Post by electroshockblues on May 16, 2006 14:55:04 GMT -5
Whilst we get a lot of talk regarding our favourite or least favourite seasons, I was just wondering what everyone's favourite/least favourite major plot arc was of the show so far.
Here are the choices (feel free to inform me if you think I should include any others):
1. Terry Crowley - multi-season arc that has been carried throughout the whole series so far, but was focussed upon most in seasons 1 and 5.
2. Armadillo - the main plot of the early S2 episodes. Ran from episode 1 to episode 8.
3. Taking down the money train - the main plot of S2's latter half. Ran from episode 4 to episode 13.
4. The marked money train cash - the main plot of S3, which ran from beginning to end.
5. Shane, Antwon and Angie's body - the main plot of S4. Ran from episode 1 to around episode 10/11.
6. Carl and Scooby's murders - minor arc used to fill up the last few episodes of S4. Ran from episode 9 to episode 13.
7. The IAD investigation/Lem and the heroin - ran from episode 10 of S4 to episode 11 of S5 (may not yet be resolved).
For me, the best plots of the show so far have been the marked money plot of S3 and the IAD investigation of S4/S5. The reason I liked the marked money plot so much is that it was the first time that the show really had a central focus for the entire season. Prior to that the seasons had generally been split up into smaller arcs (such as Armadillo in S2 or Gilroy in S1) or individual episodes, so I felt that a season-long main plot was a step forward. The writers seemed to be confident in knowing where they were going, leading to an incredibly well-plotted season, with lots of cool ideas worked into the plot along the way, such as the way that the ST broke into Aceveda's safe and used O'Brien as a patsy. The plot was also focussed very heavily on the relationship between the members of the Strike team, which is one of the show's biggest strengths.
I liked the IAD investigation plot for pretty much exactly the same reasons. It was very well-plotted and, like the marked money plot, led the Strike Team into some very interesting situations, such as the scene where Lem and the others communicate via laptop, the way they turn the tables on Kavanaugh in episode 5 with the fake murder, and later when they're forced to work for Antwon. Another strength was that the plot was also strongly tied to major plots from previous seasons, such as the Terry Crowley murder and the money train stuff, which in my opinion helps to make the series much more cohesive, and helped to give the sense that Vic's crimes were finally catching up with him. The only real weakness was the lack of realism in suggesting that Lem would be at risk from one-niners in prison, but I'm prepared to overlook that due to the fact that that particular situation was such a great catalsyst for the drama of the last few episodes.
My least favourite plot is easily Carl and Scooby's murder. It just seemed totally unrelated to anything that I watch the show for. The whole 'corruption' angle (as well as the characters) took a back seat and the focus was on the investigation, which is the antithesis to what the previous seasons were like. It also seemed to be poorly-plotted and made up on the fly. It was as though the writers couldn't make up their minds as to who killed them, as we went from gang members to Nigerians to Russians and then to all three.
Here are the choices (feel free to inform me if you think I should include any others):
1. Terry Crowley - multi-season arc that has been carried throughout the whole series so far, but was focussed upon most in seasons 1 and 5.
2. Armadillo - the main plot of the early S2 episodes. Ran from episode 1 to episode 8.
3. Taking down the money train - the main plot of S2's latter half. Ran from episode 4 to episode 13.
4. The marked money train cash - the main plot of S3, which ran from beginning to end.
5. Shane, Antwon and Angie's body - the main plot of S4. Ran from episode 1 to around episode 10/11.
6. Carl and Scooby's murders - minor arc used to fill up the last few episodes of S4. Ran from episode 9 to episode 13.
7. The IAD investigation/Lem and the heroin - ran from episode 10 of S4 to episode 11 of S5 (may not yet be resolved).
For me, the best plots of the show so far have been the marked money plot of S3 and the IAD investigation of S4/S5. The reason I liked the marked money plot so much is that it was the first time that the show really had a central focus for the entire season. Prior to that the seasons had generally been split up into smaller arcs (such as Armadillo in S2 or Gilroy in S1) or individual episodes, so I felt that a season-long main plot was a step forward. The writers seemed to be confident in knowing where they were going, leading to an incredibly well-plotted season, with lots of cool ideas worked into the plot along the way, such as the way that the ST broke into Aceveda's safe and used O'Brien as a patsy. The plot was also focussed very heavily on the relationship between the members of the Strike team, which is one of the show's biggest strengths.
I liked the IAD investigation plot for pretty much exactly the same reasons. It was very well-plotted and, like the marked money plot, led the Strike Team into some very interesting situations, such as the scene where Lem and the others communicate via laptop, the way they turn the tables on Kavanaugh in episode 5 with the fake murder, and later when they're forced to work for Antwon. Another strength was that the plot was also strongly tied to major plots from previous seasons, such as the Terry Crowley murder and the money train stuff, which in my opinion helps to make the series much more cohesive, and helped to give the sense that Vic's crimes were finally catching up with him. The only real weakness was the lack of realism in suggesting that Lem would be at risk from one-niners in prison, but I'm prepared to overlook that due to the fact that that particular situation was such a great catalsyst for the drama of the last few episodes.
My least favourite plot is easily Carl and Scooby's murder. It just seemed totally unrelated to anything that I watch the show for. The whole 'corruption' angle (as well as the characters) took a back seat and the focus was on the investigation, which is the antithesis to what the previous seasons were like. It also seemed to be poorly-plotted and made up on the fly. It was as though the writers couldn't make up their minds as to who killed them, as we went from gang members to Nigerians to Russians and then to all three.