Comments on: If ‘The Wire’ is so good, why isn’t it on terrestrial TV? http://14sandwiches.com/2008/08/26/if-the-wire-is-so-good-why-isnt-it-on-terrestrial-tv/ A technology-media-music party for your brain Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:03:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: MartinSFP http://14sandwiches.com/2008/08/26/if-the-wire-is-so-good-why-isnt-it-on-terrestrial-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-92 MartinSFP Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:01:11 +0000 http://14sandwiches.com/?p=136#comment-92 Hi James, thanks for the comment. I saw a trailer on FX the other day saying the fifth season started this week - maybe they're repeating the first few episodes? In fact, that trailer inspired this post. I think I'll get the DVDs as soon as possible! Hi James, thanks for the comment. I saw a trailer on FX the other day saying the fifth season started this week – maybe they're repeating the first few episodes? In fact, that trailer inspired this post. I think I'll get the DVDs as soon as possible!

]]> By: James http://14sandwiches.com/2008/08/26/if-the-wire-is-so-good-why-isnt-it-on-terrestrial-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-91 James Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:53:56 +0000 http://14sandwiches.com/?p=136#comment-91 The answer to your question would be to ask Channel 4. After their successes with Sex And The City, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, they used to get first refusal on HBO shows, so somewhere along the line they must have turned it down. Unfortunately, post-Desperate Housewives, C4 have taken to buying up the soapier end of American imports (Brothers And Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money). All a part of the channel's apparent remit to dumb down.<br><br>I'm one of The Wire's converts and would love nothing more than to see a terrestrial channel take a chance on it, but I don't think it would be anymore successful on the BBC, for instance, than it is on FX. It's not an easy show to get into and although I don't want to underestimate the British viewing public, I fear that it would still go unnoticed. It's a show that demands and requires a lot of attention, but once you are immersed in its universe, then it's the show that keeps on giving. Buy up the DVD sets. The early seasons are relatively cheap at the moment (£25 in HMV) and I'm certain you'll find it to be money well-spent.<br><br>Also, not to be a pedant or anything but the fifth season started on FX about six weeks ago. I've already seen it (by nefarious means, naturally) and can confirm that it's a fitting end to The Greatest TV Show Of All-Time. The answer to your question would be to ask Channel 4. After their successes with Sex And The City, The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, they used to get first refusal on HBO shows, so somewhere along the line they must have turned it down. Unfortunately, post-Desperate Housewives, C4 have taken to buying up the soapier end of American imports (Brothers And Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money). All a part of the channel's apparent remit to dumb down.

I'm one of The Wire's converts and would love nothing more than to see a terrestrial channel take a chance on it, but I don't think it would be anymore successful on the BBC, for instance, than it is on FX. It's not an easy show to get into and although I don't want to underestimate the British viewing public, I fear that it would still go unnoticed. It's a show that demands and requires a lot of attention, but once you are immersed in its universe, then it's the show that keeps on giving. Buy up the DVD sets. The early seasons are relatively cheap at the moment (£25 in HMV) and I'm certain you'll find it to be money well-spent.

Also, not to be a pedant or anything but the fifth season started on FX about six weeks ago. I've already seen it (by nefarious means, naturally) and can confirm that it's a fitting end to The Greatest TV Show Of All-Time.

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