The Wire 5x10 Reaction

Watching season 1 is such a different experience the 2nd time

I love that Bunk and Kima are investigating a murder in the same place that the witness was killed in the very first episode for testifying against Dee, with a statue of a child still standing above it all.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYXNdELqCe4&t=603s&pp=ygUUZGF2aWQgc2ltb24gdGhlIHdpcmU%3D I know I've posted this before, but Imma just leave it here again, for the girls and for the rest of ya'll. David Simon had his finger on the pulse of the urban experience in a way no one else has before or since, hence the show's brilliance.

"Commissioner Valchek!" Still the funniest moment of the show. So good.

Concerning Bubs...yeah. Him finally walking up the stairs is such an epic, essential moment of the series...but I also remember reading an interview with David Simon and Ed Burns, where Burns said (paraphrasing) that "Bubs may be clean now, but it's not necessarily an indicator of his future. A lot of these guys still relapse after a few months." So his journey may or may not be over...but that's part of the beauty. #BrightandShinyFuturesAreOverratedAnyway

Always heard nothing but good things about this show for years but it wasn't until you guys started watching it did it finally convince me to start as well. Truly a great dense story with such complex characters that I loved. Your love for the show truly was shown through your guys' discussions before and after each episode.

Everything comes full circle. Dukie becomes an addict like Bubs before him; Mike becomes a version of Omar; Sydnor does a good impression of Jimmy; we even end up seeing Kima and Bunk at the same location where the very first murder of the show took place (Gant, 1x1). Michael, in his debut as the new Omar, shoots Vinson in the leg with a double barrel sawn off shotgun. The first time we see Omar rob a stash house he shoots one of the pit crew in the leg with a double barrel sawn off shotgun. Dukie - I used to think he could emerge from his drug addiction like Reginald did. Rewatching it again I find it unlikely. What a terrible ending for him and perfect ending for Reginald. Apparently, the writers knew early in S4 that one of the kids - either Randy or Dukie - would eventually become the new Bubs. Finally, I've enjoyed going on this journey and reading and contributing to the comments here and being part of this community. I've seen this show plenty of times but I've learned or seen something new thanks to the insight and perspective provided in the reactions and the comments. And to Lola & Milena - what can I say? Thank you! You've connected to The Wire in a truly remarkable way which is a testament not only to the greatness of the show but also to you as human beings. It's been a genuine pleasure watching it through your eyes and I'm glad I somehow stumbled upon your channel. Wishing you a bright and sunny future. Or at the very least, something more than a 40 degree day.

Quite easily my favorite reaction series ever. It’s been an absolute pleasure rewatching with you two.

I’m so happy I found your reviews. Your analysis and empathy has genuinely filled my soul. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Well it’s been quite a journey. I had tried to start the Wire years ago and got about 5 episodes in before getting busy with life and never picking it back up. When the girls started reacting to it, seemed like as good a time as any to try it again, and I’m so glad I did! The Wire goes right into my top shows I’ve ever watched, no question. The only downside was then waiting on these reactions to come out after I finished my own watch in the summer 😭

Sopranos has to be next right? It only make sense

What a lovely wrap up. In keeping with your previous outros, it was comprehensive, insightful, and long (but not too long). It was so much fun getting back into The Wire with you guys and I’m so happy that you loved it so much. (I’ll make my last pitch for Queen’s Gambit — I promise you’ll like it, and since it’s only seven episodes it will give you time to pick your next long reaction series)

the sopranos next

I think the "Carcetti had good intentions" crowd may have forgotten his early conversation with Burrell where he basically admitted he was basically acting out of boredom and dissatisfaction with being ignored. Sure, he spends the rest of the show trying to convince himself and others that he really cared about fixing the city, but there's a reason he chooses self-interest over what's right at every single turn.

Ok it's the final episode so I'm just going ramble! Excellent final recap. Loved the section on Jimmy, who has always been the heart of the show for me and a character I will defend. His 'wake' is another one of my favourite scenes. I love that this show doesn't hide the rough edges of its characters or situations. You have to accept them as they are or not at all. I think L&M embraced that, although they were sometimes harsher than I would be. I feel like I'm more forgiving of characters than a lot of people. I loved that they bought up D, he has always stuck with me despite not being on the show long. While I don't love everything about this season, I think the way it ends is very satisfying and complete feeling. I just wish they had a full season. The final episode feels a bit like three trimmed into 90 minutes. It's remarkable how all of these characters feel complete though, how they all fit together in the puzzle. It's a show I can't help watching again and again just to marvel at it. Anyway, thanks to L&M for a wonderful series. I always try to push The Wire on people, but it's a hard recommendation. Many bounce off. It's awesome seeing someone not just try it but embrace it. It also got me into their Better Call Saul reaction series, which I watched along with my own viewings, and I loved that too. I don't really have any light and happy series to recommend, but none of them are as dark as The Wire at least! I would love to see any of these: Mad Men, Cowboy Bebop, The People vs OJ Simpson, or Andor, which is well worth watching even if you're not into Star Wars.

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place...But does anyone know why the "Community" section (or it's called "Members' Posts") is gone? Many people (including me) were posting recommendations there until last month and I thought it was the perfect place to post random recommendations without interrupting other people discussing the specific shows down here.

I think the moral of the story is...if you live in Baltimore, leave. Funny how Slim Charles is the smart-ass pawn that Bodie mentions back in Season 1. Virtually every main character in the show that was from the street is either dead or in prison, whereas Slim Charles is the one who made it to the end of the chess board and essentially became a queen.

I knew that would be the thumbnail - it's the best moment of the series. I'm off to do some Christmas shopping then will return to watch the reaction and share some final comments.

What a wild ride of smiles and cries, loved your reactions. If you need to scratch that post Wire itch, there's a 6 episode series called We Own This City, about real life corrupt Baltimore cops. Written and produced by the same Wire creators and starring many actors from the Wire.

Devojke želim da vam se zahvalim na sve jednom videu i diskusiji koje ste izbacile za ovu seriju. Kao neko ko je, bez preterivanja, pogledao Žicu 15 puta (ne uključujuči razne reakcije drugih ljudi na youtube-u), mogu otvoreno da kažem da nisam do sad naišao ni na koga ko je ovako detaljno ispratio i razumeo seriju. Baš zbog vaših diskusija znam da nemam manje više ništa da vam dodam po pitanju same serije, jer od samog početka ste pristupile sa takvom zrelošću i razumevanju da sam iskreno i malo ljubomoran jer je meni trebalo dosta puta da rewatchujem da bih razumeo likove poput Ziggya (dobro, ipak sam ja sa 16 godina gledao prvi put). Ovo je serija koja meni toliko znači. Celo detinjstvo sam gledao svog oca kako je iznova vrti na kompu i dok nisam seo i pogledao nije mi bilo jasno šta je toliko specijalno oko nje. Slobodno mogu reći da od trenutka kad sam prvi put završio poslednju epizodu, da sam bio promenjen a siguran sam da se i vas dve osećate tako. Sećam se da kad sam je završio prvi put, odma sam upalio prvu epizodu ponovo i krenuo ispočetka, i tad sam razumeo šta je to obuzelo mog oca. Od tada ne mogu da prestanem da razmišljam o svim lekcijama i problemima koji su predstavljeni u seriji, pa toliko da ove godine planiram da napišem master rad iz engleskog o Žici. Ne bih mnogo dalje da dužim, jako mi je drago da sam naišao na još dve osobe iz Srbije koje su pogledale Žicu, a kamoli ovako kako ste vas dve. Spomenuo sam vas ocu, braći, i nekim drugarima kojima sam isto pokazao seriju, i pričao koliko je lepo slušati vas kako lagano povezujete stvari iz prve sezone sa stvarima iz četvrte-pete (kao i činjenicu da vam Bodie-jev glumac komentariše i gleda sve vide, mogu da zamislim koliko vam to znači, a pogotovo Loli). Samo bih još dodao da se nadam da ćete rewatchovati mnogo puta, jer zaista serija postaje sve bolja i bolja svaki put kada je ponovo pogledate i upoznate ste sa svim likovima i možete još detaljnije da ispratite sve.

This is my first time commenting on here & I just want to this was such a wonderful time watching y’all react & fall in love with one of my favorite tv shows of all time. I’ve actually been a fan of you guys going all the way back when y’all first reacted to ATLA (which is another one of my favorite tv shows of all time as well). I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what else y’all have to offer in the future you two nice beautiful ladies are amazing ❤️❤️❤️

You guys were the best reactors possible to this show. The amount of empathy and compassion you show for everyone in this show is exactly how it should be watched. This was such an amazing show and I’m so happy you guys reacted to it or I most likely never would’ve picked it back up. The show has made me develop another level of empathy for people, truly seeing how people end up in these situations is heartbreaking. This in definitely in my top 5 shows and for sure the most important. I can’t believe it’s over, but it was so good. Thank you guys for making it that much better

Thank you for ur reactions to this show. Your commentary before and after each episode were as enjoyable to me as ur reactions during the episodes themselves. These commentaries were full of heart and empathy and demonstrated very deep insight into each character’s motivations and the real-world impacts of each episode’s events. I listened to basically every minute of those discussions and enjoyed every minute of them. Thank you for making this such a rewarding experience.

I'm really glad I decided to watch this show along with you guys. I'd always heard that the Wire was one of the best shows ever made, and after watching it I can agree. I don't know if I would rank it among my personal favorites - you guys touched on it a little in the discussion, but I didn't "love" a lot of the characters, so I didn't emotionally connect with it the way I have some other shows. That doesn't mean I didn't connect with it at all, or that there were no characters I loved (Bubs, Bunny, the kids, etc). I think comparing it with a documentary makes sense, and is kind of how I feel. The way I might love a documentary is not the same kind of love that I would have for a movie. The Wire isn't literally a documentary of course, but it falls under a similar kind of feeling for me. Onto other thoughts! Everything with Bubs made me so emotional, and that finale montage was perfect. The paralells with characters, the way it focused on people just living in the city, the recreation of that shot from the intro of a camera getting a rock thrown at it...that was all *chef's kiss*. Scott has never killed anyone, and yet somehow I'm sitting here feeling like he's the worst person on the show lol. Especially how indignant he gets when he's called out on his lies. Like, how dare Gus question the validity of his notes that don't exist? I also wish we saw more of Alma and Gus in general, but what we have of them does work with the story. EDIT: Whoops, accidentally posted the comment before I was finished. So, my other scattered thoughts: I really like where Kima ended up. She feels like she's truly come to balance, and while I wish we had seen more of her overall it really works that she's grown to this point. Oh, and I like Daniels ending a lot as well. It reminds me of the first episode, when his wife said "the only way to win is not to play." In the end, Daniels chose to not play their game anymore. Marlo's ending also felt right: walking up as people are talking of Omar like he's a legend. The person not even knowing who he is, and Marlo is left standing alone on an empty street, still trying to act like he owns it. Lastly, Michael and Dukie. Both lining up with characters we've already seen - Omar and Bubs - and it leaves you wondering if their fates will be similar. For Dukie, you'd hope so (though unlike Bubs, he doesn't have anyone he could potentially turn to for help). But for Michael...it really feels like there's no walking back down the road he's on. He can only keep traveling on it. Yet I'm also glad that he still escaped in a way - he isn't working for someone like Marlo, but himself. I'll definitely take a lot from this show going forward, and I really enjoyed all your discussions and reading all the comments. Whatever is next (please let it be Black Sails, please please) I'm looking forward to experiencing it with everyone.

Started episode 1 thanks to you both, intending to watch along with you every week on this journey. One week later I was balling my eyes out after finishing season 5 episode 10. What an absolutely incredible show. Put it off for years for no good reason and am kicking myself for doing so, as honestly feel like this should be required viewing for everyone. The way it so effortlessly blends personal stories with societal problems is unmatched. Going to be sad not having these to look forward to, but there's always a 3rd rewatch ready for me. Thanks for making this show last that much longer for me, been amazing watching you both fall in love with these characters.

What a fucking journey! A pleasure reliving this series with y’all ✊🏾 Greatest show of all time 🏆

I would like to nominate Andor for your next show. Don’t be fooled by it being a star wars show. It is not about aliens or laser-shooting space ships. It is a show about everyday workers living under tyranny and how that gives birth to a rebellion. It was one of the best written shows in 2022 and it has tons of heart and intrigue. There isn’t a line in that show that is poorly written or a scene poorly acted. To me its the pinnacle of what great television can be. Entertaining, beautiful and just as importantly, meaningful. Plus Ritchie from The Bear is one of the Rebels.

Well done Ladies your names will forever Ring Out, thanks for your insight Check out the movie Spotlight which was writing and directed by the actor that played Scott for the wire character analysis check out AMansWorldPodcast or CineRanter also check out the Corner

Now that I watched the whole thing I do wonder if what Jimmy did at the end was even worth it to begin with.. this show basically tell us nothing will ever change regarding your environment. Only the people are replaceable at the end . Some of them are able to move on while are trapped until they get replaced by others. At the end I think it’s to the people to decide if anything that these characters did was worth it. But thank you for reacting to show. It was a pleasure rewatching this for the forth time with you guys.

Such a bittersweet moment. I love watching reactors to the Wire, but you guys, by far and away blow everyone else out of the water. Both of you guys ability to grasp the layers of the storylines so well for first time watchers, your deep emotional attachment to characters, your commentary, your genuine reactions, all made this my favorite experience as a viewer. I will always be a supporter of you guys forever. Love.

It's truly been an absolute pleasure re-living this show alongside you and the community. Reading all the comments throughout this past year has been quite the learning experience and I'm grateful to all who voted for this show. The sight of the couch in the low rises sure brought out nostalgic tears during the final montage. I'm guessing you wanting something different after this show maybe has something to do with pirates? ;) whatever it is, I'll be seeing you there

"A city is a complicated thing...and it's about the city that we made The Wire." - David Simon Perfect way to end the show, with the citizens of Baltimore...

The ending with Dukie is so heartbreaking, but it's a beautiful trick of the show that they also gave him a (possible) happy ending, watching his predecessor Bubbles climb those stairs. A central thesis of The Wire is that these systems are broken and perpetual -- unless we care enough to break the cycle. And goddamn was it rewarding watching Bubs break free. (It didn't make the edit, but McNulty giving money to the homeless person outside of Cavanagh's is such a perfect grace note.) In honour of Shane MacGowan, put the fuckin' song on, Hugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axmRoBhrs3Y

Can't wait for you guys to film your rewatch in a year or so! Maybe? Please?...ah well, it's always sad to end but it was a good ride. Enjoyed your reactions!

Loved being on this ride with you girls. Your level of understanding all the parts of this show was always refreshing to see. And despite this being a hard show to sit through at times, I love that you guys walked away loving it as much as I do. It's truly an incredible show with an incredible cast and I agree, we will probably never see any show as important as this again, though I hop we do. One thing I did want to mention to you ladies is that there is a very popular theory that when it's all said and done, Avon remains the King like D said in S1, "The King stay the King." People believe this theory because of the fact that he's only in prison for 7 years and that Slim Charles used to work for him and already admitted to not wanting to be the Leader so he would most likely give it to Avon when Avon gets out, and the Greeks already know of and respect Avon thanks to Sergei, and he still has his ties to New York with Brother Mouzone, making the entire show and everything Jimmy did to put him away a non factor and now Jimmy wouldn't even be able to catch him again, Lester or Daniels either, it all goes back to what you ladies have been saying from the beginning, nothing will ever change.

The girls talked at the end about their words of wisdom they carry through life. With regards to maintaining an optimistic and pragmatic demeanour when society provides so many reasons to give up altogether, my personal favourite comes from The Boondocks: "Grandad, what do you do when you can't do nothing, but there's nothing you can do?" "You do what you can"

I'm so happy we're finally here. I first watched season 1 in 2020, but fell off of it. When I saw that my favorite girls were starting it, I knew I had to try again purely so watch your reactions and incredible reviews. I finished the whole show October, and even bought the Patreon to keep up! So thanks, or I probably would have kept putting it off. ❤️

Okay, one comment before I finish watching. Overall I really liked the finale, but I think Jimmy gets off way too easily. Not from a ‘reality’ perspective, but a thematic one. I think I’d feel differently if we hadn’t gotten the ‘funeral’ scene at the bar in *addition* to Beadie still being with Jimmy. One or the other would have been fitting, but both of those? It really felt off to me. Like yeah, he’s not a cop anymore but we got a bar full of people praising him and then he gets to go home to a girlfriend that continues to give him too many chances. Everything else I liked, but that…yeah, I wish that had been done differently.

Thank you for reacting to this series. This was my first time watching the show, and between your reactions and post episode discussions, and reading all the comments from the community, I feel like I’m a better person because of it. Can’t wait for the next show. Whatever it is, I’ll be here for the ride (fingers crossed for Black Sails. Much like The Wire, it’s been on my list for a while and I’ve been waiting for a reaction to watch it with).

the wire was always one of those shows that i was sure was great but never made time to watch until this year. im glad it won that poll because its been such illuminating and timeless piece of sociopolitical media. rightfully cynical of institutions of power (police, political office) while always centering the humanity of the people of baltimore, whether they were dealers, union workers, homeless, addicts etc. etc. im going to miss this era and the little community under each video

What a brilliant decision to end the show with a montage of the “real” people from Baltimore, living their lifes day by day, suffering the injustices from the system, but at the same time refusing to give up, still fighting, smiling, taking care of their loved ones. I love it.

Damn.. idk why but I felt this show went really fast.. I can’t believe we are in the last episode already.

These were some of my favourite reactions from this channel, thanks for reacting to one of my favourite things.

Gonna watch the reaction/discussion before I post a full comment. But I've been looking forward to this all day.

I’m a little behind on your reactions, but thank you for reacting to this show and fostering a space with such interesting and important commentary

At last, it has arrived 👏

And now we bring on Black Sails!

Posting the comment I left on the full reaction video with the typo ammended. Most probably missed it but for those who didn't, my sincerest apologies. I said "shooting" where I meant to say "murder", I obviously had "police shootings" on my mind when writing. I meant no disrespect by the mistake. In the week leading up to the finale I had a big post planned, having gone through various analysis and trivia videos, to point out as many tidits on the last episode as I could. But The Wire is not just a TV Show, it's one of the greatest modern examples we have of art acting as a mirror to reflect civilisation itself, and the issues addressed there within are too important and prevalent today to reduce the overall discourse to the familiar "one of the greatest series ever made..." sentiment. So, instead, I would ask everyone to watch this. It's the video John Oliver brought out about the Police in the wake of the George Floyd murder. In relation to the systemic racism of both law enforcement and America itself, so much of what was covered specifically in The Wire shows up here that it necessitates viewing. It's not dissimilar to the credits sequence of a 'based on true events' movie, where you see footage of the real-life counterparts of the characters portrayed in the story you've just watched, so that the audience have no choice but to accept that this is, in fact, real. Please, do watch it. https://youtu.be/Wf4cea5oObY?si=i36FI7OOv0W-Cayq Finally, I just wanted to say once more how grateful I am for all the Patrons' comments over the last few months. Moreso than any other series, this one really felt like I was re-watching it with an entire tight-knit community. All the discussions have added so much to my understanding and appreciation for the show. I really hope to see as many of you as I can in the next show the girls will be reacting to, whatever that may be. I'm sure that whenever The Sopranos gets reacted to I'll see a lot of the familiar faces there anyways, and I'm very much looking forward to it! Sincerely, thanks again. Here's to Milena and Lola, they were real ree-actors! 🫡🍺

2 plus hours damn 😂