The Wire - The Complete Fifth Season DVD Review

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DVD Release Date - August 12, 2008
Description:

In the projects. On the docks. In City Hall. In the schools. And now in the media. The places and faces have changed but the game remains the same. Times are tough for the detail. Mayor Carcetti has slashed the departments budget to the bone. Police are operating without overtime some without cars and radios. Angered McNulty is off the rails again and headed down a dangerous path of deception and lies that will ally him with an unscrupulous reporter. The drug trade still rules the corners all you have to do is read between the lines.

Review

The best show, you never heard of.

The Wire is one of my favorite shows of all time. The characters are the realest characters you will ever see. The writing is smart, and rewards viewers for taking the time to watch the program.

Sadly, this is the last season, or chapter, in “The Wire”. This is one of the best shows ever made, it builds tension, slowly, until it reaches the point of release, and when it does it feels all the better.

The last season spans over 10 episodes. Its been a while since I watched a show that actually had an ending, most shows get canceled, and never get the chance to truly end properly. Not the case here, everything wraps up, most every thread is closed, and provides closure for just about every character in the show, from the first season to the last. It’s a very heartwarming story, sad at times, and brilliant in every aspect. This has to be the most realistic show I have ever viewed. The acting is some of the best ever done. I’m really sad there will be no more stories with these characters. But what we have is great, I’m glad we got the opportunity to view such a work of art, and glad the show got the chance to go out the way it should.

Each season of The Wire, takes into account the last season. I highly recommend watching the show from season 1 to 5. I just finished watching the whole series back to back and finishing with this dvd. I could not of had a better time.

Please note, there are some spoilers here, not of season 5 but of the previous seasons, so if you have not viewed those seasons and just want to know if the show is any good, I have to give you a YES, I cannot recommend it enough.

Spoilers from Previous seasons (kept light).

After the previous seasons, the one bad guy remaining is Marlo Stanfield. They have tried to get him many times, but have failed previously. At the end of the last season, the Mayor “left the money on the table”, when it came to finicaning the schools and getting them out of the 54 million dollar budget hole. So when we come back in season 5 about a year and a half later, the police is in a budget crises, getting no over time, and no-one is getting any extra survillence. The case on Marlo is shutdown and McNulty, and Freamon are trying to figure out a way to get the case open and nail Marlo.

This season introduces the newspaper, which also parallels with another theme for this season on “How far can you go with a lie”? Showcasing how the media is portrayed, the politics in the news room, how the paper is getting downplayed in the world, loosing power, focusing less on big close to home issues such as 3 people getting killed in their home, and more on bogus nonsense that keeps people from thinking about what’s really happening in the street.

For me, the interactions between McNulty and Freamon made this the best season for me, and the funniest. I was constantly laughing. Maybe I’m just sick and twisted, but the major plot line with McNulty, is one of the funniest stories ever on TV. I was laughing nonstop when it came to the tricks he was pulling this season. It was constantly, no he didn’t, Oh My God, no way, I cant wait to see what happens next.

I haven’t had this much fun watching a show in some time, especially one which revolves around the issues this show does. It keeps the suspense way up, and the violence. The body counts keep rising this season, and many characters change, most for the best, some for the worst, some try and fail.

One of the themes in this season is “Do the ends justify the means?”, this becomes apparent when you start watching this season, and relates heavily to the antics of McNulty and Freamon. A better theme could not be stated.

This season the focus is less on the schools and more on the politics, the struggles the Mayor has to deal with, seem very realistic, and play quite well. I loved every part of it, even when I didn’t. The Mayor plays a pivotal role this season, and we get some closure between Daniel’s and Burell, as well as most of the other cast.

If I had to complain about anything this season, it would be the cameos from characters of other seasons, because I felt some took away from the story, and didn’t really seem to matter as much for this story line, but then again, it was nice to know what was going on with the characters, and I’m glad I got the chance to see them again.

If you have never viewed this show, I cannot recommend this show highly enough, it is one of the best, if not the best. As with all HBO shows, they are for mature audiences, but this show is so real, so amazing, you owe it to yourself to view this.

Favorite Quotes -

Marlo: The game is the game.
Avon: Always.

Landsman: You know why they call ‘em homeless Jimmy? ‘Cause they ain’t got a pot to piss in. And you know why they ain’t got a pot? ‘Cause nobody gives a good fuck.
McNulty: Who’s gonna catch me?! Most of the guy’s up here couldn’t catch the clap in a Mexican whore house!

Jay Spry: (reviewing the draft of an article) Huh. “Incensed” means to inflame with wrath. It speaks to obsession. Is this the mayor’s state of mind? Something more nuanced, perhaps galled, vexed, annoyed? Safer still- displeased.
Gus: You’d take the crab out of crab soup.

Herc: Gift from your one true partner; cell phone number, Marlo Stanfield.
Carver: Where the fuck did-
Herc: Don’t ask, don’t tell. It’s like one of those guys sucking dick in the Army. Whatever else I did to piss you off, remember I also did this. And Carv, when you put the braclets on that bitch, remind him again of my fucking camera.

Bunk: You’ve lost you’re fuckin’ mind Jimmy, look at’cha! Half late every third night, dead drunk every second. Nut deep in random pussy. What little time you do spend sober and limp dick, you’re workin murders that don’t even exist!

Rawls: Bad news gentlemen, as we’re actually gonna have to catch this motherfucker. Good news is that our Mayor finally needs a police department more than he needs a school system.

Rawls: I mean, I’m all for a little kinky shit every now and then, but chewin’ on a homeless fella’?

Video - 5/5

Full Frame, but beautiful none the less.

Audio - 5/5

Great sound, and I love the music.

Supplements - 4/5

Great, inlcudes 2 videos, one a restrospective of the past 4 seasons, and one that showcases the media and its impact in season 5. We also get 6 audio commentaries.

Overall - 5/5

One of the best shows ever, a great closing, with actual resolutions. I love it, I wish there were more, but I’m glad we got this. You will not be disappointed, please pick up the other seasons if you have not done so yet.