Megan, they really are separate stories...there are little callbacks throughout for geeks that like that kind of thing, but some of my friends have found The Wire's pacing like waiting for paint to dry.ETA: Hec is quite right. Every dealer knows to make the first hit free.
Oh, I'm gonna go to the special hell.
Mal ,'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
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erikaj - Apr 26, 2010 12:58:18 pm PDT #7944 of 30000
"already on the kiss-cam with Karl Marx"-
DavidS - Apr 26, 2010 1:03:23 pm PDT #7945 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
but some of my friends have found The Wire's pacing like waiting for paint to dry.
Those people need to Shut UP!
I'm sorry. I'm tired of people bitching about the pacing on The Wire or Mad Men. It's not about pushing all your narrative buttons in one hour. There's set up and backstory and grace notes and depth about the culture and all that stuff pays off over the run of the season.
Yes, each episode should satisfy on its own merits but you can't bitch about the pacing because this is a kind of long form narrative and that's the way it works. And it works well. (Points at The Wire and Mad Men, gleaming in their obvious awesomeness.)
This is not a Quinn Martin production with four acts and beats to hit before the commercials.
javachik - Apr 26, 2010 1:08:31 pm PDT #7946 of 30000
Our wings are not tired.
I completely agree. When I want adrenaline, I watch "Kidnapped". But I also think that a lot happens in both "The Wire" and "Mad Men"; it's just more subtle. But something is actually happening every second, if you pay attention. Damn, it's a lot like baseball, actually. And people complain about baseball being too slow. When I want football or hockey (read: urgency and adrenaline), I watch "Kidnapped" or "Damages". When I want baseball or soccer (a slower, powerful narrative captured over time), I watch "The Wire" or "Mad Men" or "The Sopranos". They all have their appeal.
Polter-Cow - Apr 26, 2010 1:13:40 pm PDT #7947 of 30000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
I love The Wire but still think baseball is boring. Otherwise, though, neat use of sports metaphors, javachik.
javachik - Apr 26, 2010 1:16:29 pm PDT #7948 of 30000
Our wings are not tired.
Yeah, baseball isn't for everyone. It doesn't need to be. But thanks for the compliment.
Scrappy - Apr 26, 2010 1:24:37 pm PDT #7949 of 30000
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
Lotsa spicy brains on show in here today. Me like.
§ ita § - Apr 26, 2010 1:33:42 pm PDT #7950 of 30000
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
So what TV show would be cricket, then?
(I still haven't managed to make it into The Wire. I get that it's good--I'm just not in love yet)
(I do love cricket, though)
javachik - Apr 26, 2010 1:36:36 pm PDT #7951 of 30000
Our wings are not tired.
So what TV show would be cricket, then?
UK's "Cracker"!
Dana - Apr 26, 2010 1:39:49 pm PDT #7952 of 30000
I haven't trusted science since I saw the film "Flubber."
Oh, that was a great show.
DavidS - Apr 26, 2010 1:42:53 pm PDT #7953 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
So what TV show would be cricket, then?
What are the distinguishing traits of cricket as opposed to other sports?
Don't they have tests that go on for days? So I'm thinking long form. It's a highly skilled sport but has odd rules, so a bit eccentric. Also an odd combination of Old British Empire culture being ruled by its ex-colonies.
I'm imagining a combination of The It Crowd and MI-5.