# The Wire 3/9/2008 -30- Series Finale (Spoilers)



## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

On the whole, I was a bit disappointed with this season. I think the Newspaper story seemed like mostly sour grapes, and took away from the rest of it.

What happened with Marlo? He just couldn't stay away from the streets and went back to dealing? Was that a one time thing, or was he there permanantly?

LOL @ Valceck as Commissioner.

Poor Dukie. He became Bubbles.

I was glad to see Chardene again.


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## latenight (May 5, 2005)

For the most part I was pleased. I really liked the resolution to the Bubbles storyline. Very pissed that the reporter scum got away with everything. 

Mcnulty deserved better but this was much better than the alternative (jail/suicide). 

I loved Michael being the new Omar, some things just never end.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Perfect. This show will be missed.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

What a glorious series that was.

For a while this season, I thought the show had gone off the rails. Then I realized that it was about the system going off the rails, and that it was perfect.


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

Bravo. To the finale and the series. Goodbye Wire.


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## Rob64 (Aug 27, 2005)

Excellent show....I will miss it.....time to cancel HBO again. They have nothing I'm interested in.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Ranking the seasons:

3
1
4
5
2


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Herc playing both sides. Wow.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Herc is Mishpacha now. LOL.

I don't remember when Herc told Levy that he was the one who gave up Marlo's phone number. Was there a scene, or did that happen off screen?

And what did Marlo do at the end? Just go on the street to feel alive? Did he stay on the street?


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## Marco (Sep 19, 2000)

Turtleboy said:


> And what did Marlo do at the end? Just go on the street to feel alive? Did he stay on the street?


I don't think he has a clue of anywhere else to go.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

Marco said:


> I don't think he has a clue of anywhere else to go.


It was a lot like Avon's role he wanted to get into real estate but can't leave the game.


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> Herc is Mishpacha now. LOL.
> 
> I don't remember when Herc told Levy that he was the one who gave up Marlo's phone number. Was there a scene, or did that happen off screen?
> 
> And what did Marlo do at the end? Just go on the street to feel alive? Did he stay on the street?


I don't think Herc told Levy about the number. He just told him that there was probably a wiretap. He did this in the previous episode in Levy's office.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

On another forum there's speculation that Levy set the whole thing up. By conspicuously writing Marlo's number and putting it in his Rolodex, he knew that Herc would steal it and give it to the cops.

It was a good way to generate business for him. I just hope the Bar doesn't find out.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Turtleboy said:


> On another forum there's speculation that Levy set the whole thing up. By conspicuously writing Marlo's number and putting it in his Rolodex, he knew that Herc would steal it and give it to the cops.


That's an interesting theory, but thinking about it, I don't know. If Levy did that, then he would know that Herc was a stool pigeon to the police. And if that were the case, I doubt he'd be inviting him to his house for dinner...


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## spikedavis (Nov 23, 2003)

So 2 questions for everyone. In retrospect:

1. Should Kima have ratted them out? 

and 
2. In the end, did McNutly really change anything?


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## 503Blunts (Apr 8, 2005)

Liked the finale, fav line from the ep:

''They're the lucky ones who just happen to be standing on the right street corner in Tel Aviv, when the pizza joint blows up and the human head rolls down the street with the eyes still blinking. '' 

Ranking the seasons:
1,3,4,5,2
With 3 just edging out 4... could almost go Wilbon and push.


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## spikedavis (Nov 23, 2003)

My rankings for the seasons-
4, 2, 3, 1, 5


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## TiVo Bum (Nov 6, 2004)

I won't rank the seasons but there wasn't one bad show in any of the five. In my opinion, perhaps the best series of television, from beginning to end, ever.


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## pjenkins (Mar 8, 1999)

spikedavis said:


> So 2 questions for everyone. In retrospect:
> 
> 1. Should Kima have ratted them out?


of course, and McNulty said so at the end, he realized she had to do what she had to do



spikedavis said:


> and
> 2. In the end, did McNutly really change anything?


of course not. part of the realism of The Wire is that it's a reflection of real life. all these people are types that come and go, and are replaced in the cycle that is poverty/drugs/police/politicians.

fwiw, I thought this was the PERFECT ending to one of my all time favorite series. Bravo, bravo.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

What exactly happened to McNulty, I lost track, it all went so fast at the end.

A very satisfactory end overall though, I loved Michael becoming Omar and was glad to see Prez again.


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## TiVo Bum (Nov 6, 2004)

JohnB1000 said:


> What exactly happened to McNulty, I lost track, it all went so fast at the end.
> 
> A very satisfactory end overall though, I loved Michael becoming Omar and was glad to see Prez again.


McNulty "retired", hence the "wake" at the bar at the end. We must assume that he and Beadie live happily ever after.  I think it was very telling that he walked away from the bar without being wasted - one of the only times in the 5 years he's done that.

It was nice to see Prez again - in a way the last scene with he and Dukwan pretty much said it all with regards to the whole series - Prez going above and beyond to help, at the same time knowing how futile it all was. Other shows might have left that kind of scene out but it was another perfect piece to to a perfect ending.


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

after some questionable plot directions this season, i must say they did a nice job wrapping up the series.

was the series ever explicit in exactly what kind of dirt they had on daniels? in the first season, the fbi agent tells mcnulty that daniels was dirty since he had assets that were beyond his police salary means, but they couldn't prove anything. the conversation with his ex-wife leads me to believe she wa a co-conspirator in whatever he was involved in.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Damn HBO for taking 3 episodes from us... think of how good this season could have really been.

Rankings: 1, 4, 3, 2, 5


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

A great wrapup to a great series. Maybe *this* year The Wire might win some awards.

I almost did a dance when Cheese got shot.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> A great wrapup to a great series. Maybe *this* year The Wire might win some awards.
> 
> I almost did a dance when Cheese got shot.


The old guy's reaction (what did he say? "You just killed $900k" ?) had me cracking up.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

jradosh said:


> The old guy's reaction (what did he say? "You just killed $900k" ?) had me cracking up.


And it was awesome that is was the original muscle man of the show Slim Charles that got him. Didn't he also owe Cheese for Avon and Stringer?


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## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

For some reason the ending didn't satisfy me. I really wish Marlo had taken a bullet from a guy who didn't know who the hell he was. And I didn't get Valchek becoming police commissioner. We spend practically the entire series hearing how Rawls (sp?) is too white to be commissioner, leading to Daniels taking the ranks, and then Valchek somehow takes the position? Didn't make sense.

Didn't see the Michael/Omar angle coming. And I'm glad Bubbles finally got to come upstairs.


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## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

EW's got a list of the 15 best moments in The Wire's history.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20166944_20166999_20183040,00.html

(Note: It's one item in the list for each page, so for those of you who are going to ***** about that, don't bother looking at it.)


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

serumgard said:


> ...And I didn't get Valchek becoming police commissioner. We spend practically the entire series hearing how Rawls (sp?) is too white to be commissioner, leading to Daniels taking the ranks, and then Valchek somehow takes the position? Didn't make sense.


Seemed to me that "they" (Neryse, Carcetti, etc...) realized they'd rather have a puppet as police commissioner than care what the community leaders would say.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

serumgard said:


> EW's got a list of the 15 best moments in The Wire's history.
> 
> http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20166944_20166999_20183040,00.html
> 
> (Note: It's one item in the list for each page, so for those of you who are going to ***** about that, don't bother looking at it.)


The list...



ew.com said:


> Season 1, Episode 3
> 
> D'Angelo tries to teach Wallace and Bodie the game of chess. ''This,'' he says, kissing a piece, ''is the king pin, aiight? He the man.'' The boys figure Avon for their King, Stringer the Queen, and the Castle the drug stash. ''These are the pawns, they like soldiers,'' says D'Angelo. ''They be out of the game early.'' All three boys are dead by series' end.
> 
> ...


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

We know based on numerous statements throughout seasons 1-5 that daniels seemed to have stolen some money from evidence during his stint at ... ? drug enforcement I think? And that he wasn't the only one doing it.

Valcheck made perfect sense. The instant they talked about needing someone who would play their game I knew it would be him.

Prez didn't really go totally above and beyond. Compare him to Bunny... now maybe he couldn't adopt dukie but it seemed to me that he was holding back in his help.

I loved the Michael resolution and did not at all see that one coming!

Are we to assume that Gus got demoted, or was he simply pleased that another honest newspaper guy was working his way up?

Did kenard get taken in for Omar's murder?

I was quite surprised by Cheese's fate, but boy did they set that one up with great patience these past couple of seasons!

No cameo by Avon??


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## jeffo13 (Oct 21, 2005)

It is hard to see Levy, Rawls and Herc as the biggest winners, but I guess that was expected. I put Marlo in the loser section. He is out of the game, which is the only life he knows and he no longer has his name. The last scene for him was the final rub in his face that his name is fading and the name Omar is living on through legend. I don't think that was a happy laugh at the end, but a shock to his system at this realization.

I have to belive the Pulitzer was revoked within the year.

Very happy with the episode. I loved the beginning with Carcetti with a loss for words and Norman cracking up.

The Wire will be missed.

Jeff


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

TAsunder said:


> Are we to assume that Gus got demoted, or was he simply pleased that another honest newspaper guy was working his way up?
> 
> Did kenard get taken in for Omar's murder?


Yes. And yes, he sees himself in the other guy.

Yes.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

jradosh said:


> The old guy's reaction (what did he say? "You just killed $900k" ?) had me cracking up.


"That sentimental mother f***** just cost us $900,000."


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

I guess with some more thought I'm a little disappointed that we didn't see Avon and perhaps a couple of other older characters in the wrap up.

I still don't know how Jimmy got from in the room with Lester and the DA to being "retired" I thought he was going to be sent to some backwater job ? Did the rest of the crew end up knowing what he'd done.

I also liked Sydner becoming the new McNulty, talking to the judge and asking for his name to kept out of it just like Jimmy.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

JohnB1000 said:


> I still don't know how Jimmy got from in the room with Lester and the DA to being "retired" I thought he was going to be sent to some backwater job ? Did the rest of the crew end up knowing what he'd done.


That was my take... Lester retired and McNulty was back on the docks (or whatever else is the crappiest job available).


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## mdsutherland (Feb 24, 2004)

jradosh said:


> That was my take... Lester retired and McNulty was back on the docks (or whatever else is the crappiest job available).


I'm pretty sure Jimmy quit/retired as well. During the eulogy a comment was made about not staying around long enough for a pension. I don't think everyone knew what he did.


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## pjenkins (Mar 8, 1999)

mdsutherland said:


> I'm pretty sure Jimmy quit/retired as well. During the eulogy a comment was made about not staying around long enough for a pension. I don't think everyone knew what he did.


McNulty was definitely retired, that was the point of the wake...


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## Stone1717 (Aug 28, 2003)

pjenkins said:


> McNulty was definitely retired, that was the point of the wake...


Exactly...he also mentioned he was an ex-cop when checking on the "kidnapped" homeless guy.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

TAsunder said:


> Prez didn't really go totally above and beyond. Compare him to Bunny... now maybe he couldn't adopt dukie but it seemed to me that he was holding back in his help.


Maybe but Prez is probably going to have a Duquon in his class every year. I also believe that if Dukie hadn't so blatantly lied to him that Prez might have done more.

Simon painted a pretty leak picture of big city politics. Everybody is only interested in their next job.

Marlo at Levey's high class shindig didn't make sense to me. Yes, he's rich but he's still pretty "uncivilized". Plus, he had 22 dead bodies in the vacants attached to his name from his arrest, didn't he? Not someone I'd invite to a gala event.

McNulty definitely was an ex-cop at the end but I don't think he was retired. It was mentioned earlier that he was ineligible for a pension. I think he just quit.


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## spikedavis (Nov 23, 2003)

I loved Slim Charles taking out Cheese. "That was for Joe."


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## frombhto323 (Jan 24, 2002)

serumgard said:


> And I didn't get Valchek becoming police commissioner. We spend practically the entire series hearing how Rawls (sp?) is too white to be commissioner, leading to Daniels taking the ranks, and then Valchek somehow takes the position? Didn't make sense.


Actually makes perfect sense. In a racially-charged city like Baltimore, a white Mayor cannot replace a popular black city official, especially a Police Commissioner, with a white person without significant public backlash. A black Mayor, on the other hand, can do so without suffering the same backlash, especially if that Mayor is popular.

Keep in mind that Carcetti rose to the Mayor's chair on the strength of the former Mayor's perceived inability to combat crime. If Carcetti decided to replace the former Mayor's black Police Commissioner with someone white, many black residents would consider that a message from him that he did not trust someone black to handle the job. Noriese would not have that perception to deal with.


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## dolfer (Nov 3, 2000)

anyone have any theories as to the meaning of the title: " - 30 - "?


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## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

dolfer said:


> anyone have any theories as to the meaning of the title: " - 30 - "?


Theories aren't necessary:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/–30–



> "30" is a journalistic term that has been used to signify "the end" or "over and out" since the Civil War when telegraphers tapped "XXX", the Roman numeral signifying 30, to end transmissions.


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## kemajor (Jan 2, 2003)

spikedavis said:


> So 2 questions for everyone. In retrospect:
> 
> 1. Should Kima have ratted them out?
> 
> ...


1: No, and she should end up in one of the vacants for doing so.

2: Ultimately, no.

- Kelly


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## Sparty99 (Dec 4, 2001)

kemajor said:


> 1: No, and she should end up in one of the vacants for doing so.
> 
> 2: Ultimately, no.
> 
> - Kelly


I don't think Kima should have wound up in one of the vacants, but it is surprising to me that there was no pushback on her for snitching.


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## jgerry (Aug 29, 2001)

McNulty and his cohorts were going to get caught eventually. It was probably better that it happen sooner rather than later. If they had gone through all the prosecutions before they got caught, it would have been a much larger mess than it ended up being. 

It bugs me that the reporter didn't get tagged for his BS. I really wanted to see him eat it for all that crap. What can I say, I have a degree in Journalism, that storyline really bugged me.

I loved Marlo back on the corner at the end. I didn't really buy him hanging out at the fancy party anyway. Obviously, the corner is the only life he would ever understand and be truly comfortable with. I mean, he's about to grab up $10 million (minus $900K perhaps) for his product hookup with the Russians, and he gets shot fighting for turf on a corner. Marlo obviously belongs on the street and nowhere else.


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## KRS (Jan 30, 2002)

I wasn't surprised that the two retirees didn't give Kima flack when she revealed herself, but thinking about it more, shouldn't they at least be ticked that she didn't talk to them first? At least to tell them that she was going to rat them out to keep things above board.

So what else does HBO have coming up? When's the next season of Curb? I'll probably watch Big Love again if I haven't cancelled by then, but that is not enough to justify $10 a month (or whatever the rate is).


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

jgerry said:


> I mean, he's about to grab up $10 million (minus $900K perhaps) for his product hookup with the Russians, and he gets shot fighting for turf on a corner. Marlo obviously belongs on the street and nowhere else.


Technically speaking I'm pretty sure he was caught with a knife. That is why he seemed surprised by the wound. Then he saw the knife and realized what had happened. And smiled.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

The Kima scene played a little bit off for me, but I do think McNulty would have forgiven her instantly. He seemed to be unburdened by getting caught. Not so sure about Freamon, though. I think he would have been a little harder of a sell.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

TAsunder said:


> The Kima scene played a little bit off for me, but I do think McNulty would have forgiven her instantly. He seemed to be unburdened by getting caught.


Or de-burdened...perhaps he finally learned the lesson that he should have learned back in Season 2, that the job destroys him and the only way he can be happy is to not be in the thick of it.


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## jgerry (Aug 29, 2001)

Unfortunately for HBO, I just don't see any reason to stay subscribed since The Wire is done. I hope they can survive without me for a while.  I'm sure I'll be back next year when Entourage comes back.


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## frombhto323 (Jan 24, 2002)

TAsunder said:


> The Kima scene played a little bit off for me, but I do think McNulty would have forgiven her instantly. He seemed to be unburdened by getting caught. Not so sure about Freamon, though. I think he would have been a little harder of a sell.


I actually thought Freamon was philosophical about it all from the start. He seemed to understand how bad it could go and what his fate would be if it did. I think he respected Kima for being true to herself.


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## Rob64 (Aug 27, 2005)

jgerry said:


> Unfortunately for HBO, I just don't see any reason to stay subscribed since The Wire is done. I hope they can survive without me for a while.  I'm sure I'll be back next year when Entourage comes back.


How come everything thats good on HBO is gone now. The Wire, Rome, Deadwood is just about done, Sopranos and Carnival (still ticked about that one) and the shows they use as replacements are not exactly grabbing me.
They seem to have lost their edge.


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## Marco (Sep 19, 2000)

Rob64 said:


> How come everything thats good on HBO is gone now. The Wire, Rome, Deadwood is just about done, Sopranos and Carnival (still ticked about that one) and the shows they use as replacements are not exactly grabbing me.
> They seem to have lost their edge.


Just come back next year for "The Pacific," mmmkay?


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

no love for john adams??


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

The thing that bothered me as an attorney was Daniels appearing before Judge Pearlman.

No way. Never.

If you're banging the judge, the judge recuses themselves.

But that's just nitpicking.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Oh, and here is the greatest scene in the history of the Wire, in which Bunk and Jimmy solve a murder with one word, used again and again.


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## hanumang (Jan 28, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> If you're banging the judge, the judge recuses themselves.


Actually, if I'm not mistaken, she did say something to the effect of "my first case as a judge, and I have to recuse myself." The cut to Daniels 'explained' why.

Probably a stretch even then, but I thought, under the constraints of a montage, it was nicely done.


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## EMoMoney (Oct 30, 2001)

I'm glad you all were able to see how charming our city is here. I haven't been following many of the threads on this show and am not sure if this has been discussed, but a lot of the story lines were pretty much authentic.


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

EMoMoney said:


> I'm glad you all were able to see how charming our city is here. I haven't been following many of the threads on this show and am not sure if this has been discussed, but a lot of the story lines were pretty much authentic.


Yes, they were. And the use of actors was very cool.

I don't know if it was mentioned here in the last 6 years but it is more relavent after this episode that the guy who played Detective Ed Norris was Ed Norris, who was the Baltimore Police commissioner (after a short time as deputy commissioner) and later the Maryland State Police Superintendent. But he was appointed superintendent under diffferent circumstances than Rawls was on the show. More details.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

teknikel said:


> I don't know if it was mentioned here in the last 6 years but it is more relavent after this episode that the guy who played Detective Ed Norris was Ed Norris, who was the Baltimore Police commissioner (after a short time as deputy commissioner) and later the Maryland State Police Superintendent. But he was appointed superintendent under different circumstances than Rawls was on the show. More details.


Interesting that the one charge in the indictment against Norris that stuck was the mortgage fraud one, mirrored by the one on the show that people here were questioning a few weeks ago... sentence: ''six months in federal prison, six months of home detention, and 500 hours of community service." So it's obviously considered a pretty serious offense!


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## jeffo13 (Oct 21, 2005)

KRS said:


> I wasn't surprised that the two retirees didn't give Kima flack when she revealed herself, but thinking about it more, shouldn't they at least be ticked that she didn't talk to them first? At least to tell them that she was going to rat them out to keep things above board.
> 
> So what else does HBO have coming up? When's the next season of Curb? I'll probably watch Big Love again if I haven't cancelled by then, but that is not enough to justify $10 a month (or whatever the rate is).


Make sure you turn it back on in July for Generation Kill. I can't wait. I will be watching John Adams as well. Anyone have more info on the Pacific release date? IMDB says 2009. I signed up for HBO just to see Band of Brothers and have had it ever since. I wish they would re air BoB in Hi Def. Please, please HBO I want to see Band of Brothers in HD!

You may now return to your conversation about the best show on TV.

Jeff


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## Bojangling (Nov 28, 2003)

jeffo13 said:


> Anyone have more info on the Pacific release date?


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr...sion/news/e3i91266009d4f35a6c91edce1c1949270f


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Interesting that the one charge in the indictment against Norris that stuck was the mortgage fraud one, mirrored by the one on the show that people here were questioning a few weeks ago... sentence: ''six months in federal prison, six months of home detention, and 500 hours of community service." So it's obviously considered a pretty serious offense!


There is an article in the _Baltimore City Paper
_ where Norris talks about how serious and then there is the mention of something real life that happened on the show (last paragraph of the quote).



> _CP: Well you had the one count that was dropped. The one mortgage count had a sentence of 30 years.
> _
> EN: The mortgage count had a very heavy penalty, just so people know. I dont think they really know what happened.
> 
> ...


Edit: Article link


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## swinca (Jun 19, 2003)

teknikel said:


> Yes, they were. And the use of actors was very cool.
> 
> I don't know if it was mentioned here in the last 6 years but it is more relavent after this episode that the guy who played Detective Ed Norris was Ed Norris, who was the Baltimore Police commissioner (after a short time as deputy commissioner) and later the Maryland State Police Superintendent. But he was appointed superintendent under diffferent circumstances than Rawls was on the show. More details.


Is there any significance to the fact that there is a character named Jay Landsman (played by Delaney Williams) and an actor named Jay Landsman (who plays Lieutenant Dennis Mello). Was the actor a former sergeant on the Baltimore police force?

Is the fact that Officer Bobby Brown is played by Bobby Brown (not the ex Mr Whitney Houston) more than a coincidence?


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

swinca said:


> Is there any significance to the fact that there is a character named Jay Landsman (played by Delaney Williams) and an actor named Jay Landsman (who plays Lieutenant Dennis Mello). Was the actor a former sergeant on the Baltimore police force?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Landsman_(The_Wire)#Origins


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

swinca said:


> Is there any significance to the fact that there is a character named Jay Landsman (played by Delaney Williams) and an actor named Jay Landsman (who plays Lieutenant Dennis Mello). Was the actor a former sergeant on the Baltimore police force?
> 
> Is the fact that Officer Bobby Brown is played by Bobby Brown (not the ex Mr Whitney Houston) more than a coincidence?


Jay Landsman was a Baltimore homicide detective. He was the inspiriation for Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life On The Street played by Richard Belzer. That character also was on Law & Order: SVU.

While there _was _a Baltimore cop named Bob Brown, the Bobby J Brown that plays him is not actually him.

Note that all of this is from wikipedia. YMMV.

To me, Jay Landsman had one of the only real distinctive Baltimore accents in the show. The real Jay Landsman. I guess Valchek had it, too. But Landsman's seemed more real. Now I know why.

Edit: sorry TA.


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## EMoMoney (Oct 30, 2001)

teknikel said:


> Yes, they were. And the use of actors was very cool.
> 
> I don't know if it was mentioned here in the last 6 years but it is more relavent after this episode that the guy who played Detective Ed Norris was Ed Norris,


Did you catch Ehrlich playing the security guard at the State House in season 4?


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

EMoMoney said:


> Did you catch Ehrlich playing the security guard at the State House in season 4?


Yes, and Schmoke playing the Peter Beilenson role of Health Czar. There are probably so many more very inside roles as well. Like the guy that played the deacon and counselled Bunny. He was a drug dealer that Ed Burns put away.


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## mitchb2 (Sep 30, 2000)

So regarding Marlo's last scene...was that just to show how much he loves the gangster life?

I'm glad Bubbles went out on a positive note. That was great seeing him sit down to dinner with his sister.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

mitchb2 said:


> So regarding Marlo's last scene...was that just to show how much he loves the gangster life?


I think more to the point, to show how impossible it's going to be for him to "retire" and enjoy his millions. He's going to end up like they all do.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

RIP, _The Wire_.

This last season wasn't my favorite but this was still the best TV series ever made, by far.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I think more to the point, to show how impossible it's going to be for him to "retire" and enjoy his millions. He's going to end up like they all do.


One thing that was kind of weird about Marlo was that he appeared to have no outside interests. He didn't want to be the next 50 Cent, chase women, go to sporting events, party big time. He was a gangster but not a gangsta.


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## opus472 (Jul 4, 2007)

cheesesteak said:


> One thing that was kind of weird about Marlo was that he appeared to have no outside interests.


And, with the possible exception of that last scene of him, I don't recall ever seeing him do anything that would justify his place at the top of the hierarchy. He wasn't a big guy, and never seemed all that physically tough.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

opus472 said:


> And, with the possible exception of that last scene of him, I don't recall ever seeing him do anything that would justify his place at the top of the hierarchy. He wasn't a big guy, and never seemed all that physically tough.


But he has no compunction whatsoever about killing anybody who gets in his way, friend or foe. He was probably the most murderous person any of the gangsters had ever met, including Omar (who was scary, but until the end only killed people who had done him wrong).


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> One thing that was kind of weird about Marlo was that he appeared to have no outside interests. He didn't want to be the next 50 Cent, chase women, go to sporting events, party big time. He was a gangster but not a gangsta.


He liked to gamble.

He asked Chris on at least two occasions that I remember to go to Atlantic City.

But then again, maybe he just enjoyed romantic walks on the Boardwalk.


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## chs4 (Sep 25, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> He liked to gamble.
> 
> He asked Chris on at least two occasions that I remember to go to Atlantic City.
> 
> But then again, maybe he just enjoyed romantic walks on the Boardwalk.


True...he did meet Omar at a card game as I recall. 

The AC trips always seemed to me more laying low then laying odds...


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## flatcurve (Sep 27, 2007)

I thought it was a brilliant ending... it wrapped up a lot of the plot lines and at the same time illustrated that nothing really changed and it was business as usual. Great show, I will definitely miss it. I'm re-watching Seasons 1-3 on DVD right now... and catching a lot of references that were made during the last season.

I'm kinda stoked for generation kill. Question is, do I keep the HBO sub or do I just sign up again in June? There's really nothing on right now and it could save me a few bucks...


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

What about John Adams? I'm really looking forward to that.


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

I just rewatched the last ep and the _only_ mention of McNulty's retirement was at the homeless shelter in Richmond where he said "well, I used to be" (Baltimore PD). Other than that, the wake could have been his send-off to the waterfront (since in that scene Lester was the only one that said "well, now I'm out of the game" (or something to that effect).

Second viewing of the ep was still great, and as with all "The Wire" episodes, I got more out of the second viewing than out of the first.


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## flatcurve (Sep 27, 2007)

madscientist said:


> What about John Adams? I'm really looking forward to that.


I'm sure they'll still be replaying it when I sign back up in June.


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

a thorough and complete wrap-up of the series by alan sepinwall: :up:

http://blog.nj.com/alltv/2008/03/the_wire_30_farewell_to_baltim.html#more


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

jradosh said:


> I just rewatched the last ep and the _only_ mention of McNulty's retirement was at the homeless shelter in Richmond where he said "well, I used to be" (Baltimore PD). Other than that, the wake could have been his send-off to the waterfront (since in that scene Lester was the only one that said "well, now I'm out of the game" (or something to that effect).


McNulty retired. In his speech Landsman specifically mentioned that McNulty was a cop for 13 years and that it wasn't enough for a pension.


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## Turtleboy (Mar 24, 2001)

Great article by David Simon, which really explains quite a bit..

The Wire's Final Season and the Story Everyone Missed


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## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Turtleboy said:


> Great article by David Simon, which really explains quite a bit..
> 
> The Wire's Final Season and the Story Everyone Missed


Interesting read, but he sure does come off as highly defensive.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

jradosh said:


> Interesting read, but he sure does come off as highly defensive.


Yeah, which I guess is kind of understandable, but...

The Wire was renowned for being the most subtle, complicated show on television for years. He seems to be upset because in the fifth season, suddenly the subtlety and complexity zoomed over viewers' heads. On the one hand, I can see his point--during the season I was a bit surprised that people were responding to the surface of the show and assuming that nothing else was going on, which given the show's history seemed pretty unfair. On the other, the fact that suddenly all that zooming was going on where it hadn't before (or at least before people _recognized_ that something deeper was going on, even if they didn't necessarily pick up on the details) suggests that the writers let the viewers down. Perhaps Chase is so deeply rooted in the newspaper tradition that he didn't understand we might not see the business through the same eyes as he did, and thus not understand the fifth season in the same way he wanted us to.

It was always a show that demanded very close attention, but in the fifth season, judging from that article, it also demanded insider knowledge about how newspapers operated in the past and in the present. I suspect that rewatching the show on DVD in light of his comments will make the fifth season seem even more brilliant (and I already liked it a lot when it was on).


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## rscar627 (Jun 11, 2004)

I'm a little late to the party, as usual, but I just finished watching the finale of The Wire. As many have said before me, an excellent series which I will miss. I think this episode showed that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Life continues.


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## Mike20878 (Jun 8, 2001)

I was looking at the Wire page at epguides.com (http://www.epguides.com/wire/) and this is weird... They list as "bad guys" Bubbles and Phelan.


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## BobB (Aug 26, 2002)

Mike20878 said:


> I was looking at the Wire page at epguides.com (http://www.epguides.com/wire/) and this is weird... They list as "bad guys" Bubbles and Phelan.


Despite the label that list is really more cops vs. others than good vs. bad. Besides, for most of the series Bubbles was an active junkie, and accidentally killed his friend while trying to murder someone else.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

BobB said:


> Despite the label that list is really more cops vs. others than good vs. bad. Besides, for most of the series Bubbles was an active junkie, and accidentally killed his friend while trying to murder someone else.


Plus they were copper thieves and would scam people like when they faked getting hit by the truck or photocopied money for dope.


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## Mike20878 (Jun 8, 2001)

mwhip said:


> Plus they were copper thieves and would scam people like when they faked getting hit by the truck or photocopied money for dope.


Well, I kinda saw them as victims of the drug trade.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

Mike20878 said:


> Well, I kinda saw them as victims of the drug trade.


I'll try and remember that if the drug fiends come and take my copper in my air conditioner.


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-simon/the-wires-final-s_b_91926.html

David Simon writes about the final season, and what everyone missed.


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Turtleboy said:


> Great article by David Simon, which really explains quite a bit..
> 
> The Wire's Final Season and the Story Everyone Missed





Mabes said:


> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-simon/the-wires-final-s_b_91926.html
> 
> David Simon writes about the final season, and what everyone missed.


see above.


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## Mike20878 (Jun 8, 2001)

I don't think I saw David Simon's "finale letter" posted:

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


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

teknikel said:


> see above.


Forgive me for missing it. [post edited to avoid being banned]


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Mabes said:


> Forgive me for missing it. [post edited to avoid being banned]


why do you have to be a dick about it?. I just pointed it out. It was forgiven. But, your last comment is not.


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

teknikel said:


> why do you have to be a dick about it?. I just pointed it out. It was forgiven. But, your last comment is not.


You put in a rolleyes symbol and I'm being a dick?


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Mike20878 said:


> I don't think I saw David Simon's "finale letter" posted:
> 
> http://www.hbo.com/thewire/finaleletter/


Thanks for that.


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Mabes said:


> You put in a rolleyes symbol and I'm being a dick?


sorry that was misconstrued. it was looking up. see above. either way. Not sure it warranted your response.


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

teknikel said:


> sorry that was misconstrued. it was looking up. see above. either way. Not sure it warranted your response.


OK. And I guess my response was too strong, sorry. Bad day, back killing me at work, but still that's not a good excuse.

But don't you think, in light of the post I was linking to, my posting it for the second time was somehow appropriate?


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## teknikel (Jan 27, 2002)

Mabes said:


> OK. And I guess my response was too strong, sorry. Bad day, back killing me at work, but still that's not a good excuse.
> 
> But don't you think, in light of the post I was linking to, my posting it for the second time was somehow appropriate?


Look, we all do things we think makes us feel better at the time but doesn't later. I usually don't care if someone smeeks. I just happened to see it and thought I would point it out. No intent of malice. It just was something to do. I had read the article (and yes, it is very good) and thought I would point out that someone showed it to me already. I will now think more before doings so. I think it is usually done in fun (as i was doing) and not to hurt any one. Just folks sitting around talking and ribbing each other. But somedays its the wrong day to be ribbed.

Sorry dude.

edit: PS. lets have drink on it next time I'm in the city.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

I was going to post what a revelation simon's article in huffingtonpost was, but then I realized in actuality, I'm merely an idiot. The specials that aired before this season directly stated that as a theme. I simply forgot to connect the dots while watching. I did notice the lack of coverage of Prop Joe and other stories, though.


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

teknikel said:


> Look, we all do things we think makes us feel better at the time but doesn't later. I usually don't care if someone smeeks. I just happened to see it and thought I would point it out. No intent of malice. It just was something to do. I had read the article (and yes, it is very good) and thought I would point out that someone showed it to me already. I will now think more before doings so. I think it is usually done in fun (as i was doing) and not to hurt any one. Just folks sitting around talking and ribbing each other. But somedays its the wrong day to be ribbed.
> 
> Sorry dude.
> 
> edit: PS. lets have drink on it next time I'm in the city.


You shouldn't have to think about pointing out a bad smeek such as mine, it's just that I thought it was a rolleyes which I consider an insult. But it wasn't meant as a rolleyes and even if it were my response to it was too much, sorry.

You're on for that drink. Also the next time I'm in Baltimore. Oh wait, other than going to work I hardly ever make it out of the apartment, much less the state.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Just started re-watching The Wire. I remember it took me a few eps to get into it the first time, this time it took me about two minutes. It's been some 10 yrs since I've seen it and I've only seen it once so this is going to be a treat. Without doubt one of the greatest tv series of all time and certainly one of the pioneer series that launched the new "golden age" of tv. Every episode is like watching a gritty, realistic, great film and they do it episode after episode. It's funny, moving, harrowing; the breadth and complexity of the story is just remarkable and every single character in an enormous cast is acted believably and to utter perfection. It really demonstrated why and how television could do things with story and character that film and stage drama could never even approach. Not only a masterpiece but a _unique_ masterpiece, unlike anything that had ever gone before it in the entire history of drama.


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## MikeMar (Jan 7, 2005)

So amazing, and love how each season focuses on different aspects of the city

I've watched it three times and I think I enjoyed it more each season!


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## MacThor (Feb 7, 2002)

Nice bump.

I'm bummed I didn't take advantage while it was still on Amazon Prime to have my wife binge it with me. She no longer likes "dark" subject matter but this one is so good I think she'd make an exception - she's been "Wire-curious" for years just from what she's heard.


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