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The Wire - The Complete Fourth Season | 
 enlarge | Director: Daniel Attias
Actors: Dominic West, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Lance Reddick, Aidan Gillen
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.99
Buy New: $38.74
You Save: $21.25 (35%)
New (48) Used (18) Collectible (1) from $30.00
Rating:  126 reviews
Sales Rank: 1436
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Greek (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 780
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 1.1
MPN: HBOD93927D
UPC: 026359392726
EAN: 0026359392726
ASIN: B000QXDJLI
Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Release Date: December 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: brand new, gift quality, still in shrink wrap, in stock, ready for shipment, pay for standard mail and I'll mail it priority mail with delivery confirmation for free!!!
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Product Description
Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 12/04/2007
Amazon.com
Even if you missed the first three seasons (the character guides and thorough episode recaps on HBO's website are recommended), and with only one season left, it's not too late to get in under The Wire. In fact, season 4 is an accessible introduction for those who know The Wire only by its street cred as arguably the very best show on television. For them especially, this season will be, as befitting its theme, a real education. Without resorting to melodramatics that other ratings-challenged series employ to gain that frustratingly elusive audience, The Wire shakes things up this season in a way that is true to the series and its characters. A major character, Dominic West's McNulty, plays a minor role as a contented street cop and family man, while a former supporting player, Jim True-Frost's Roland Pryzbylewski, goes to the head of the class as a new eighth grade teacher at beleaguered Edward Tilghman Middle School. It may take a couple of episodes to orient yourself to the Baltimore backrooms, squad rooms, classrooms, and street corners where The Wire's intense dramas play out, and new viewers may miss something in character nuance, but they will easily grasp the big picture. A politically motivated shake-up sends Major Crimes detectives Freamon (Clarke Peters) and Greggs (Sonja Sohn) to Homicide. The gloves come off in the mayoral race between black incumbent Clarence Royce (Glynn Turman) and idealistic white challenger Tommy Carcetti (Aidan Gillen). Gang leader Marlo (Jamie Hector) quietly and deliberately becomes the city's new drug kingpin, managing to subvert all surveillance efforts. Meanwhile, while "Prez" tries to reach his students, four highly at-risk kids will be drawn into the drug trade. Mere synopsis does not do The Wire justice. The series deftly juggles its myriad storylines and characters, all of whom make an impression, from Marlo's cold-blooded enforcers, Snoop (Felicia Pearson) and Chris (Gbenga Akinnagbe), to boxing instructor "Cutty" (Chad L. Coleman), determined to keep his young charges off the corners. There is not a false note in the performances or the writing. Richard Price (Clockers) and Dennis Lehane (Mystic River) again contributed episodes. That this series has only been nominated for only one Emmy (for writing) is a travesty. As engrossing as the finest novels and in a class by itself, this isn't television; it's The Wire. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 121 more reviews...
Another spectacular season September 11, 2007
27 out of 27 found this review helpful
The fourth season of HBO's critically acclaimed The Wire picks up after the explosive events the conclusion to the third season, as cop Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) finds himself patroling the streets of Baltimore and seemingly out of the loop (McNulty is relegated to more of a supporting player in these episodes than ever before) as this season focuses on the coming election between Mayor Royce (Glynn Turman) and Tommy Carcetti (Aidan Gillen), and a group of young corner kids getting ready to go back to school. What makes this season of The Wire so surprisingly compelling isn't the drama between the cops and the crooks like we've seen before, but what this group of young corner boys (Maestro Harrell, Julito McCullum, Tristan Wilds) experience and the choices they make, which not only effect their own lives, but inexplicably effect the lives of everyone else involved as well. In the meantime, new kingpin Marlo (Jamie Hector) makes even more of an impact as the cops try to nail him, Herc (Domenick Lombardozzi) finally gets his stripes, Prez (Jim True-Frost) becomes a teacher, and Omar (Michael K. Williams) gets in over his head when he goes toe to toe with Marlo. By the end of season four, it is apparent that the end is near, and that McNulty and his crew are sitting on a powder keg that will be as explosive as anything that has ever been seen on HBO. Undoubtedly one of the finest and most realistic TV dramas ever crafted, The Wire is once again spectacular entertainment.
Don't miss this June 21, 2007
97 out of 113 found this review helpful
The story so far... (Don't read any further if you don't want to know any detail of what happens in this Season of the show).
On street level, Stringer Bell is dead, Avon Barksdale is back behind bars and the cold and wilful Marlo Stansfield (played by Jamie Hector) looks like he's squaring up to be crowned king. Preston "Bodie" Broadus (played by JD Williams) is the only true Barksdale soldier still holding it down but finds it's a whole new game with a whole new set of rules. Meanwhile, the drug dealers' nightmare that is Omar (played by Michael K Williams) has a new protege in tow and he's as busy as ever. The scene when he and Marlo finally come face to face is pure TV heaven.
On law level, political involvement in the Major Crimes Unit sends its best personnel off in all different directions: Lieutenant Daniels (played by Lance Reddick) gets promoted out, Detectives Kima Greggs (played by Sonja Sohn) and Lester Freamon (played by Clarke Peters) are squeezed out - and back to Homicide - and Detective Jimmy McNulty (played by Dominic West) realises he's running the risk of losing his soul and goes back on patrol. He also gives up the booze and tries to become a family man. The end result of all this is that no one is really up on the wire and by the time the incredible number of bodies being stacked up in vacant houses by Marlo's two lieutenants Chris and Snoop (played by Gbenga Akinnagbe and Felicia Pearson) come to light, there are so many of them, the task of solving the crimes seem pretty much unsurmountable to the shocked law enforcement personnel.
On City Hall level, Councilman Tommy Carcetti (played by Aiden Gillen) does the unimaginable and wins the mayoral elections in Baltimore but finds it might be the beginning of his battles rather than the end.
And if all that were not enough, in the middle school system, the 'No Child Left Behind' programme is shown up for what it really is, while 8th graders - some, like Michael (played by Tristan Wilds) and Dukie (played by Jermaine Hawkins) with drug addicted parents; some, like Namond Brice (played by Julito McCullum) with drug dealing parents - dad Wee-Bey (played by Hassan Johnson) is in prison and mother De'Londa (played by Sandi McCree) wants her little boy to grow up and be just like his daddy - and tragically, some with no parents at all - Randy (played by Maestro Harrell) is in foster care and Sherrod (played by Rashad Orange) is taken under wing by Bubbles (played by Andre Royo) of all people - are left to their own devices and to the lure of the streets. Some of the younger kids like the streetwise and smart-mouthed Kenard (played by Thuliso Dingwall) and the car-stealing, joy-riding Donut, so small he can barely see over the steering wheels of the cars he jacks (played by Nathan Corbett), we don't get to see their parents at all. Ever.
And this is not even the half of it. The scene is thus set for the fourth season of this incredibly articulate HBO series and on many levels, primarily due to the focus of school-age children, it might prove to be the most explosive season of all. With its awesome ensemble cast, "The Wire" continues to draw the highest praise from the most unexpected of quarters all over the world. Don't miss this. And don't let the complex storylines, unglamorous settings or gritty (and often violent) scenes and colourful language put you off. It's like watching real life or reading a novel. In the real world, situations do not usually get resolved within 50 minutes, just as they don't get tied up neatly within a chapter of a book. It was appointment TV for me on the FX channel earlier this year and I so cannot wait for the DVD. This is without a doubt, the best thing on TV.
PS. I've deliberately refrained from using the B word because I've come to understand that it upsets certain people and I totally understand why.
We could be missing the point though, with the utmost respect. The stories that are being told here - and they are just stories by the way; "The Wire" is not a documentary series or even a docudrama - could be told from Washington DC, Miami, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Detroit or any major US city and still be just as authentic, and just as believable. I don't believe The Wire is a statement about a particular city. I think the creators and writers have just gone with the location they know - and love, it has to be said.
I don't feel it's a statement about America either, particularly. Drug addiction, drug wars (the so-called wars being fought against drugs and the wars the drug dealers are contantly fighting amongst themselves), the proliferation of guns in our communities, political corruption and, (as is highlighted in this particular season), deficient child educational systems in particular and the way children are collectively being failed by the very society that is supposed to protect and nurture them in general, are all evident all over the world if we know where to look.
IMO, these are stories about human nature and the different ways in which man's actions affect the world we live in. That's what makes "The Wire" so fascinating.
No spoilers but a huge recommendation! September 10, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
If you have seen The Wire in its previous three seasons and wondered whether this one measures up, the answer is "absolutely yes". If you haven't seen the show at all, what are you waiting for?
Previously I would've said season 2 was my favorite, but I think this one surpassed it. It is astonishing to me that the show gets better and better. We continue to see deeper facets of characters we are familiar with, and we get a group of new ones that become vividly etched in our consciousness very quickly. Pat Moran Casting in Baltimore deserves an award for consistently finding strong actors for the show, including for this season, a good-sized group of early teens and younger.
"The Wire" IS the great American novel that so many have talked about writing "some day". David Simon and his fellow scribes were driven to paint a realistic gritty portrait about life in a contemporary American industrial city and we have all reaped the rewards.
best show on television November 10, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
The fourth season of 'the wire' sets a new standard for literature. This isn't just the best show on television, it's right up there with the top titles in drama of all time. You either have to know inner city life intimately or you have to know your literature; for those in the latter category it might take all four seasons to fill you in on the venacular, but like shakespeare, once you fill it, you will be forever affected. If you are in the former category, you'll know how close this show gets to reality. For those in both categories: you must watch this show.
Time and again HBO surprises with making even better shows but for now, this is the best. Us European taxpayers pay our state sponsored television organisations billions to produce this kind of television, but we never even remotely get this quality. For what I'm concerned I'd rather spend that money buying these kinds of HBO shows.
The Final Chapters of Excellence November 12, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
For the few people with open minds and good taste that have discovered "The Wire", I'm not going to continue to extoll it's virtues and throw out the "best show ever" line, as everyone who has had the chance to view any season in it's entirety already knows it truly is that. This program has ruined me for network television, and has made me a true believer in HBO(hopefully they will continue to hit their water marks).
All other crime dramas(law and order, CSI, etc.) seem postured, synthetic, and laughable. No other program I've seen can or has illustrated the sociological turmoil and the despair within gut-wrenching drama, storytelling and brilliant dialogue like this. But like all good things, this too must come to pass. David Simon and co. have steadfast plans to end the saga after five seasons. The fifth season I believe will start in Jan. 2008.
No matter how good the show is, no matter how many people it has touched, no matter how much money HBO gives them for another season, it will not continue. At first I was deeply saddened, but at least the show will go out on it's highest note, and will remain totally flawless(the fifth season is going to be the best, and most hard-hitting).
For the last five to six years "The Wire" has been the best kept secret in broadcasting. Like everything that is truly good in todays culture, it is criminally ignored except for the few people who have the patience to sift through the detritis that is modern-day tv.
History of course, always reveals qualty to the masses, and I feel that it is an impossibility that this secret will forever remain a secret. Years down the road, it will become a fixture in it's field; an icon of quality. I like the fact that "The Wire" has spread by almost total word of mouth through intelligent circles; That it has remained pure and un-exploited; that it hasn't become a fixture in pop-culture; that ignorant people ignore it to watch the meaningless, propagandized, consumer-driven schlock that is mainstream television; that it hasn't been reduced to an edited and "Family-friendly" form to be horribly misread; that the privelaged few who have seen any season of it recognize quality and perfection.
But "The Wire" has achieved more than perfection, as the first season was definitely that. Every season just gets better and better, and how do you surpass the status of perfection? What on earth do you call it? That's easy. You call it "The Wire"
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