OT: The Wire vs. Breaking Bad
Just read an article in my news feed. I couldn't get a link. Or didn't know how to.
It asked which do you like more The Wire or Breaking Bad?
Here is their synopsis: "The Wire and Breaking Bad remain at the peak of prestige TV. Both have their merits and are as close to perfect series as can be made. However, Breaking Bad narrowly edges out The Wire as the superior show for its consistent quality from beginning to end, its more compelling characters, countless iconic scenes and quotes and for its undeniably greater impact on current pop culture."
Love both but I'm going with The Wire.
What say you?
Better Call Saul, obviously.
That’s also on my list. Also season 4 of “The Crown” when it hopefully comes out this fall (to appease the Mrs.)
The Wire > Better Call Saul > Breaking Bad
Gave The Wire 3 seasons and by the end, I still couldn't name a single character I cared about. Sitting here a couple years later, I can't think of a single character's name, which says something (wait... was it Person, Woman, Man... something like that?).
I appreciated the "grit" but after a few episodes it seemed it was gritty for grit's sake, like the recruiting profile of an undersized 2-star white kid who loves the game of basketball, brings his lunchpail every day and is probably a coach's son. The narrative rarely seemed to advance from episode to episode.
With Breaking Bad, it's been 7 years and I can still name almost every character. Everything moved. Much more of a true entertainment/art experience versus The Wire's docudrama approach. Honestly, 50 years from now, I think they'll look back at BB and put it on the shelf with other classics of American art: Grapes of Wrath, Some Kind of Blue (or Rhapsody in Blue if you prefer), The Godfather, and somewhere on the same shelf you'll have BB. The Wire is on the top shelf of the "Great Cop Shows" store.
So you’re saying all the drug dealers in the Wire look the same. But the drug dealers in BB don’t.
The Wire, followed by the Sopranos
LOVE the Wire. But its #2. Sopranos is #1. I just re-watched it again and still find new things that reveal Chase's mastery. The finale alone is a master class in itself.
The more I think about it, the more I think you may be right. To me, at both shows peaks I’d take Sopranos. At their worst seasons, I’d say Sopranos was better. As much as I loved The Wire, I wasn’t a huge fan of the final season, but it still got a pass from me.
I watched the Sopranos three times, Breaking Bad twice, (Saul twice,) and The Wire once. That likely influenced my ranking of Sopranos 1, Bad 2, and Wire 3. I’ll wait to rank Saul until it concludes.
I agree with you about the finale. Clearly Tony got whacked. Other great finales:
Breaking Bad
Justified
The Americans
and, I hope...Better Call Saul
The Wire
Wire.
Breaking Bad was great TV. The technical aspects of that show were amazing. But the stories and the characters in the Wire were much more compelling, which made for better TV, imo
Season 1
The Wire = Breaking Bad
Season 2
The Wire > Breaking Bad
Season 3
The Wire > Breaking Bad
Season 4
The Wire > Breaking Bad
Season 5
The Wire < Breaking Bad
That’s fair. The Wire season 5 was a stinker, but the last shot of the series with McNulty looking forlornly at the city lamenting over how little things change was one if my favorite scenes in TV history.
The end of season montages were perfect each season. Season 1 where they show how the streets just evolve to new players. Season 2 is tragic as it highlights the fall of American manufacturing. Season 3 shows how despite Bunny tried, no progressive change will happen. Season 4 shows how the educational system has people fall through the cracks (poor Dookie and Randy) and how Carcetti becomes another self-interested politician. And season 5 ends the series perfectly. McNulty, the closest the show had to a protagonist looks out into the real protagonist of the city of Baltimore.
The people change but there was no change from McNulty looking out into the city 6 years later, than when he sat on a stoop talking to a corner kid about the death of Snot Boogie.
BB gets slow in parts but better then the Wire that is very repetitive when you binge watch it.
The Wire repetitive? I suppose in part that's because the show is about how nothing really changes.
I know why most people say its The Wire...I watched both but for me it's Breaking Bad and its not even close. Breaking Bad is in my top 5, maybe top 3, all time. It is the perfect example of my favorite kind of show...focuses on a small group of characters and gets to know them intimately by moving slowly though story lines in a way almost no other show does. It lets things build instead of acting like the payoff needs to be in one (or even two) episodes after the issue is developed. As well, the evolution of Walt is something I think is fascinating and could not have been accomplished by many actors...as good as the cast of the wire is, I don;t think anybody can touch Bryan Cranston
sorry for double post (delete)
I still believe The Wire stands as the best TV series. The way they fit the 5 different storylines, one from each season into one intricacy woven picture. So many memorable characters.
O'Doyle: Mortal Kombat for the Sega Genesis is the best game ever made.
Billy Madison: I disagree. It's a very good game, but I think Donkey Kong is better.
O'Doyle: Donkey Kong sucks!
Billy Madison: Wanna know somethin'? You suck!
Yeah, I preferred The Wire, too.
Breaking Bad was simply brilliant TV, from having perhaps one of the most apt titles (summing up the show in 2 words) to the great plotting, a seemingly innocuous reference in one season, might pay off 2 seasons later. The characters (a lot more than just 3 or 4 great ones) Walt, Mike, Saul, Jesse, Hank, Fring, Tuco, Skyler, and many more are fascinating. As noted the cinematography is superb, as is the choice of music and the ending, was engaging and satisfying.
"The Wire" is overrated. I appreciate the realism, but there are a lot of shows I enjoyed more.
I'm a little surprised "Sons of Anarchy" hasn't been mentioned in this thread. I would place it (and "Breaking Bad" and others) above "The Wire."
I haven't yet watched "Better Call Saul."
Shows I enjoyed more than "The Wire" in case anyone cares:
Bosch
Sons of Anarchy
Game of Thrones
Dexter
The Sopranos
Homeland
Breaking Bad
I restarted The Wire multiple times. I thought it was decent but it never drew me in. I kept going based on others sentiments on the show. Shortly into season 3 i just decided it wasnt really for me and moved on.
"Sons" fell apart midway through season 5... Season 6 started to right the ship until everything tanked in Season 7. Too bad, too, because it made for great T.V. for a while.
Sons lost me when they did Opie dirty as hell. Killed all interest i had in the show.
The Wire by a mile.
However, I agree with Magnus that SOA is better than The Wire.
The Shield is my all time favorite show and I feel like it doesn’t get the respect it deserves.
For the guy looking for leads on shows to watch, if you haven't seen The Shield definitely check it out. ??
It's not even close. The Wire by a landslide. The depth of each character is unmatched. There were easily 8 characters that had enough to be the main character. Hell, there wasn't a main character.
Not a single line in the show was wasted. More epic quotes than any piece or literature, music, or cinema.
It truly showed how the world works. All based on real life. Some of which extended beyond (see : Sheila Dixon)
Breaking Bad got pretty unbelievable and unrealistic towards the end.
Most importantly, The Wire took place in The city that reads, The Charm City, The Best City in The World (James Earl Jones voice). This. Is. Baltimore
Do I really need to answer...?
"What you need be concerned about is what's seated in the chamber now: a copper-jacketed, hollow-point, 120-grain hot street load of my own creation. So you need to think for a just a moment and ask yourself: 'What do I have to do before this man raise up his gun again?' "
In a show full of elite actors, he still manages to stand out.
Breaking Bad a thousand times over.
Mad Men
The Wire. Also, I like Better Call Saul better than Breaking Bad.
This person knows
Breaking Bad all day! Watched both in their entirety, Breaking Bad by a mile!
I’m team The Wire, but I don’t get why they’re getting downvoted.
In a country and time when there is so much divisions, are we really going to strip someone of something so sacred as their mgopoints for exercising their 1st amendment right (albeit your statement does border on blasphemy)?
The Wire. By Far.
There is no debate. Better Caul Saul is even better than Breaking Bad.
This is funny as hell. Very apropos.
The Wire and it’s not even close for me.
Wire - 3rd season is the greatest season ever on TV. But the series ends flat with the shortened weak season 4.
Breaking Bad had one of the great conclusions to a series. I thought it would have been fantastic to end the season at the conclusion of the penultimate season which was great but the show runners crushed the last season too.
overall Wire
Wish I'd have saw this earlier as I've been meaning to make a similar post...but I want to bring up the show Dark on Netflix. Anyone else watched this? I have been completely infatuated with this show since last summer and have it near the top of my all-time shows. It is so goddamn well done, shot, directed, acted, etc. It's such a complex puzzle of a show...I love every second of watching and racking my brain trying to keep everything together.
I must be the one dipshit here who has started The Wire on two Separate occasions and never got past the first season. Not that I didn’t like it, but both times I just forgot about it after a couple of weeks and then just fell off the wagon.
I’m sure it’s a great show, but my god is Breaking Bad good.
Both are highly overrated shows.
Pray tell, what are the good show in your eyes?