In which I agree with Robert Parker

From The Wall Street Journal, December 29, 2007:

Come New Year's, wine guru Robert Parker, rapper Mims and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner all expect to be in the same place: curled up on their couches at home, watching the premiere of the final season of "The Wire." . . . [EDIT] . . .

When Mr. Parker, the wine critic and die-hard "Wire" fan, received a fan letter from series regular Dominic West earlier this year (he didn't know of Mr. Parker's love for the show) the two arranged to meet up for a dinner. It was also attended by Mr. Simon and cast members Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce and Andre Royo. Mr. Parker followed up the meal by sending Mr. Simon magnums of California Chardonnay and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Mr. Parker had suggested that he play a sommelier in the series, but that didn't work out. He did, however, get a consolation prize: Mr. Simon told him via email that the cast and crew drank his wine at the season wrap party. Mr. Parker says, "I was thrilled."

California Chardonnay? That's his way of paying tribute to the show?

Methinks Parker might have a better future as a television reviewer than a wine critic. "The Wire" is the best show on television, bar none IMHO. The final season premiers tomorrow night. And perhaps I will curl up on my couch and watch it with a glass of Edmunds St. John in hand just to pay tribute to Parker's curious tastes.

"The Wire" is the best show on television, bar none IMHO.

I agree, Bruce, and I've just come to the party; I don't have cable and a friend recently lent me the Season 1 discs. I'm knocked out by the quality of the writing, acting and directing. Dense and complex and completely involving.

Only things close, in memory, were some of the George Smiley/ "Tinker, Tailor" multi-part series, and maybe the first season of 24.

I've just come to the party; I don't have cable and a friend recently lent me the Season 1 discs. I'm knocked out by the quality of the writing, acting and directing. Dense and complex and completely involving.

The good news is you have lots of fascinating viewing in front of you! You should try to go through each season in order if you can because each one adds an entirely new dimension to the canvass of urban America by way of Baltimore that they're painting, but at the same time, plot lines that start in season one continue through each of the subsequent seasons.

Another thing is that each show is so complex and multi-dimensional that I find when I watch past episodes as they air in reruns, I always pick up new things, new clues, that I missed the first time around.

If the Chardonnay was Clos Pepe's 2003 I wouldn't complain. That had hardly any oak influence, and was acidic and mineral - almost Chablis-like in fact. I was, and still am, surprised that such a lovely example of the grape was made in California and wish that more would follow suit.

-O