Interesting bit of news just came into TV Squad headquarters:
HBO has nixed the early On-Demand premiere of The Wire series finale. Set to bow on Sunday, March 9th from 9:00 to 10:35PM, that airing of the finale episode (entitled "-30-") will be its first.
This bucks the trend of debuting each new episode On-Demand the Monday before its Sunday premiere. HBO maintained this practice for all of season four and had been doing the same with season five, until now. This Sunday's new episode (it's the second to last one) has been On-Demand since Monday.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. Not going to lie -- since I cover The Wire, it's been really nice to watch everything days in advance and have the opportunity to get my posts up minutes after the episodes air. While I understand the desire to drum up buzz for the finale, I don't think this will help all that much. For an episode as anticipated as this one, I'd think that anyone who truly appreciates this show would understandably jump at the chance to see it early, but would then probably end up watching the broadcast premiere anyway.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-27-2008 @ 7:51PM
Sade said...
I guess with a series finale, they want it to be accessible to everyone at once (e.g. if its available to stream from 9pm). I don't know if that's the intention but if it is, I can understand it, and this is coming from one of the biggest pro-streaming and downloads users around.
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2-27-2008 @ 7:51PM
Christopher said...
The preview for the finale looks absolutely phenomenal. I'm sad its going to be the last show but I know I will not be disappointed.
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2-27-2008 @ 7:52PM
SJ said...
I think it's a good thing because it's going to be explosive and people who don't have on demand will undoubtedly get it spoiled somehow (I was really pissed that somebody leaked Omar's death onto youtube weeks ago...though that has nothing to do with on-demand).
Critics have already received the finale though.
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2-27-2008 @ 7:57PM
khamel said...
i cant wait 11 days for my fix! great penultimate episode, im jonesing for the finale right now. if i see that its online, im not sure i'll be able to contain myself. i should have learned from bubs though.
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2-27-2008 @ 10:29PM
Vito said...
Actually, HBO said this would be the case awhile ago, I think before the season even began. It's so that David Simon can try to control the spoilers that came out last year. Or something like that.
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2-28-2008 @ 8:14AM
Jeff N. said...
I rather have the finale not be run ahead of time on demand and have all the big surprises leaked to me cause I prefer to watch in on Sunday night at 9PM.
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2-28-2008 @ 8:15AM
Usama said...
I don't have HBO and have to wait for the people who have onDemand to uh.. share it. Anyway, as much as I'd like to see this episode right away, I'm fine with this decision. I just wish I had HBO, or knew someone who did. Oh well, I can wait a day or two. Come Sun night I'm going to ignore TVSquad for a few days.
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2-28-2008 @ 10:47AM
amy said...
This isn't new, though - HBO announced this before the season even premiered.
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2-28-2008 @ 10:49AM
Jonathan Toomey said...
Where did you see this Amy? The press release I received yesterday was the first I heard of it...
2-28-2008 @ 12:20PM
amy said...
OK, this is completely weird, but I can't find the original news about this. Maybe I'm just psychic, because I've been telling people this the entire season and even blogged that I was glad my boss wouldn't be able to see the finale before me.
If I come across it later today, I'll respond again....
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2-28-2008 @ 12:20PM
healyemlissa said...
devastating news! My husband and I will actually be away when the finale will air and we were planning on getting it On-Demand before we went away so we can obsess over it during the entire vacation. Now we'll have to wait until at least March 15th to see it. Tears are forming....
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2-28-2008 @ 12:40PM
Quito said...
Trying to drum up ratings to prove once and for all that people do watch the show, eh HBO?
Oh well. It is frustrating having been able to watch all the other episodes early, but I get it. They want to go out with a bang. But I am really happy that its going to be an hour and 35 minutes. That is going to be great!
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3-03-2008 @ 7:42AM
Benjy said...
There's a hilarious announcement video on HBO On Demand featuring an announcer saying that the series finale wouldn't premier on HBO on Demand with a clip of Clay Davis in reply saying his trademark "Sheeeeeit!"
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3-03-2008 @ 7:43AM
Eric Munn said...
Shhheeeeeeet! The Clay Davis thing is sweet. Im still gutted I cant watch the finale tonight though : (
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3-05-2008 @ 10:29AM
William Box said...
Hi from HBO, THE WIRE fans. We saw that a few of you were upset that the series finale wasn’t going to be put on HBO On Demand in advance of its airing on standard HBO as we’ve done with all the other episodes from this season. From the comments here it looks like most of you have already figured out why.
Just to put in our two cents and confirm what you seem to have already figured out, it has to do with not spoiling the finale for all those THE WIRE fans who don’t have HBO On Demand. Keep in mind, we’re not just talking a season-ender here, but the big finish for the series. What eagerly-awaiting THE WIRE fan would want that ruined?
Glad to see you all understand. We think you’ll find it was worth the wait.
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3-05-2008 @ 7:44AM
estnyc said...
-30-
What you'd expect an old newspaper man to use for the finale's title.
Fitting, and sad.
3-05-2008 @ 5:09PM
shy said...
It was done for season 4 also. The finale wasn't put up on Demand. I feel that everyone should wait, just for the simple fact that everyone does not have demand. I enjoyed seeing everything in advanced, but I would like to be surprised at the end just as everyone else is. When you know what happens, you can't keep your mouth shut for a whole week.
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3-06-2008 @ 5:13PM
Tk68 said...
The Wire is by far the finest show of this season, and many seasons for that matter. I'm so bummed to say goodbye to Michael, Bubs, Mcnutty, Freeman, Chris, Marlo, these characters are so infused with soul, good or bad, its more likely I'll miss them all the more in their passing. Like Emily once said, "parting is all we know of heaven, and all we need of hell"
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