The Wire 3x11 "Middle Ground"

[heresluck]

I've been watching The Wire from the beginning over the past couple of weeks. I have fallen for it, hard. I may write up thoughts at some point, but thus far I've been so caught up in the show I haven't wanted to pause to reflect; I just want to keep going. I will say that this show has proved that my narrative kinks for ensemble cast, ambiguous

Comments

I love this show

[arlan_bishop]

"(And yeah, Avon, the missing fourth point in this scene: straight-up gangsta in a way that's only superficially related to Omar's brand of street justice, that has increasingly little to do with Stringer's priorities.)"

I find what you said about what the others represent really interesting. I wonder if Avon represents some form hubristic (is that a word?) love. The Wire shows him serving as some of criminal and community father figure in many ways, but somehow he seems not quite levelheaded enough for it all. He's like a big brother who's taken on the role of the father, and it's not quite working out.

Re: I love this show

[heresluck]

You know, the more I think about what I wrote about Avon, the more I realize it's not nearly complex enough. And yeah, what you said about hubris clicks for me. Before Avon goes to prison, he's careful and cautious and, yeah, much more of a community father figure. Stringer is clearly a lot of the brains (and levelheadedness) and the *public* face of the operation, the one who can suit up, the one who reads Wealth of Nations (I love that part SO MUCH); Avon is the community or street face of the operation, and with good reason. But after prison, he's so concerned with getting back on top -- so concerned about Prop Joe and Marlo -- that he's even LESS levelheaded. Before his arrest, he's much more "all about the game," and after his release it's much more about HIM, his pride; he's more willing to sacrifice good sense to his gangsta street cred.

[anoel]

Yay The Wire! It truly is so addictive in a way that doesn't try to hard in a cliffhanger way. It just is and leaves you wanting more. That Stringer and Avon scene gets me every time from making me laugh along with them to breaking me with their last hug and separation. And the "Dream with me...We don't gotta dream no more." Gah. So amazing. I love how you describe all four of them and the differences between them. I just love how Stringer's caught between them, having to face the consequences of his actions and even though I love him desperately, I sadly can't help but feel that he's rightfully demised and support Omar and Brother Mouzone. This show *shakes head*

I really, really can't wait til you watch S4 and hopefully talk about it! Somehow it gets even better *mind boggles at the awesomeness*

[heresluck]

I'm so glad that people had mentioned that S4 is their favorite season, because after Stringer getting shot... I still wanted to keep watching the show, obviously, but I couldn't imagine it without Stringer! Now I've watched the first three episodes of S4, and I just love what they're doing; I love that McNulty has become more of a background figure, that we're following some completely new characters (the schoolboys), and that previously background figures like Carver and Bodie are coming to the fore. Plus: Omar is back! Yay!

[sdwolfpup]

showing all the affection and shared history and camaraderie they still feel, while also emphasizing the weight of betrayal on both sides

That scene remains one of my favorites of the whole show, and while it's stunning no matter where you come at it, I think it's hard to fully appreciate it until you've seen everything that comes before it so you get the full sense of what's between them. Stringer absolutely destroyed me in Season 3, because of all of the potential he had to be great outside of the drug world, except for the utter lack of opportunity to try. And watching him interact with the more "acceptable" but still shady contracting world was painful; seeing someone powerful (but that I respect), brought low is always difficult for me.

One of the things I also love about Stringer's storyline is the way they parallel at least his death with Bunny Colvin's firing, including both getting cut off exactly the same sentence before their respective "deaths" - Stringer's physical, of course, and Colvin's career.

[heresluck]

while it's stunning no matter where you come at it, I think it's hard to fully appreciate it until you've seen everything that comes before it so you get the full sense of what's between them.

Absolutely. This is one of the reasons I'm so looking forward to rewatching the show -- revisiting the first season with the knowledge that this is where it's all going... god, it's just heartbreaking.

Stringer absolutely destroyed me in Season 3, because of all of the potential he had to be great outside of the drug world, except for the utter lack of opportunity to try.

Yes, that's it exactly. That scene in 3x12 where they go to Stringer's beautiful apartment, all art and classy furniture, and Jimmy takes down The Wealth of Nations from its place of honor behind the desk and says something like "Who the hell have we been dealing with?" -- that just broke my heart. All that ambition, all that intelligence, even all that money... there's so much commentary there on race and class in America.

...the way they parallel at least his death with