Would you take a Class about the Wire?
Apparently UC Berkeley is having a class about The Wire;
Discerning critics and avid fans have agreed that the five-season run of Ed Burns and David Simon’s The Wire was “the best TV show ever broadcast in America”–not the most popular but the best. The 60 hours that comprise this episodic series have been aptly been compared to Dickens, Balzac, Dreiser and Greek Tragedy. These comparisons attempt to get at the richly textured complexity of the work, its depth, its bleak tapestry of an American city and its diverse social stratifications. Yet none of these comparisons quite nails what it is that made this the most compelling “show” on TV and better than many of the best movies. This class will explore these comparisons, analyze episodes from the first, third, fourth and fifth seasons and try to discover what was and is so great about The Wire. We will screen as much of the series as we can during our mandatory screening sessions and approach it through the following lenses: the other writing of David Simon, including his journalism, an exemplary Greek Tragedy, Dickens’ Bleak House and/or parts of Balzac’s Human Comedy. We will also consider the formal tradition of episodic television.
Please come to the first class having already viewed all of season one on your own. It is available at the MRC.
Only 20 people can sign up.
http://filmstudies.berkeley.edu/undergrad%20courses%20Sp2009.html#105
I plan on dropping by next wed. Just to see what’s up. Man, much respect on the research on this one, Wes.
I was reading the description, I guess no love for the Ports. People sleepin’ on Season 2.
the ports season sucked…
maybe a post on best wire character?
im split between Omar and Mcnutty
anyone else see a strong resemblance between michael and nas?
sorry in advance if these things have been previously discussed in past posts
I did see the Michael and Nas connection before> Great minds…
Season 2 is for the smart people.
Best Character – Stringer, of course. Then, Omar. (Obama is an Omar fan.)
This is proof that hippies can do what ever they want. lol JOKES JOKES! I would actually take this class since i have never seen the wire. Is that a crime? I am on a roll, first kid sister, now this…
@ KG, have you heard of this guy Nas (pronounced “noz”, not “nass”) or Jay-Z (not Jazzy). pretty good. they just came out with new albums. Plus, I think Berkeley was the first with a 2pac class, too. Gotta love the UC system!
much as i love the show, really? is that what our youth is being taught? our world will be better because the youth understands the relationship between the wire and dickens???
best good guy? freeman
best bad guy? avon
best bad good guy? omar
Best good bad guy? clay davis
SHEEEEEEEET
@ Franchise- pretty sure lil wayne is way better than jazzy. hahaha ohhhh did i say that? would i take the joke that far as to use the rapper i hate the most, if you can call him that, to go for the dig… maybe.. lol
“Oh…ughhhhhhhhh… i made a mistake… im just processing that last part… ” in a seth rogen voice from pineapple express phone booth scene. hahaha
update: Another school is having a wire class also:
http://blogs.middlebury.edu/thewire/
and based on the schedule http://blogs.middlebury.edu/thewire/course-schedule/ there doing season 2. word.
yo…… why the fuck does gay ass lil waynes and his stupid website leep poppin up in the KTL comments section……..
aaaarrggh!
he’s everywhere