, the writers almost make it difficult to condone or condemn anyone too vociferously because the reasons for their actions are always thoroughly explored and explained. The Wire has been described from its beginning as an examination of the effects of institutions on individuals, and Bunny Colvin's plan for dealing with the war on drugs through a policy of accomodation that borders on outright legalization allows the show to broaden and intensify its gaze to illustrate why such a bold idea will never be allowed to take hold in a major American city. As is generally the case, especially with the War on Drugs, innovation and rationality are inevitably suppressed by an entrenched and inflexible bureaucracy for a simple reason--too many people have a stake in preserving the status quo. Colvin's idea may be a good one-and to its great credit, the show lets us see both its positive and negative aspects-but it's far too dangerous to those in power to be allowed to proceed.
Still, while it may not always be an easy show to watch, and it doesn't offer much in the way of happy endings, in this reviewer's opinion The Wire still represents the very best American TV has to offer. Even the best shows I've seen-The Shield, The Sopranos, The Simpsons-have shown some chinks in their armor over the years, but The Wire consistently holds up to analysis, even when I've started proactively looking for flaws while watching. The recent fourth season took the show in even more new thematic directions, with a great deal of success, but I think this season establishes the best balance between The Wire's crime-drama origins and its increasingly ambitious current incarnation. Of course, the forthcoming fifth (and supposedly final season) could end up rendering the discussion of the show's best season irrelevant. Loyal viewers should already be getting all tingly at the thought.
Movie Review: Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this show! I had to have the complete box set. I hate to hear its going away. I will have to get the other seasons also. Movie Review: Great
Summary: 5 Stars
Once you watch the first season, you are hooked. Season 3 is the best one yet. I can't wait until Season 4 is available for sell. The complete seasons of The Wire are a MUST HAVE to add to your DVD collection. Movie Review: Simply Put
Summary: 5 Stars
Look. Here's the deal. The Wire is, simply put, the absolute pinnacle. There's just nothing even remotely close to it on television and with a few exceptions nothing in the movies that can hold a candle to it.
My recommendation is to get all four seasons on DVD. sit down and watch the thing as one looooong movie. Take breaks if you must but watch it in order and prepare to get very strung out.
This is the story of Baltimore.
Movie Review: The Wire Review
Summary: 4 Stars
This show is unique in that it is so realistic that you think you are getting a personal inside look at street crime in the city of Baltimore. It is also fascinating to see how police deal with the declining problems of an inner city in America. The show draws you in after the first episode and you have to tune in each week to watch the story unfold. Can not wait to see season four.