[TV] The Shield or The Wire?

[Fitzgerald77]

Alright so I've been debating for a while now which show I should watch first, The Shield or The Wire. With me, when I want to start watching a show that I have never seen before I like to stick to it and watch it back to back without really watching anything else. I just finished downloading each and every season of both shows and my goal is to watch one of them back to back. I've heard and read amazing things about both shows and I simply cannot choose!

My real goal here is to get hooked onto a show while Dexter and Homeland are back on the air and be done with The Wire/The Shield when their new seasons come to an end. I'm doing this because I want to try something different and to me, waiting a whole week between for a new episode from such amazing shows drives me absolutely fucking crazy and not to mention that watching an entire season of something is so much fun!

So what say you? The Shield first? Or The Wire?

[jamlol]

The Wire, by far. One of the best series of all times. The Shield was very good, but the wires just on a whole other level.

[rayvio]

tough question... very hard to decide. I think The Wire may be better, but just barely. both are very good and well worth watching

[silvertitan]

I'm going with the shield, the wire is good albeit a little slow paced at times, but the shield is one of the best series i've ever watched.

[Ordrek]

I just finished watching The Wire for the second time. It reinforced my opinion that it is the best series ever produced.

I shouldn't really comment on The Shield because I didn't bother finishing more than about half of the first season. It felt like it was forced.... like this guy is a really, Really, REALLY corrupt cop. REALLY. Ok, stfu I get it, he's corrupt but you have a grudging respect for him anyway. Great. Got anything else for the viewer? No? Didn't think so.

If I'm wrong about The Shield, I'm willing to hear why.

[Zardoz541]

Alright so I've been debating for a while now which show I should watch first, The Shield or The Wire. With me, when I want to start watching a show that I have never seen before I like to stick to it and watch it back to back without really watching anything else. I just finished downloading each and every season of both shows and my goal is to watch one of them back to back. I've heard and read amazing things about both shows and I simply cannot choose!

My real goal here is to get hooked onto a show while Dexter and Homeland are back on the air and be done with The Wire/The Shield when their new seasons come to an end. I'm doing this because I want to try something different and to me, waiting a whole week between for a new episode from such amazing shows drives me absolutely fucking crazy and not to mention that watching an entire season of something is so much fun!

So what say you? The Shield first? Or The Wire?

Both shows are fantastic, and you absolutely should watch both in their entirety. Which to watch first? Hmmm...

I'd have to go with The Shield, because that show grabs you by the balls in the very first episode, and it doesn't ever let go. It will be hard to stop watching. I remember the first time I saw it, my housemate had the first 3 seasons on DVD. We watched a few episodes together, and i remember over the next few days staying up until ridiculous hours of the morning watching each episode.

[Cuppy]

I have never seen The wire, but I love HBO and I know that The wire will be awesome. I'm waiting for a nice offer to show up so I can buy it.
I've watched shield tho, 5 seasons right next to me and It's not bad either tho. Therefore I voted for shield.

[Zardoz541]

I just finished watching The Wire for the second time. It reinforced my opinion that it is the best series ever produced.

I shouldn't really comment on The Shield because I didn't bother finishing more than about half of the first season. It felt like it was forced.... like this guy is a really, Really, REALLY corrupt cop. REALLY. Ok, stfu I get it, he's corrupt but you have a grudging respect for him anyway. Great. Got anything else for the viewer? No? Didn't think so.

If I'm wrong about The Shield, I'm willing to hear why.

You *have* to go past where you stopped to understand the reasons. The first part of the first season was as "in your face" about it as it was because they needed to grab viewer attention. Once the pieces are set and put into motion, they dial back that dimension, and the rest of the series is all about the cat-and-mouse games, the political chess-match, character development, and an understanding of why things are the way they are.

Without going into spoiler mode, you learn about why Vic is okay with bending (or outright breaking) the law not just to suit *his* needs, but the needs of his team, of his family. You learn the history of Vic and the strike team, and what put them on this path. You learn about the rewards they reap, and the disasters that come with playing such a dangerous game. You learn that in the end, no one is innocent, no one walks away clean. You can't just "play god" and wash your hands of it. Sooner or later, the day comes when you cannot hide from the things you have done.

[kaze950]

I love both series, so it's hard to choose. I think that, ultimately, the two are very different shows. In The Wire, the city of Baltimore itself is arguably the most important "character", but the The Shield really comes down to 4 individuals and their moral choices. I'd say that The Wire is great food for the mind, while The Shield is great food for the heart. I felt a lot more emotionally invested in The Shield, especially season 5-7 territory, while The Wire is a show that I felt invested in for different reasons (don't get me wrong, it has tons of emotionally resonant scenes *cough* Season 4 *cough*)

If I could only watch one of these shows ever, I'd probably pick The Wire. Its seasons are definitely more independent of each other, so I feel like I could watch it again and again.

As for the poster who only watched half the first season, I'd say stick with it. Personally, I'd call season 1 of The Shield its weakest (the last few episodes of it are pretty strong though...I love "Dragonchasers") and it's really more of an introduction to the world and the characters than anything else. Without spoilers, it isn't until the end of season 2 that the real catalyst for most of the series' major events occurs. If you do watch it all the way through, you might question that idea of the "grudging respect" you're supposed to have for Vic.

[Shinzai]

I chose The Wire, because it's my own preferred series. The Shield is fantastic as well though. Just be aware that The Wire takes its time and is very evenly paced - much like in real life, the action is not constant, there's a lot of what goes on in between cases and character development that is very slow burning. Be aware that the pacing may not be to everyone's taste, much like the slower parts of Breaking Bad. The Wire's more like an in depth fly on the wall drama, with bursts of intensity.

[Fuzzzie]

Both really good. You can't go wrong either way. Also, saw this on the Nerdist channel, there is a prequel of sorts to the Wire called The Corner. It's an HBO series starring many of the characters from the Wire.

[Tziva]

The Wire is my absolute favourite TV series of all time, so that's always my vote.

Also, saw this on the Nerdist channel, there is a prequel of sorts to the Wire called The Corner. It's an HBO series starring many of the characters from the Wire.

It's not technically a prequel, but it's in the same vein.

David Simon, the guy primarily behind The Wire, has two books that made it into TV: Homicide, about Baltimore's homicide detectives and The Corner, about street-level drug trade in Baltimore. Homicide ended up 7 season TV series in the 90s (it's dated but good - and the origin of Richard Belzer's longrunning cross-series character John Munch). The Corner was an HBO docudrama miniseries (just six episodes) that came shortly after.

Both series share a lot of actors with The Wire. I can think of at least ten off the top of my head.

[Fuzzzie]

The Wire is my absolute favourite TV series of all time, so that's always my vote.



It's not technically a prequel, but it's in the same vein.

David Simon, the guy primarily behind The Wire, has two books that made it into TV: Homicide, about Baltimore's homicide detectives and The Corner, about street-level drug trade in Baltimore. Homicide ended up 7 season TV series in the 90s (it's dated but good - and the origin of Richard Belzer's longrunning cross-series character John Munch). The Corner was an HBO docudrama miniseries (just six episodes) that came shortly after.

Both series share a lot of actors with The Wire. I can think of at least ten off the top of my head.

I definitely want to check it out. Want to watch both The Shield and The Wire again too. Just so much to watch lately.

[Tziva]

I definitely want to check it out. Want to watch both The Shield and The Wire again too. Just so much to watch lately.

The Corner is stupid hard to find through legitimate means. Despite being an HBO project it's not available through HBO Go, and other streaming sites don't have it since they're so tight with their licensing.

The book versions are good, too.

[Skizzit]

Both are worth watching, but The Wire is probably the greatest TV series ever produced. Incredibly well made. One small word of warning, do not expect the whole series to be about the cops and the street dealers. That is just a small part of it. The series starts there but then spirals outward to show how the entire city of Baltimore is effected. I know some people who stopped watching during the second season when the series shifted to the dock workers. It all comes back around and is all part of the whole story.

I just finished watching The Wire for the second time. It reinforced my opinion that it is the best series ever produced.

I shouldn't really comment on The Shield because I didn't bother finishing more than about half of the first season. It felt like it was forced.... like this guy is a really, Really, REALLY corrupt cop. REALLY. Ok, stfu I get it, he's corrupt but you have a grudging respect for him anyway. Great. Got anything else for the viewer? No? Didn't think so.

If I'm wrong about The Shield, I'm willing to hear why.

That is just where it starts. They build Vic up during the first part so that it has a larger impact when everything starts falling down around him.

[Zeoni]

The Wire for sure, HBO just does an above and beyond job on their series'. The character development is quite amazing and the whole show is realistic apparently. There are so many great characters and probably the best one in TV history, Omar Little. Every actor in that show did a really good job imo. The only thing that bothered me was that season 5 was only 10 episodes. I feel like it should have been 13 or even a whole 6th season. But I guess that's just the part of me that doesn't want a series to be over because it's that good. I've always wondered how these great TV shows can have amazing actors who play great roles but just for 1 series. None of them really did much more other than The Wire. Nothing big anyways.

My favourite scene was when Omar and Brother Mouzone were having that standoff in the alley, amazing work by both guys.

[Deleted]

The wire has the better dialogues and individual episodes. The shield has the best overarching story of any series I've ever seen.

[Deleted]

Well I havent watched the shield but I still voted for The wire because its my favorite series of all time and best series I have watched in .. well many years. I think the feelings I had for TV series were when I was like 12 or 6 when I watched cartoons. Its just.. I'm so in love with the series and I keep it on high regard. I think last series was like this was when i was 12 and I watched "Boston public" - being 12 and in 6th grade it was brilliant.

How my friend commented on the characters:

The characters were likeable because they were believable. Which means you have some empathy with them as opposed to plastic/two dimensional sitcom characters who you want to choke to death. Even though the writers/SELLERS of the series hope youll fall in love with them and keep buying coffee cups and calendars with them on.

And I do agree.

Its just brilliant. The only con of the series is that you dont want to watch any CSI or similiar series with fancy iron man quality tech anymore with not a single corrupt cop or selfish deputies I just cant explain it properly, but people really should watch the whole season 1-5 thro when they have time. Its brilliant.

[hellhamster]

The Shield is brilliant, but the Wire is on a whole new level. I don't think any television show can ever top it. Simply the best show of all time.

Also, both shows need a while to get you adjusted to them though, especially if you watch plastic stuff like CSI regularly.

Conclusion, start with the Wire, then go for its little brother, the Shield. You won't regret it at all.

[draynay]

another vote for going for The Wire first

I am not a big fan of cop dramas, mostly because I saw Homicide years ago and every other show* is just doing the same stuff I already saw only not as good. Go with the David Simon stuff, otherwise you're just cheating yourself.


*-except for The Wire, which is an amazing show