Q: Are there any plans to switch to High Definition? [Jim King]A: No. We considered it before third season and chose not to do so. We began the show without HD and created a visual template for a story that we intend as a single, five-volume narrative. To adjust that template in the middle of the story seems arbitrary and destructive to the integrated whole that we are trying to create. Next narrative we can play with the new technology. This one needs to finish on the same terms and utilizing the same visual choices with which we began. If that means denying ourselves some of the power and glory of HD and letterbox, then so be it. It's more important to us that The Wire exist -- all five arcs -- as a unified entity.
Q: Any news regarding the On Demand audience or ratings in general? You know that there have been some problems accessing the On Demand episodes, right? [Jim King]
A: Those numbers don't come in for another few weeks. The numbers cited by HBO for the premiere -- 1.5 million viewers -- increased to 3.45 million over the first five of nine scheduled broadcast airings of the season's first episode. Ultimately the broadcast total will then be augmented by the on-demand numbers and we'll have a full idea of who's watching. The second episode premiered at 1.8 million, I am told, so we are up in that sense.
I've heard tell of the problems. Intellectually, I hope that HBO and the cable providers resolve whatever confusion exists over the availability of on-demand episodes. Emotionally, I confess to some enjoyment at all the people complaining that they can't get to The Wire fast enough. I remember back in the day, when no one complained about ever getting to us at all...
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