Hooked on the Wire

Some of you have already discovered the brilliant television series The Wire – it’s always being borrowed by someone. Like me, for instance.

I didn’t watch the series when it was being screened (late at night) on TV. In fact, I didn’t even know it existed until an American friend and I were discussing our favourite programmes, and she shrieked “What?! You’ve never watched the Wire?! Oh man, YOU’VE GOTTA SEE IT!”

Now things that elicit this much enthusiasm in a person intrigue me, so I went to the  catalogue immediately. I was pleased to see the library had all five seasons of it. I was not so pleased to find out I would have to wait though,  for every copy was out on loan. Obviously my friend was not the only one who enjoyed the show.

When it finally turned up on the holds shelf under my name, I wasted no time introducing it to my DVD player.  It was love at first episode.  I am in the middle of season four now, and there’s a teeny tiny part of me that wishes my friend had never told me about the Wire. I have spent sunny days inside with the curtains closed to watch it. Once I’ve finished the fifth and final season, I’ll probably need to go to rehab. Yes, I’m that addicted.

Summing up the Wire in one sentence is difficult. The series takes you on a tour of the poorest parts of Baltimore city, introducing you to drug dealers, police officers and politicians who are, in many ways, more alike than what they want to admit. What makes it so good? The characters, the dialogue, the location, the plot. It’s gritty and shocking, but also funny and touching. The story unfolds like a rollercoaster ride, slow in parts and quick in others, twisting and turning, climbing and diving towards an end where everything is connected and no one really wins.

So if you are looking for a good TV series to get hooked on this winter, try The Wire. Just make sure you have a comfortable couch, warm blanket and lots of tasty snacks before you push play, because you won’t be going anywhere for a while. Trust me.

As for those of you who are already fans of the show, what are some of your favourite scenes? Who is your favourite character? And most importantly, what version of the theme song “Down in the Hole” did you like the best?

This just in: The Kitchen Sink

My favourite New Zealand short film ever, Kitchen Sink, has just been put online but the wonderful people at NZ on Screen. Beware – it has a hairy, scary monster and if you’ve ever gagged while cleaning hair out of a plughole, it might not be for you. At a touch under 13 minutes, it’s a 105Mb file – and totally worth it.  Watch it with a friend this weekend. It’s directed by Alison Maclean.

Zombies to ferrets to whisky – this week’s new books

Every Thursday we update our RSS with new non-fiction, fiction and just ordered titles. Here’s a selection of those ‘just ordered’ – so fresh they haven’t even made into the shelf:

Australian theme

• Zombie myths of Australian military history 
• AC/DC for ukulele

Sounds

• Document and eyewitness : An intimate history of Rough Trade – the inside story of the phenomenally influential record label, told by people like Geoff Travis, Jarvis Cocker, and more. Cabaret Voltaire, The Smiths, The Fall – music lovers will go ape for this one.

 And more …

• Iconoclast : A neuroscientist reveals how to think differently – Through vivid accounts of successful innovators ranging from glass artist Dale Chihuly to physicist Richard Feynman to country/rock trio the Dixie Chicks, Berns reveals the inner workings of the iconoclast’s mind with remarkable clarity.
• Training your pet ferret
• 101 whiskies to try before you die
• Curly like me : How to grow your hair healthy, long, and strong by the wonderfully named Teri LaFlesh. “Do you spend countless hours– and untold dollars–on weaves, perms, salon visits, and products that promise to “cure”, change, heal, or make your hair more manageable, only to end up even more frustrated?”