"The Wire" on DVD

[Muse]

I've heard great things about this and decided to check it out, literally, I went to my local library's website and saw that I could check out one DVD at a time, assuming they were available. I checked out Season One / Disk One, and before getting it decided to just buy the whole 5 season series on DVD, for $41 shipped, "Like New":


The Wire - The Complete Series (DVD, 2011, 23-Disc Set).

Then I got the one disk from the library and it says it's 4:3 format. I'm wondering if the whole series is 4:3, always, or if it's also been released in 16:9, and of course, what I'm going to receive.

I have a Blu-ray player, but figure DVD's would be OK with this, but I don't want an image designed for 16:9 trimmed to 4:3, naturally.

What's the scoop on this??? Thanks...

 

[A Casual Fitz]

It was originally shot 4:3 intentionally by David Simon. HBO released it in HD last year and you can stream it widescreen through HBO GO but that's the only way I know how.

 

[Muse]

Evidently it was filmed in 1.33:1, and that's the way it should be viewed, so I guess I'm alright:

The Wire - Aspect Ratio frustrating

It was filmed at 1.33:1 and should be viewed as such.

Actually, for a drama, I'd rather see 4:3 than 2.35:1

 

[RossMAN]

Best TV show ever.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Best TV show ever.

I might agree with you. Though, going into it having so many people tell me it's the best show ever hurt my perception because it does start rather slow. I absolutely LOVED it the 2nd time through.

 

[RossMAN]

I might agree with you. Though, going into it having so many people tell me it's the best show ever hurt my perception because it does start rather slow. I absolutely LOVED it the 2nd time through.

You're right it does start slow, I'm not sure when it hooked me but it took a while.

 

[Muse]

You're right it does start slow, I'm not sure when it hooked me but it took a while.

I saw a few posts... folks said the 2nd season isn't as good, but you just get through it and 3-5 are really really good. I really really liked The West Wing. I have a feeling I will like this a lot. I'm far from a TV addict, very far, but I hear this is far far from typical TV.

 

[KLin]

The "fuck" scene was when I was hooked.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

I saw a few posts... folks said the 2nd season isn't as good, but you just get through it and 3-5 are really really good. I really really liked The West Wing. I have a feeling I will like this a lot. I'm far from a TV addict, very far, but I hear this is far far from typical TV.

The 2nd season was a lot different. I really enjoyed it.

 

[twinrider1]

Great show. Anyone that likes The Wire should also check out Homicide: Life On The Street.

 

[Muse]

The 2nd season was a lot different. I really enjoyed it.

Good to hear that. I won't expect to feel let down when I get to it.

 

[esquared]

For free if you're an Amazon prime member.
https://www.amazon.com/The-Target/dp/B003AY9U4K?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

 

[DaTT]

Best TV show ever.

Second to The Shield.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiit,

 

[MustISO]

Might check it out on Amazon, I've never seen this or The Shield.

 

[Muse]

For free if you're an Amazon prime member.
https://www.amazon.com/The-Target/dp/B003AY9U4K?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0

I might have considered Amazon Prime but when they bumped it to ~$99/year I said, "no way." I did a 30 day trial, though a few months ago. Only picked up on the free video the last 3 days or so, got one cool flick in, Louis C.K. doing one of his live shows.

 

[purbeast0]

Second to The Shield.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiit,

i too prefer the shield to the wire, but they are both awesome. i saw the shield before i saw the wire though. most people i know who have seen both prefer the one they saw first over the other, but they also agree they are both top shows.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

Great show. Anyone that likes The Wire should also check out Homicide: Life On The Street.

I have a lot of love for the wire, though it was never a show I would talk to someone about and say "man, you see last nights episode, it was incredible", it was more that when a season ended you could look back on it as a whole and think there was a lot of good story packed in there that was well delivered by the actors and crew.

After I finished The Wire I was looking for something similar and many people recommend The Shield, which I thought was absolutely terrible. Admittedly I only watched the 1st season even though I brought the complete box set so maybe it gets better?

Anyways, given that I loved the wire but hated the shield how do you think homicide will work out for me (the tv show, not actually going out and killing people)?

 

[gururu2]

This was my favorite show of all time. Maybe because I live in Baltimore, maybe because I grew up in a low income community, maybe because I was once a teacher, maybe because politicians make me crazy. If you believe much of what this show depicts, then you may appreciate its attempt to reveal some pretty scary urban realities.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

This was my favorite show of all time. Maybe because I live in Baltimore, maybe because I grew up in a low income community, maybe because I was once a teacher, maybe because politicians make me crazy. If you believe much of what this show depicts, then you may appreciate its attempt to reveal some pretty scary urban realities.

The Wire made me scared of Baltimore.

 

[twinrider1]

Rumple and gururu.... I don't want to overhype Homicide, tell you it's the best and then it can't live up to expectations. But I really think anyone that liked The Wire will like Homicide.

Its set in Baltimore. It's David Simon. You'll see a lot of similarities, but it's a different angle than The Wire. There are a few criminals as main characters, but it's not 50/50. The show is primarily about the cops and their day-to-day. Mostly dialogue.
In past threads people pitted The Wire against Breaking Bad and I wrote Breaking Bad was like a comic book with big action where The Wire was a novel that you had to get to know over time.
Rumple, I completely get your comment about how The Wire episodes didn't make you go wow. Homicide has some wow moments, but it's not gun fights and explosions. It has some really intense acting moments. But it does have that deep writing quality that you just sit back and smile, thinking to yourself how great that just was.
I'm purposely not mentioning any episode details because I really want people to see the show blind. (I'm like that, I even hate to see movie previews).

(I couldn't get into The Shield either. I just couldn't buy that guy as a bad ass. He is forever The Commish).

 

[manly]

The 2nd season was a lot different. I really enjoyed it.

The dockworkers? Those guys were hilarious.

I never did get past season 3 though, are seasons 4 & 5 on Amazon Prime now?

 

[Stifko]

The dockworkers? Those guys were hilarious.

I never did get past season 3 though, are seasons 4 & 5 on Amazon Prime now?

I could do without the second season.

 

[Muse]

The Wire made me scared of Baltimore.

I haven't seen any of The Wire yet, but I've had a fear/trepidation concerning Baltimore (never been there) since listening with some care to the song Baltimore by Randy Newman.

 

[Linux23]

hmm, another show depicting the stereotypes of poor minority communities. i'll pass.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

I could do without the second season.

No way! McNulty was in prime dickhead mode. It was awesome.