PDA

View Full Version : West Wing v Sopranos v AN Other


Angus
20/02/2008, 10:14 PM
I can never decide which show I preferred.

Both are magnificient but obviously totally different in many ways.

Anybody have a firm view or am I missing the true TV Gem from the last 10 years ?
Saint MacDara
20/02/2008, 10:46 PM
Both shows are quite accomplished as they've had widespread appeal among critics,intellectuals and the common people.
The West Wing had the benefit of having a star like Martin Sheen but soon got viewers hooked with sharp scripts although the finals series' went slightly downhill.
While The Sopranos had potential from the start but truly found it's level by the second series and kept improving.
So Sopranos for me since it had better character and story development while we could all live vicariously through them.

However,special credit must be given to Family Guy,it's the funniest show ever to come out of America.Catch it before it's cancelled again!

The US has produced some gold like Six Feet Under,Oz,Friends,Law & Order,Deadwood and South Park.
shakermaker1982
21/02/2008, 7:35 AM
The Wire beats them em both (and I love the Sopranos). I'm on the third series of the West Wing but after an excellent first series it feels like we're in treading water territory. I might give up on buying the other boxsets because

Trust me and go out and buy the Wire boxsets and you will not look back. It's intelligent, well written, funny, dark, well acted and to sum up a masterpiece. I've also just started on Deadwood series 1 and it has impressed me greatly.
jebus
21/02/2008, 10:19 AM
Sopranos, although Oz is better than all of them
Dr. Ogba
21/02/2008, 11:31 AM
Love the West Wing despite a tendency to veer towards sentimentalism the scripts were razor-sharp and ocassionally very very funny.

Have to agree that the 4 and 5th seasons were pretty poor though(which coincides with Sorkin leaving as script-writer around this time)...the last couple of seasons were a return to form though as they shifted emphasis from the White House to the elections.
if you liked West Wing it would be well worth checking out the short-lived "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"....
TonyD
21/02/2008, 12:39 PM
The Wire beats them em both (and I love the Sopranos). Trust me and go out and buy the Wire boxsets and you will not look back. It's intelligent, well written, funny, dark, well acted and to sum up a masterpiece. I've also just started on Deadwood series 1 and it has impressed me greatly.

Abso-damn-lutely. The Wire is the best TV drama ever made (in my humble opinion). It's intricate, beautifully plotted and paced, superbly acted and ultimately much more rewarding than any other programme I've seen. It's not for the casual viewer though. The creator David Simon compares each series to a novel, and like a novel you can't pick it up at say, chapter 4, again at chapter 7, and expect it to make sense. That's why it's ideal for box-set purchase. To anyone who hasn't seen it, I can't recommend it highly enough.

I am also a fan of the West Wing and Sopranos - they are probably the best 3 drama series of the last 10 years.
Anto McC
21/02/2008, 9:16 PM
Brotherhood.
Neish
21/02/2008, 10:32 PM
As Dr Ogba & Tony D say get "The Wire" best show ever imo, "Sopranos" great too, with "OZ" in 3rd
Only1Rovers
02/03/2008, 10:53 PM
Brotherhood.

Seen it on digital menu there a few times looks like its got potential.

Based in Boston? Summit to do with Irish Mob?

Am I close?

Hold on.... Agent Harris is in it!!!!!!!!!!
strangeirish
02/03/2008, 11:08 PM
Soprano's for me, but I have to say, Deadwood is brilliant.

Deadwood line:
FARNUM: "I can't engage him in further conversation! When I hear his voice I see the inside of his skull. Phantoms grin out at me leaking gruesome goo."
SWEARENGEN: "Slide this under his door then."
pete
02/03/2008, 11:22 PM
The Wire is on my to do list.

I would recommend Dexter (recently started on ITV & due on Channel 6) if like an edge to your crime/cop show. Originally shown on Showtime in the US but now picked up by one of the Networks.
NeilMcD
02/03/2008, 11:32 PM
Just finished Sopranos and enjoyed it. Going to start on West Wing now.
Anto McC
03/03/2008, 3:27 PM
Seen it on digital menu there a few times looks like its got potential.

Based in Boston? Summit to do with Irish Mob?

Am I close?

Hold on.... Agent Harris is in it!!!!!!!!!!

To do with a set of Brothers of Irish desent and it's based in Rhode Island.
shakermaker1982
03/03/2008, 4:51 PM
Just finished Sopranos and enjoyed it. Going to start on West Wing now.

Neil - start on the Wire 1st. You won't regret it!!!
dahamsta
03/03/2008, 11:33 PM
Gimme a list and I'll make a poll, so I can vote West Wing.
Dr. Ogba
06/03/2008, 12:24 PM
Just bought the Wire season 1 in HMV there on people's recommendations here (pay day this week so impulse purchases galore!) - better be good or i'll track yez down!! {insert shaking fist smiley here}
SaucyJack
06/03/2008, 12:49 PM
Just bought the Wire season 1 in HMV there on people's recommendations here (pay day this week so impulse purchases galore!) - better be good or i'll track yez down!! {insert shaking fist smiley here}

to me The Wire is the best show HBO ever did, better than Oz, Deadwood even the Sopanos, unfortunately the fifth season is the final season and the final episode is this Sunday in the U.S. If anyone wants to see most of the 5th season they can check out this link

http://www.watchtvsitcoms.com/thewire.php
jebus
06/03/2008, 1:06 PM
Gimme a list and I'll make a poll, so I can vote West Wing.

How about we keep it to the Wire, Sopranos, West Wing, Oz and one other? (ER, or Deadwood perhaps?)
Dr. Ogba
06/03/2008, 1:14 PM
also took the plunge on arrested development on ebay based on almost universally popular reviews (having not seen any episodes either....damn you credit card!!!) - anyone a fan?
jebus
06/03/2008, 1:16 PM
also took the plunge on arrested development on ebay based on almost universally popular reviews (having not seen any episodes either....damn you credit card!!!) - anyone a fan?

Love it, funniest show since Seinfeld
lofty9
06/03/2008, 1:39 PM
The Wire (The best show never watched) then Oz. Nearly finished the 3rd series of The Wire and have the 4th sky+ courtesy of TG4.
Dr. Ogba
06/03/2008, 1:45 PM
Love it, funniest show since Seinfeld

good stuff, between that and the Wire I'll have plenty to keep me going.

On a side note, why were these shows never picked up by channels over here? Surely there must be a slot for them somewhere? Same thing has happened with one of my favourite shows of late: Entourage - they had the second season on at some mad hour on network 2 and never bothered showing the third (or fourth for that matter) :mad:
jebus
06/03/2008, 1:52 PM
On a side note, why were these shows never picked up by channels over here?

BBC2 have never rated American imports, Arrested Devolpment was given the same treatment as Seinfled and Larry Sanders and thrown on at 11pm on a non-descript weekday. That said I think we get American humour more than our British counterparts
Louth4sam
06/03/2008, 2:10 PM
The Wire is on my to do list.

I would recommend Dexter (recently started on ITV & due on Channel 6) if like an edge to your crime/cop show. Originally shown on Showtime in the US but now picked up by one of the Networks.

Wire also on my to do list. Have the first three seasons of it on my hard drive but havent watched it yet. Dexter is a quality series though. The best show i've seen in years. Prob followed by heroes and then Jericho.
Macy
06/03/2008, 2:35 PM
BBC2 have never rated American imports, Arrested Devolpment was given the same treatment as Seinfled and Larry Sanders and thrown on at 11pm on a non-descript weekday. That said I think we get American humour more than our British counterparts
In fairness, The Larry Sanders Show was always likely to be on late enough.

I don't mind BBC too much as they are at least producing their own shows of some value - RTE bang decent imports on late when prime time is full of crap as well. They had The West Wing starting at 11.30 most of the time, for example.
lofty9
13/03/2008, 3:17 PM
Just noticed the Wire Series 1 -3 is on Amazon's uk site as the DVD deal of the week for anybody that was interested in buying them.
Dr. Ogba
03/04/2008, 8:31 AM
saw an ad on rte for their schedule for April and Entourage was on it....anyone know if this will be season 3 or 4?
shakermaker1982
03/04/2008, 9:25 AM
saw an ad on rte for their schedule for April and Entourage was on it....anyone know if this will be season 3 or 4?

ITV4 are showing series 4 at the moment. Just started last week. I know you get lost pretty much the same time as sky one does.
TonyD
03/04/2008, 9:41 PM
Just bought the Boxed set of Season 4 of The Wire (made a mess of recording it on TG4 recently.) Oh My Christ, it is quality. Best season yet I think. Amazing show. (Can I vote for it again to even the scores up:D)

Seriously though, how many people, who have seen all of both series would rate the Sopranos above the Wire ? I'm interested.
Dodge
03/04/2008, 9:50 PM
Seriously though, how many people, who have seen all of both series would rate the Sopranos above the Wire ? I'm interested.

Me.

Not saying the Wire is anything less than magnificent either
cheifo
03/04/2008, 11:22 PM
I have never seen the Wire :eek: but I like what I am hearing about it.Oz was very good.Love the Sopranos.Have to say I found a few of the scenes in OZ shocking.The scene where the Nazi(schindler?)nails that paedophile priest to the floor..oh Lordy.Quality though.The fact that people on here rte the Wire higher than the Sopranos has me intrigued.West Wing is of course quality.
sligoman
03/04/2008, 11:58 PM
I have never seen the Wire :eek:I'll go one better, never heard of it:eek:.
pete
04/04/2008, 12:01 AM
saw an ad on rte for their schedule for April and Entourage was on it....anyone know if this will be season 3 or 4?

I would guess this is season 3. Fairly sure they showed 1 & 2 back to back last time even though I did not watch on RTE. Great escape TV though.
shakermaker1982
04/04/2008, 7:15 AM
I'll go one better, never heard of it:eek:.

shocking :D

I loved the Soprano's but think the Wire is much more consistent - no filler episodes.
lofty9
04/04/2008, 9:11 AM
Just bought the Boxed set of Season 4 of The Wire (made a mess of recording it on TG4 recently.) Oh My Christ, it is quality. Best season yet I think. Amazing show. (Can I vote for it again to even the scores up:D)

Seriously though, how many people, who have seen all of both series would rate the Sopranos above the Wire ? I'm interested.

I voted for The Wire in the poll. The Sopranos was fantastsic, but the writing in The Wire is something else. But then I thought the Shield was better than the Sopranos.

Just finished season 4 myself.

Season 1 - good introduction - a bit slow but addictive.
Season 2 - I thought it was brilliant, some great 1 series characters - the Sobotkas and the Greek.
Season 3 - Better than the 2nd, goes back to the streets. Highlight - Brother Mouzone and Omar - the odd couple.
Season 4 - The school - well that was class :p, school system, politics and mad Marlo.
shakermaker1982
04/04/2008, 9:50 AM
I hope McNulty features a lot more in season 5. Only 10 episodes though which is a bummer.
Dr. Ogba
04/04/2008, 10:59 AM
I voted for The Wire in the poll. The Sopranos was fantastsic, but the writing in The Wire is something else. But then I thought the Shield was better than the Sopranos.

Just finished season 4 myself.

Season 1 - good introduction - a bit slow but addictive.
Season 2 - I thought it was brilliant, some great 1 series characters - the Sobotkas and the Greek.
Season 3 - Better than the 2nd, goes back to the streets. Highlight - Brother Mouzone and Omar - the odd couple.
Season 4 - The school - well that was class :p, school system, politics and mad Marlo.

just bought season 2 there...can't ruddy wait to watch it...
lofty9
15/04/2008, 9:18 PM
4th Series of The Wire starting next Monday night on FX if anybody wants to watch it.
Dr. Ogba
18/04/2008, 10:03 AM
saw an ad on rte for their schedule for April and Entourage was on it....anyone know if this will be season 3 or 4?

Season 3 starting on Monday night - 10.55 on RTE 1
Pike B
22/04/2008, 7:41 AM
The Sopranos is number one. By a mile.
max power
22/04/2008, 7:54 AM
I'm on season 4 of the wire at the moment, great stuff. But i've recently started on Oz and have to say its top notch as well.

But i'd find it hard to go for one show over the other in a poll. Thay all have their own merits. The walk and talks in The West Wing are worth a vote on their own. As are the choices of music in the Sopranos. So its a tough choice.

But i am getting sick of Journey so........perhaps the West Wing shades it.