The Sopranos Vs. The Wire

It's not a shocker that writers work around their weaknesses.

but i'm saying if they did write around using more female characters, they didn't do so to the detriment of a plausible gender ratio. if there were NO female cops, lawyers, campaign staffers, dealers or hitpersons in the show, it'd be worth considering, but that's not the case. i totally admit that female characters should be something you can put in the Sopranos' plus column, but to use it as a knock on The Wire kinda gets into, like, telling a casting director for a European period piece that they need more minorities.

that seems like an insane comparison to me.

it's a knowingly extreme comparison.

rhonda pearlman was not a bad character

WIRE BABEZ POLL

rhea perlman was an amazing character

lol

d'angelo's mother was strong as hell, tbf.

Namond's mom in season 4 was awesome

she was. she and kima are the strongest.

"she" meaning briana.

i would kill namond's mom with my hands.

I feel like "get out there and deal those drugs like your daddy did" would have a very different effect in the sopranos than it does in the wire

on the viewer, I mean, not in the world of the show

oh i despise namond's mom too but you can't deny she was a woman on a mission

FLAMES ON THE SIDE OF MY FACE

I can't imagine anybody in the sopranos generating that powerful a reaction, because they live in a self-contained fantasy universe

yeah horseshoe you sound like you're trapped in a dream sequence or something--are the flames a metaphor?

ha i am quoting Clue. sorry, i'll settle down.

oh shit yeah, Rosalie is great. Angie Bonpensierro too - don't forget about Ginny Sacramoni and her hidden stash of chocolate bars!

I can't imagine anybody in the sopranos generating that powerful a reaction, because they live in a self-contained fantasy universe

― TOMBOT, Tuesday, December 16, 2008 9:41 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

you are aware we are talking about made-up tv shows here right

dude I drank a beer with delegate watkins

ha part of why i am so intense about the wire is that some of the characters seem crazy real to me, especially in season 4. but i am insane.

no i feel the same way so i am just as insane

stop sitting so close to the tv. if it completely fills your field of vision that's an easy mistake to make.

you got sonned by tombot s1ocki -- delegate watkins!!

a beer!!

rhonda pearlman was not a bad character

― Tracy Michael Jordan Catalano (Jordan), Tuesday, December 16, 2008 3:28 PM (26 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i agree with this and i don't think any of the female characters on the wire are bad. they're just not as complex/compelling as the men, by and large. i will admit that part of what made me think this was a weakness on Simon & co.'s part was an offhand comment he made about the actress who plays Shardene in a season one episode commentary, which is a kind of slim to hang that charge on. some dude seems right, too, that part of it is a function of the world represented in the show, but it did wear on me eventually that i felt like so much amazing characterization of male characters happened and there was really no comparable light shed on the women.

briana's greatness derives in large part from how good that actress is. she's playing a strong role, but she's basically playing a mother. not that there's anything wrong with that, but its not specified by much beyond the fact that she's domineering and she loves her son.

lol slocki

we're going to have to have a Rome vs. Deadwood poll eventually, you realize

not until I've watched all of Deadwood though. just been catching episodes here and there. is it just me or is the bad guy from live free or die hard/hitman not all terrible as an actor?

Timothy Olyphant is great, especially in Deadwood! He doesn't make the greatest choices in what roles he takes though - but I can't wait to see him in the second season of Damages.

is it just me or is the bad guy from live free or die hard/hitman not all terrible as an actor?

hahaha--maybe this should be a poll. the wife argued about if he was a good actor or not when we were watching Deadwood. she hates him, i think he's okay.

the wife and i argued

he's extremely one-note in 'deadwood', but i wouldn't say bad exactly. they demoted him from leading man to ensemble player right quick.

his one note take on Bullock gets a little old towards the last season i would have to say

deadwood kind of sucks... rome much better

yeah deadwood got real bad real quick

it was no 'lovejoy'

deadwood kind of sucks... rome much better

― s1ocki, Thursday, 18 December 2008 16:04 (17 minutes ago)

this is a nonsense

s2 deadwood > s1 deadwood >>> s1 rome > s3 deadwood (rip) >>>>>>>>>> s2 rome

deadwood season 1 is pretty dope, season 2 still really good, season 3 is pretty wtf. i think they spent 80% of the last few episodes focusing on brian cox's theatre troupe.

it was no 'lovejoy'

― special guest stars mark bronson, Thursday, 18 December 2008 16:19 (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Deadwood severely lacked Hothouse Flowers

i got so fucking sick of that theatre troupe. and i feel like they did nothing with the storyline either.

it was a setup for s4

i'm sure it was--i guess i liked most of seasons 1 & 2 but that last season, jesus

it was also about an order and an economy becoming entrenched enough for culture to arrive, about deadwood becoming a place on the map. plus, dramatic writers love writing about actors, whadyagonnado

brian cox slinging gay innunedo in a brogue at swedgin was much better television than all the 'major dad is a psycho capitalist' business

i think john from cincinatti showed what deadwood dude's true colours were

dude just wanted to surf