The Wire, HBO’s oft praised, seldom watched cult crime drama, has finally been bought by a terrestrial broadcaster. Created by David Simon, the show has previously been broadcast on cable channel FX in the UK and been a hit on DVD, but all 60 episodes will be stripped from Monday to Friday by BBC2 over the spring.
BBC2 would seem to be a good fit for The Wire, and the question of whether The Wire will now get the audience it deserves is being bandied around. Well, has anybody actually stopped to consider that The Wire has already had the audience it deserves?
Ooh, controversial! And yes, I know I’m potentially opening myself up here, but with all that has been written about this show and its exposure on DVD, The Wire has hardly been hiding its light under a bushel, has it? (and I’m resisting writing a gag about TV critics called Gary, there).
Seriously, if one more Guardian reader tells me over a slow-roast pork belly in a gastropub one Sunday lunchtime that I “simply must watch The Wire, it’s amaaaazing!”, I will cover their Gap polo shirt with red wine jus.
It’s this constant harping on about how bloody good the show is that has, in many ways, actively driven me away from sitting down and engaging with the series. I realise I’m cutting my nose off to spite my face here, but that’s the way it is. And believe me, I know how annoying it can be - I’ve been doing it to other people with The West Wing for years!
I am playing devil’s advocate a touch here - I can clearly recognise the quality of The Wire, and friends whose critical opinions I admire greatly adore this show. So, at some point I will endeavour to dive in and give it a go. Perhaps the BBC 2 run will finally break my The Wire duck.
But it still gets right up my nose what novelist Nick Hornby said about The Wire some time back. If it is so good, why haven’t more people watched it? Eh? Eh?
And I’m sure you all have some very good answers…
Not to be confused with The Wire on BBC Radio 3....
I have been put off films and never even watched them because people banged on about them so much.
I don't splash out on DVD boxsets and don't have anything beyond freeview. I believe that if a programme is truly good, I'll watch it eventually. I have searched out clips online, on youtube, but not full eps. I will tune in curiously to see what The Wire is like.
I have checked online shows including Life and True Blood.
That last argument, if it's so good why don't more people watch it, I think can be applied to Mad Men. I really like it, the look, the feel, the sheer cleverness. It doesn't bang you over the head with obviousness, it's so subtle and sometimes terrible in terms of what might be unfolding for a character, something as the viewer you've been privy to and let in on. It's like televisual strawberries and chocolate - nourishing and luxurious.
Mmmm.
What a waste of money, half the folk have seen it on dvd and FX, they not going to get viewers
What is the point of showing a show that is 8 years old, what is next 8 years old news
By the David Simon sayed he hated all the programme on the BBc
"why haven't more people watched it?" goes in the same bracket as "why DO people watch 2 pints? Or Eastenders? Or The Bill?" or any of the other dross TV spews out!? Is it because they are brilliant? NO.
The point is that The Wire requires you to use your brain to watch, and most people are sadly lacking the wherewithal to do that. They would rather stick to the cr*p they're fed every day.
However I agree with James. Those who want to watch it will have bought it on DVD, watched it on FX or HBO on demand. WASTE OF MONEY
I see the BBC did not compete against any other broadcasters for the programme
I also agree with James on the people who wanted to watch the programme have already seen it
I think the question is not "why haven't people watched it ?" but "Why hasn't a bigger station picked it up before ?"
The first answer is it's on an obscure station & people don't want to fork out £40 for a box set on the off chance.
I may give it a go but pity it's being stripped. Most TV series take a while to get going, so may not want to wtach it every day.
I also get fed up with people going on about particular programmes . (And Mad Men is one of those ....) Also get very fed up with the American TV is much better than British - that's because we only get to see the good stuff. People say the same think about British 70's sitcom - Yes Porridge & Fawlty Towers were brilliant but those of us who were old enough can remember how many appalling ones were shown then
Of course, if it's Doctor Who just say as much as you want - because it is brilliant !!! (and British).
Totally agree with sue about people going about a particular programme and American TV is much better than British
Love watching Doctor Who
Agree with Andy Duncan comments that the BBC should stop buying shows from overseas and put the cash into original productions instead
As much as I love it, I agree that putting together an original british cast, employing some actors, commissioning some new writing, therby stimulating the UK creative economy might be a better idea.
i am a Wire fan. And so also have moved on to Generation Kill. It would have made more sense for the Beeb to buy and show that series.
Of course as I own all the seasons of The Wire and have watched all of it at least three times (yes, it is that good) I won't be watching it on Beeb 2.
perhaps the Beeb should have bid for the show intitially - now it is far too late. I don't see anything wrong with the Beeb buying quality foreign shows - my childhood was dominated by Lorimar and Glen A Larson after all - and that would be preferable to the excrement they push out on saturday evenings - BRING ON THE WALL!
the wire has found a large audience without being shown on terrestrial TV. Almost purely by word of mouth and some good press, therefore there are most likely a lot more potential viewers out there who would appreciate the series. Put it on TV BBC2, better late than never, and make a British series which aspires to it's level of quality.
best program for age's, I go into depression while waiting for next program and waiting over the w/end is just to long. the program packs so much into each showing and the actors fit the parts so well. Just when you get to know a carictor he gets shot or go's to jail, you get to wonder who will go next? as they say " this is Boltimore, no one lives for ever". great show.