[scifinoir2] Re: Harvard Offering Course on HBO Hit 'The Wire'

[B Smith]

There is so much meat in The Wire I could easily see a course being taught 
about it.

Keith,
Do yourself a favor and watch it. I loved Homicide but The Wire was  a better 
show and seeing it play out over five seasons is an incredible experience. It 
seemingly starts out as a good guys-bad guys urban drama but Simon and Co. flip 
the script early on and you realize it's something much deeper. It's the story 
of an America city warts and all.

I have the coplete series on dvd and I plan on watching it again from Season 1. 
It's that good.

--- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Keith Johnson <keithbjohn...@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> Interesting. i've never seen "The Wire" (dropped HBO years ago), though I 
> certainly love it's predecessor "Homicide: Life on the Streets", which is one 
> of my fav TV series of all times. It's on my list of must-own series on DVD, 
> along with Deep Space Nine.  
> 
> I wonder what's next: use DS9 or BSG to discuss matters of warfare, how 
> governments lose their way in the name of protecting the people (Section 31, 
> or the Starfleet clamp down on Earth during the Changeling scare). Perhaps 
> discuss the nature of religious beliefs in shaping society (The Prophets on 
> DS9) and justifying heinous acts (the God-fearing Cylons of BSG)? 
> 
> 
> 
> **************************************** 
> Harvard Offering Course on HBO Hit 'The Wire' 
> 
> Date: Monday, November 02, 2009, 5:43 am 
> By: EURweb.com 
> 
> Students at Harvard University will be able to learn more about understanding 
> and combating urban social issues through a new course based on HBO's 
> critically-acclaimed series "The Wire," which followed the struggles of urban 
> life in Baltimore. 
> 
> “‘The Wire’ has done more to enhance our understanding of the systemic 
> urban inequality that constrains the lives of the poor than any published 
> study” said sociology professor William J. Wilson, according to The Harvard 
> Crimson newspaper.        
> 
> African-American studies chair Professor Evelyn B. Higginbotham said Wilson 
> will teach the new course, in which the show will be used as a case study for 
> poverty in America.        
> 
> Panelists at the sold-out event encouraged audience members to internalize 
> these harsh realities of the real world problems that the show depicts and 
> actively work to solve them.        
> 
> “Everything we’re doing to make the world a better place is really for 
> our kids,” said actor Michael K. Williams, who played gay stick-up artist 
> Omar Little on the show. “Our kids are dying in huge numbers. It’s the 
> real wire.”        
> 
> Sonja Sohn, who played detective Kima Greggs, described the work of Rewired 
> for Change, the non-profit she started with other cast members to help 
> at-risk youth in the areas of Baltimore depicted in “The Wire.” She 
> encouraged audience members to make similar changes in the communities they 
> learn about through “The Wire” and the new Harvard course.        
> 
> “Become a part of these communities. These circumstances will not change if 
> you do nothing,” Sohn said. “Get it moving. Get it popping. Get up off 
> your butt and do something.”        
> 
> Panel attendee Sarah V. Chace (class of 1980), who is also a fan of the show, 
> said she already uses “The Wire” as a case study in a class on community 
> leadership she teaches at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven. She said she 
> came to the event to hear more about how other academics and the actors view 
> the role of “The Wire” in depicting urban life.        
> 
> The event was sponsored by the African American Studies Department and two 
> local charitable organizations, the Boston Foundation and the Ella J. Baker 
> House.
>