Just in case you never watched The Wire, first can I ask what’s wrong with you and tell you that you really need to get to Amazon to order the DVD box sets of all five seasons right now.
But second, have this little taster. It’s a famous scene from The Wire in which the po-lice do proper po-lice work using only one word. It’ll only give you a hint as to why The Wire is so good, but it’s fun, it’s clever, and it’ll give you at least some idea of why the show is so loved.
BTW, not safe for work.
I’ve not seen it, but for lovers of The Wire, there’s an attempt to do a real-life documentary series equivalent over on the US’s Sundance Channel. Called Brick City, it follows Newark, New Jersey’s mayor Cory A Booker, various citizens on the front lines, developers, gang members and youth mentors.
In case you don’t know Newark ain’t Baltimore, but it’s not Manhattan either. I’ve no idea if this is going to be a puff piece or not, but I thought I’d mention it out of interest.
In the UK: Sundays, BBC4, 10pm. Available on the iPlayer
Imagine if Katie Price’s next book turned out to be Hamlet. It would be incredible, wouldn’t it? Unbelievable, in fact.
But we’re talking that level of surprise that French TV could come up with Engrenages (aka Spiral).
For the most part, French TV is dubbed American imports, films, game shows and sitcoms that make ITV’s best efforts look like Curb Your Enthusiasm. Yet, a few years ago, bewilderingly Canal+, France’s answer to HBO, came up with Spiral, a French cop show almost as good as The Wire – and every bit as gritty, socially conscious, well written, well acted and authentic, albeit with some very pretty French people indeed.
The first season was a no-holds barred look at the French justice system, and was unafraid to show judges as corrupt, cops as racist, brutal and criminal, and lawyers as amoral and willing to screw over anyone for their own advancement.
Now, a year after it aired in France, BBC4 has finally gotten around to showing the second season. Could it possibly be as good as the first season?
Miracles do happen. It is.
Here’s a trailer for season two – it’s in French mind and contains a few spoilers for the next episode.
In the US: Wednesdays, 10/9c, NBC
In Canada: Wednesdays, 10/9c, Global TV
Ooh, Africa. It’s a bit tricky, isn’t it? What with all the shit happening, and stuff and ooh, it just makes you want to throw your hands in the air and do nothing.
If only there were like some really cool, really rich, billionaire Western guy who could go in and like sort things out, by you know, “hands-on philanthropy”, which would be like riding motorbikes without shoes on to get medicine to villagers before he gets on his Lear Jet. Because that would, like, really sort it all out.
Okay, it’s quite easy to sneer at The Philanthropist. Look, I just did it.
But:
Here on some YouTube promos; more about the show after the jump:
Film
British TV
US TV
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