Breaking Bad or The Wire?

hmm, but what from past eras would you prefer?

I think that's a frequent error; it's not that I disagree that the present kind of sucks, I disagree that the past was any better. Most folks seem to have rose colored glasses when looking back.

I think BB is basically the very definition of a nerd show, by nerds and for nerds. Meaning that it's everything a good nerd show should be - very tightly constructed, with plenty of good plot twists and surprises. However it only fleetingly is able to plumb emotional depths and really grab the viewer by the heart and soul. Plus, the show only becomes more plot oriented as it continues, and less plausible and character oriented.

That's not to say it's bad though - it's really one of the most well crafted shows ever. The problem is I felt the "craft" of everything became more and more obvious, like you could see Gilligan giggling at how clever he was being (or trying to push himself to always go bigger and badder), tying up all the loose ends and going "ta-da!" I think in order to have been a truly great show, it needed a bit more breathing room, a bit less predictability (in terms of always being predictably clever!), a bit more focus on character, and a bit more surrealism (somehow, to me, the right kind of surrealism always seems more real than documentary-style realism...which is why Lynch can touch on "truths" that others can't).

But it's definitely worth a view, and certainly one of the top 5 TV shows ever made.

Very well put. Basically, I agree with everything in your post. I just don't see any of it as a good thing. I guess my main grip is with the "craftiness" of it, with how obvious it is. I don't think tv series and movies of past were so obvious. They had a sort of life of their own, maybe it's the unpredictability, the surrealism you mention. But I'd simply call it depth. I hate it when I get to the bottom of it, even moreso when not trying at all! It's what I call "shallow".

As for past vs present (vs future)... Yeah, I know what you mean, a lot of things are better now than they were in past times. I guess what bothers me is that not everything is progressing, that some things are actually regressing. Bah, "things"!

Saying you've only seen two or three seasons of BB pretty much invalidates whatever opinion you might have on it. To call it by the numbers, what? The million iterations of CSI is by the numbers TV, not BB. Jesus.

Yeah, let's not watch any other tv anymore because its not the BEST!

Also, TV dramas are way way better now than they've ever been. They're making TV as good as I used to want films to be.

One thing I've noticed is that during a TV series, the paymasters will put their adverts around the show rather than in it. In Hollywood blockbusters, they've got to cram those adverts into the production.

One of the best examples I've seen of a Hollywood director getting over the necessity to please their paymasters was in Skyfall. The first action-scene crams in all the adverts for cars, watches, suits and tech that Bond films pretty much require to be profitable nowadays. But once that's dealt with, he goes off to make a film totally free of having to be a blockbuster. And it worked. The final 3/4 of Skyfall is a genuinely good film.

This is why when Breaking Bad had a car-revving intro (Chevy's?) that was blatantly just an advert I felt let down.

Chrysler.

breaking bad is a black comedy low-middle class wet dream that gets a bit more serious until the ending. i struggled to get far in the first time and found it a bit dumb and repetitive...but enjoyed it when i tried again. whereas the wire had me hooked immediately. it has a well defined theme for each season that would make it good for marathon viewing imo.

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:26 AM, John Ehrlichman said:

the question isn't which one is better, the question is will the Wire's portrayal of race and/or black culture seem more dated 50 years from now than Breaking Bad's mexican drug cartel stereotypes?

all the bb mexican stuff was cheesy immediately

  On 12/20/2013 at 3:18 PM, Gary C said:

This is why when Breaking Bad had a car-revving intro (Chevy's?) that was blatantly just an advert I felt let down.

 

Chrysler.

That was genuinely one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen. Aside from the retarded brostep music playing, it was the most ill fitting sequence in the world. That and Skylers "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." scene were the two worst Breaking Bad moments. Truly terrible.

  On 12/19/2013 at 10:47 PM, disparaissant said:

The Wire is infinitely better than breaking bad.

Breaking Bad is good… But nothing really comes close to The Wire.

Except maybe The Sopranos.

Seems as though it's gonna be The Wire....

I don't plan on watching the whole goddamn thing in a week, I'll being doing other things, like drinking beer and howling like a wolf!!!

Thanks watmm

The Wire. Hands down.

Breaking Bad never really got to me.

Also you might want to check out Sopranos.

Also, if you have only 2 weeks to kill, maybe watch Firefly. I really enjoyed that show, for what it was worth.

As most people have told here, and in good reason, is that good shows like the Sopranos and The Wire need their time to work.

this was easy... the wire

Has anyone watched Masters of Sex? Up there with Mad Men I reckon.

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:29 PM, tauboo said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:26 AM, John Ehrlichman said:

the question isn't which one is better, the question is will the Wire's portrayal of race and/or black culture seem more dated 50 years from now than Breaking Bad's mexican drug cartel stereotypes?

all the bb mexican stuff was cheesy immediately

exactly, it was. Now how long will it take for the Wire's portrayal of black culture to be deemed 'cheesy' or dated? By that time Breaking Bad may seem like the more timeless show by default.

The Sopranos

  On 12/20/2013 at 10:17 AM, azatoth said:

Saying you've only seen two or three seasons of BB pretty much invalidates whatever opinion you might have on it. To call it by the numbers, what? The million iterations of CSI is by the numbers TV, not BB. Jesus.

Sorry, imho etc. To be honest, I enjoy CSI more than BB, it's not trying to be something it isn't. IMHO!

  On 12/20/2013 at 6:51 PM, jhonny said:

 

  On 12/19/2013 at 10:47 PM, disparaissant said:

The Wire is infinitely better than breaking bad.

  On 12/20/2013 at 11:15 PM, John Ehrlichman said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:29 PM, tauboo said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:26 AM, John Ehrlichman said:

the question isn't which one is better, the question is will the Wire's portrayal of race and/or black culture seem more dated 50 years from now than Breaking Bad's mexican drug cartel stereotypes?

all the bb mexican stuff was cheesy immediately

exactly, it was. Now how long will it take for the Wire's portrayal of black culture to be deemed 'cheesy' or dated? By that time Breaking Bad may seem like the more timeless show by default.

 

So which portrayal of black culture are you referring to? the black mayor? the several black police officers? Omar? Stringer Bell? Bubbles?

Or do you think that David Simon is somehow insinuating that all black people are drug dealing gangbangers who listen to rap?

  On 12/21/2013 at 3:36 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

as a white male of medium wealth i feel that the racial issues handled in the wire were dealt with appropriately

As a white male living below the poverty line I concur.

as a bible thumping proud blue collar American I was offended how they got an Englishman in whiteface to play the protagonist. What, no good honest hard working Americans were available for the part? Not to mention that Stringybell character. Filthy degenerate Anglophiles the lot of 'em

  On 12/21/2013 at 2:58 AM, chenGOD said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 11:15 PM, John Ehrlichman said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:29 PM, tauboo said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:26 AM, John Ehrlichman said:

the question isn't which one is better, the question is will the Wire's portrayal of race and/or black culture seem more dated 50 years from now than Breaking Bad's mexican drug cartel stereotypes?

all the bb mexican stuff was cheesy immediately

exactly, it was. Now how long will it take for the Wire's portrayal of black culture to be deemed 'cheesy' or dated? By that time Breaking Bad may seem like the more timeless show by default.

 

So which portrayal of black culture are you referring to? the black mayor? the several black police officers? Omar? Stringer Bell? Bubbles?

Or do you think that David Simon is somehow insinuating that all black people are drug dealing gangbangers who listen to rap?

 

dude their portrayal of Bmore was already outdated by the time of the first seasons' debut.

doesnt mean it isnt an amazing piece of TV history.

sometimes the wire seems insufferably preachy. sometimes breaking bad seems shallow and manipulative. neither covers the full emotional spectrum of what it is to be a human being. they both have faults. i would recommend both, but don't take them as being more than commercial art. david simon's writing certainly has a kind of salt of the earth need to be authentic that can grate on my nerves, and gilligan can seem like a poor man's coen brother. if you have a limited period of time, breaking bad is much easier to get into and far more addictive. the wire is depressing, epic in scope, panoramic and dense. i would go with bb, if only because you're working with a limited period of time. the wire took me years, as a viewer when it was actually airing, to fully appreciate. i don't think it lends itself to marathon viewing.

  On 12/21/2013 at 6:35 AM, SR4 said:

 

  On 12/21/2013 at 2:58 AM, chenGOD said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 11:15 PM, John Ehrlichman said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:29 PM, tauboo said:

 

  On 12/20/2013 at 5:26 AM, John Ehrlichman said:

the question isn't which one is better, the question is will the Wire's portrayal of race and/or black culture seem more dated 50 years from now than Breaking Bad's mexican drug cartel stereotypes?

all the bb mexican stuff was cheesy immediately

exactly, it was. Now how long will it take for the Wire's portrayal of black culture to be deemed 'cheesy' or dated? By that time Breaking Bad may seem like the more timeless show by default.

 

So which portrayal of black culture are you referring to? the black mayor? the several black police officers? Omar? Stringer Bell? Bubbles?

Or do you think that David Simon is somehow insinuating that all black people are drug dealing gangbangers who listen to rap?

 

 

 

dude their portrayal of Bmore was already outdated by the time of the first seasons' debut.

 

 

doesnt mean it isnt an amazing piece of TV history.

 

It's not dated - it's of its time. Kind of different you know what I mean?

Sadly I never managed to go further than the 3th episode of The Wire, i'm always sleeping before the end... But many people told me thing wre going better further.

Breaking Bad was really good... balanced characters and nice background.