Summary of "Season 4 - Awesome Series": Once again, The Wire shifts gears, yet the quality of the show stands up to the previous seasons. Introducing the education problem in Baltimore, combined with the political story of the mayoral race, breathes new life into a show that seemed to be about cops and drug dealers. Don't worry, the show is still about the drugs, and the cops looking to clean up the street, but the writers have introduced the school system to the series.
The commentary tracks were quite good, and the documentary was great. All-in-all, this is a good DVD set for one of the most under-rated shows on television. I can't wait for the fifth (and I believe the final) season to start airing in January. (read entire review)
Season 2 - From the streets to the docks (2/22/2005)
Summary of "Season 2 - From the streets to the docks": I liked that the second season changed up the locale a bit. I didn't mind the drug-filled streets of season 1, but the docks made things interesting for season 2. Sure, the streets played a large role in season 2, but the dock story introduced a new angle, and characters, for the show.
Two commentary tracks? Ouch...that hurts. I'm surprised they didn't have a tribute to Robert F. Colesberry on the DVD. Listening to the West/Williams commentary we know they were recording the commentary during the shooting of season 3, so why not have some interviews with the cast and crew talking about the executive producer of the show? It would have been a classy thing to do. Would it sell more sets? Probably not, but it would be nice for the fans, the cast, crew and the man's family.
I keep saying this, but HBO delivers another poor, over-priced set for a good show. Will they learn, or will they simply rerelease shows like they have planned for Sex and the City? (read entire review)
Summary of "Season 1 - Rent this": Rant time.
I find myself writing similar closings for reviews of HBO sets; great show, crappy DVD set. With a suggested retail price of $100 US, I guess I expect more than HBO is willing to deliver. The Wire is a great show, so why is it shafted when it comes to DVD? This show is currently in production, so why don't we have ANY involvement from the cast? Why don't we see any behind-the-scenes material? I often tell people it's unfair to compare one TV set to another, but how can you not? Warner Bros is selling 22 episode season sets for $60 (ER, The West Wing and Without a Trace) that have more extras than HBO sets, and they're doing it for $40 less. Hmm...more episodes, more extras, almost half the price. HBO, if you have to charge more for your TV sets then include more special features so consumers don't feel so screwed. HBO has started including surveys in their DVD sets, but they don't ask consumers any questions over the price of the set, though they ask a number of questions about what special features they like on their sets.
There's no way I would recommend that someone buy this set. I'd recommend the show in a heartbeat, but this is worth a rental, not a purchase. (read entire review)
Release Date, Pricing & Package Art for The Wire - The Complete Series
In the projects. On the docks. In City Hall. In the schools. In the media. The places and faces have changed, but the game remains the same.
This past June we let you know that HBO Video was working... (read entire news item)
6/24/2008
Complete Series Set Is On-The-Way, HBO Says
At the EMA (Entertainment Merchant Association) show this week, being held at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, HBO Video and Warner Home Video have announced that The Wire - The Complete Series... (read entire news item)
4/02/2008
5th & Final Season: Release Date, Bonus Material, Cost & Early Package Art
In the projects. On the docks. In City Hall. In the schools. And now, in the media. The places and faces have changed, but the game remains the same.
Times are tough for the detail. Mayor Carcetti... (read entire news item)
12/09/2007
Amazon Bargains on the First 3 Seasons of HBO's The Wire
The Wire - The Complete 4th Season came out this past Tuesday, and Amazon is selling it at a good price of $44.99 at the moment. But if you need any - or all - of the first three seasons of HBO's drama,... (read entire news item)
9/03/2007
Want Some Holiday Scoop? Release Date, Lower-Than-Typical Cost for HBO's 4th Season
With the fall of Barksdale and the ascent of young Marlo Stanfield as West Baltimore's drug king, the detail continues to "follow the money" up the political ladder in the midst of a mayoral election.... (read entire news item)
8/18/2007
4th Season DVDs Not Announced Yet, But We've Got Box Art!
HBO has not yet announced the release of The Wire - The Complete 4th Season on DVD, but it must be on-the-way. The new issue of trade magazine Home Media Magazine this coming week features an advertisement... (read entire news item)
5/06/2007
Simon Says! Status Report on 4th Season
One of our readers, Drew Galaska (thanks!), had the sharp eye a few days ago when he spotted this David Simon interview/chat which talks, among other things, about the 4th Season of the show on DVD. ... (read entire news item)
5/17/2006
Finally! A date for Season 3! **updated**
The heat is on in Baltimore. The drug war is being lost, bodies are piling up, and a desperate mayor wants the tide turned before the election. But the police department hasn't got any answers. With the... (read entire news item)
11/26/2005
Could we finally be getting that 3rd season of The Wire next Summer?
Hey, raise your hand if you remember this from our April 2005 news story!
Warner Home Video, distributor of HBO's DVDs, had prematurely supplied some DVD news sites (including ours) with that artwork... (read entire news item)
4/26/2005
More Wire on-the-way
Following up on January's DVD release of the second season, HBO Home Video is preparing a Complete 3rd Season release of The Wire. Details and timeframes aren't available yet (stay tuned), but here's... (read entire news item)
10/25/2004
Complete details & box art for 2nd Season
In the middle of last week, TVShowsOnDVD prez Gord Lacey was at the annual TV-on-DVD Conference and passed on the first info that The Wire - The Complete 2nd Season was headed to DVD on January 25th.... (read entire news item)
10/20/2004
Ready for more DVDs yet?
After multiple delays, fans of The Wire finally got their hands on The Complete 1st Season just a couple of weeks ago. Now that you've all had a chance to enjoy it, you' re ready to start thinking about... (read entire news item)
6/24/2004
The Wire Delayed - Again
HBO seems to have a problem with their release dates these days; most of the dates they have set have been pushed back, and now The Wire is pushed back again. The first date we were given was August 31st,... (read entire news item)
6/04/2004
Official Announcement with Complete Details!
Following up on our news announcement yesterday about a change to the release date and cover art for "The Wire - Season 1", we now have the fully complete details about the set for you.
As we mentioned... (read entire news item)
6/03/2004
New Date, Updated Cover Art
In our news item a couple of weeks ago, an ad that was placed in Video Store Magazine and Video Business - two home video industry periodicals - provided cover art and a release date for us on The Wire... (read entire news item)
5/12/2004
Release date confirmation and artwork
An ad in the current Video Store Magazine confirms the August 31st date we posted last week, and also provides us a look at the artwork for the set.
We'll have more information for you once the set... (read entire news item)
5/01/2004
When is The Wire going to be on DVD?
When will The Wire be out on DVD? It's a question we get asked a lot. We thought we had the answer back in January when someone emailed us a response they received from HBO. The April 27th date has come... (read entire news item)
1/22/2004
The Wire - The Complete 1st Season in April
TVShowsOnDVD reader Liam Kornegay writes to tell us that he's exchanged e-mails with HBO, asking them whether there would be a release for The Wire, and also what the situation was with Six Feet Under... (read entire news item)
