Is The Wire as good as Breaking Bad? Please only

[nirvana555]

Answer if you've seen them both. Thanks for your input and I apologize for starting another BB thread!

[Duer 157099]

1. Both exceptionally worth watching

I loved them both.

[BainsBane]

2. The Wire is the greatest television show ever made

period.

[cliffordu]

4. Exactly. The best ever made.

[Frank Cannon]

7. This is the correct answer.

The Wire is not only one of the most compelling, best written, and best acted shows ever, it is probably the most important drama ever made. It really delves into the major elements of our society--crime, politics, offshoring of jobs, education--and shows how fucked up it all is.

[Enraged_Ape]

8. Yes, and it shows how all those fucked-up institutions...

are interconnected and how they all impact each other.

The Wire is truly a brilliant show in every way. Cops say it's the most realistic portrayal of police work they've ever seen in a TV drama. University criminal justice, political science, and sociology programs even use it in their coursework.

Breaking Bad is a terrific show. But I guarantee it doesn't kick you in the nuts like The Wire does.

[Yavin4]

14. The season with the kids will break your heart.

Unbelievably great season.

[Enraged_Ape]

15. That would be the fourth season.

And you are spot on. Those four kids were the best young teen actors I've ever seen, and I seem to recall they were just local Baltimore kids who the producers casted. My wife and I were absolutely boo-hooing by the final episode.

[JonLP24]

21. I only know of two of the 4

Tristan Wilds, the one that played Michael had other roles in TV shows. A bit-part in the movie Half-Nelson. He's from Staten Island. Maestro Harrell, the one that play Randy Wagstaff has been in acting, singing, and dancing since he was 2-years old. He's from Chicago. So those 2 had experience, I don't know about the other 2.

The show is notable for using local actors though, the actress who played Snoop is from Baltimore and had no prior experience. It was Michael K. Williams(Omar) that invited her to the set after meeting in a bar that got her the role. Sadly, she's currently in prison.

[Enraged_Ape]

22. They were all just terrific.

It seems to me like most actors that age have a vague air of egotism about them, like they know they're on TV and they're excited about it. These kids had none of that. They were 100 percent believable and really drew you into their story and their plight.

[Squinch]

18. Undeniably.

[MadrasT]

3. As good or better

I think I like Tne Wire a wee bit more but they are both brilliant.

I do remember it took me about 6 or 7 episodes to get the characters in The Wire straight and I enjoyed watching it more the second time around because it was fun to go back and see characters that felt like old friends be introduced for the first time.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. I can't properly answer the question.

I only watched the final episode of Breaking Bad. I always wanted to watch the entire series but never got around to it, and it got to the point where I knew when it ended people would undoubtedly spoil it before I had a chance to watch the entire series, so I just said the hell with it.

From what I saw, it looked like an incredible show, one of the best things on television. I'm sad I missed it.

Would it be better than The Wire? I just can't say.

I can say that The Wire was so incredibly well crafted, well written and well-acted (by small name actors, no less). It came off less like a television series and more like a series of classic novels, with each season being a book in the series.

[Enraged_Ape]

23. That's easy for you to say, Mr. Mayor.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

24. I'll refer you to Senator Davis.

[handmade34]

6. my partner says...

The Wire is better... although both excellent...

[JonLP24]

9. I personally feel it is better

because The Wire is more real and it is a more important show.

[NV Whino]

10. Different, but equally good

Season four of The Wire will break your heart.

[warrprayer]

11. wire is not in hte same galaxy n/t

[BronxBoy]

12. Yes

Great writing and memorable characters

[hibbing]

13. both good

Hi,
I have seen all of both, I would say Breaking Bad is my favorite of the two.

On Edit, I am really really liking Treme'

Peace

[alarimer]

16. Yes, I think so.

It is different and some of the seasons were uneven, but I think it's as good, maybe better than Breaking Bad.

[fishwax]

17. It's better. The Wire is in a class by itself.

Other than The Sopranos, I don't think there's another show that comes close to The Wire, personally.

[kwassa]

19. They are very different shows. Apples and oranges, and all that. Both very good.

I am also one who believes The Wire is the best show ever made.

It is also almost completely true, in the sense it was based on David Simon's reportorial experience in Baltimore, working for the Baltimore Sun. The characters are fictional, the situation real. I know someone who was involved in that exact drug scene when he was young, and he said it was absolutely accurate.

Breaking Bad is really a character study of Walter White, though it does show the world of the meth culture of the southwest. It is more about Walter, though.

[nirvana555]

20. Thank you all for your input...

It sounds like i'll delve into The Wire. I really have heard great things.

[PassingFair]

25. What other TV series was REQUIRED viewing to hold public office?

"Last month, the residents of Reykjavik, Iceland, elected a new mayor: 43-year-old comedian Jon Gnarr heads up the "Best Party" and ran on a platform promising "Free towels at public swimming pools," a “drug-free Parliament by 2020," and other more and less ridiculous things. Having received only a plurality, not a majority, of the vote, Gnarr needed to form a coalition to govern. Proving there is wisdom behind his jokes, he had one criteria for partners: He "ruled out any party whose members had not seen all five seasons of The Wire." Unfortunately, Gnarr seems to have internalized the lessons of the show all too well, quickly demonstrating the difficulties of maintaining one's principles while in public office by teaming up with center-left Social Democrats "despite Mr. Gnarr’s suspicion that party leaders had assigned an underling to watch The Wire and take notes." [NYT]