Rhyme's Season 4 review of The Wire
The Wire Season 4 comes to DVD next week, and once again I've whipped up another review for Big Dot Com.
All three of you on my Flist that watch the show with me can read it behind the cut.
"We are not trying to do a cop show; we are trying to depict an American city." That's creator David Simon's take on his series The Wire, and it's never been more evident than in Season 4. Like its previous three seasons, Season 4 focuses on a theme: education -- or lack thereof -- for the children of West Baltimore. Namond Brice (Julito McCullum), Duquan "Dukie" Weems (Jermaine Crawford), Randy Wagstaff (Maestro Harrell), and Michael Lee (Tristan Wilds) all attend the same middle school in an area of Baltimore where drug dealing, shootings, and violence are commonplace. The season begins with the struggles of each boy to survive the reality of an inner-city Baltimore existence. When Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski (James True-Frost) leaves the Major Case Unit to become a teacher at the boys' school, even he can't comprehend how difficult teaching these boys will be. Meanwhile, the drug trade continues unchecked, with sociopath Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector) in absolute control. His enforcers Chris (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and Snoop (standout Felicia Pearson) go to every length to secure Marlo's corners -- including using a unique method of disposing rivals' bodies. That gets the attention of steel-eyed veteran detectives Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters), Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn), and Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), who, despite no longer working the wire, are still following Marlo's activities. Trying to keep the body count out of the public eye is new mayoral candidate Tommy Carcetti (Aidan Gillen), who faces an uphill battle in a town rife with corruption and backroom deals. By the time The Wire's 13-episode season ends, all three storylines converge into a sobering look at life -- and death -- in Baltimore.
All three of you on my Flist that watch the show with me can read it behind the cut.
"We are not trying to do a cop show; we are trying to depict an American city." That's creator David Simon's take on his series The Wire, and it's never been more evident than in Season 4. Like its previous three seasons, Season 4 focuses on a theme: education -- or lack thereof -- for the children of West Baltimore. Namond Brice (Julito McCullum), Duquan "Dukie" Weems (Jermaine Crawford), Randy Wagstaff (Maestro Harrell), and Michael Lee (Tristan Wilds) all attend the same middle school in an area of Baltimore where drug dealing, shootings, and violence are commonplace. The season begins with the struggles of each boy to survive the reality of an inner-city Baltimore existence. When Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski (James True-Frost) leaves the Major Case Unit to become a teacher at the boys' school, even he can't comprehend how difficult teaching these boys will be. Meanwhile, the drug trade continues unchecked, with sociopath Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector) in absolute control. His enforcers Chris (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and Snoop (standout Felicia Pearson) go to every length to secure Marlo's corners -- including using a unique method of disposing rivals' bodies. That gets the attention of steel-eyed veteran detectives Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters), Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn), and Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), who, despite no longer working the wire, are still following Marlo's activities. Trying to keep the body count out of the public eye is new mayoral candidate Tommy Carcetti (Aidan Gillen), who faces an uphill battle in a town rife with corruption and backroom deals. By the time The Wire's 13-episode season ends, all three storylines converge into a sobering look at life -- and death -- in Baltimore.