And Through The Wire - Part One (No Spoilers)

Gosh, I hadn't realised how long it had been since I posted here. It's as if I haven't been watching anything worth talking about on TV or DVD. Not so. For one thing, it's true I've just been too busy and as well as deadlines, my other creative blogs have taken precedence. For another, one of the things I finished watching and wanted to write something about was The Wire. And I think I've been subconsciously putting it off.

Why? Was it that bad? (I imagine) I hear you ask. But no, the truth of the matter lies at the other end of the spectrum, where I'm left wondering what I can possibly say beyond 'awesome' or 'amazing' or something of a likewise superlative ilk. I suppose I could just settle for raiding the heaps of praise already piled on the series, from people who saw it long before me.

"You either love The Wire, or you haven't seen it." The Guardian

"The Wire is arguably the greatest television programme ever made." Daily Telegraph

"The most challenging and rewarding experience in television history." The Times

etc...

To all of which I just have to nod in agreement.

Or I could purloin a few lines from the Peter Gabriel song And Through The Wire:

Driving round the city rings
Staring at the shape of things
I talk in pictures not in words
Overloaded with everything we said
be careful where you tread
Watch the wire

With particular emphasis on the last line right there. Because whatever I say, however I chose to express it, that will be essentially what it boils down to. Honestly, just watch it.

And there, pretty much, ends the spoiler free part of my 'review'. I'm left with more to say. I suspect there will always be more to say about The Wire. It's just that kind of show. But there will be spoilers, so in between reading this and reading the next part, rent, beg, borrow, steal, pimp yourself out for the DVDs, do whatever it takes and go and watch all five seasons. I'll probably manage to post Part Two before you've finished watching, but it's okay, because you won't be watching it to find out what I have to say on the matter. You'll be watching it because of all you'll have to say.