12. "but I don't think I'm dumb, and I TRIED to get it" In response to In response to 11
but I couldn't even tell you what Dustin Hoffman's character's role in the show is, except that he's Dustin Hoffman. I've been able to glean that Nick Nolte is a horse owner or horse breeder or something, but mainly just because all his scenes are in stables and he acts like owns the horses. the show did NOTHING to explain to me, the viewer, about its esoteric, niche subject.
that's NOT a failing by me, the viewer. that's a failing of the show. and the proof is in the pudding, the show is a bomb when measured by "chatter," despite having completely bankable names on it. like I was EXCITED to sit down and watch the show, and had been so thoroughly and aggressively confused by it, that any goodwill the beautiful camerawork built up in me was lost within 60m.
I *am* that dude that has told countless people about the Wire "make sure you watch past the first few episodes, it picks up (and turns into the greatest show ever made), I promise," but if you go back and watch those episodes, the narrative and dialogue was at least providing some exposition for the viewer to be able to navigate into this subculture of crime. Luck didn't do that AT ALL that I saw, and it was frustrating.