I've only just got into it and missed all the earlier articles

I think it's fine as long as you don't spoil too much for those who haven't seen all of it yet (especially as many new people will start watching via BBC2).

I've only seen the first season. Giving it a bit of a break as I know there's only a finite number of episodes for me to watch.

I've never watched it, and I'm so sick of hearing about it that now I never want to, despite being smack in the middle of its target demographic.

But if you belt up about it for a while I might just recover my appetite sufficiently to watch it on a normal person's channel.

Thanks...

It's probably very good and all that but I've never watched a single episode of The Wire, it's just not my bag. But do carry on writing about it, I'll just skip to the next page!

Has to be more. The exposure on the BBC is only going to add to the interest. A feature on HBO is also an idea.

Saying as it was your magazine that got me into The Wire, I want more. What's the cartoon on the postfrom. Is it the Simpsons?
By the way you also got me into the Damned United which is excellent and I hav'nt read fiction since the Shining so nice one

Yes definitely more, I've just watched season 1 and loved it. It was you guys who convinced me to watch it but I'm only new and the articles a few months back didn't mean so much since I didn't know the story then ... but I do now. More more more

My view is that I will probably just turn the page. I am sure I would love it if I had the time or inclination to devote the time necessary, which I don't. It's fine, there is usually still something somewhere of interest lurking between the pages. But, isn't it time for Development Hell to follow up the suggestion posted recently about an intelligent TV magazine. It could include a little peripheral stuff in the same way as Word includes picture and noise in its trajectory.

on the creators and actors. Not any more of people telling me how good it is (I know - I have watched it all).

… but I'll have to cut it out and keep it till I've watched series 3-5.

Late to The Wire & late to The Word, both are now two of my favourite things (she sang)

but enough already. It's still only a feckin' television programme. And I prefer The Sopranos.

There, i've said it...

the word is 'overkill'. I've never seen The Wire, but I have read so much about the series that I'm almost fed up with it to the point that I don't want to watch it when it comes to BBC2.

Same goes for Spotify and Twitter. Less is more.

with all this 'Tell us what you want ' lark?
Are you having a crisis of confidence?
I think most Wordies are of the opinion that you have done alright without our input so far. I think you should carry on making the decisions for us. A committee of hundreds isn't going to help you make the 'right' decision. For everyone you please you will annoy someone else, so *you* take the responsibility and we can at least have the same target to moan at, or praise.

Try it, try it!

And still I want more. A-Z of who's who, what other things the main actors have been in, ten greatest bits of dialogue, history of the theme tune, where are they all now, Wire guide to Baltimore, all that stuff. Less David Simon, more Prop Joe. My wife had lunch next to McNulty by the way, just a few weeks back in Covent Garden. Shockingly, he had the veggie option.

I watched the first 3 episodes of the wire on irish channel tg4 but couldn't get into it, i tried, believe me, i tried! How many episodes should it take the average word reader? More articles in Word might convince me to try again. I've even received David Simon's book Homicide for xmas, to tackle it from that angle. Maybe that will do the trick..... Feel like I'm outside one great big LOOP here........

If readers don't like it, can't they just skip it, like I do when you rattle on about Richard Thompson, John Martyn, Prog or whatever?

You can't please all of the people all of the time. Or something.

Noooooooooooooooooo! (thanks)

But I find some sections of the media's obsession with it a bit dubious. You don't want to turn into The Guardian do you?

But enough already.

that needs to be written about it ?

I could take a few more articles.

I'd like to see some interviews with various actors as the appear at the various stages of the story.
BTW, John Doman (Rawls) is appearing in Damages and Sonja Sohn (Kima) showed up in Brothers And Sisters.

Ignore these delightfully quirky types who "just cant find the time" to watch a programme almost universally agreed to be amongst the finest pieces of entertainment ever made. Thats their problem not ours.

I don't see why the rest of us should be denied coverage of something we love by a people who refuse to watch something in order to denote their loveable individuality.

Incidentally, ideally The Word would be a, probably 700 page, repository for the best writing about music,books,film and television - I seem to remember early editions attempting to head in that direction - but I accept itjust has to be the best music magazine. That shouldn't stop it from covering items of genuine cultural significance from non music genres.

I've been to Baltimore I don't need to relive it through the wonders of TV. It's the only place in the world I left a bank because I thought I was going to be mugged inside. There seemed to be individuals hanging around watching the queue, listening to the transactions (in my mind) picking their mark.

If you want to do something that is Wire related do an in-depth interview with Richard Price covering his whole career. As a film/TV writer he's seen and done it all. He's a great character and very amusing.

just need to watch for spoilers - I've now watched it all but I was FURIOUS that the Guardian had a spoiler about season 5 in the middle of a "Year In Review" article with no warning!!

To avoid anyone else being upset, that is as close as I will go to identifying the spoiler!!

Some things are worth going on about. Besides, I started watching because of the article in the magazine 18 months back or so.

Seeing as it's about to be shown on "council telly".

But please I'm begging you not Red Riding. All a bit Brookside really, isn't it?

get into Six Feet Under or the one about the White House but I'm genuinely grateful for the pressure exerted to have a go at The Wire. When I finally gave in it was a revelation. It really is the best thing TV ever gave us. Have a go. Go on..

I don't understand why this question should be asked. Surely, surely, surely, everyone who reads the magazine who would ever go out and try it has gone out and tried it already. Plus, it's getting coverage everywhere else.

Very little mention of Brotherhood, though. Get it sorted.

... but so was The Sopranos,

so was Six Feet Under,

so is Mad Men.

Why this singular fascination with The WIRE by The WORD when the above are, at least, as good?

But getting back to the question: yeah, write about it as I'm sure I'll read it.

to watching The Wire. Had to see what all the fuss was about......... and yes I agree it's very good. However as Nicodemus points out so are many other series. I loved Six Feet Under. Best thing ever on TV??... not sure. Keep writing about it......yes please.

You're in danger of becoming a cliched obsession.

I've watched it, tried to "get" the fuss - but can't. Above average US police drama, but in terms of depth, storyline, dialogue, characterisation and just, well, good acting - it really, really doesn't come close to The Sopranos.

More Sopranos - less Wire.

aight.

And more about quality British TV drama (Red Riding is just as good as a lot of the HBO stuff).

...I find Martin Clunes' gentle/mildly spiky Cornish comedy drama 'Doc Martin' just about the only thing worth watching on TV these days (whenever it's on, obviously, which it isn't just now, but I believe a new series is filming soon). I'm not drawn to American dramas personally, but the righteous horde of media people falling over themselves to tell everyone else how great this 'Wire' thing is - in an almost hectoring, get-with-the-programme-or-you're-a-square-matey sort of way - has closed the door on it for me. I've never watched it, I never will and I happily turn the page/ignore the reference in Word whenever it appears. It reminds me of the way everyone (led by, er, David Hepworth again, as I recall) was banging on about Broooce 'Boss of Bombast' Springsteen in the mid '80s. I'm sure he's a lovely bloke, but I've felt perfectly happy to date in buying not one of his records. That said, if it takes sticking Broooce or somebody associated with 'the Wire' on the cover every so often in order to shift the necessary units and keep the good ship Word - quirky, delightful and, clearly, as broad a church as we're always told the Anglican one is - afloat, that's fine by me. Mark'n'Dave's instincts have served us all well thus far.

Watched it, loved it, but not much for The Word to add really.

Yes it's the best TV show I've ever seen. Yes it's better than any film I know. But I'd rather Word devoted that space to alerting me to other great TV shows. 30 Rock (Season 3) must be the best show on TV right now, give or take Mad Men. Come on, tell us something we don't know. And for those that want more Wire writing just go to http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/

His episode reviews for Seasons 1, 4 and 5 are particularly good.

I say keep it coming... however, I would like to see a big feature on Battlestar Galactica, now it's coming to an end.

I've seen them all, but a couple of spoilers I happened upon elsewhere got on my nerves whilst I was mid-way. Happy to read more, but make sure there are warnings for those who don't know what's coming.

I love the Wire, my son (17)loves it. My wife can not abide it. Too boring, too slow, can't tell what their saying. Where do you go from there? Most of the cast are men, most of the cast are also not very nice. Is this what turns women off it? She will quite happily watch Red Riding which is far more grim.

I must get back my Series 5 DVDs from that female work colleague.

I sometimes think that people who like the Wire have no soul.

And, if you will, che.

what else is there to say? Mr H himself first did what is still the definitive overview of the show, followed by what is still the definitive UK David Simon interview; the Guardian recently started another in-depth ep-by-ep analysis; even meaningful exploration of the sociopolitical issues raised is very tricky without spoilers; the Web is teeming with blogs and interviews and stuff (right down to photo reportages of the breaking down of the set), while even one of our very own has been-'n-done-'n'-published a tour of the locations, with Prop Joe as his guide, no less.

So what's left? Not much occurs to me, but if you can find something that makes you say "Dat'll work", why not?

This Wire thing? Should I have heard of it?

Definitely more. I'm only a few episodes into series 1, and still have the relevant Word podcast saved to finally listen to once I've got through the whole series.

...I do buy the magazine first and foremost for the music related content, rather than the interviews with writers of television programmes etc.

There are very frequently excellent and interesting sections of the magazine which have no immediate musical reference (Nick Cohen's interview and the 'Best Of Now' being this months examples)but the front of the mag does say, "Music Magazine Of The Year", not "Television".

Yes please, more Wire. I've only been watching since xmas and am currenly near end of Season 2 so i've got plenty more to watch. I love it!

Battlestar Galactica needs some Word time.

Possibly the best TV ever...

... then I'll give my verdict.

The real test is if I am out for the night and have to record the latest episode. Watched about 5 episodes of Heroes, had to go to a gig - so taped an episode - but never felt the need to watch it. As a result, I lost all interest in the show.

Still can't imagine TV gets any better than The West Wing.

Lots of TV is better than The West Wing. And I say that as an admirer.