This made my night, thanks. I liked that part as well, especially his thought that the series didn't really affect many people except for entertainment. What do people make of this? Is it true for you personally?Quoting ledfloyd (view post)
This made my night, thanks. I liked that part as well, especially his thought that the series didn't really affect many people except for entertainment. What do people make of this? Is it true for you personally?
i don't know. i'd like to think it did. it certainly opened my eyes to that part of american cities that we've 'left behind' as he says. you grow up viewing them as the 'bad parts' but he gives the people living in them their hows and whys and puts a human face on it and makes it much easier to sympathize with the stringers, omars and especially the d'angelos, bubbles and wallaces out there. so in that way, it's certainly affected me.
it's also changed my perception of politics and the way police departments and school systems function (or fail to). especially season 4 brought to the forefront how education is the basis for everything and our failures there have exacerbated our failures everywhere else.
but the problem is, i think it's altered my perception more than changed my behavior. i vote, but i voted before, and i more or less vote the same way i did before. i am grateful for the way the show has allowed me to see the world though.
#44
Norman Wilson
How He Fit: As political advisor to Carcetti, Norman provided some sage council, occasional moral chirping, and lots of good comedy. He’s pretty much the exact guy I’d want to have helping me on my campaign were I a politician.
What I Liked: Norman was just on the outside enough to see the political system as it really is, and as we are told is a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun. In the two seasons where he is featured Norman expresses his disappointment at Carcetti’s refusal to get money from the governor, and a rather hilarious, honest reaction to the serial killer clusterfuck. Plus his Clay Davis impression is spot-on. What struck me most about Norman is his likeability, and how he kind of represents the viewer in his serious desire to see Carcetti improve the city, and his disappointment when he doesn’t. Not much more to add to this entry as Norman was never really a central focus of the series, but like Butchie I just loved him to death, both in the way he was written and the performance. Plus, we’ll never know if he voted for Carcetti or not.
Best Moment: Saying that white people would never vote a black man in. Oh Norman, you were right about so much too.
I find I'm pretty much the same way, especially of the sympathies that I put into those underrepresented people of the world. There's no doubt that the show altered my perception of American urban cities a lot, and somehow made me even more cynical about politics and the agencies that police these cities. Overall, as cheesy as it sounds, it made me into a smarter person. I feel like I know about the American drug war inside and out.
I still feel that Simon may be being too cynical though. I'm sure that the show has affected people more than just the realm of entertainment.
I'd drop the last three below the three before that but yeah we still haven't gotten to the greatest characters yet so I have only minor qualms.
The Princess and the Pilot - B-
Playtime (rewatch) - A
The Hobbit - C-
The Comedy - D+
Kings of the Road - C+
The Odd Couple - B
Red Rock West - C-
The Hunger Games - D-
Prometheus - C
Tangled - C+
I'm actually going to organize the rest of my list over the next few days just to make sure no mistakes are made. Also, the "best moments" will start increasing to 3 and then moreso. It'll probably be a top 10 moments once I get to the best characters.
Five-oh creepin'!
#43
Fuzzy Dunlop
Real #43 coming up shortly.
Ha. Clever.
I dunno, I'd count him as a real character.
Movie Theater Diary
By the way, anyone remember that short-lived cop show The Unusuals? I find it weird that the photocopy-lie detector gag has now been used on three different cop shows.
Movie Theater Diary
yeah
i actually found it really enjoyable, mainly due to the ensemble
#43
Spiros “Vondas” Vondopolous
How He Fit: Second in command to the Greek, “Spiros” is one of the most powerful characters on the show, and is a key in the operation of crime in Baltimore city, particularly its drug and prostitution trades. Unlike his boss, he seems to hold the people he works with ever so slightly in higher regard, trying to avoid killing the Sobotka family and holding Nick close to a son. Nevertheless, he still holds the cold-hearted, business-like approach that fuels the psyche of the entire organization.
What I Liked: The clever way he was able to make the operation seem harmless to the underling Sobotka’s he was dealing with. Little things like calling Eton his “friend” and little comments like “everything is just business with us” are a clever way to make their operation sound less like what it is: exploitation of people for profit. He was the perfect buffer between the Greek and the rest, being very cautious and clever in addition to being endlessly loyal. At the end of the day though, through all his caution and respect for Nick and Frank, his leaving of Baltimore is ultimately just another stop, on way to do business in another area of the world, completely unaware or uncaring of his role in being yet another person to bring the city of Baltimore down even further.
Best Moment: Turning down Marlo. Shows perfectly his calculated approach to business, and how his organization will take no risks. Plus it was nice to see Marlo get turned away for a change, even if his resiliency once again eventually paid off.
30 places to low!Paul Ben-Victor is awesome. Juxtapose Spiros with Palaka on John From Cincinnati to see just how awesome.
The severed arm perfectly acquitted itself, because of the simplicity of its wishes and its total lack of doubt.
#42
The Greek
How He Fit: The most powerful criminal character that we meet in the show, The Greek and his organization have the appeal of sophisticated gangsters that are above and beyond any ordinary sort of law enforcement.
What I Liked: As David Simon described him, The Greek represents “pure capitalism”, and while this leads to his character not having a huge amount of depth at times, it does make him an interesting individual nonetheless. As Spiros says about him (paraphrased): “The Greek will not be angry, he will be smart.”; and this is what characterizes him through both seasons 2 and 5, whether it is the choice to rat out the Columbians to the FBI, to leave a massive shipment of drugs on the ports, or to go along with Marlo and cut Prop Joe loose. The world to him seems so much smaller, because he cannot or chooses to ignore the heavy burden that his organization leaves on those negatively affected by their actions, and everything and every person is just a pawn to be used in his grande scheme to make money. Heavy may be the head that lies the crown, but the Greek always plays things so smoothly everything just seems like “business, always business”.
Best Moment: “And of course, I am not even Greek.” Really puts into perspective how impossible it is to catch the people at the top and drives home the hopelessness of the show.
He is great in the role of Spiros, no doubt. Very subtle performance, with just a hint of menace. Without spoiling, what's his character in John From Cincinnati like?30 places to low!
Definitely would have swapped those two around and ranked them much higher.
"And of course, I am not even Greek," is one of the funniest, most clever lines I've heard period. For the reasons you stated.
Bumbling, stammering, sweaty, Hawaiian, absolutely hilarious. Basically the complete opposite of Spiros.
And come ON, the Greek is top 10, top 5 maybe even.
The severed arm perfectly acquitted itself, because of the simplicity of its wishes and its total lack of doubt.
I suspect I would keep saying "Oh come on, s/he's totally Top 20 material!" to every entry all the way to #21.
Movie Theater Diary
#41
Slim Charles
How He Fit: First appearing is season 3 as hired muscle to help put the Barksdale organization back on top after losing most of their hired guns in season 1’s investigation. After that he hooks up with Proposition Joe’s gang and becomes an increasing member in the co-op. For the most part he comes to represent the old-school soldier who lives by a code of honour in a world that is increasingly losing any sense of it.
What I Liked: The voice hooked me, first of all. It was just undeniably cool. Most of all however, it was the aforementioned code that Slim represented. When Omar comes and confronts him about the murder of Butchie, you can tell there is an underlying respect there and an understanding that they are both of a certain breed. Slim is one of those characters that I was really glad made it out at the end of the series, without being arrested, alive, and at the top, too. Whether it was chastising those two idiots for shooting at Omar’s grandma, coaching Bodie on the new rules of the game, or capping Cheese, Slim was always there to make the show a little less depressing and was something to look forward to. I only wish he had come into contact with at least one of the cops at some point, as I can’t help but think it would end up in a great scene.
Best Moment: Avenging Prop Joe. Cheese had it coming, and the way he did right in the middle of Cheese’s big speech was possibly the biggest “hell yeah!” moment in the entire series.
Hell, I'm doing it. This is one of the hardest lists I've had to make, but I'm hoping in the end it will be balanced.
Slim Charles would be in my top ten characters on the show.
I would put The Greek higher and Slim Charles probably in the 30's but yeah Slim isn't one of my favorites. I hope Daniels shows up soon because I found that actor to be fairly weak.
The Princess and the Pilot - B-
Playtime (rewatch) - A
The Hobbit - C-
The Comedy - D+
Kings of the Road - C+
The Odd Couple - B
Red Rock West - C-
The Hunger Games - D-
Prometheus - C
Tangled - C+
Daniels was always a weaker character for me too.
I like the placement of Spiros and The Greek. Very cool cats but in a show of such rich and complicated characters I find their one-dimentionality puts them far below the more well-rounded characters.
Big fan of Slim Charles. I'da placed him Top 25 prolly.
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