"The Wire Season 5" A Shakey Sendoff to a Great Show

 

    What? I just have like no words. What do you mean this is how the final season of this show ends? Hamsterdam was a bit of a stretch, but drug treatment zones basically already exist in some form, at least today. But this is ridiculous I'm sorry. How are you going to make an entire show whose entire appeal is how grounded it is, and introduce a plot about a fake, sensationalized serial killer? And the weirdest part is? Literally everything else about this season is basically the same old good The Wire that everyone has come to expect except for this one small ruffle. It's bizarre really. So let's talk about it.

    I mean a serial killer? Really. I thought it was going to be interesting, like they were actually chasing someone, but the plot was so ridiculous, and it just felt like everyone surrounding this whole serial killer thing was acting out of character. I mean come on you're just telling me Lester Freamon, who believes in making sure he does good police work decides to do police work that doesn't end up working because he doesn't do it properly? They literally had McNulty overcome his alcoholism and have a nice life. Then he comes back, and then he doesn't end up doing police work and you spend most of the time with him giving Bunk some shit-eating grin about this fake serial killer stuff. It's just infuriating. I had to take a whole week-long break because once I realized what was going on I was just disappointed.

    I think it doesn't help that the newsroom is just not that interesting either. The classrooms, the docks, and the political races felt significantly more interesting than the newsroom ever was. Was it the fact that I felt like what screentime they did get was basically just Gus yelling at Scott and Scott lying to everyone? Yeah kind of. But I don't know I just don't think they ultimately contributed that much. Frankly, I was much more interested in them catching up with old faces, I never once felt a strong connection to Alma, Gus or Scott. And I see people talking about how this season was actually prophetic, and that this sensationalization of news has become commonplace now. Which I guess is a talking point, but that's now, the show takes place back then. It's just a step too far in my opinion.

    Which I suppose brings me back to my last point. The show's stretched itself much too far. I mean this season somehow felt like McNulty and Freamon mess around while Bunk is displeased the entire time, but also like. What was the Kima plotline this season? Just that she actually does want to spend time with the kid she separated herself from off-screen, and uhhh she reports Jimmy and Lester basically. Or how we get like one scene of Cutty. It just didn't feel like there was a real unit, like there was much police work being done. I was just dismayed with how this season went, even if ultimately I'm at peace with how much of these characters ended up.

Final Score: 55/100

    Honestly, I don't mind how most of the characters ended. I just felt really bad for Duquan I just thought he'd ride it out with Michael, or end up with Prez or something. Seeing him become just another drug addict was sad. At least let him like find Randy in the foster care system or something. On another note I really thought they were going to kill off Marlo, I mean he's basically a dead man walking while Levy drains him of everything he can but still, I think a senseless killing ala how Omar went out would have been a fitting end for him. Also does anyone else think it's a little weird Shardene lives with Lester after they basically saved her? I don't know, is it just me? A great show though, with some genuinely fantastic moments for like most of it, it's just, this season might be a challenge to get through for most people.

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