THE GREATEST SHOW ON TELEVISION
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don't test his gangsta
Some of you have may noted that we are currently running a banner for The Wire on top of Poplicks. This is the first advertising Junichi and I have ever accepted (despite the repeated wooing of the Cialis folks) and neither one of us wouldn't have agreed to it except 1) Junichi's weekly "sessions" at Happy Endings Physical Therapy ended up not being covered under his medical insurance, 2) the Franklin Mint's winter line is about to come out and I need the cash, 3) The Wire happens to be one of the greatest shows to ever grace the television screen (albeit on cable).
As Clinton Sparks would suggest, if you don't know: get familiar.
I often complain about how seriously deficient television is when it comes to issues of race, class, gender, and power and here's one show that understands it all in ways that puts practically every other show to shame. Of course, it takes dramatic liberties (hello Omar!) for the sake of narrative but what other shows on television really get inside of the issues of: urban poverty, city politics, the drug trade, junkie culture, gang sociology, police psychology and whatever else you want. If I could teach an entire semester on The Wire, I'd do it. (Say...that's not a bad idea).
This new season, #4, already promises to be incredible, especially as they're entering into the public school system. "No corner left behind": get it?
In any case, HBO is also offering up some goodies for a contest. First prize = a limited edition The Wire hoodie by Akademiks plus a poster for the new season. We have three more posters to give away to runner-ups. Here's the guidelines: I'll post up a series of Wire related questions to Poplicks at
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