The first episode is just a pilot episode so it's not the best way to judge the entire series. It sets the stage for everything but they hadn't quite figured out the tone of the show at that point (like most pilot episodes). You need to watch a few episodes to get into it. You also need to understand that the show isn't so much about solving cases as it is a critique of institutional corruption.

I know I can't judge the entire based on that but I also couldn't justify continuing to watch it when I have a list of shows a mile long that I've never seen and the pilot bored me to pieces.

The Wire definitely isn't for everybody. It's easily one of the most nihilistic shows around that barely has any levity at all. It's completely captivating if you enjoy watching human misery, pain, and despair as these characters slowly kill themselves, but for a lot of people it's like "why would you even want to watch that?" I personally loved the pilot, I love how it paints D'Angelo as this epitome of evil character beating the system and makes you just hate his guts, then to do a total 180 by the end of the season. I think the only thing that takes a little too long is getting the case going, when the detail really start to dig into the case, that's when the season and show REALLY gets captivating.

As far as Deadwood goes, it's a show I still need to finish. I started watching it around this time last year but ended up stopping because I started watching Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, which really caught my attention. I did enjoy Deadwood, but their attention to detail in the diction and syntax of the characters' dialog did get a little confusing, well except for "cocksucker", I got that. I think my main criticism of the show though is they introduced the really interesting character of Seth Bullock, and then he only gets a small portion of the screen time. That's a pretty common thing though with HBO shows, you think the first character you're introduced to is going to be the main character and get the most screen time, but then the other characters are established and soon the sprawling stories start happening.

Jesus I've never heard the word co cksucker excessively used as much in my entire life.

It was the only word the Asian guy learnt. :laughing:

Watching Entourage, The Wire, and Curb Your Enthusiasm again for the 3rd or 4th time.

I think if this happens to you then your probably aren't the biggest fan of said show. The same happened to me with 'Dexter' I got halfway through the fourth series and stopped watching it for something else, I'm in no rush to start watching it again.

Check out Breaking Bad - Awesome

After much delaying, humming and hawing, I eventually dove in and tried the Wire, and really liked it. Up to the end of season one, it was becoming one of my favourite progs. Then they all changed for season 2. First there was no explanation or warning given; suddenly we were at the docks, in some place other than Baltimore, and all the characters I'd come to know seemed gone. I was confused, annoyed and after about five episodes I angrily gave up. It was like a totally different show to me.

Thing is, does anyone know if they went back to the usual setting for season 3, and if so, is it possible to pick up again there, without knowing what went on in season 2? I'd like to get back into the show, but season 2 really turned me off it.

As for Deadwood, I just hated the totally gratuitous swearing and gave it up as a bad job after the first episode. Didn't see the point: shock value really.

The whole concept of the show is that it deals with different aspects of Baltimore in each season (and, yes, the docks are in Baltimore). There is overlap though, and a lot of it. For one thing the people investigating the situation on the docks (and the various crimes in every other season) are mostly the same group of cops from the first season. Also the story about the Barksdale crew from season one weaves in and out of season two and resolves in season three, evloving into a new situation in seasons four and five. But the most interesting thing is how all these disparate facets of the city turn out to be interconnected, and that web gets more and more complex as the seasons go by—in amazing ways. Season two expanded the scope to include the unions, season three expanded it again to include city hall, season four it was the schools, and season five it was the newspaper. I think the key to appreciating The Wire is realizing that it isn't actually a cop show, even if it looks like one on the surface.