I just rewatched the series. I had the same problems. It's not about Blacks it's about Black Characters. I had no problems differentiating between and or understanding Commissioner Burrell, Daniels, Bunk, Kima, Carver, Lester. On the street side Proposition Joe, Bubbles, Stringer Bell were OK. Most of the rest were, to me, indistinguishable. I saw them as generic drug seller or drug muscle. I used the closed captions, but with hearing aids I use closed captions on just about everything. But even when I read the words the syntax and jargon made little sense to me.
I'd like to see a remake with Lester Freamon dubbing everyone on the street

Just use headphones or turn on subtitles. Problem solved.
If one devalues rationality, the world tends to fall apart.

• von Trier

Wow - your point 4 people like yourself can't help yourself can you. Your point was racist and you know full well it was. Saying no offence in capitals does not change that!

4. NO OFFENSE OR RACISM but the black characters look very similar to each other.
   I think this is only true when you first see a bunch of people of a certain race together for the first time. It's because virtually all black people have dark hair and brown eyes, for example. Natural eye and hair color varies with American white people, making it easier to distinguish when taking a quick glance. It would be tough to confuse a red-haired person with blue eyes with a blond person with green eyes or a dark-haired person with brown eyes. They all have obvious differences.
   However, the OP says he is Indian. This is also a group of people with basically black hair and brown eyes. A lot of people would make a "they all look alike" comment about this demographic, also. Right?
   I
   '
   m a real kewl kat
   .

Exactly you understand the slang and Baltimorese, as we call it, when seeing the context it is in. I do know non-English speakers have at times had issues with US slang, and then of course there are different terms pending geographic location in the US as well. We don't like to make things easy around here. LOL.
But yeah things can be figured out while viewing so it is not completely unknown. Just for me, no matter what movie or show I am watching on DVD, I always watch with subtitles first. The Wire did have some language that took some working out.
((Damn the remakes, Save the originals.))

The meaning of most of the slang is obvious when looking at the context. Your example, the phrase "gotta get got" is doubly so. I'm not a native English speaker, and watched the show for the first time with English subtitles, second time with Hungarian subtitles to check out the translation (Hungarian is my native language). At first viewing, there was some confusion the first time I heard phrases I was not familiar with ("stevedores" gave me a few scratches of head), but I kept on going without looking up anything, just paying attention. And I figured out all plot relevant slang terms by the end of the series.
Bottom line is: use subtitles and pay attention. The Wire rewards a viewer who pays attention.
I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me to see me looking back at you

Point 1 I can agree, though they were speaking their Baltimorese/ghetto version of English.
Whenever I am watching something for the first time, no matter what it is, if on DVD I will actually put the English subtitles up. Yes some phrases were confusing for a second like the phrase "gotta get got." That is not common vernacular for me, so I had to think it over a second. I maybe even looked it up, but either way I sorted it out.
They have their version of slang. But yeah I subtitled the show to understand what they were saying.
2) What do you mean what is going on? Pretty much the whole series is basically life in Baltimore. Each season focuses on 1 main issue, but with the drug trade arc spanning the series.
3) I don't fully get what you are saying. Which characters?
4) Er I cannot help you there as they all look different to me.
((Damn the remakes, Save the originals.))

I'm not sure how you're watching the wire but I've watched and on blu-Ray and for season 1 turned on subtitles. That helped a lot.

I guess the old adage that art is wasted on americans must be true then.

This message has been deleted.

I had the same problem with understanding the characters talking, so I turned on the sub-titles. I can figure out the slang, but I need to understand what they said to figure it out.
Or my isn't name

1. Watch it with subtitles. I need them too. The slang they use is way too much for me to understand enough to make sence a lot of times.
2. Thats either conected with point one or you are not very observant person. The story is no so complicated to be hard to understand.
   3),4) There are lot of characters, who play very small roles and you dont have to know them all by name to enjoy the series. If you want to go in depth, look them up on imdb.

A lot of the blacks look the same to me also more confusing with their assorted nicknames. So I'm a racist, F me.
not racist, but culturally retarded although the two aren't mutually exclusive.

It's really good. You have to watch it twice with subtitles. A lot of the blacks look the same to me also more confusing with their assorted nicknames. So I'm a racist, F me. There is also a lot of innuendo in the conversations that will fly over your head. Great show! Deserves another peek.
He killed sixteen Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator.

Damn Breaking Bad with those actual interesting characters and exciting well written storylines.. So far Mcnulty is the only character I give half a Sh#t about..But apparently I need to rewatch the series 40 times until I like it..

Breaking Bad is dumbed down, populist trash. I'm sick of people talking it up as if it's some sort of revolutionary television experience.
The Wire is a frigging masterpiece!

They are different, and comparing them is like comparing apples and oranges.
people say that like it means something. Either way a half a cup is still a serving of fruit.

This message has been deleted.

It is infantile to suggest that we are in an either/or universe. I watched every episode of Breaking Bad and I though it was an incredibly well written and well acted show. It raised the bar.
Many shows raised the proverbial bar before Breaking Bad was ever concocted. If you think Breaking Bad is doing something new then you've must not of seen much.

This message has been deleted.

The Wire rewards repeat viewing. Unlike almost every other dramatic series originating from the North American continent, The Wire has elements of subtlety, nuance and unique understatement that almost demands subsequent viewing.
I've watched and rewatched the series every summer holiday season for the past decade of so. Each viewing still gives new insights into the convoluted sub-plots within. This is drama at its best. Definitely one for the lovers of Shakespeare and maybe even Dickens (not that he could ever be accused of subtlety, however) in my opinion.
I'm getting pretty fed up with the interminable comparisons to Breaking Bad, too. BB is dramatic, yes, but in a much more prosaic, and dare I say it, infantile manner. Where's the subtlety? The Pathos? The subtle interrelationships between characters and sub-plots. To me, as a dramatic work, it's more akin to teen pulp fiction series like Breaking Dawn et. al.
The Wire resides at a higher level altogether. I can see in centuries to come our descendents will be revisiting this series as a classic example of Millennial literary achievement.

Now that the entire season is available on HBO, I suggest watching the entire first season (try in a week or so) before giving up on it.
I just finished the entire series in about 4 weeks, and I thought it was great. Yes, sometimes it seems slow, but trust me the writers know what they are doing and it does make sense.
If you do have problems with understanding, I'd suggest putting on subtitles.
Watch a few shows and you will catch on.
That is what happens in a pilot - you need to keep watching to get the whole story about characters.
I guess that is a cultural thing. I don't have that problem. Again, stick with it.

David Simon mentioned in one of the commentary's that the show serves better by binge watching as opposed to the usual weekly episode formats of most TV shows, the like of Netflix.
Course its one of my favorite shows now but I reckon if I tried watching one episode every other week I would've given up on the show altogether lost all interest. Thank god for boxsets.

LOL. What a funny little explanation!
People may have originated from Africa (when the continents were laid out totally different), therefore umm blacksplaining
I guess that means all animals that originated from Africa, like giraffes, are all easily distinguishable from each other, too?