Well, the season is almost half over now, and it's been a few episodes since I talked about The Wire. Even with one of the big storylines, Carcetti's run for mayor, more or less resolved as of the episode running this Sunday and On Demand now (no spoiler alert, because was there ever any doubt that he'd win, given how closely the show followed him?), I'm really on the edge of my seat for the next developments with more or less every other character. Specifically, what'll happen to Marlo, Omar, and Bubbles, three guys who always seemed to be treading on thin ice, a million reasons why tragedy should befall them eventually. One thing I like is that when Omar finally does get arrested for something, it's a murder he didn't commit, after being set up by Marlo. Through the whole series, The Wire seems to have valued Omar for being a cold-blooded killer who also happens to have a heart and lives by a strict code. It seemed like as long as he stuck to his code, he'd be alright, so someone had to cheat to bring him down.

In fact, I think arguably one of The Wire's greatest accomplishments is that the charactars that are the most likeable often aren't admirable or sympathetic, and vice versa. A lot of fictional characters, especially on TV, tend to telegraph how you're supposed to feel about them: bad guys are mean or stupid or ugly, good guys are funny and smart and good looking. Bad things happen to good people and you feel sorry for them, and you wait for the bad guys to get taken down a peg. Instead, you've got characters who on the surface, you're ready to root against, but find yourself rooting for. Bubbles is a junkie and a snitch, in today's urban culture two of the most despicable things you can be, and yet he might be the most beloved character of the series. Even someone like Rawls, who might be the closest thing to a consistent villain the series has, has his moments.

Cex wrote a thing on his blog recently about cop shows, lumping The Wire in with them in possibly unintentional defiance of David Simon's insistence that it strives to never be just a "cop show." Rjyan's rant comes off pretty reactionary to me, like he's just mad that a supposedly 'authentic' show is staffed by professionals who commandeer blocks for filming and mess up local traffic. As for his charge that the show is guilty of fearmongering, making you afraid of and hateful of criminals and poor people, I call bullshit, but if he's only seen the first season then his opinion is slightly more understandable. I thought the most unrealistic part of this season was the idea that Baltimore radio would be playing "Crunk Muzik" by Jim Jones in 2006, but the week after that episode aired I heard the song on 92Q.

For all the major themes and plot developments, though, I'm finding the most joy in the minor characters. I've warmed up to the kids somewhat, but the chance of any of them being my favorite new character of the season has been easily usurped by Norman Wilson, who's already had too many hilarious deadpan lines to think of just one. Sgt. Landsman has had some great great moments this season that have kind of added depth to him beyond the big fat cop who always seems to be looking at porn (which he still is, admittedly). Bunk and Freamon working together is a kick, especially when they're in the bar and Lester wants to talk about work but Bunk can only talk about the plural form of "pussy." I think it was kind of lame that they even did anything to address the sexual tension between Carcetti and Theresa D'Agostino, but she's so hot that I'm also kind of disappointed it didn't go further.

Now that it's confirmed that the show's been renewed for the 5th and final season, I'm kind of breathing easy and just letting this season play out, knowing that in a year or two it'll all be wrapped up. As sickeningly hyperbolic as a lot of the "best show in the history of television" press coverage has been lately, I'm glad they helped get the show renewed one more year. Still, I'm pretty curious how the next season's theme, the media, will play out. They managed to move into the school system this season pretty gracefully, moving Prez and Bunny Colvin into the school plots in plausible ways, and giving some of the kids connections to previously estabished adult characters. But I don't think they could pull that off again, with Herc becoming a Sun reporter or something. They'll have to introduce a lot of new characters. Which begs the question, if McNulty is loosely based on Ed Burns, are we going to get a David Simon character in season 5?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 10:17 AM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.