That last shot revealed who the true main character was, it was never McNulty or Omar but Baltimore. I love the moral of the story, life goes on but the game remains the same.
I can’t say how glad I am that this channel is something I can refer back to when I need my commentary fix on the Wire. Hearing Milena and Lola’s insights on this show has been a fantastic journey. All the laughs, tears, frustration and tragedy, all of it was worth it just to see Bubs walk up those stairs
Slim Charles is such a real one for putting down Cheese for what he did to his uncle. Even though he's a background character he always had my respect. It was pleasure to watch you guys and your insight on the Wire.
Just when I thought I was out...they pulled me right back in! I'm so happy to have discovered these two in time for them to take on The Wire. I love introducing other people to the show for the first time, and L&M have more than done it justice with this watch series. It's a testament to the story's power that even people who aren't from Baltimore or the United States can get so deeply hooked like this, it warms my cynical heart a bit lol
Everything Stringer wanted Marlo got. Duke became the new Bubbles and Mike became the new Omar. Things really go around. The greatest series ever created. Great reactions!
I think the implication is that Marlo probably isn't going to be able to keep what he got. He's clearly intimidated by the straight world. Like when the kids go to Ruth's Chris for a steak dinner. They aren't socialized for that environment, so they feel inadequate. Marlo flees from that business gathering like a child.
Well ladies. Let me just say, this was hands down the best reaction series Ive ever been a part of, let alone the best Wire reactions out there. You two are extremely empathetic, knowledgeable and grounded. As a matter of fact, Ive enjoyed this reaction series so much, I plan to burn through it again when I have some time, now that I can binge it. Please don't ever change. Empathy is a superpower. You two give me hope. I am extremely saddened this series is coming to an end. I watched your BB reacts a few years back, then rediscovered you through Mr. Robot last year and that led straight to the Wire. I have grown attached to you both and your ASMR style of content. I have grown attached to unwinding in the evenings with you two, so I will stay around in the hopes that you watch another series I'm privy to in the near future (I have seen Black Sails and heard you've started it, so perhaps we can keep the streak going). Nothing but love and respect to you two......❤🍉
One funny quirk this show points out is how all cops become culturally Irish in the US, regardless of where they come from or what their skin color is. Certainly is true where I live as well. The tradition of fake "wakes" for fallen or retired officers is another one taken right from real life, complete with their chosen pub.
another one of the great things about this series is that you can rewatch the whole run every year or so and still get new angles on things or even notice how your empathy changes about certain characters as you keep maturing along with the show.. a true masterpiece..
It's definitely the rewatch value for me. BB is my personal favorite show of all time but I can confidentially say that I've absolutely rewatched The Wire more times than I can count.
I've personally picked up new things from the girls and the comments in this rewatch that I didn't see before, and I've watched it several times over by now. All the pieces matter!
This is the only show I have ever watched more than once all the way through. I've revisited it many times over the years and it is still the high watermark for writing and ensemble acting. We'll probably never see the likes of it again. Glad you two loved it so much and thanks for taking the time to express your feelings and emotions without reservation. Keep up the great vids!
I have seen A LOT of shows in my lifetime within the medium and not one has left an impact on me like The Wire did/has. From The Sopranos to Breaking Bad to GoT to Mad Men to The Shield to The Americans and *none* of them top The Wire to me. This show is art imho, it transcends the medium it's a part of in comparison to its other compatriots. Just the very fact that this show is just as relevant now as it was when it first aired is crazy to me. The messages continue to stand tall and the point of the series remains so ever present. I thank you girls for taking the time and the challenge to watch this series in full. The fact that yall ended up liking it as much as yall did is just a bonus. Really great reactors and a very promising channel.
Amen. L&M brought me back to the excitement and the emotion of watching it for the first time all over again. The Wire may not be the most popular show of its time, but I've noticed that it keeps building a fanbase of thoughtful and empathetic people who discover it and realize how good it really is. Part of the fun of this rewatch has been the community of Wire veterans that have come together to share the experience again. I've really enjoyed all the comments from other fans and the insights and discussions and jokes that its brought out. You all are natural police lol
Bestie, we need to find a new channel to leave comments on, yo. Binge Buffoon is pretty good and has empathy with the characters and is only on S1. But these two amazing Serbian witches have set the standard.
@@Stefanthenautilus LMAO yassss natural police! Thank you for that friend. Absolutely agree with the thoughtful and empathetic part. Definitely enjoyed their reactions heavily as well. This new reactor era may be heavily beneficial to The Wire getting the exposure that it should've received and deserved way back when 🙏
@@chidiumeh LMAO I feel you bestie! And wow another reactor to this series has emerged? Look at that. Was just telling the previous commenter that this new era of reactor and discussion video content on youtube seems to be a blessing in disguise for this series as more and more people are becoming aware of it. Here for it. Guess I gotta another person I have to check out 😂
The Wire watchers community is among the most mature and most insightful there is. I'm glad that was represented so well on this channel and noticed by Lola and Milena. Well done y'all.
I would like to thank both of you. There are many reactions to "The Wire" on the internet, and I have seen an embarrassingly large number of them. Your reaction is my favorite and, in my opinion, the best. The attention to detail, emotional intelligence, and willingness to give this great show its due have been exceptional. We, the fans, truly appreciate it.
I like Jay and Jimmy's relationship a lot; he calls him his son in season one and breaks his psyche down to advocate for him to Rawls- but then he screws Jimmy and tells Rawls he doesn't want to be on the boat. But even that's a little redeeming in a funny way because he wins the bet he had with Jimmy about him riding the boat within a certain timespan. Then skipping to S5 Jay calling Jimmy the prodigsl son is a line/episode end I loved and then he's the one to sum up Jimmy's person and caresr and once again knocks it out of the park, cries, and they have a real deep hug. Idk it's not one of the most focused on but there's something special with it
@@karabomasibi2331 Landsman's character being pretty closely based on Sgt Landsman IRL (other than his looks lmao) whom the writers were close to, plays a big part of that. Dennis Mello, Bunny Colvin's second-in-command, is played by the real guy, hence his very authentic Bawlmer accent. Apparently the actual guy is a lot like this and gave them a lot of stories about the department that they ended up using.
Not sure if they cover it in the show, but -30- is what newspaper journalists used to type at the bottom of their articles when they handed them in to the editor. It is a fancy way of saying "The End"
Lance Reddick(Daniels) R.I.P said in an interview that none of his white friends and colleagues had watched 'The Wire'. Such a shame that so many people overlook this masterpiece because it's perceived as a 'black' show. Thank you for embracing this show and seeing it for what it is.
The best description of the Wire I've heard is that it's a Greek tragedy, where the insitutions that make up the city of Baltimore are in place of the Greek gods. Each one, whether it's the police department, the foster care program, or whatever operates with their own internal motivations and interacts with the show's characters with the same divine power and careless indifference. Trampling those characters underfoot or raising them up for what appear to be arbitrary reasons or often times downright luck.
Bubbles is forever my favourite character and probably one of my favourite fictional characters EVER because his arc is LITERALLY the whole message of the show. Bubbles / People will forever be stuck in cycles of self destruction until Bubbles / People do everything in their power to break out Bubbles IS The Wire
and with help. Nobody can do it alone. Walen, his sister, even Kima and McNulty after he was no "use" to them anymore. All showed him grace and support.
Funnily enough your reactions are literally what got me to continue watching The Wire. I always heard it as one of the greatest shows...never believed it. And when these reactions hit i decided to watch it...and now consider it one of my top 3. Without these reactions I'd probably never have continued The Wire Top 3 shows I'd Probably go: - Better Call Saul - The Wire - Breaking Bad
The sopranos is absolutely amazing but its insabely depressing and thats understandable if it isnt your thing. It isnt my 'thing' either but still, I think its one of the top 5 tv shows ever made@@derekprospero
The Wire is definitely not a show for everyone (which is ironic considering that I believe, very highly, this is a show that should be watched, at least once, by everyone) since it literally plays by its own rules and subverts viewers expectations. It's a show that demands your attention and does not just give you what you want. It rewards you for sticking with it and getting what it's trying to say. The complexity, depth/layers and themes are just unmatched by any other for the television landscape to me. I enjoy/enjoyed other shows way more than The Wire (BB, Criminal Minds, GoT, CSI: OG series, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, etc.) but for me the number one great will always be this masterpiece.
@@monadreher2428 Now that you mention it, I would enjoy seeing these two watch Battlestar Galactica or Buffy for something a bit lighter. Don't know if they're into sci-fi or supernatural stuff though.
@@Stefanthenautilus I actually don't know either but they are very diverse with their content (from what I've seen) so it's quite possible. Absolutely would love a BSG or Buffy reaction. BSG in particular is massively underrated in the reactor verse lml
Of all the people I've watched The Wire with and all the reactions to it I've seen, no one has ever understood the show half as well as you two have on first viewing (I definitely put myself in there too!). Incredibly impressive how many things you predicted correctly before they happened. Gonna really miss watching these reactions! Thank you
There are 3 prequel shorts HBO put out as well. One on McNulty and Bunk meeting, one on young Omar and one on Prop Joe. They’re about 5 minutes long. Then there’s the six part The Corner, that was written by the same team and covers a west Baltimore corner for a year. It came out before The Wire. A lot of actors you’ll recognize from The Wire.
49:45 is brutal man. I remember when I first saw this show in high school I was gut punched by seeing Duke going downhill. Years go by and I meet my now wife and I haven’t seen the show since high school. When my wife saw this scene my wife balled like a baby and couldn’t but than when Bubbs was able to walk up those stairs tears of joy came out again. Fantastic show
Can you two please react to The Sopranos next? You girls will love it. The Sopranos was the show that overshadowed The Wire in the 2000s and, like the wire, it's also considered one of the best TV shows ever. It's a crime show about the mafia. Tony Soprano was a big inspiration for creating Walter White.
Love it? I think they'd hate it. They'd appreciate the craft of it, and the subtlety, and attention to detail. But the characters? The immorality of it all? They'd have no one to root for. It's a cruel soap opera with a cast of horrendous sociopaths.
You guys, I have no profound insights that haven't already been expressed better than I ever could, so let's just say Thank You for reacting to this show with such intelligence, grace and full-heartedness. What a journey!
Best reactors on RUclips period ! Thank you both for this and what a treat it was. The RUclips channel funny or die made a short comedy parody as if the wire was a musical. It has several of the big actors from the show including Omar performing song and dance. It’s really funny and I think y’all would enjoy it
As someone who’s watched the show over 20 times (no exaggeration), y’all have had the most insightful reactions. I’ve enjoyed the discussions after every episode, the greatest and most thoughtful provoking show of all time. Thank you ladies!
Been waiting all these months to see how you two would react to two of the greatest moments in TV history...Bubs coming up those stairs and Slim peeling that rat Cheese's cap. This was a great ride,ladies,thank you so much for your efforts and your insights.
So glad you guys got to experience this amazing show. One of the greatest shows ever. Nice to see you appreciate all the nuances and the emotional moments! Maybe now it's time to start The Sopranos (if you haven't already).
Really enjoyed watching this with you guys - might be my favorite reaction to my favorite show! Fun Fact: The actor who played Gus is Clark Johnson - He was the director for the very first episode! He was also an actor in the TV Series, Homicide, Life on the Street (worth checking out!) which was also set in Baltimore and is based on a book that David Simon wrote.
I don't really watch a lot of react channels, but from what I can tell these two have set the bar high. Looking forward to seeing what other shows they tackle in the future.
Been a great experience watching you two go through this. Watching it from the perspective of two young women has been very informative. Thanks for all the fun!
I'd like to recommend The Good Place for future reactions from you both. It's a sitcom of sorts but is deserving of the huge amounts of insight and moral-wrangling you offer. There's a lot of room for discussion as the show goes on and I feel like it's one of those shows that deserves the attention of such thoughtful people. Loved these Wire reactions. They are now my favourite for this show. You've both been so great.
This is a great recommendation for a change of pace! Hilarious but with depth and heartwarming elements. They deserve this (instead of Sopranos, which I agree, they will probably not enjoy very much).
It's been a wild ride. please don't be discouraged by the breaking bad comments. Breaking bad community is a lot younger and more immature than the sopranos community, i know you'll enjoy it.. also the most hated character in sopranos is EASILY AJ so i understand the hints of misogynism you feel, but in sopranos it actually makes sense once you see it. Also mcnulty confronting scott is such a legendary moment for me.
You guys should consider reacting to "We Own This City" It's kind of like a follow-up to The Wire, by the same creator of this show (Daivid Simon) and starring more than a few of the same The Wire actors (but in very very very different roles from their Wire roles, that you'd never expect). It's based on what happened in the aftermath of a real life event in the city of Baltimore and using the same kind of lens of realism It's a very quick 6 episode reaction you would get through very quickly but a great fix for when you're missing The Wire and need a quick fix. And then when you really feel you're hardcore, you might even consider doing (what's considered by many to be the prequel show to the Wire. It's called 'The Corner' and like The Wire was also made by David Simon, it also has quite a few familiar faces from The Wire from before they became famous from The Wire (and also in totally different roles. Some of them will shock you). It's a little bit more grounded and heart-wrhenching than the other two shows, but really really great as well. Both very great shows to react to for anyone who considers themselves true fans of The Wire, and I would say they are must-watch shows.
Marlo doesn't get taken by the businessmen. Remember, the lawyer told Stringer that he should have come to his lawyer before dealing in business. The lawyer made the intro to the businessmen and told Marlo to never be alone with them without the lawyer. Marlo can start new and fresh, but the streets are calling him.
thank y’all for reacting to this show, i watched for the first time during the best point on my life and i cried a lot, i love this show, watched for second time with you girls, thank you all
Thank you for going on this journey and showing your raw honest reactions to it all, emotions, thoughts, and predictions, I appreciate so many of these reactions and wanted to wish you well and all the luck in the world going forward. All the best.
I dont know why I didnt think of this before, but as for recommendations to watch now, seriously, Six Feet Under. I watched it least year, it's from 1999 and its unbelievably good. Best opening and final episode or all time in my opinion, but i think you'd love it more than the Sopranos and in my opinion its just as good for the most part.
Thank you so much for the ride, girls. Amazing reaction series! Hands down one of the best reaction channels of this platform. Hope I get to enjoy a lot more shows with you two
Valchek becoming police commissioner is hilarious. Everyone talks about how much they don't want him in that position, and Nerese thought she could bend Daniels to playing it her way and he outright quits. So now the ministers and her are stuck with Valchek.
Damn... what am I going to refresh my youtube-page for now? I guess it's onto the next show. :) Thanks for reacting to this, the greatest story ever put on television (IMO).
It's absolutely insane how well they make you go from absolutely hating prezbo to absolutely loving him. The transformations in development, but especially the comparisons between the characters that people in the comments section have made are cool.
You girls might actually be a good fit for the other David Simon shows, if you can't get enough of these actors. Treme in particular might suit you. It can be a frustrating show if you're expecting big story arcs, as not much seems to happen, but you girls seem to find joy in the small human moments and in the social themes, and Treme is filled with those. You'll see the actors for Lester,Bunk, Waylon, Prez, Slim, Ziggy all popping up, too, and it's a very human show about another city trying to survive the systems that want to drown it. Literally.
Definitely probably should watch We Own This City. That show honestly makes Daniels' ending even more tragic imo since the cops in that series are legit *demonic* showing why someone like Daniels SHOULD be in charge of the police department.
Thank you for reacting to this series and your thoughts along the way. Il just wanted to recommend Simon’s previous show “The Corner”. Ran briefly on HBO, I think it is only available on RUclips. It’s the seed from which The Wire spawned and I found it fascinating to watch for the similarities and how the writers grew. On location in Baltimore like The Wire and many of the same cast members that were a blast to see in very different roles.
If you wait a month or 2 and then watch episode 1 of season 1 again you will end up watching the entire season again, guaranteed. I’ve done that 6 times.
The introduction of the four kids and what they became, and what their potential was originally, was the greatest part of the show. So many ways they could have gone depending on luck. Namond: Potential outcomes: DeAngelo, Cheese or now Clay Davis. Michael: Potential outcomes: Omar, Cutty Dukie: Potential outcomes: Bubbles, Wallace Ramdy: Potential outcomes: Marlo, Officer Walker
In season one, when Waylon meets Bubs he tells him that an addict had to reach his bottom before he could be ready to get clean. Sure enough, killing Sherod was Bubs' lowest point, and from then on we only saw him getting well.
What a show. One of the best ever made. Still relevant and important today. And even the weaker season 5, had it's amazing moments. Also, Lester played the entire thing so wrong. They had Levy on tape, and they went to just blackmail him? The second they did that, they opened a window for him, when closing a door. Avon, Marlo, Joe, Slim, Kingpings come and go, but Levy is always there. Taking him down would have ruined Marlo's chances at getting out, since he would have had to get a totally new lawyer, who doesn't know anything about his case. Hell, threaten Levy with the orange jumpsuit, and maybe he sings about all sorts of things he has done. But no, they tried a half assed blackmail, and Marlo walked. Lester and Ronnie really dropped the ball in the end. At least Omar won the war with Marlo. Omar is glorified in street legend like a greek myth. Marlo is already semi forgotten, and as soon as he makes moves on the street, the case comes back on him. And his last scene shows that while Stringer wanted to walk away with the bag of money, Marlo doesn't care about the material. He cares about the immaterial, his reputation. And Omar took that from him. And the last scene also showed that he can't go 15 minutes, without going down to the street and getting into a beef. He will be taken down in no time. Doesn't bode well for both our boys Jimmy and Lester, who might also be brought down with him, but that's how it goes. In the end, the wheel keeps spinning. Same game, new faces. We didn't beat the system, the schools still suck, the street sucks, the ports suck, everything is bad, but we did get some personal victories. The Wire shows that you will never win the big fight, but on a very small, human level, you might get some small wins.
Wait what? I agree with everything stated except for the Levy/Pearlman/Lester take. The minute Levy found out there was a possible illegal wire tap it was a rap (you can thank Herc for that). That's why they had to barter in the first place. Pearlman literally did the best that she could in that situation. And she was highly successful with it. She out bluffed someone like Levy and made the final demand that he *had* to agree to. Ion know what else you wanted them to do in that scenario.
@@monadreher2428 They should have handled Levy in a different way. Basically they could have given in the totally unrelated evidence that Levy was buying sealed court documents. By the end of the week, Levy would have been disbarred, under investigation, and lawyering up himself. He would have no time on legal right to deal with Marlo, when he stands accused of a crime himself. Basically take Marlo's competent, in the know lawyer out of the game, before Marlo's trial. But they took the evidence they had against Levy, and rolled it into the Marlo case, by making a deal.
@@transformersrevenge9 Yeah...because Levy knew about the possible illegal wire tap. I'm not too sure why that's not being grasped. Lester's plan initially was to do just that, at least to some compacity, but then Levy confronted Rhonda about the wiretap. As she stated to Steintorff what he knows now or suspects won't matter once he puts it all together down the line due to the police not being able to conjure up a credible witness for how they received all that information. They didn't want to risk going to trial for that exact reason. Hence the bartering comes into play.
You guys are amazing. The way you took to the time to analyze the deeper meaning of the characters and how nuanced the were. I love this show. Like you guys, I didn’t experience it until recently. I had always heard about different things from my only siblings but didn’t get what they were talking about. I love this show so much. Every season highlighted something that the world needed to truly know. Unfortunately the only issue with this show is that nobody really learned anything from it. We still allow the government to hurt and abuse so many under the guise of “fighting the war on drugs.” It’s disgusting. But things are slowly starting to get better though. Again you guys are great. Thanks a lot.
Been a pleasure watching this show again with y’all, it is an amazing series, would be interesting to see how you feel after the second watch, I liked it more because there was so much I missed that made more sense the second time
I’m sad this journey is over. But thank you for reacting to this amazing show, y’all were already great reactors but y’all are prob my favorite channel that’s reacted to this show. You just got it, y’all picked up on things that I hadn’t noticed even on my 3rd or 4th rewatch! 🫶🏼
Because this is the last episode and you are hungry for more Wire related content, I'd like to make a final appeal to watch the show The Corner. Either as a reaction or just on your own time. It's basically a pre-Wire, if it wasn't for the The Corner, The Wire would not exist. It's only 6 episodes, more focused, from the same creator (David Simon) and a lot of the same actors too. Highly recommended. It's as close as you're going to get to experiencing anything like The Wire again.
Are you guys taking any requests of shows to watch on patreon or is there a RUclips poll or anything? I think Snowfall would be a great show to piggy back off the wire, I believe it would bring in the same viewing audience as the wire reaction viewers
Regarding Randy - I read that at some point you see in some file that that he is Cheese's son, and that the creators planed to had some scene about it but cut it out. There is a fan theory that cheese inherited Joe's money and family house, and that Randy should inherit it now that Cheese died. So you can imagine Randy gets a somewhat good ending. It also nice to know Randy has in him Joe's good qualities, even if his father didn't.
Chris Partlow and Weebay talking together in the prison yard, after having been on different sides of gang warfare, and with Barksdale watching over them in the jail, because they're all from East Baltimore. Like here's the next ruthless killer team who will take over the game again once they get out, if they get out. But at least Cheese got whacked, the treacherous cur. And then the fat man saying that McNulty learned nothing, admitted no mistakes and stayed an asshole - when it's the whole police and political system which hasn't learned or taken responsibility or changed at all in the end. I think that the message of "just do your best as an individual" is the message the writers wanted you to get, but also it's not good enough, because clearly the US political system and class system is set up to overcome the sum of personal good individuals can do on their own. It's a depoliticising message that in a way I think encouraged liberal complacency about the structures of power, and what Mark Fisher has called "Capitalist Realism", a fatalism about the injustice of the system in the belief that as Margaret Thatcher said "There Is No Alternative" to the neoliberal policies which destroyed working class power and rights and engineered immense and continuing redistribution of wealth and income upwards through privatisation, tax cuts for the rich and big business and financial deregulation, combined with de-industrialisation and smashing unions, all in the name of free trade, free markets and "liberty". In the US especially, as the show portrays, a big part of the problem, the part which US liberals as well as conservatives do not allow themselves to see, is the US Constitution, which makes sure that politicians never have sufficient power to overcome the power of big business and financial interests, to deliver on anything which the people, the vast majority, want and need which would involve taxing corporations and the rich or limiting their political power. The Constitution is worshipped as a god in America, and no-one is allowed to challenge it or put its replacement on the table as a political cause. But it is working as intended, to drastically limit democracy when it comes to reforms which the masses want and need, as opposed to business interests. So ultimately the message that people need to take away is not just do your best personally, but also organise for revolution, and fight to build working class and collective power. I think that you would like the Henning Mankel "Wallander" shows, in terms of police detectives struggling with the system in the course of investigating crimes.
That last shot revealed who the true main character was, it was never McNulty or Omar but Baltimore. I love the moral of the story, life goes on but the game remains the same.
The players change but the game remains the same
it def wasn’t Omar with this screen time he got, he’s character is just huge because he got the best scenes and lines in this show
@@lvcrmamilOmar is the Deutaragonist and Jimmy is protagonist.
Here's to Milena and Lola, they were real ree-actors! 🫡🍺
They're good, but cry a little too much.
I can’t say how glad I am that this channel is something I can refer back to when I need my commentary fix on the Wire. Hearing Milena and Lola’s insights on this show has been a fantastic journey.
All the laughs, tears, frustration and tragedy, all of it was worth it just to see Bubs walk up those stairs
Slim Charles is such a real one for putting down Cheese for what he did to his uncle. Even though he's a background character he always had my respect. It was pleasure to watch you guys and your insight on the Wire.
Wouldnt say my favorite as he did shoot an innocent kid, but the one character most fitted to take the mantle after Marlo, I agree
Probably legit the only time in The Wire where a murder had me shout in joy not for nothing 😂
@@monsta6501Innocent kid selling drugs? 😂
@@woahblackbettybamalam The entire point of this show was lost on you
@@etcoolhouse1917 Blacks and not having self responsibility.. Name are more iconic duo
Better reactions and commentary for this series you will not find anywhere else.
It's been a pleasure!
Facts
Friend request reviews are really good too
This was a great joy watching this show for the 4th time in 20 yrs with you guys. Your insight is so thoughtful. ❤.
Just "4th"?????
Pshhh....
Amateur.
(*Just kidding...
I've lost count how many times I've watched it)
Just when I thought I was out...they pulled me right back in!
I'm so happy to have discovered these two in time for them to take on The Wire. I love introducing other people to the show for the first time, and L&M have more than done it justice with this watch series. It's a testament to the story's power that even people who aren't from Baltimore or the United States can get so deeply hooked like this, it warms my cynical heart a bit lol
Everything Stringer wanted Marlo got. Duke became the new Bubbles and Mike became the new Omar. Things really go around. The greatest series ever created. Great reactions!
I think the implication is that Marlo probably isn't going to be able to keep what he got. He's clearly intimidated by the straight world. Like when the kids go to Ruth's Chris for a steak dinner. They aren't socialized for that environment, so they feel inadequate. Marlo flees from that business gathering like a child.
@@jon8004 I agree. Marlo wanted no part in that world. He only understood the game.
bubbles in S1: You want to know if a fiend's for real or not? look at his shoes
Bubbles in S5: finally walk up the stairs with a clean shoes
Well ladies. Let me just say, this was hands down the best reaction series Ive ever been a part of, let alone the best Wire reactions out there. You two are extremely empathetic, knowledgeable and grounded. As a matter of fact, Ive enjoyed this reaction series so much, I plan to burn through it again when I have some time, now that I can binge it. Please don't ever change. Empathy is a superpower. You two give me hope. I am extremely saddened this series is coming to an end. I watched your BB reacts a few years back, then rediscovered you through Mr. Robot last year and that led straight to the Wire. I have grown attached to you both and your ASMR style of content. I have grown attached to unwinding in the evenings with you two, so I will stay around in the hopes that you watch another series I'm privy to in the near future (I have seen Black Sails and heard you've started it, so perhaps we can keep the streak going). Nothing but love and respect to you two......❤🍉
McNulty’s wake and Landsman’s eulogy is one of my favorite scenes in the whole show
One funny quirk this show points out is how all cops become culturally Irish in the US, regardless of where they come from or what their skin color is. Certainly is true where I live as well. The tradition of fake "wakes" for fallen or retired officers is another one taken right from real life, complete with their chosen pub.
another one of the great things about this series is that you can rewatch the whole run every year or so and still get new angles on things or even notice how your empathy changes about certain characters as you keep maturing along with the show.. a true masterpiece..
It's definitely the rewatch value for me. BB is my personal favorite show of all time but I can confidentially say that I've absolutely rewatched The Wire more times than I can count.
I've personally picked up new things from the girls and the comments in this rewatch that I didn't see before, and I've watched it several times over by now. All the pieces matter!
Probably 6 times for me. And I'm ready to restart it right now.
This is the only show I have ever watched more than once all the way through. I've revisited it many times over the years and it is still the high watermark for writing and ensemble acting. We'll probably never see the likes of it again. Glad you two loved it so much and thanks for taking the time to express your feelings and emotions without reservation. Keep up the great vids!
I can’t believe we’ve already made it here. You two are the best reactors on this site hands down. Also, Dukie’s final appearance still hurts my soul.
It just occurred to me that Namond will become one of the politicians that the girls hate. While Duke might become Bubbs, whom they love.
I have seen A LOT of shows in my lifetime within the medium and not one has left an impact on me like The Wire did/has. From The Sopranos to Breaking Bad to GoT to Mad Men to The Shield to The Americans and *none* of them top The Wire to me. This show is art imho, it transcends the medium it's a part of in comparison to its other compatriots. Just the very fact that this show is just as relevant now as it was when it first aired is crazy to me. The messages continue to stand tall and the point of the series remains so ever present. I thank you girls for taking the time and the challenge to watch this series in full. The fact that yall ended up liking it as much as yall did is just a bonus. Really great reactors and a very promising channel.
Amen. L&M brought me back to the excitement and the emotion of watching it for the first time all over again. The Wire may not be the most popular show of its time, but I've noticed that it keeps building a fanbase of thoughtful and empathetic people who discover it and realize how good it really is. Part of the fun of this rewatch has been the community of Wire veterans that have come together to share the experience again. I've really enjoyed all the comments from other fans and the insights and discussions and jokes that its brought out. You all are natural police lol
Bestie, we need to find a new channel to leave comments on, yo. Binge Buffoon is pretty good and has empathy with the characters and is only on S1. But these two amazing Serbian witches have set the standard.
@@Stefanthenautilus LMAO yassss natural police! Thank you for that friend. Absolutely agree with the thoughtful and empathetic part. Definitely enjoyed their reactions heavily as well. This new reactor era may be heavily beneficial to The Wire getting the exposure that it should've received and deserved way back when 🙏
@@chidiumeh LMAO I feel you bestie! And wow another reactor to this series has emerged? Look at that. Was just telling the previous commenter that this new era of reactor and discussion video content on youtube seems to be a blessing in disguise for this series as more and more people are becoming aware of it. Here for it. Guess I gotta another person I have to check out 😂
Yeah the Americans is heavily slept on
The Wire watchers community is among the most mature and most insightful there is. I'm glad that was represented so well on this channel and noticed by Lola and Milena. Well done y'all.
Still my favorite finale. That final montage, perfection.
Mine too next to Better call saul and Six feet under
I would like to thank both of you. There are many reactions to "The Wire" on the internet, and I have seen an embarrassingly large number of them. Your reaction is my favorite and, in my opinion, the best. The attention to detail, emotional intelligence, and willingness to give this great show its due have been exceptional. We, the fans, truly appreciate it.
Thanks ladies, it's been a pleasure, best reactions to 'The Wire' on youtube. Now lets watch it again, it's even better the second time around.😁
I like Jay and Jimmy's relationship a lot; he calls him his son in season one and breaks his psyche down to advocate for him to Rawls- but then he screws Jimmy and tells Rawls he doesn't want to be on the boat.
But even that's a little redeeming in a funny way because he wins the bet he had with Jimmy about him riding the boat within a certain timespan.
Then skipping to S5 Jay calling Jimmy the prodigsl son is a line/episode end I loved and then he's the one to sum up Jimmy's person and caresr and once again knocks it out of the park, cries, and they have a real deep hug.
Idk it's not one of the most focused on but there's something special with it
Yeah. Jay gave the best Eulogy for Jimmy's career that anyone can give. He let his facade fade and he was real about how he felt about Jimmy
@@karabomasibi2331 Landsman's character being pretty closely based on Sgt Landsman IRL (other than his looks lmao) whom the writers were close to, plays a big part of that. Dennis Mello, Bunny Colvin's second-in-command, is played by the real guy, hence his very authentic Bawlmer accent. Apparently the actual guy is a lot like this and gave them a lot of stories about the department that they ended up using.
Not sure if they cover it in the show, but -30- is what newspaper journalists used to type at the bottom of their articles when they handed them in to the editor. It is a fancy way of saying "The End"
In March of 2024, Baltimore will finally complete the years long project to dredge the channel to Port of Baltimore. RIP Frank Sobotka.
Sadly, they’re preoccupied with something else right now.
Lance Reddick(Daniels) R.I.P said in an interview that none of his white friends and colleagues had watched 'The Wire'. Such a shame that so many people overlook this masterpiece because it's perceived as a 'black' show. Thank you for embracing this show and seeing it for what it is.
The best description of the Wire I've heard is that it's a Greek tragedy, where the insitutions that make up the city of Baltimore are in place of the Greek gods. Each one, whether it's the police department, the foster care program, or whatever operates with their own internal motivations and interacts with the show's characters with the same divine power and careless indifference. Trampling those characters underfoot or raising them up for what appear to be arbitrary reasons or often times downright luck.
Jesus man, that’s a fucking incredible way to capture it, that hit hard.
David Simon himself said this I’m pretty sure
"This is Baltimore, gentleman. The gods will not save you."
@@chrisbade2119 Yes, look for the video of David Simon, "The Audacity of Despair", according to my notes ,around the 53 minute mark.
Bubbles is forever my favourite character and probably one of my favourite fictional characters EVER because his arc is LITERALLY the whole message of the show. Bubbles / People will forever be stuck in cycles of self destruction until Bubbles / People do everything in their power to break out
Bubbles IS The Wire
and with help. Nobody can do it alone. Walen, his sister, even Kima and McNulty after he was no "use" to them anymore. All showed him grace and support.
Funnily enough your reactions are literally what got me to continue watching The Wire. I always heard it as one of the greatest shows...never believed it. And when these reactions hit i decided to watch it...and now consider it one of my top 3. Without these reactions I'd probably never have continued The Wire
Top 3 shows I'd Probably go:
- Better Call Saul
- The Wire
- Breaking Bad
The sopranos is absolutely amazing but its insabely depressing and thats understandable if it isnt your thing. It isnt my 'thing' either but still, I think its one of the top 5 tv shows ever made@@derekprospero
The Wire is definitely not a show for everyone (which is ironic considering that I believe, very highly, this is a show that should be watched, at least once, by everyone) since it literally plays by its own rules and subverts viewers expectations. It's a show that demands your attention and does not just give you what you want. It rewards you for sticking with it and getting what it's trying to say. The complexity, depth/layers and themes are just unmatched by any other for the television landscape to me. I enjoy/enjoyed other shows way more than The Wire (BB, Criminal Minds, GoT, CSI: OG series, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, etc.) but for me the number one great will always be this masterpiece.
@@monadreher2428 Now that you mention it, I would enjoy seeing these two watch Battlestar Galactica or Buffy for something a bit lighter. Don't know if they're into sci-fi or supernatural stuff though.
@@Stefanthenautilus I actually don't know either but they are very diverse with their content (from what I've seen) so it's quite possible. Absolutely would love a BSG or Buffy reaction. BSG in particular is massively underrated in the reactor verse lml
Of all the people I've watched The Wire with and all the reactions to it I've seen, no one has ever understood the show half as well as you two have on first viewing (I definitely put myself in there too!). Incredibly impressive how many things you predicted correctly before they happened. Gonna really miss watching these reactions! Thank you
There are 3 prequel shorts HBO put out as well. One on McNulty and Bunk meeting, one on young Omar and one on Prop Joe. They’re about 5 minutes long. Then there’s the six part The Corner, that was written by the same team and covers a west Baltimore corner for a year. It came out before The Wire. A lot of actors you’ll recognize from The Wire.
49:45 is brutal man. I remember when I first saw this show in high school I was gut punched by seeing Duke going downhill. Years go by and I meet my now wife and I haven’t seen the show since high school. When my wife saw this scene my wife balled like a baby and couldn’t but than when Bubbs was able to walk up those stairs tears of joy came out again. Fantastic show
Can you two please react to The Sopranos next? You girls will love it.
The Sopranos was the show that overshadowed The Wire in the 2000s and, like the wire, it's also considered one of the best TV shows ever. It's a crime show about the mafia. Tony Soprano was a big inspiration for creating Walter White.
Love it? I think they'd hate it. They'd appreciate the craft of it, and the subtlety, and attention to detail. But the characters? The immorality of it all? They'd have no one to root for. It's a cruel soap opera with a cast of horrendous sociopaths.
@@1lamafarmerThey could root for Jackie Jr, outta respect to his fawtha.
@@moriellymoproblems7842 God rest his soul.
One of the greatest television shows. I've really enjoyed watching your reactions to it. Thank you.
"No. I'm a fucking joke. And so are you."
Such an amazing, amazing scene.
You guys, I have no profound insights that haven't already been expressed better than I ever could, so let's just say Thank You for reacting to this show with such intelligence, grace and full-heartedness. What a journey!
Best reactors on RUclips period ! Thank you both for this and what a treat it was. The RUclips channel funny or die made a short comedy parody as if the wire was a musical. It has several of the big actors from the show including Omar performing song and dance. It’s really funny and I think y’all would enjoy it
As someone who’s watched the show over 20 times (no exaggeration), y’all have had the most insightful reactions. I’ve enjoyed the discussions after every episode, the greatest and most thoughtful provoking show of all time. Thank you ladies!
Been waiting all these months to see how you two would react to two of the greatest moments in TV history...Bubs coming up those stairs and Slim peeling that rat Cheese's cap.
This was a great ride,ladies,thank you so much for your efforts and your insights.
The actor who plays Marlo lived in my neighborhood. It was surprising to see him as I came out of the grocery store.
Shoulda walked up to him and been like ‘do you know who I am’
You wanted it to be one way
Was his name on the street? 😂
@@JayCity10 Why do you think that would be funny?
So glad you guys got to experience this amazing show. One of the greatest shows ever. Nice to see you appreciate all the nuances and the emotional moments! Maybe now it's time to start The Sopranos (if you haven't already).
Really enjoyed watching this with you guys - might be my favorite reaction to my favorite show! Fun Fact: The actor who played Gus is Clark Johnson - He was the director for the very first episode! He was also an actor in the TV Series, Homicide, Life on the Street (worth checking out!) which was also set in Baltimore and is based on a book that David Simon wrote.
This has been my favorite reaction to any TV show, by any reactor. Kudos to you both.
I don't really watch a lot of react channels, but from what I can tell these two have set the bar high. Looking forward to seeing what other shows they tackle in the future.
I love this show and this last episode so so much, thank you for doing this. You are the best
Excelente reacción. Me genera mucha alegría ver como tantas personas de diferentes partes del mundo entienden y valoran esta gran historia.
A lot of people don't realize Avon will be back out in a few years he's one of the few winners
The bubbles redemption arc is one of the most satisfying in any show ever.
Hey yo Bubbs, lock that basement door behind you brother. 👍
Thank you both for these reactions. ❤
Been a great experience watching you two go through this. Watching it from the perspective of two young women has been very informative. Thanks for all the fun!
I'd like to recommend The Good Place for future reactions from you both. It's a sitcom of sorts but is deserving of the huge amounts of insight and moral-wrangling you offer. There's a lot of room for discussion as the show goes on and I feel like it's one of those shows that deserves the attention of such thoughtful people.
Loved these Wire reactions. They are now my favourite for this show. You've both been so great.
This is a great recommendation for a change of pace! Hilarious but with depth and heartwarming elements. They deserve this (instead of Sopranos, which I agree, they will probably not enjoy very much).
It's been a wild ride. please don't be discouraged by the breaking bad comments. Breaking bad community is a lot younger and more immature than the sopranos community, i know you'll enjoy it.. also the most hated character in sopranos is EASILY AJ so i understand the hints of misogynism you feel, but in sopranos it actually makes sense once you see it.
Also mcnulty confronting scott is such a legendary moment for me.
You guys should consider reacting to "We Own This City"
It's kind of like a follow-up to The Wire, by the same creator of this show (Daivid Simon) and starring more than a few of the same The Wire actors (but in very very very different roles from their Wire roles, that you'd never expect).
It's based on what happened in the aftermath of a real life event in the city of Baltimore and using the same kind of lens of realism
It's a very quick 6 episode reaction you would get through very quickly but a great fix for when you're missing The Wire and need a quick fix.
And then when you really feel you're hardcore, you might even consider doing (what's considered by many to be the prequel show to the Wire. It's called 'The Corner' and like The Wire was also made by David Simon, it also has quite a few familiar faces from The Wire from before they became famous from The Wire (and also in totally different roles. Some of them will shock you).
It's a little bit more grounded and heart-wrhenching than the other two shows, but really really great as well.
Both very great shows to react to for anyone who considers themselves true fans of The Wire, and I would say they are must-watch shows.
Is we own the city good enough?
Marlo doesn't get taken by the businessmen. Remember, the lawyer told Stringer that he should have come to his lawyer before dealing in business. The lawyer made the intro to the businessmen and told Marlo to never be alone with them without the lawyer. Marlo can start new and fresh, but the streets are calling him.
The best reaction ever to the best TV show ever. Thank you guys for the ride.
thank y’all for reacting to this show, i watched for the first time during the best point on my life and i cried a lot, i love this show, watched for second time with you girls, thank you all
Thank you for going on this journey and showing your raw honest reactions to it all, emotions, thoughts, and predictions, I appreciate so many of these reactions and wanted to wish you well and all the luck in the world going forward. All the best.
I dont know why I didnt think of this before, but as for recommendations to watch now, seriously, Six Feet Under. I watched it least year, it's from 1999 and its unbelievably good. Best opening and final episode or all time in my opinion, but i think you'd love it more than the Sopranos and in my opinion its just as good for the most part.
I believe Prez was the only police to fire a weapon on the show.
One thing that doesn't become clear until later because so much of going on. Rhonda is guilty as anyone.
Amazing, thoughtful, genuine reviews the entire way through this all-timer series. Thanks, guys!
Thank you for amazing reactions!
Milena is my girl!!! Very insightful amd gets things right. Im going to miss this. Great reactions ladies! Its been a joy.
remarkable emotional intelligence
Thank you so much for the ride, girls. Amazing reaction series! Hands down one of the best reaction channels of this platform. Hope I get to enjoy a lot more shows with you two
Valchek becoming police commissioner is hilarious. Everyone talks about how much they don't want him in that position, and Nerese thought she could bend Daniels to playing it her way and he outright quits. So now the ministers and her are stuck with Valchek.
The actor who plays Michael is actually a singer too who had some success. You should look up some of his videos. He goes by the name of Mack Wilds.
One of the best reactions I’ve seen!
Props! Great analysis ladies. Thank you for your personal reflections. Very well considered. Good luck with the election!! ...and, uh...Deadwood!!!
Damn... what am I going to refresh my youtube-page for now? I guess it's onto the next show. :)
Thanks for reacting to this, the greatest story ever put on television (IMO).
Love yall so much thank you for this series. Truly nothing like it on youtube
It's absolutely insane how well they make you go from absolutely hating prezbo to absolutely loving him. The transformations in development, but especially the comparisons between the characters that people in the comments section have made are cool.
This show was made for people like you ❤
Now that you’re finished, it would be great to see you react to the closing montages from each season
You girls might actually be a good fit for the other David Simon shows, if you can't get enough of these actors. Treme in particular might suit you. It can be a frustrating show if you're expecting big story arcs, as not much seems to happen, but you girls seem to find joy in the small human moments and in the social themes, and Treme is filled with those. You'll see the actors for Lester,Bunk, Waylon, Prez, Slim, Ziggy all popping up, too, and it's a very human show about another city trying to survive the systems that want to drown it. Literally.
Don’t forget The Corner. Kinda of a The Wire prequel.
the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Our lives are a cycle on an endless loop. I'm grateful for the days passed and sights seen. Here's to more. 🎉
and all the pieces matter! thank very much girls! it was quite a trip! 👏👏👏
Thank you for this journey!
Watch We Own This City! Takes place in Baltimore, lots of the same themes, and several actors in common!
Definitely probably should watch We Own This City. That show honestly makes Daniels' ending even more tragic imo since the cops in that series are legit *demonic* showing why someone like Daniels SHOULD be in charge of the police department.
We own the city doesnt seem as fun
@@johnbarnes3365 I mean...it's not 😂😂😂 ALL of the events in that story *actually* happened.
Thank you for reacting to this series and your thoughts along the way. Il just wanted to recommend Simon’s previous show “The Corner”. Ran briefly on HBO, I think it is only available on RUclips. It’s the seed from which The Wire spawned and I found it fascinating to watch for the similarities and how the writers grew. On location in Baltimore like The Wire and many of the same cast members that were a blast to see in very different roles.
The Wire, Breaking Bad, Attack on Titan, Mob Psycho. This is now my go-to reaction channel as I've completed all of those series with this duo.
Almost forgot the underappreciated (by the Emmys) Better Call Saul.
You guys should check out "The Corner" next it's a miniseries that's extremely similar to The Wire 👌
You should react to 'We Own This City', which is about Baltimore and made by the same creators as The Wire.
This is Obama's favorite show. It definitely had a huge impact on many people's politics.
If you wait a month or 2 and then watch episode 1 of season 1 again you will end up watching the entire season again, guaranteed. I’ve done that 6 times.
The introduction of the four kids and what they became, and what their potential was originally, was the greatest part of the show. So many ways they could have gone depending on luck.
Namond: Potential outcomes: DeAngelo, Cheese or now Clay Davis.
Michael: Potential outcomes: Omar, Cutty
Dukie: Potential outcomes: Bubbles, Wallace
Ramdy: Potential outcomes: Marlo, Officer Walker
In season one, when Waylon meets Bubs he tells him that an addict had to reach his bottom before he could be ready to get clean. Sure enough, killing Sherod was Bubs' lowest point, and from then on we only saw him getting well.
I so hope you guys can do Generation Kill at some point, it's made by the same creators as the Wire and is an underrated gem
What a show. One of the best ever made. Still relevant and important today. And even the weaker season 5, had it's amazing moments.
Also, Lester played the entire thing so wrong. They had Levy on tape, and they went to just blackmail him? The second they did that, they opened a window for him, when closing a door. Avon, Marlo, Joe, Slim, Kingpings come and go, but Levy is always there. Taking him down would have ruined Marlo's chances at getting out, since he would have had to get a totally new lawyer, who doesn't know anything about his case. Hell, threaten Levy with the orange jumpsuit, and maybe he sings about all sorts of things he has done. But no, they tried a half assed blackmail, and Marlo walked. Lester and Ronnie really dropped the ball in the end.
At least Omar won the war with Marlo. Omar is glorified in street legend like a greek myth. Marlo is already semi forgotten, and as soon as he makes moves on the street, the case comes back on him. And his last scene shows that while Stringer wanted to walk away with the bag of money, Marlo doesn't care about the material. He cares about the immaterial, his reputation. And Omar took that from him. And the last scene also showed that he can't go 15 minutes, without going down to the street and getting into a beef. He will be taken down in no time. Doesn't bode well for both our boys Jimmy and Lester, who might also be brought down with him, but that's how it goes.
In the end, the wheel keeps spinning. Same game, new faces. We didn't beat the system, the schools still suck, the street sucks, the ports suck, everything is bad, but we did get some personal victories. The Wire shows that you will never win the big fight, but on a very small, human level, you might get some small wins.
Wait what? I agree with everything stated except for the Levy/Pearlman/Lester take. The minute Levy found out there was a possible illegal wire tap it was a rap (you can thank Herc for that). That's why they had to barter in the first place. Pearlman literally did the best that she could in that situation. And she was highly successful with it. She out bluffed someone like Levy and made the final demand that he *had* to agree to. Ion know what else you wanted them to do in that scenario.
@@monadreher2428 They should have handled Levy in a different way. Basically they could have given in the totally unrelated evidence that Levy was buying sealed court documents. By the end of the week, Levy would have been disbarred, under investigation, and lawyering up himself. He would have no time on legal right to deal with Marlo, when he stands accused of a crime himself. Basically take Marlo's competent, in the know lawyer out of the game, before Marlo's trial. But they took the evidence they had against Levy, and rolled it into the Marlo case, by making a deal.
@@transformersrevenge9 Yeah...because Levy knew about the possible illegal wire tap. I'm not too sure why that's not being grasped. Lester's plan initially was to do just that, at least to some compacity, but then Levy confronted Rhonda about the wiretap. As she stated to Steintorff what he knows now or suspects won't matter once he puts it all together down the line due to the police not being able to conjure up a credible witness for how they received all that information. They didn't want to risk going to trial for that exact reason. Hence the bartering comes into play.
You guys are amazing. The way you took to the time to analyze the deeper meaning of the characters and how nuanced the were. I love this show. Like you guys, I didn’t experience it until recently. I had always heard about different things from my only siblings but didn’t get what they were talking about. I love this show so much. Every season highlighted something that the world needed to truly know. Unfortunately the only issue with this show is that nobody really learned anything from it. We still allow the government to hurt and abuse so many under the guise of “fighting the war on drugs.” It’s disgusting. But things are slowly starting to get better though. Again you guys are great. Thanks a lot.
Been a pleasure watching this show again with y’all, it is an amazing series, would be interesting to see how you feel after the second watch, I liked it more because there was so much I missed that made more sense the second time
All the pain and frustration of the series is nearly worth it just to see Bubbles go up those stairs.
You guys are beautiful!…..Thanks for being honest giving your perspective 🙏🏽
Great watching along guys!
I’m sad this journey is over. But thank you for reacting to this amazing show, y’all were already great reactors but y’all are prob my favorite channel that’s reacted to this show. You just got it, y’all picked up on things that I hadn’t noticed even on my 3rd or 4th rewatch! 🫶🏼
One of the best shows ever
Because this is the last episode and you are hungry for more Wire related content, I'd like to make a final appeal to watch the show The Corner. Either as a reaction or just on your own time.
It's basically a pre-Wire, if it wasn't for the The Corner, The Wire would not exist. It's only 6 episodes, more focused, from the same creator (David Simon) and a lot of the same actors too. Highly recommended. It's as close as you're going to get to experiencing anything like The Wire again.
Best show ever
All the pieces matter. This has been a fantastic journey with you!
Are you guys taking any requests of shows to watch on patreon or is there a RUclips poll or anything? I think Snowfall would be a great show to piggy back off the wire, I believe it would bring in the same viewing audience as the wire reaction viewers
Mad Men, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, the best choices
Check out The Deuce, Treme, generation kill and we own this city! All David Simon all featuring many actors from The Wire.
While Generation Kill is just amazing, I don't think these two have the heart or stomach for it.
Regarding Randy - I read that at some point you see in some file that that he is Cheese's son, and that the creators planed to had some scene about it but cut it out. There is a fan theory that cheese inherited Joe's money and family house, and that Randy should inherit it now that Cheese died. So you can imagine Randy gets a somewhat good ending. It also nice to know Randy has in him Joe's good qualities, even if his father didn't.
Chris Partlow and Weebay talking together in the prison yard, after having been on different sides of gang warfare, and with Barksdale watching over them in the jail, because they're all from East Baltimore. Like here's the next ruthless killer team who will take over the game again once they get out, if they get out. But at least Cheese got whacked, the treacherous cur.
And then the fat man saying that McNulty learned nothing, admitted no mistakes and stayed an asshole - when it's the whole police and political system which hasn't learned or taken responsibility or changed at all in the end.
I think that the message of "just do your best as an individual" is the message the writers wanted you to get, but also it's not good enough, because clearly the US political system and class system is set up to overcome the sum of personal good individuals can do on their own. It's a depoliticising message that in a way I think encouraged liberal complacency about the structures of power, and what Mark Fisher has called "Capitalist Realism", a fatalism about the injustice of the system in the belief that as Margaret Thatcher said "There Is No Alternative" to the neoliberal policies which destroyed working class power and rights and engineered immense and continuing redistribution of wealth and income upwards through privatisation, tax cuts for the rich and big business and financial deregulation, combined with de-industrialisation and smashing unions, all in the name of free trade, free markets and "liberty".
In the US especially, as the show portrays, a big part of the problem, the part which US liberals as well as conservatives do not allow themselves to see, is the US Constitution, which makes sure that politicians never have sufficient power to overcome the power of big business and financial interests, to deliver on anything which the people, the vast majority, want and need which would involve taxing corporations and the rich or limiting their political power.
The Constitution is worshipped as a god in America, and no-one is allowed to challenge it or put its replacement on the table as a political cause. But it is working as intended, to drastically limit democracy when it comes to reforms which the masses want and need, as opposed to business interests. So ultimately the message that people need to take away is not just do your best personally, but also organise for revolution, and fight to build working class and collective power.
I think that you would like the Henning Mankel "Wallander" shows, in terms of police detectives struggling with the system in the course of investigating crimes.
Good post. One correction, Barksdale, Partlow and Weebay were all west side, not east.
Thanks. I wasn't sure but I couldn't be bothered to look it up. @@chidiumeh
I wonder if I'm the only one who thinks that the last Marlo scene aims to represent a junkie getting a fix.