Semi Final 1 - The Wire v The Sopranos

[Uncle Leo]

A truly titanic battle here. Fire away lads...

 

[KAB]

Both of these were superb tv but The Wire just gets it for me. Original and endless detail into the characters and the exploration into the fine line that exists between good and bad.

 

[Pubey]

Can't believe this is currently 4-0

 

[steveo]

The Sopranos – absolutely brilliant, great characters great story lines, but if I could watch one complete series again it would have to be The Wire.

Sopranos followed a sort of soap format and you could dip in and out of it at almost anytime. The Wire was a slow burner but each series ran a complete gripping story with plenty of other stuff going on. If you gave up after 2 or 3 episodes you missed out.

If you stuck with it, as I did, you went straight out and bought Series 2,3,4 and 5.

If you never watched The Wire, check out this film. If you watched it and loved it, then have a look, some great stuff in there.

[video=youtube;7fy9ygHhazI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fy9ygHhazI[/video]

 

[Pubey]

6min.

"Did he have hands? Did he have a face? Yes? Then it wasn't us!"

 

[Pubey]

Here's a good video with the cast explaining why they think The Wire is so important, as they attend the opening of a class about The Wire at Harvard.

[video=youtube;QXGsGdur17s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXGsGdur17s[/video]

"All the pieces matter."

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'm not here to dissuade anybody from voting for The Wire. Let's be honest here, The Wire and The Sopranos are the two best television shows in this competition, and the rest are comparatively poor opposition. That's not to say that the other shows nominated are poor television, just that they can't compare to what are two absolute titans.

What I will say, however, is that The Sopranos paved the way for The Wire. Would The Wire's character-based, slow-burning have been as well received without the overwhelming success of The Sopranos? I don't think so. The Sopranos changed the way networks thought about television.

Over the course of six seasons, you weren't told a story. You were introduced to characters and how they developed over a decade, shaped not just by the world around them, but by the actions of other characters. Each and every character is involved in the arcing plot of the show.

Tony's rise to boss, shadowed by how his panic attacks affect his leadership.
Carmela's struggle to raise AJ and Meadow and shield them from the truth, whilst also dealing with Tony's bigamy which throws her into tempting situations with the priest and Furio.
How Meadow wants to make a name for herself but is always overshadowed by Tony's reputation.
Junior's increasing mental frailty as the show progresses (excellent dark comedy when he confuses himself for Larry David).
Silvio's lack of faith in Tony at times, and how he's tasked with dealing with situations as a result of that.
How Paulie considers himself undervalued despite being a high earner, and his jealousy of Christopher.
Christopher's own drug problems and struggle to fill his father's shoes at the table.
Adrianna's moral compass, splitting her loyalty to her husband/family and her own innocence.

What Chase does so well is take a concept that's been done to death, and remove it from its darkest context. This isn't a show about the Mafia, this is a show about how the Mafia shapes and changes the lives of all those involved, both directly and indirectly.

One of the most rewarding scenes here, superbly acted by Gandolfini.

  Spoiler:  

[video=youtube;-x5uO2NyWOQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x5uO2NyWOQ[/video]

And I can't find it on YouTube, but one of my favourite quick scenes demonstrating how subtle Chase's writing is, when Paulie walks outside to find Jonny Sac smoking.

Paulie: Hey! What are you doing out here?
Jonny: Jinny thinks I quit...
Paulie: Oh! The underboss of one of the five families here!
Jonny: Hey, Jinny... She can get heavy...

 

[MK Shrimper]

The Soprano's is perfect telly.

 

[Pubey]

The Soprano's is perfect telly.

Says the guy who hasn't watched The Wire!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Says the guy who hasn't watched The Wire!

Au contraire. As I've repeatedly told you, I watched the first 6 or so and didn't get the fuss. So stick that up your pipe :raspberry:

 

[Pubey]

Au contraire. As I've repeatedly told you, I watched the first 6 or so and didn't get the fuss. So stick that up your pipe :raspberry:

Au contraire, you've watched 10% of The Wire.

Well done.:smile:

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Proper toughy this but it's The Wire for me, just!!

 

[MK Shrimper]

Au contraire, you've watched 10% of The Wire.

Well done.:smile:

Thanks. It was a struggle to get that far I know.

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

Thanks. It was a struggle to get that far I know.

Beginning to think you don't like the Wire due to its mainly black cast. MK Shrimper in closet racist shock...

 

[steveo]

Beginning to think you don't like the Wire due to its mainly black cast. MK Shrimper in closet racist shock...

He probably dont like all that talk:

Snoop buying the nail gun:

Shop man: But youve given me 800 dollars
Snoop: Keep it man, you earned that **** like a mother****er

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

I chose The Wire marginally because Season 4 is the greatest piece of TV I've ever seen. If you watch that particular series and are not moved, then you have no soul.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Series five of The Wire is ****.

The Sopranos had the odd dodgy episode but it is head and shoulders above anything on TV.

Except MacGyver.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Very tough call, but I feel that the Wire was more consistently excellent. But only just. And I would take 'Lost' over both of them. As well as 'MacGyver'.