The Wire-Season 5

[KG]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Yeah.

In regards to out with the old, in with the new, I was surprised to see Michael as the new Omar. I was thinking it would be Kenard. I was hoping either Mike and Dukie, or Mike and Randy would be the new young kings. Dukie ending up a drug addict was heartbreaking.

No way Kenard could have been Omar. That would have been just too far fetched. He's too young, not invovled enough besides working the corner and frankly, too small. Once Michael killed snoop you could pretty much see that he was going to be the new Omar. He didn't want to relocate with his younger brother so he was pretty much forced too.

It was sad about Dukie though. They did a good job of making you care about that kid.

I was kinda upset that they didnt really mention what happened to Clay Davis. I guess everything got swept under the rug.

[spankdatazz22]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

"The game is the same only the people change".

I thought about that theme also. Also got sad myself when the closing credits music came on. It obviously deserves to be in the same company with the great/classic television series of all-time

[Bamboospine1998]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

When the credits came up and the song thats always played during the credits started it made me a little depressed. This show was hands down my favorite show of all time. Nothing comes close to The Wire IMO.

Very good finale. It wraps it up and shows that things go on the same, just different players.
I know what you mean. Man, that I know of, HBO doesn't have any new dramas coming out in the near future.
I gave it some thought and, second only to the Simpsons, the Wire was my favorite show all time. Overtook Sopranos, and I put Deadwood up there as well. I liked Arrested Devolpment also. I couldn't really come up with a top ten.

[JayBee74]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Very good finale. It wraps it up and shows that things go on the same, just different players.
I know what you mean. Man, that I know of, HBO doesn't have any new dramas coming out in the near future.
I gave it some thought and, second only to the Simpsons, the Wire was my favorite show all time. Overtook Sopranos, and I put Deadwood up there as well. I liked Arrested Devolpment also. I couldn't really come up with a top ten.

#2 behind "The Sopranos" for me. Very similar shows in the sense that they both went from extreme violence to a sense of normalcy within any single episode. For the Sopranos normal was the family life, for "The Wire" it was basically the inner workings of the Baltimore police Department.

[ODogg]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

I thought it was a wonderful ending. It showed that some people can do better, giving us all hope, some will do worse, showing us that there will always be problems for people and in general really showed wonderfully that despite all of these things life will go on and more people will continue to go down various paths, such is the circle of life in Baltimore.

I'm really surprised with how cold-blooded Michael became, when we first met his character he seemed to me to be the one most likely to escape that lifestyle. Then he ended up being the next Omar.

I also would like to say I think there was a lot of hints there that Marlo would never really get out of the game until he was in jail or dead because he wasn't just in it for the money, he was in it for his ego and for the rush that it gave him. Which is something we see and hear about everyday for guys like Marlo, even with money they can't escape their violent past.

[AJColossal]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

#2 behind "The Sopranos" for me. Very similar shows in the sense that they both went from extreme violence to a sense of normalcy within any single episode. For the Sopranos normal was the family life, for "The Wire" it was basically the inner workings of the Baltimore police Department.

Same here, The Wire #2 only behind The Sopranos.

Don't see how anyone will ever do a more gripping take on modern urban life than The Wire.

[stiffarmleft]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

I'm really surprised with how cold-blooded Michael became, when we first met his character he seemed to me to be the one most likely to escape that lifestyle. Then he ended up being the next Omar.

For me personally I see Omar as one of the good guys, not necessarily cold blooded, the only people he robbed were drug dealers. I think it was predicted on this forum the Michael would be the next Omar, not all good not all bad, a sort of Robin Hood.

[Cebby]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

For me personally I see Omar as one of the good guys, not necessarily cold blooded, the only people he robbed were drug dealers.

You're talking about a character who is introduced by shooting a 15 year old kid in the knee with a shotgun because the kid wouldn't give Omar a few thousand dollars worth of heroin. He later kills Savino and the one Marlo stash house guy because of who they work for.

Remember, his little crusades against Avon/Stringer and Marlo were entirely on Omar's shoulders. He started both issues over a good bit of money that he stole.

[stiffarmleft]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Anyone who sees Omar as a good guy is clearly thinking incorrectly.

You're talking about a character who is introduced by shooting a 15 year old kid in the knee with a shotgun because the kid wouldn't give Omar a few thousand dollars worth of heroin. He later kills Savino and the one Marlo stash house guy because of who they work for.

Remember, his little crusades against Avon/Stringer and Marlo were entirely on Omar's shoulders. He started both issues over a good bit of money that he stole.

My thought processes are fine, I just happen to have a different opinion than you.

[JayBee74]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

For me personally I see Omar as one of the good guys, not necessarily cold blooded, the only people he robbed were drug dealers. I think it was predicted on this forum the Michael would be the next Omar, not all good not all bad, a sort of Robin Hood.

Omar was my favorite character. He had a code he lived by and used great discretion when wielding his shotgun, but if he was on you LOOK OUT!!

[MFLCommish]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

when I heard about the wire or would see clips, I just thought it was boring. I remember watching an episode 3-4 years ago and first of all I didn't know what the hell was going on and it wasn't the typical Shield action that I loved about Vic Mackey and the strike team. So I put it off until Season 4 came on. For some reason I watched the first episode of that season and I liked it enough to give it another week. After that I was hooked. I watched Season 1-3 in probably a month's time after season 4. However, when the Wire had its Odyessey before the first episode this year, I forgot about some of the stuff they showed. So I'm going to buy every season (never have bought dvds) and not going the Netflix route. It deserves that much in my opinion.

24 was a similar show where I began to watch in Season 4 but Shield was the ultimate cop show. However, with Shield, it was just Vic and the guys then I would really really like it but it has alot of dumb characters in it. Don't get me wrong, it will go down as a Top 5 show but The Wire easily passes it in my opinion. The realism and character progression is what makes the show what it is. I used to love Sopranos but it became a corporate type of show. It's tough to explain so I'll make it in sports terms. Like the Boston Garden and the TD Banknorth Garden that the Celtics play in now. In the old Garden, it was intimidating to go in there. You had working class people that filled the entire arena. Nowadays you have corporate people on the lower level and the diehards in the upper deck. Boston come playoff time is still one of the best but it's not used to be. Same goes for Sopranos. i think they bought into the hype and went away from what made them big: Violence and Tony's ruthlessness.

Wire never changed adn that's what I love about the show. There wasn't one big time character that if you kill off then the show is dead. If you kill off Jack Bauer, Tony Soprano or Vic Mackey, then you don't havea show. Stringer was probably the closest and they easily were able to go from there.

I loved the Wire and I really don't think there will be something as good as this for a long time. Truly phenomenal work. I will spend $180 to buy every season but it's money well spent.

[HMcCoy]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Spoiler

Liked Gus alot. The newspaper angle wouldn't be a bad spinoff show built around him, IMO. There were some extremely dislikeable characters in that newsroom...sucked to see those guys on stage getting awards.

The dude that played Bubs did a great job as that streetwise hustler we all know. Andre Royo (Bubs) got that "F' it...sh*t can't get no worse" bravado across perfectly in every scene he was in.

I would put the final showdown between Levy and the Assistant D.A. Pearlman against any courtroom drama on television. That was a battle.

Marlo would probably get whacked eventually. He was responsible for alot of bodies, he intimidated and even bumped off a few powerful dudes, and I'm sure they didn't appreciate having to finance his retirement. The Greeks probably wouldn't want a loose end like him walking around either. I could see someone in the Slim camp taking him out if he starts showing his face in the hood. His muscle is gone...he better keep some body guards around.

I rewound (rewinded?) Dook's part a few times. Coming up in a home full of fiends, his life was over before it started. That part was so sad. At least Bub wanted the best for Sharrod...this old dude is just using the boy.

Chris's scene looked like he was reporting in. I assume that Wee-Bey has fought, and/or killed his way to having some power...how appropriate for Chris to take up right where he left off as a mean #2 guy.

Overall I like how alot of minor and major characters from the past made cameos this season...Namond/Bunny, Poot, Randy, Prezbo, Cutty, Avon, Wee-Bey...we got to wave goodbye to nearly everyone who lived through these 5 seasons. I ain't mad at how they wrapped this all up.

Lol @ Valcheck getting back in the captains chair...

[BigTigLSU]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Spoiler

Chris's scene looked like he was reporting in. I assume that Wee-Bey has fought, and/or killed his way to having some power...how appropriate for Chris to take up right where he left off as a mean #2 guy.

Spoiler

I think its two big dogs coming together and talking... Avon Barksdale runs the prison though so of course Wee-Bay has some pull, but Chris got enough street credit where he is a legend in his own right.

[Skerik]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

I haven't seen this posted yet, but David Simon wrote a thank you letter to fans, marking the end of the show. It's a pretty good read, which sums up both why the show isn't more popular, and why I loved it so much.

http://www.hbo.com/thewire/finaleletter/

[Cebby]

Re: The Wire-Season 5

Eh, I think the show's lack of popularity is due to the fact that it's on a premium network and starts off SSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO SSSLLLOOWWWWWW.

It's easily my favorite show of ever, and I love it to death, but I can't imagine watching the first season week by week. I had to force myself to watch the first three episodes (until Omar appears). Until Omar shows up, there's 0 action, no explanations for anything, no introductions, you hardly no anyone aside from McNulty's name, and the big thing (to me at least) is there's not a single likable character (again, at the start).

While it ends up working great for repeat viewers, the fact that there are no voiceovers, no introductions, and other such puts the viewer at a huge disadvantage, especially when picking the characters one needs to know.

That said, I saw this on IMDB and it's great. I never picked up on it.