The Wire - The Complete Fifth Season
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 McNulty, Bunk, and Kima's last year at Hogwarts A bittersweet dénouement to an epic tale of good, evil, and coming of age. And while I feel the series never fully recovered from the death of kindly old Professor Bell at the end of Season 3, this is still some of the best television you'll ever see. I'm going to miss you, Voldemore, Harryland! "The bigger the lie, the more they believe" That quote by Bunk (Wendell Pierce) in the opening episode of the final season of David Simon's brilliant The Wire sets the stage for the events that unfold in these final ten episodes of the beloved HBO series. Picking up from the fourth season, Mayor Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) is pouring money into the Baltimore school system, which prompts the police force to work without paid overtime, and also finds the ever self-destructive Jimmy McNulty's (Dominic West) wiretap on murderous drug dealer Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector) put to a premature end. Things begin to change however, when McNulty, along with Freamon's (Clarke Peters) help, manipulate and orchestrate an imaginary, homeless preying, serial killer that garners national attention, all in an effort to put Marlo away once and for all. Also, much like the previous season focused on the broken education system, the fifth season focuses on the impact of the media in the form of the Baltimore Sun; as editor Gus Haynes (longtime series director Clark Johnson) deals with the downsizing of his staff, and the rise of a reporter (Thomas McCarthy) who may be making up his stories. In the meantime (proving that The Wire is indeed the most multilayered television drama ever created), other subplots abound, including a revenge driven Omar (Michael K. Williams) returning with Marlo in his sights; young Michael (Tristan Wilds) and Dukie (Jermaine Crawford) learn just how dire their situation is; Bubbles (Andre Royo) finds light at the end of the tunnel; and Daniels (Lance Reddick) prepares to take on the role of Commissioner. Most notably however is the impact of the actions of McNulty and Freamon; an impact that ends up effecting everyone in striking distance and beyond, and sets the stage for the final episode of the series, which is one of the most brilliant pieces of television to ever materialize. Not everyone walks away clean (or walks away at all) and rides into the sunset, but it is a perfect way to end a perfect series, and with appearances from familiar faces aplenty along the way, things couldn't have been wrapped up better. All in all, the final season of The Wire further proves the frequently mentioned point of just how unbelievably good this show was, and how much of a shame it is that it never achieved the kind of uber-popularity that it deserved compared to many of HBO's other shows. Either way, longtime fan or late newcomer, there is nearly nothing better than The Wire, even to its bittersweet end. "...you gotta keep the devil way down in the hole..." For Better Or Worse "It's All Connected" Typing reviews on TV seasons can be problematic. If you're a newcomer to the series who just wants to know whether THE WIRE held up through all 60 episodes, the short answer is a resounding "Yes!" This series took big chances with each season, and each episode was carefully constructed and executed. They don't call this show a "visual novel" for nothing. THE WIRE is easily the most realistic TV series ever produced, and mastered the art of slow build-up. But for those who missed out on Season Five, I'll keep this as spoiler-free as possible. If you're looking for a debate, go to IMDB --- you'll find plenty to fight about. Trying to discuss plot threads and outlines of this Season would take an entire website, so let's split this up into the key players: THE POLICE ---Season Five lets the Major Case Squad return to its roots as they track Marlo Stanfield, but the twist is that the entire police force is underpaid with morale at an all-time low. Whatever happened to Baltimore's economy since last year has crippled the cops from doing good policework, let alone keep the stats at an acceptable level. The few individuals who're motivated to work the cases, however, choose a shockingly unethcial approach. This opens up the classic question: "Do the ends justify the ends?" Some fans who thought this scenario was unbelieveable, but I say there have been more elaborate methods of deceit in the country's history. You might have to take a grain of salt, but the police department's morality is really put through the ringer, this time. We finally get some closure on the past between Daniels & Burell, but in true WIRE fashion, we don't learn everything. Overall, this thread worked very well in my opinion. THE STREETS ---In my opinion, both the weakest & strongest aspect of Season Five. Marlo Stanfield and his crew lay low, and kinda toy with the cops a bit in the first episode. "The Game" of the drug trade no longer has room for the idealists from seasons' past; this generation's players are more eager to violence and swift resolutions. Thankfully, THE WIRE never becomes a bloodbath, but the cold violence failed to grip me. My problems with this part of the story were mainly because I didn't care enough about the dealers. Marlo, Snoop, Partlow, Slim Charles, Cheese, and Prop Joe...the actors are all up to the task, but the story wasn't as brilliant as its predecesors. Even the arcs involving teens Michael and Duquan didn't move a lot, which surprising because they're such tragic characters; it's scary to think the real world is even harder on America's lower-class youth. However, keep in my mind I'm disappointed by THE WIRE's standards --- these tough scenes surpass any other TV urban drama. Where Season Five is at its best is with our everyman Bubbles. Andre Royo's performance treads delicately between subtle and dramatic, and he's never been better in the role. Bubbles represents every person in the world: if you give your attention to even the smallest person, a compelling story is waiting to come out. THE POLITICS ---There is some sweet material here, even though it's basically two stories. The first is Clay Davis's fate. I couldn't have predicted any of the twists that followed, and still can't believe them after I think about it. I'm very impressed that a minor colorful character really evolved into one of the Season's most memorable figures --- just when you think you've witnessed the climax, Davis's tale comes back with another layer. Also in THE WIRE's political focus is Tommy Carcetti's ongoing struggle to balance his ambition and his civic duties. These scenes were well-acted, but I was disappointed that nothing really changed within the offices. I know that's the point of the story, but it only works for so many consecutive episodes. Like the Streets angle, overall a good examination of general politics, warts and all. THE NEWSROOM ---Each season, THE WIRE reveals a new side of Baltimore. For Season Five, we meet the press from inside the Baltimore Sun. The editing room vibe is just as important as the characters who inhabit them. After some of Baltimore's finest get a little creative with their police work, everyone from the greedy management to disillusioned veterans, and from ambitious journalists to a stoic editor jump on the story. Clearly, David Simon (creator/writer) knows this field like the back of his hand. Even if you didn't know he used to be a Baltimore Sun reporter, you'd swear Simon lived within this arena. I think most of Season Five's detractors focused on this story arc. My only real gripe is that the Sun's management isn't given enough depth: we've seen these bosses a million times before (they'll do anything for the greatest profit, or coverage, regardless of quality). The actors are pitch-perfect, but the story had a few more yards to go. Still, conflicted journalism is always an interesting subject, and THE WIRE did an excellent job with it. CLOSING THOUGHTS ---THE WIRE is a show we'll never get again. The acting is flawless; what I mean is that no character dominates the show. From start to finish, everyone on THE WIRE shares an equal prescence. The writing is also superb, especially when watching on DVD. How did we ever survive the week-by-week schedule? THE WIRE is much stronger when you take it all in one sitting. Sadly, Season Five is easily my least favorite for two reasons. AND PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU WANT NOTHING SPOILED! * Each episode features a brief cameo from previous seasons' cast. Cameos and guest appearances are fine, but very few of them contributed anything unique. For example: Cutty gets a few brief scenes with Duquan. Cutty basically tells the confused teen that he doesn't know what the world holds for us. It's nice to see them interact, but the ideas are a bit recycled. THE WIRE has always been able to give us little details without distracting from the big picture. In Season Five, these cameos took me out of the moment. * But here is my biggest problem with Season Five: First off, some fans didn't like how THE WIRE jumped from the streets to the docks, or how one year suddenly became about school children and not the police. However, no one can deny THE WIRE was always tried to expand its horizons. This is a fact. Where Season Five slips up is that David Simon tries to resolve just about everything. I always thought this show's was stronger when some issues remained ambiguous, and when not every question was answered. There was a sense of irony in each season's resolution. But in the final act of THE WIRE, Simon somehow just couldn't let some questions go. The Series Finale is superb, no doubt. But Simon's attempt to connect everything together makes the world of Baltimore feel much smaller. Maybe THE WIRE is about an interconnected world after all. However, don't let my little nitpicks prevent any of you from watching this outstanding series' conclusion. If you're a fan, you're gonna pick up Season Five anyway. If you're a skeptic, have faith and spend the money. If you're a newcomer to the series, I envy you. Your first trip "Way Down In The Hole" is one you'll never forget. Defining Excellence In all my years of watching TV, I can say without reservation that The Wire is the finest production ever brought to the small screen. The measure of a good movie, play or TV show is rooted in the story telling and therefore the writing. The Wire with its complex drawn characters has elevated the art of story telling to a level that surpasses what I thought to be the most important work ever produced on TV, Hill Street Blues. I imagine that if Hill Street Blues had the advantages of The Wire (cable vs. network TV), it too would have provided the core realisim so evident in The Wire. Kudos to HBO for bringing such a brilliant production to the screen. This is a cable network that knows what it is doing (The Sapranos, Sex in the City, Six Feet Under, the list goes on and on). The assembly of actors (none of which I had ever seen before, save for a few) was, in itself, casting at its zenith. The direction, cinematography, second to none. What was nost impressive was the way in which characters were drawn. Street dealers with a rudimentary code of honor (i.e., Sunday as the peace day among the gangs) and smarts normally not associated with this element. Politicians who start out with the "I want to do good and change the world" idealisim and end up in the same space as all other politicians they started out dispising. The story of the docks and that of the schools and school kids we got to follow the last 2 seasons was as compelling a story as I have ever seen portrayed. What was most impressive was the way in which the show ended its run. No feel good endings (for the most part) where everything turns out right. What you got was the truth; the cycle of the streets, the cycle of the docks, the cycle of the schools and school kids, the cycle of the politicians, the cycle of life is just that; an unending cylcle of some good but mostly the same. The Wire is the kind of TV that comes along once in a life time. The critics got it, the award shows never did. I suggest the subject matter was a little to gritty for their taste. I suggest to anyone who reads this review and appreciates the finer elements of movie making to purchase all 5 seasons of The Wire as I have. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. | |||||||||||||
