Any Fans of Dexter or The Wire?

[shmoogrrrl]

I am a Netflix junkie and although I do watch movies on it, I prefer to watch TV series. I like that I only have to commit to 45-55 minutes as opposed to two hours. With two small kiddies, sometimes that I all I have at night after they are in bed!

I find myself in need of a new series to watch, and am thinking about adding Dexter and The Wire, but I have a couple of questions for fans of these shows.

Dexter - I hadn't really paid much attention to this show at all (I don't have HBO or Showtime, whichever it is on!) until I heard that John Lithgow was going to be on it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE him. So, I was thinking about watching the show so that when the John Lithgow season came out, I could watch it. My question is, is it really gory? It seems like the kind of show that by its nature would be really bloody and gross and I am not a huge fan. Keep in mind though that I watch all the CSI franchise, 24, Criminal Minds, and just finished the first two seasons of HBO's True Blood, so obviously I can handle some gore (I just hide my eyes) How does Dexter compare to those shows? Is it worth watching?

The Wire - Is it just a depressing show? It seems like it would be nothing but depressing. I've heard that it is REALLY good, but if I am going to cry through the whole thing, it might not be so enjoyable. Are there at least some uplifting (perhaps even funny?) moments?

Any other shows that might be worth checking out? I watch a good deal of 'current' shows already so mostly I am interested in shows that might be over. I don't need anymore shows that I am going to get sucked into and want to watch the next season in the Fall!

 

[belle&beast]

I am a Netflix junkie and although I do watch movies on it, I prefer to watch TV series. I like that I only have to commit to 45-55 minutes as opposed to two hours. With two small kiddies, sometimes that I all I have at night after they are in bed!

I find myself in need of a new series to watch, and am thinking about adding Dexter and The Wire, but I have a couple of questions for fans of these shows.

Dexter - I hadn't really paid much attention to this show at all (I don't have HBO or Showtime, whichever it is on!) until I heard that John Lithgow was going to be on it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE him. So, I was thinking about watching the show so that when the John Lithgow season came out, I could watch it. My question is, is it really gory? It seems like the kind of show that by its nature would be really bloody and gross and I am not a huge fan. Keep in mind though that I watch all the CSI franchise, 24, Criminal Minds, and just finished the first two seasons of HBO's True Blood, so obviously I can handle some gore (I just hide my eyes) How does Dexter compare to those shows? Is it worth watching?

The Wire - Is it just a depressing show? It seems like it would be nothing but depressing. I've heard that it is REALLY good, but if I am going to cry through the whole thing, it might not be so enjoyable. Are there at least some uplifting (perhaps even funny?) moments?

Any other shows that might be worth checking out? I watch a good deal of 'current' shows already so mostly I am interested in shows that might be over. I don't need anymore shows that I am going to get sucked into and want to watch the next season in the Fall!

I haven't watched wither of those shows, but I did watch "Six Feet Under" and the actor who plays Dexter is in it. I really enjoyed that series-definitely adult content, the story follows a family that runs a funeral home.

 

[Christine]

Dexter - I hadn't really paid much attention to this show at all (I don't have HBO or Showtime, whichever it is on!) until I heard that John Lithgow was going to be on it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE him. So, I was thinking about watching the show so that when the John Lithgow season came out, I could watch it. My question is, is it really gory? It seems like the kind of show that by its nature would be really bloody and gross and I am not a huge fan. Keep in mind though that I watch all the CSI franchise, 24, Criminal Minds, and just finished the first two seasons of HBO's True Blood, so obviously I can handle some gore (I just hide my eyes) How does Dexter compare to those shows? Is it worth watching?

I LOVE Dexter. My most favorite show over this past year.

No, it's not really gory. I think True Blood can be worse. All the goriness, for the most part, is after the fact and it's not too awful. There is some "live" violence but the camera doesn't dwell on it and you only will see the first part of the act and the rest is implied.

It is definitely worth watching. I prefer it over True Blood but that is a personal thing on what type of show you like. Seasons 2 and 4 are my favorite seasons, then season one. Could have done without Season 3 but you need to watch it for continuity. It's still good, though.

 

[lspst8]

I've watched the first 2 seasons of Dexter on Netflix, and I really enjoyed them. Being about a serial killer there is some blood, but I don't think it is too bad at all. I can't watch any horror/slasher movies because of all the blood and gore, and Dexter doesn't bother me at all. I would definately recommend watching one or two episodes to see if you like it.

I've never watched The Wire, so I can't help there.

 

[bicker]

I watched/watch both shows. The Wire is such a great show that the fact that much of it is downbeat is not a major concern. I do consider Dexter pretty gory, but so well done that, again, I don't consider it a major concern.

I don't think you can do better than picking up one or both of these series.

 

[Singleminnie]

I watch True Blood all of the time! Love it. I have recently started watching Dexter, it is different but I love it equally!

 

[mhsjax]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dexter, and to me it isn't gory, you do see blood but it is the aftermath. And really, he kind of fulfills what a lot of us would like to do sometimes. Rid the world of people who just don't need to be here.

Can't wait for the next season, he has non hodgkins lymphoma, and they were waiting for him to complete treatment and get well.

 

[GoodFairies]

Dexter is pretty violent and bloody, although I wouldn't call it gory.

Unfortunately S4 with John Lithgow was not that great, although the first and last episodes were fantastic. S1 & S2 are not to be missed in my opinion. S3 starts to go downhill.

 

[Mom3girls]

My husband and I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dexter. Definitely well written. Like OP said very little of bloody gore. Mostly implied by a quick shot of whats to happen. DEFINITELY watch this series. Can't wait til next seasons start.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Dexter is one of my FAVORITE shows. I don't consider it gory. There's some blood, but as previous posters have said, they don't dwell on it. It's a show that's not so much about the killing, but the killer (Dexter) and the demons he carries around with him.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dexter, and to me it isn't gory, you do see blood but it is the aftermath. And really, he kind of fulfills what a lot of us would like to do sometimes. Rid the world of people who just don't need to be here.

Can't wait for the next season, he has non hodgkins lymphoma, and they were waiting for him to complete treatment and get well.

Oh no! I'm only halfway through season 2! I wish I hadn't seen this yet!

 

[bicker]

Uh, in case there is some confusion going on, above ... Dexter didn't have lymphoma; Michael C. Hall did. That's not a plot point from the series; it's just why the next season is going to be later.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

Uh, in case there is some confusion going on, above ... Dexter didn't have lymphoma; Michael C. Hall did. That's not a plot point from the series; it's just why the next season is going to be later.

ohhhhhh I seeeee.

That's even worse! I just Googled it and it looks like he's in remission!

I also found a couple news bits that say he married his (TV) sister.

 

[mhsjax]

Uh, in case there is some confusion going on, above ... Dexter didn't have lymphoma; Michael C. Hall did. That's not a plot point from the series; it's just why the next season is going to be later.

Thank you, you are so right. See what happens when you respond to something and you have only had half a cup of coffee. You can't believe anything I say until I have at least 2 cups. Sorry for the mis information. I knew what I meant to say, just didn't say it correctly.

 

[KandD]

The Wire is by far the best series I have ever watched. I didn't watch it while it was on, my friend let me borrow the DVDs and my DBF and I literally watched hours of it every night we possibly could.

I strongly suggest it and there were few parts that made me cry.

 

[Praying Colonel]

IMHO The Wire is the best TV series ever, and I don't think it's really that close of an argument. I didn't watch it for a number of years because I knew the subject matter was dark, to put it mildly, but I got several recommendations from different people I knew, so I started watching it on my cable's On Demand service. I was absolutely blown away. The writing, acting, directing, you name it was just incredible.

OP, if I were you I'd give it 2 episodes. If you're not absolutely hooked after that, no problems. But I think you're going to find that you want to watch it all the way through and it'll be hard to stop.

 

[Christine]

IMHO The Wire is the best TV series ever, and I don't think it's really that close of an argument. I didn't watch it for a number of years because I knew the subject matter was dark, to put it mildly, but I got several recommendations from different people I knew, so I started watching it on my cable's On Demand service. I was absolutely blown away. The writing, acting, directing, you name it was just incredible.

OP, if I were you I'd give it 2 episodes. If you're not absolutely hooked after that, no problems. But I think you're going to find that you want to watch it all the way through and it'll be hard to stop.

Well....

Not the OP here, but I may have to give this show a try. The was a RESOUNDING endorsement.

Meanwhile, I have no clue what The Wire is about.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Well....

Not the OP here, but I may have to give this show a try. The was a RESOUNDING endorsement.

Meanwhile, I have no clue what The Wire is about.

If you click on the link in my post, it takes you to the Wikipedia article on the show. On the surface, it's a crime drama. But David Simon really is telling the story of life in a modern city and all the things that go along with it, and he does it from several angles: drugs, police, politics, government bureaucracy, unions, schools, media, you name it. It is not for the faint of heart, but it's worth it, IMHO.

I haven't watched it in a couple of years, but now all this talk about it has me wanting to watch it again.

 

[bicker]

The Wire is by far the best series I have ever watched.

I agree that it was very good, but I felt that some of the season-specific context-changing they did detracted from the whole. The first season was excellent - without peer. When the second season started, they deliberately shifted context of the series a bit (I won't post any spoilers about that) and I found that the way they did it was a bit jarring. I suppose it could have been done so that it wasn't so discontinuous, but it wasn't. Season 3 brought another context-change, but it was done better. Season 4 and Season 5 each did their own context-changes, and like Season 2, both were jarring.

If the context-changes were done better, the series would have been perfect.

I can't talk about The Wire, though, without mentioning the "best television series ever", which was broadcast on competitor Showtime at the same time as The Wire - Sleeper Cell. Only two seasons, but they made up what was truly a perfect television novel.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I haven't watched The Wire (sounds really good though), but I love Dexter. Michael C. Hall is amazing. And John Lithgow was equally as amazing last season. The show does have some gore, but if you can handle True Blood, you will be fine.