WJP #080 - All Good Things... (you know I had to do it...)
Posted on Mar. 10, 2008 at 8:37 AM in Television
The Wire is over.
It's final episode, entitled "-30-", which is a newspaper term for the end of a dispatch also signals the end of the series. And like all great things, it will be dissected for years to come.
(Here's what they think about you....)
It's over. It's done. Some will say the end wasn't nearly satisfying. Some will say it was too quick.
There will be a profound sense of loss. That's how much it's fans will miss it. Like a good friend, or family member.
There will be discussions that will go on for weeks. There will be bitching that the DVD set is taking too long and even in death, HBO is screwing it like a two dollar whore (which will probably be true...).
It made five seasons. Maybe we wanted too much. Maybe we expected too much.
Maybe we finally realized that some things haven't changed as much as we would love to say it did.
One of the most critically acclaimed television shows within the past decade couldn't register the numbers to get it a decent final season count. Of course, ten episodes for arguably the best show on television is still better than eighteen of bullshit. And ninety percent of what's on right now, is pure bullshit.
The Wire kept it real. To the very end, much to the dismay of most of it's fans. That's because the expectations were so high. Maybe too high. No show could compete with the expectations held for The Wire. Truth be told, the series finale, "-30-", was better than it's being given credit for. Because it was a shortened season, it was a bit heavy handed at places, and some things was just piss poor (at least for Wire standards) but that ending was, dare I say, perfect.
No fade to black, no copping out to make everything clean and pristine, David Simon and Ed Burns made sure of one thing: They did right by us and by the true star of The Wire.
Charm City itself, Baltimore.
The prequels were a clue. All three stars of the prequels died. Two by the bullet and one career wise but he was rejuvenated and made whole by his death. Let's be clear, there were some classic "Wire" moments in this episode. The opening scene with Norman being, once again, the voice of reason. Lester still doing the job even though it was his last act of "real" police work. Bubs getting to eat with his family. Gus and Alma getting the shaft while Templeton, Klebanow, and Whiting get their illustrious pulitzer (that twisted my gut up, let me tell ya) and that goes to show you - it ain't all pretty.
And then there was "The Wake". This was television at it's finest:
Landsman: What to say about this piece of work? Fuck if I don't find myself without the right words. Me, as gifted a golden throat as any of you cocksuckers being loose from religion are ever likely to hear. What can I say about the dearly departed? I mean really?
Bunk: He died young. Too young.
Norris: Only 40 years old.
Carver: Though, had he lived, his dick would have been 134.
Landsman: Shut up. It's coming to me. Ah... he was the black sheep... permanent pariah. He asked no quarter of the bosses, and none was given. He learned no lessons. He acknowledged no mistakes. He's was as stubborn a Mick as ever stumbled out of the North-East Parishes to take up a patrolman's shield. He brook no authority. He did what he wanted to do, and he said what he wanted to say. In the end, he gave you the clearances. He's natural police.
Bunk: Yes he was.
Landsman: And I don't say that about many people. Even when they're here on the felt, I don't give that one up unless it happens to be true. Natural po-lice. (jokingly gets choked up) ...But Christ, what an asshole! (laughter) And I'm not talkin' about the ordinary gaping orifice that all of us possess, I mean an all encompassing, all consuming, out of proportion to every other facet of his humanity chasm. From, whose born, if I may quote Shakespear, "No traveler has ever returned."
McNulty: What the fuck did I do?!
Bunk: Shut the fuck up! You're dead to us now.
(Lester enters and light banter insues. Then Landsman continues...)
Landsman: ...I will conclude my ill-o-gi-c remarks.
Bunk: Then do it you gabby motherfucker!
Landsman: To conclude... to conclude, I say, he gave us thirteen years on the line. Not enough for a pension. But enough for us to know that he was, despite his negligible Irish ancestry, his defects of personality, and his inconstant sobriety and hygiene... a true murder police. ...Jimmy. I say this seriously. If I was lying there dead on some Baltimore street corner, I would want it to be you standing over me catching the case.
Policeman: (coughing) Bullshit! (laughter)
Landsman: Because brother, when you were good... you were the best we had. (cheers and the crowd raises their glasses...)
Bunk: Shit, if you were lying there dead on some corner, it was probably Jimmy that done ya. (laughter)
Landsman: Fuck you! If you caught the case, you'd be standing there pissin' in my ear!
That, my friends, is writing....
I've heard so many people (all who don't watch the show) call it "just another police show". Then they have the nerve to tell me how "Law & Order" is a better show and their proof is that it gets better numbers. One, you can't show "The Wire" on network television - it's too real and way too gritty. Besides, "Homicide" struggled for numbers and it smoked "Law & Order" in terms of critical acclaim. That show scared alot of folks too. Alot of people are scared of the real, which is why many of Americans still buy our illustrious president's utter and complete bullshit. Just another police show. Let me tell you something - it was the only police show that didn't have the cops pulling out their guns every twenty fucking seconds. You know, like real life. If you have a relative, a friend, who's police - ask them. Ask them how many times they pulled their weapon. They can probably count on one hand. And ask them if they watched "The Wire" - if they did, right now, they have a tear in their eye because they know the truth has never been told like that show tells it. Every police friend I have that watched The Wire and Homicide said the same thing - they did it right. No higher praise needed.
The Wire stayed true to it's past also. Calling on some it's most subtle moments and making them true or playing them for all they were worth. They would come back to it's past and even it's jokes made you wince in hindsight. Season three, Carcetti and Norman joked about Nerese and Valchek becoming mayor and comissioner saying they would tear the town apart and laughed how it would never happen. Season five, it's exactly what happens in the end, and moreso it was Carcetti who made it happen. Now that is funny and sad all at the same time.
Still the ending wasn't anywhere near perfect - in small or gaping details, which has many fans, myself included, understanding how rushed this all was. There was no "end" scene with Bunk and McNulty (and that should've been done, Simon - you know it should've been done. One last train track drink, or outside the bar...something), no Cutty, Avon, and so many others. Randy got the shaft again. Some shocking shit - Method Man was a far better actor than any of us thought - as much as I love Wu Tang Brotha Number One, I hated Cheese with a fucking passion. Marlo realizing (far too quick in my book) that he was all street and not the businessman he hoped he could be, but he would have to be. Sometimes freedom is your jail cell, especially when you ain't being true to yourself. Marlo will have to carry the lie forever and that will kill him in the end. In some ways, it would've been better for him if Omar killed him in the street.
Some was seen a mile away - Dukie taking up the mantle of the needle while Michael took over Omar's position. As for the guy with Michael, I don't think Mike went gay, that was just his stick up partner. Carver going up the ladder. Kima partnered with Bunk (in some ways taking McNulty's place as Natural Police) while Sydnor took McNulty's hard line positioning to heart. Corner boys on the street telling street tales about Omar but not knowing who Marlo was. His name was already gone off the street. The crown off his head.
And then there's Jimmy. With Beadie. Off the liquor. Being a husband and living. This time, for real.
At least Simon didn't fade it to black. Thank God for that. He summed it all up, tied it together with a loose bow and said, "Here motherfuckers - here's your ending. The bigger the lie, the more they believe. We told you so. Not a damn thing changed in the big picture." And we'll live with it. And we'll watch it over and over and over. We'll turn our friends on to it and they'll turn their friends on to it and ten years from now, it will get the true praise it deserved and we'll all say, "You remember The Wire? That shit was a motherfucker, wasn't it?" We'll compare some show that will be on to it and there will arguements as to which one was better. Like Magic vs. Bird. It will never be settled.
The way it should be. Long live The Wire. Rest in peace.
First Homicide. Then The Wire. Simon says he's done with Charm City.
Rumor is he's going to K-Ville aka Crescent City aka New Orleans. The Jazz scene.
I can't wait.... I just hope HBO doesn't screw him and us over that one either....
It's final episode, entitled "-30-", which is a newspaper term for the end of a dispatch also signals the end of the series. And like all great things, it will be dissected for years to come.
(Here's what they think about you....)
It's over. It's done. Some will say the end wasn't nearly satisfying. Some will say it was too quick.
There will be a profound sense of loss. That's how much it's fans will miss it. Like a good friend, or family member.
There will be discussions that will go on for weeks. There will be bitching that the DVD set is taking too long and even in death, HBO is screwing it like a two dollar whore (which will probably be true...).
It made five seasons. Maybe we wanted too much. Maybe we expected too much.
Maybe we finally realized that some things haven't changed as much as we would love to say it did.
One of the most critically acclaimed television shows within the past decade couldn't register the numbers to get it a decent final season count. Of course, ten episodes for arguably the best show on television is still better than eighteen of bullshit. And ninety percent of what's on right now, is pure bullshit.
The Wire kept it real. To the very end, much to the dismay of most of it's fans. That's because the expectations were so high. Maybe too high. No show could compete with the expectations held for The Wire. Truth be told, the series finale, "-30-", was better than it's being given credit for. Because it was a shortened season, it was a bit heavy handed at places, and some things was just piss poor (at least for Wire standards) but that ending was, dare I say, perfect.
No fade to black, no copping out to make everything clean and pristine, David Simon and Ed Burns made sure of one thing: They did right by us and by the true star of The Wire.
Charm City itself, Baltimore.
The prequels were a clue. All three stars of the prequels died. Two by the bullet and one career wise but he was rejuvenated and made whole by his death. Let's be clear, there were some classic "Wire" moments in this episode. The opening scene with Norman being, once again, the voice of reason. Lester still doing the job even though it was his last act of "real" police work. Bubs getting to eat with his family. Gus and Alma getting the shaft while Templeton, Klebanow, and Whiting get their illustrious pulitzer (that twisted my gut up, let me tell ya) and that goes to show you - it ain't all pretty.
And then there was "The Wake". This was television at it's finest:
Landsman: What to say about this piece of work? Fuck if I don't find myself without the right words. Me, as gifted a golden throat as any of you cocksuckers being loose from religion are ever likely to hear. What can I say about the dearly departed? I mean really?
Bunk: He died young. Too young.
Norris: Only 40 years old.
Carver: Though, had he lived, his dick would have been 134.
Landsman: Shut up. It's coming to me. Ah... he was the black sheep... permanent pariah. He asked no quarter of the bosses, and none was given. He learned no lessons. He acknowledged no mistakes. He's was as stubborn a Mick as ever stumbled out of the North-East Parishes to take up a patrolman's shield. He brook no authority. He did what he wanted to do, and he said what he wanted to say. In the end, he gave you the clearances. He's natural police.
Bunk: Yes he was.
Landsman: And I don't say that about many people. Even when they're here on the felt, I don't give that one up unless it happens to be true. Natural po-lice. (jokingly gets choked up) ...But Christ, what an asshole! (laughter) And I'm not talkin' about the ordinary gaping orifice that all of us possess, I mean an all encompassing, all consuming, out of proportion to every other facet of his humanity chasm. From, whose born, if I may quote Shakespear, "No traveler has ever returned."
McNulty: What the fuck did I do?!
Bunk: Shut the fuck up! You're dead to us now.
(Lester enters and light banter insues. Then Landsman continues...)
Landsman: ...I will conclude my ill-o-gi-c remarks.
Bunk: Then do it you gabby motherfucker!
Landsman: To conclude... to conclude, I say, he gave us thirteen years on the line. Not enough for a pension. But enough for us to know that he was, despite his negligible Irish ancestry, his defects of personality, and his inconstant sobriety and hygiene... a true murder police. ...Jimmy. I say this seriously. If I was lying there dead on some Baltimore street corner, I would want it to be you standing over me catching the case.
Policeman: (coughing) Bullshit! (laughter)
Landsman: Because brother, when you were good... you were the best we had. (cheers and the crowd raises their glasses...)
Bunk: Shit, if you were lying there dead on some corner, it was probably Jimmy that done ya. (laughter)
Landsman: Fuck you! If you caught the case, you'd be standing there pissin' in my ear!
That, my friends, is writing....
I've heard so many people (all who don't watch the show) call it "just another police show". Then they have the nerve to tell me how "Law & Order" is a better show and their proof is that it gets better numbers. One, you can't show "The Wire" on network television - it's too real and way too gritty. Besides, "Homicide" struggled for numbers and it smoked "Law & Order" in terms of critical acclaim. That show scared alot of folks too. Alot of people are scared of the real, which is why many of Americans still buy our illustrious president's utter and complete bullshit. Just another police show. Let me tell you something - it was the only police show that didn't have the cops pulling out their guns every twenty fucking seconds. You know, like real life. If you have a relative, a friend, who's police - ask them. Ask them how many times they pulled their weapon. They can probably count on one hand. And ask them if they watched "The Wire" - if they did, right now, they have a tear in their eye because they know the truth has never been told like that show tells it. Every police friend I have that watched The Wire and Homicide said the same thing - they did it right. No higher praise needed.
The Wire stayed true to it's past also. Calling on some it's most subtle moments and making them true or playing them for all they were worth. They would come back to it's past and even it's jokes made you wince in hindsight. Season three, Carcetti and Norman joked about Nerese and Valchek becoming mayor and comissioner saying they would tear the town apart and laughed how it would never happen. Season five, it's exactly what happens in the end, and moreso it was Carcetti who made it happen. Now that is funny and sad all at the same time.
Still the ending wasn't anywhere near perfect - in small or gaping details, which has many fans, myself included, understanding how rushed this all was. There was no "end" scene with Bunk and McNulty (and that should've been done, Simon - you know it should've been done. One last train track drink, or outside the bar...something), no Cutty, Avon, and so many others. Randy got the shaft again. Some shocking shit - Method Man was a far better actor than any of us thought - as much as I love Wu Tang Brotha Number One, I hated Cheese with a fucking passion. Marlo realizing (far too quick in my book) that he was all street and not the businessman he hoped he could be, but he would have to be. Sometimes freedom is your jail cell, especially when you ain't being true to yourself. Marlo will have to carry the lie forever and that will kill him in the end. In some ways, it would've been better for him if Omar killed him in the street.
Some was seen a mile away - Dukie taking up the mantle of the needle while Michael took over Omar's position. As for the guy with Michael, I don't think Mike went gay, that was just his stick up partner. Carver going up the ladder. Kima partnered with Bunk (in some ways taking McNulty's place as Natural Police) while Sydnor took McNulty's hard line positioning to heart. Corner boys on the street telling street tales about Omar but not knowing who Marlo was. His name was already gone off the street. The crown off his head.
And then there's Jimmy. With Beadie. Off the liquor. Being a husband and living. This time, for real.
At least Simon didn't fade it to black. Thank God for that. He summed it all up, tied it together with a loose bow and said, "Here motherfuckers - here's your ending. The bigger the lie, the more they believe. We told you so. Not a damn thing changed in the big picture." And we'll live with it. And we'll watch it over and over and over. We'll turn our friends on to it and they'll turn their friends on to it and ten years from now, it will get the true praise it deserved and we'll all say, "You remember The Wire? That shit was a motherfucker, wasn't it?" We'll compare some show that will be on to it and there will arguements as to which one was better. Like Magic vs. Bird. It will never be settled.
The way it should be. Long live The Wire. Rest in peace.
First Homicide. Then The Wire. Simon says he's done with Charm City.
Rumor is he's going to K-Ville aka Crescent City aka New Orleans. The Jazz scene.
I can't wait.... I just hope HBO doesn't screw him and us over that one either....
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