TV Show Review - The Wire (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 13
Year: 2002
Starring: Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Idris Elba, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce, Seth Gilliam, Domenick Lombardozzi, John Domann, Clarke Peters, Andre Royo, Michael Kenneth Williams, Deirdre Lovejoy

Description: The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.
The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.

Review: “The Wire” is considered on of the most groundbreaking and realistic drama series every made, and it has been on my watch list for way too long.

“The Wire” is not a standard police series, where each episode a case is investigated and solved. Season 1 focuses on a single, complex drug and murder case in Baltimore over 13 episodes. It shows how both the police and the criminals are stuck in bureaucratic and hierarchical systems.

It’s not simply good vs. bad: the series stands out for its moral nuance. It’s not just black and white, no simple heroes or villains; both the cops and the gang members of the Barksdale organization are portrayed as complex, human characters with their own codes and shortcomings.

The start of the first season can feel a bit slow, but pushing through is definitely worth it. I heard someone describe the show as a visual novel. You have to take the time to know the web of characters; the reward only comes in the second half of the season when all the storylines come together.

The script, characters, and social criticism have depth and you really become invested in it once you’ve gotten through the first few episodes. “The Wire” shows a realistic view of justice. It’s a more layered crime drama and I will most definitely continue to the next season.

TV Show Review - The Walking Dead (Season 9)

Season: 9
Genre: Horror/ Drama/ Adventure
Number of episodes: 16
Year: 2018/ 2019
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohen, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride, Alanna Masterson, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquad, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Tom Payne

Description: Eighteen months after the defeat of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) under an alliance of communities spearheaded by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), the season focuses on the united communities as they face obstacles and dangers both outside and inside their alliance, with the threat of the mysterious Whisperers looming.

Review: After season 8, “The Walking Dead” had lost my interest a bit. The pacing was slow and the unexpected deaths of some character didn’t help either. Rick decision about Negan’s fate in the season 8 finale was very lame and I thought it was the end for the show. But then there was season 9, which brought the show back to life.
Andrew Lincoln was announced to leave the show. I was never a huge fan of Rick Grimes, so I wasn’t disappointed. But I was afraid that “The Walking Dead” would suffer from this. Because Rick was the main character of the show.
From the start of the season, “The Walking Dead” felt fresh. It had a new opening sequence, it made a time jump and the pacing was much faster. The walkers are more present and the way they wrote Rick out of the show has been handled well. Maggie’s departure not so much, because she was just gone all of a sudden. And within the season another time jump was added.
With The Hilltop, The Kingdom and Alexandria still working together, you can see that, after Rick’s death, a lot has happened between the three places and their leaders.
The most interesting and exciting part of season 9 is the new hostile group: the Whisperers. They skin walkers and used their faces as a mask, so they can blend in with the actual walkers. Negan was a great villain at the start, but eventually became softer. The Whisperers are a real threat, they are scary an merciless.
I also liked the connection between Rick’s daughter Judith and Negan. Unlikely to see them get along, but it’s very endearing to see them bond.
Since a long time, “The Walking Dead” has been interesting again and it managed to shock us towards the end of the season. Something that the show was lacking in season 8.