The Wire

[mostlikely2]

I have this theory about television, specifically popular television drama. Shows that are wildly popular -- not cult programs, but seriously nationwide popular -- have a thing that they give us. You go back to the same restaurant twice a month because you expect a certain dish or a certain flavor, right, so what keeps people coming back? What is

Comments

[cucumbersarnies]

The Wire = not robots. One of the things I love about the show is that it gives equal weight to all the characters- that you can sense a life beyond the page for them, and that though it is angry at the world, and moralistic, it's not angry or judgemental towards it's characters.

[mostlikely2]

"Angry at the world" and "moralistic" are two of my favorite things! Thanks!

[cucumbersarnies]

And you also get a functional knowledge of the drugs trade, and Jimmy McNulty's naked torso. It's the show that just keeps on giving.

[spectralbovine]

I've never thought of the show as being moralistic, I guess because, like you said, it's not judgmental toward its characters. I think the show may recognize that such things as morals exist, but it doesn't really care whether people have them or not.

It's very angry at the world, though. So very angry.

[cucumbersarnies]

It's possible that I'm reading my own bias into the show, but I think to make a show that angry, that is so clearly 'America is broken' as you put it, is to make a moral statement that something is wrong here. And I think, particularly in season 3, it's quite explict about what is wrong. I haven't had a chance to see seasons 4 or 5 yet.

The morals of the individual characters are interesting for me as well- the 'good guys' are cheaters in their own way, whereas other characters like Bubbles or Omar both live by quite strict moral codes, while consistently breaking the law. I think the show does care whether people have morals or not, it just presents that society does not have a consistent standard of morals that we all now live by.

[mostlikely2]

I think to make a show that angry, that is so clearly 'America is broken' as you put it, is to make a moral statement that something is wrong here

That was my reading of what you said, yes. Presenting amorality is in itself a moral statement by the narrative.

[spectralbovine]

Ah, I see what you're saying. Yeah, I agree with that.