Charm City

Huh. Apparently there's a Baltimore City Paper. Who knew? Said paper contains an article about The Wire, thus indicating that it's a superior publication to the tawdry Washington City Paper. I've been avoiding the temptation to watch the review copy of the entire season that the producers sent to the Prospect offices since I'd like to take it all in at the proper pace, but the City Paper guy watched 'em all and says "it's the most gripping, ambitious season the show has produced to date."

Comments

The Baltimore City Paper is basically superior to the DC version.

Posted by Antid Oto | August 30, 2006 5:04 PM

For that matter, Baltimore is superior to DC. E.g., DC can't support a decent record store to save its life, while B'more's excellent Sound Garden is just one of many.

Posted by jw | August 30, 2006 5:10 PM

All I really know of Baltimore is that it has a great acquarium and a branch of the Helmand -- both major plusses.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | August 30, 2006 5:15 PM

review copy of the entire season

Name your price, Yglesias.

Posted by ogged | August 30, 2006 5:30 PM

Who cares how fast you watch it... just as long as you watch it in order.

ps. I *just* got into season 1, (wow, did those first three episodes move slowly) and I'm hooked.

Posted by Cole | August 30, 2006 5:35 PM

Feel free to send it to me; I have no such principles...

Posted by Scott Lemieux | August 30, 2006 5:40 PM

I'll always have a place in my heart for the City Paper, which introduced me to Matt Groening's Life in Hell, long before the Simpsons. (I notice that the "Baltimore" part is somewhat superfluous--they snagged the citypaper.com domain.)

Posted by RSA | August 30, 2006 5:59 PM

I'm glad to hear Season 4 doesn't suck because I'll be watching it a year late when it comes out on DVD. I do know, however, that there were a few scenes, including a shootout, filmed right behind my house. Neat-o.

Posted by jayinbmore | August 30, 2006 6:22 PM

Scott Lee-mew: interesting in that article about the young actors playing the middle-schoolers, esp after the discussion on your blog (and ogg's) re the actors. I had thought that Robert Chew was one of the non-professional actors, actually. guess I was wrong about that.

Posted by Goldberg | August 30, 2006 6:59 PM

The washington city paper was an expansion of the baltimore city paper.

The baltimore city paper is pretty likable. They used to have stories describing the day in the life of different jobs. We used to save them to send to my grandfather.

Posted by joe o | August 30, 2006 7:03 PM

I didn't want to know that. I had just decided to wait until it comes out on DVD, but season 3 took nearly 2 full years to show up on DVD. I don't know if I can handle that wait. Ugh. Maybe I can volunteer at TAP.

Posted by crack | August 30, 2006 9:15 PM

I can't believe no one's mentioned the greatest thing about the Baltimore City Paper.

Posted by teofilo | August 30, 2006 10:56 PM

For that matter, Baltimore is superior to DC.

Oh, I'll second that. Baltimore is a once-great city down on its luck (formerly, in fact, one of the largest cities in America). DC is an upstart backwater swarming with lawyers.

Posted by Antid Oto | August 31, 2006 4:03 AM

Careful, we're also the fourth angriest city in America.
http://aolsvc.digitalcity.com/baltimore/baltimore-angriest-cities/main.adp

I'm mostly angry because the City Paper reviews are (spoiler alert)... always full of spoilers.

Posted by John I | August 31, 2006 9:39 AM

There's a Philadelphia City Paper too, Matt. You gotta get out more!

Posted by J. Ellenberg | August 31, 2006 10:08 AM

I like the upstart backwater line. Can I suggest, "upstart swamp," however? Has a better ring to it. I don't think its Matt's fault, it must be something in the fetid air. DC people all seem to be only dimly aware of Baltimore's existence. If you tell a friend in DC they should come up for a day, they look at you like you suggested they take a quick jaunt to Kansas, rather than a perfectly pleasant 40 minute Marc ride.

Posted by Gabe | August 31, 2006 11:02 AM

I'm totally ready to take a trip to Baltimore. My best friend from way back in first grade is starting a Master's program at Hopkins this fall and that, hopefully, will provide me with the Charm City opportunities I've been lacking.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | August 31, 2006 11:22 AM

In addition to visiting the aforementioned Sound Garden record store in Fells Point, you could catch a show at one of Charm City's many music venues -- e.g., Sonar (TV on the Radio and the Futureheads, coming soon) or Ottobar (the fuggin' amazing Hold Steady, in just a few weeks). And be sure to have breakfast at the Golden West Cafe in Hampden.

Posted by jw | August 31, 2006 1:37 PM

Ah, Golden West. I don't even like eggs and I still sometimes catch myself dreaming about their huevos rancheros...

Posted by Gabe | August 31, 2006 1:42 PM

Come up September 16th for Hampdenfest. Can't get any more B'more than that.

Posted by John I | August 31, 2006 2:27 PM

Hopkins sucks. You have to drive for like an hour just to find someplace to eat late at night. What kind of college campus is that?

Posted by JP | August 31, 2006 6:14 PM

You don't know what you're talking about, JP. There's an all-night diner right by campus.

Posted by Antid Oto | August 31, 2006 8:00 PM

Mmmm....Paper Moon...
Must....visit....cousins....in....Baltimore....
Only....forty....miles....

Strangely, when I lived in Dulles and it was seventy miles, I went to Baltimore much more often.

Posted by ajw93 | August 31, 2006 9:28 PM

Wow... how could you resist a review copy of the entire season???

Season 1 was awesome, Season 2 sucked, Season 3 was amazing, I'm happy to hear that Season 4 is as good as 3.

Posted by Mad Professah | September 2, 2006 3:17 AM