The Wire-Series Finale

[Chuck=Zero]

I know I'm goin' out on a limb here-anyone watch it?

[deadaswarhol]

i work with a lot of actors and a lot of them have walk-on or small roles in that show apparently. i've heard it's good but can't watch it just because for now i associate it with my annoying co-workers

[Banana]

I hear nothing but great things about that show. Kinda want to download some episodes and get to watching it.

[Chuck=Zero]

Before last night's finale, I finally completed watching the first four seasons. I was keepin' track of the current and last season, 5, while I was catchin' up on the previous seasons. I only got hooked on it within the last 3 months or so, up until last year I was never able to watch anything on HBO. When it came time to get caught up, I just bought all the seasons on DVD through Amazon, that was actually after goin' to local retail stores (Best Buy, Circuit City and the like) who were all sold out of 'em. It seemed as though a lot of people really caught on as the fifth and final season was starting late last year. And I never even bothered to try Netflix.

[Chuck=Zero]

It's been critically acclaimed for years now, but has yet to receive any love from the Emmy's.

[Debaser]

just watched. even though season 5 will go down as my least favorite season, it's still amazing.

Now I don't want to exaggerate here, but The Wire is pretty much the best television series in history. and unlike the Sopranos, you actually get closure.

[dean_r_koontz]

as drama shows goes it's pretty much the best thing done up to this point.

[Chuck=Zero]

Originally Posted by Debaser

just watched. even though season 5 will go down as my least favorite season, it's still amazing.

Now I don't want to exaggerate here, but The Wire is pretty much the best television series in history. and unlike the Sopranos, you actually get closure.

Yeah, I think the vast majority of the people who've watched the whole series are in agreement that this final season was the weakest of 'em all. Season 2 comes to mind for some as being a disappointment, but that's mainly because the focal point of it was shifted from the drug game to the ports, which still served up a good plot. I wonder if the producers of the show were forced to cram this final season into 10 episodes, kinda surprised we didn't get 12 or 13 like every other season. The final season was kinda over-sensational, in how both a reporter and a cop fabricated a serial killer, and what happened with McNulty & Freamon in the end. Nonetheless, with the exception of that, I was satisfied with the ending and thought it was fitting; the creators definitely pulled no tricks on the viewers.

[dean_r_koontz]

what happened to mcnulty? i've woved not to watch the last season

[noyen]

everyone got shot. except cool breeze. he escaped through a secret passage-way.

[Chuck=Zero]

Do you really wanna know?

[dean_r_koontz]

why the fuck did you think i asked.

[Debaser]

Upon repeated viewings, the 2nd season improved for me. I really enjoyed it. Frank Sobatka was such a great character.

[Debaser]

mcnulty pretty much forced to retire. (lester, too)

[Chuck=Zero]

Sorry man, it just seems being a spoiler is one of the worst things you can do hear in the Gen chat. After all the big shots of the city find out about McNulty's and Lester's fabrication of the serial killer (the mayor, police commish and deputy ops, state's attorney), the mayor determines it best to keep the truth of it away from the media (understandable). So with that, Freamon and McNulty are not charged, they're forced to leave, which they do, BUT they walk away and receive their pentions. They then get a big, great, happy send-off from the whole department at Kavanagh's, everyone praising the two, especially McNulty, with Jay talking the most highly of him. I just found it far-fetched that Freamon & McNulty were able to walk away from the thing not only unscathed, but with the thanks and praise of everyone in the department.

[dean_r_koontz]

sounds pretty bad. i made the right decision to stop

[Debaser]

random thoughts. so much to process.

michael taking omar's place hell yah

dukie taking bubblez place oh noes

cheese getting got hell yah

snoop accepting her fate with dignity

reginald getting out of the basement

sydnor the next mcnulty

marlo cut off from everything he knows, he would be happier in prison

whoa: chris and wee-bay

carcetti completely selling out

clay davis gets away with everything

herc, oh man, what a fucking idiot

carver the next daniels

[Debaser]

mcnulty DOES NOT get a pension; not enough years on the force.

[Debaser]

but retiring will be a blessing in disguise for mcnulty. the job fueled his demons.

[Chuck=Zero]

Debaser, what did you get from the scene in where Marlo leaves the party he's at with Levy, goes to a random corner and confronts some random corner boys? I don't know what to think with that, was it one last gangsta act from Marlo before leaving the game for the business world, or did Marlo realize after seeing the shot (or was it a stab wound?) in his arm that the streets are the only place for him?

[Debaser]

Originally Posted by dean_r_koontz

sounds pretty bad. i made the right decision to stop

Yeah, this season started off pretty rough. But it redeems itself by the end.

[Debaser]

Originally Posted by Chuck=Zero

Debaser, what did you get from the scene in where Marlo leaves the party he's at with Levy, goes to a random corner and confronts some random corner boys? I don't know what to think with that, was it one last gangsta act from Marlo before leaving the game for the business world, or did Marlo realize after seeing the shot (or was it a stab wound?) in his arm that the streets are the only place for him?

I honestly don't know which way Marlo will go. It's obvious he doesn't want to become a businessman. He went down to the street just to show to himself that he's still the man. But what then? They are purposely leaving the audience to guess.

Are you familiar with "What's Alan Watching" blog? He has tremendous recaps and insights on every wire episode.

http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2008/0...baltimore.html

But to be excommunicated from The Game? To be granted money and freedom but lose his power and his rep and the only world he's ever known or cared about? That's some "Twilight Zone" stuff right there. As Simon (who refused to elaborate on whether Marlo's return to the corner was a one-time thing or the beginning of his attempt to return to that life under the cop's noses) puts it in our interview:

Marlo is cut off from the source of his power, desperate to rescue his name. To me, the great irony is that Marlo ends up being granted what Stringer wanted -- and he has no use for it. To me, to a guy like Marlo Stanfield, hell is a business meeting with a bunch of developers. For Stringer, it was all he wanted.

[Debaser]

another thing I already forgot where I read this from, I'm paraphrasing: It's beautiful that Omar really did have his revenge on Marlo. All Marlo cares about is his rep, his "name". When Marlo flees the business meet, he is greeted on the street by Omar's reputation, as the corner boys are still telling tales of how epic Omar's assassination was (heh), and they don't even know who Marlo is. hah.

[Debaser]

it's an indictment against this board that so few people here follow this show. then again, that's on par with the rest of america.

[Chuck=Zero]

Originally Posted by Debaser

another thing I already forgot where I read this from, I'm paraphrasing: It's beautiful that Omar really did have his revenge on Marlo. All Marlo cares about is his rep, his "name". When Marlo flees the business meet, he is greeted on the street by Omar's reputation, as the corner boys are still telling tales of how epic Omar's assassination was (heh), and they don't even know who Marlo is. hah.

Good observation there.