TIL picking the right binge show for a road trip can make or break the drive

I had to choose between The Wire and Brooklyn 99 for a 6 hour drive from Austin to Dallas. I picked Brooklyn 99 since I wanted something light. It was awesome, we were laughing the whole time and the miles flew by. But now I'm stuck deciding if I should go back and start The Wire next weekend. Has anyone else made a wrong pick and regretted it for a long trip?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jamie25d ago

luna you said "the miles flew by" and that's the key thing. nobody talks about how the show's beat structure matches highway driving. Brooklyn 99 has those quick 22 minute episodes with punchy endings that feel like mini milestones. you hit a funny scene and suddenly you're 30 miles further. The Wire is all slow burn long form storytelling where an episode feels like a chapter in a book. that works for a weekend binge on the couch but on the road it drags. my cousin tried The Wire on a Denver to Vegas drive and by episode 4 he was checking his phone every 10 minutes. the pacing mismatch is real.

luna89125d ago

Oh man I totally feel you on this. I once picked True Detective for a 4 hour drive and it was so heavy and dark my passenger fell asleep by hour two and then I was just... there alone with that intense music. Brooklyn 99 was a way smarter call for keeping energy up, especially through those boring flat stretches between Austin and Dallas. The Wire is gonna be there waiting for you, trust me, it's better when you can give it your full attention anyway. I made the wrong call once with a grim documentary and spent the last hour of the drive just staring at the road thinking about my life choices instead of enjoying the trip.