The Wire (TV Series) Boys of Summer (2006) User Reviews

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

[J_Frank_Parnell · 9/10 · 15 January 2022]

The first episode of season 4 is pretty low-key, but it shows off one pf The Wire's greatest strengths- The way it portrays the generational, never-ending, "everything changes, but everything stays the same" nature of the "war on drugs".

In season 1, Bodie was just a hopper in the low-rise, but in season 4, he's running his own corner, calling the shots, but making sure he doesn't even handle drugs or cash. And now, we're introduced to a new generation of hoppers, including Namond, the son of Wee-bey, one of the heavy-hitters from s1. Both McNulty and Prez are burnt out from investigation, and being "real po-lice", with McNulty finally happy, doing the low-stress work of a uniform beat-cop, and Prez leaving the BPD entirely, to start working as a teacher. Sgt Carver has changed too, but in the other direction- Instead of the "bust heads- that's the Western District way" attitude he had in early seasons, Carver has taken Bunny Colvin's advice to heart, and is developing relationships, and an uneasy sort of trust with the street-level dealers on his beat.

This theme of "back to school", and everyone, both police and criminal, learning their place in the game, and bringing in a new generation to perpetuate business as usual, is all through this episode- Not just with the kids, starting class in their battleground school. But also in the police group-briefing, Carcetti finding his feet in the mayoral race, and the young kids in gangs, warring with fist-fighting and balloons of pee, when most of them will end up fighting for control of their corners with real guns, in a few years.

Plus, this season we get the series' coolest bad guys; Avon and String were great, and The Greek, Vondas and Eton may have been the most high-level, but Marlo, Snoop and Chris are the most cold, real, and scary of The Wire's targets, in my book.

Brilliant start to the season

[cameron-burn · 6 August 2011]

It's a testimony to the seemingly innate skill of the writers of HBO's acclaimed series "the wire" that, after only one hour of television, they have created four new characters with more heart and character than any other children on TV, and that these characters were probably only in about 1/4 of the episode.

Season 4 of the wire opens up brilliantly, to put it short. Not only are we introduced to a new set-up of characters, (based around the interesting idea of how teenagers on the street struggle between the choice of what is right (to try and live an honest life) and what is easy (crime)), but most of the major characters from seasons past are reintroduced seamlessly, as if they'd never been gone.

I've tried so far not to fulfil the stereotype of the "preaching Wire fan" who tries to convert everyone to the show, but the fact that for 3 seasons and 1 episode I have been so engrossed within the city and the characters that I'm afraid that's about to change.

One of them brothers

[snoozejonc · 10/10 · 6 October 2022]

This is an excellent start to a great season.

The writers do a brilliant job of setting the scene, introducing new characters, reestablishing familiar faces and kicking off confrontations between Marlo Stanfield's crew, other dealers and the police.

What makes season 4 special are the children and they are perfectly introduced in with moments that define who they are. The writers and actors do great work portraying young characters on screen, which can be a difficult medium to elicit the appropriate response from an audience.

This season more than any highlights the contrast between different socioeconomic groups in the Baltimore. We have the plight of the children in drug infested communities in one scene and far removed city hall in the next. We have the shocked expression of a DIY store employee selling a nail gun to Snoop who almost sounds to be speaking another language.

Education is a strong theme and the practical use of it in the real world. The scenes of both teachers and police officers receiving job training are brilliantly done.

In addition the the above there are many humorous scenes of fantastically written banter between characters that are delivered wonderfully by the actors.

For me the standout performers are Julito McCullum, Tristan Wilds, Maestro Harrell, Jermaine Crawford, Aiden Gillen, and Reg E. Cathey. However, all actors are spot on in their roles as always.

As always the cinematography and editing is top drawer.

For me it's a 9.5/10 but I round upwards.

4x01

[formotog · 6/10 · 24 August 2020]

What on earth were they thinking. Fights between kids? Tommy Carcetti getting the majority of screen time? The actual wire being a mere afterthought? McNulty barely getting a few minutes? Prez becoming a teacher like what??? Please don't tell me the politics are going to overtake the actual crime. I wasn't a fan of it in season 3, but at least it was just a subplot. If it becomes the main focus of this season like it was this episode, then that's gonna be a big problem. Carcetti is a rather bland character which is unlike this show, and yet he's now getting far more screen time than the brilliant characters we've been watching for the last 3 seasons. Not only that, but it doesn't seem like the plot is gonna change all that much from season 3. I'm really hoping this is just a slow start because it wasn't good at all

Mid 6

beginning of the end

[silverton-37959 · 5/10 · 9 August 2020]

This episode marks the decline of the series, IMO. Though it started in S3 with the introduction of the politicians, mainly the whiny-voiced Carcetti and the slimy Royce, S4 dilutes the storyline with the addition of teenagers and their lackluster schoolteachers, with more of the lame politician characters pushing the interesting characters, the dealers and cops, off of center stage.

For binge watchers, this season will provoke more scene jumping than earlier seasons. If you jumped past the uninteresting "love stories" in earlier seasons, you'll likely find yourself jumping past any scene with the whining Carcetti or the school kids. One kid, Weebay's son, Namond, is the most insufferable character of any season. He's less easy to tolerate than Bubbles, even.

Season 5 awaits after you skip through to the end of this, but it isn't any better. The Wire more or less ended with S3. The last two seasons are afterthoughts.

Season 4 start

[thorodinson-50130 · 12 December 2021]

Today i just finished s3 and here i go, i satarter to watch, i already finished 2 episode. This series is in another level. Just new angle, character and plot are adding little by little with old ones.