The greatest TV show ever has just ended and I'd be shocked if any of you has even heard of it. The Wire was more that your average show. A modern masterpiece, the American crime drama delved so deep into story details and character development, each episode was like reading a chapter of a book.

The creators of the show, a crime reporter for the Baltimore Sun and a former Baltimore P.D. homicide detective and teacher, drew on their own experiences to create the in depth realism of the show.

The Wire started focusing on three institutions:

The Law - Focusing on the newly formed 'Major Crimes Unit' The Law focuses on the struggles of those referred to as 'good police' to make cases in an underfunded, uncaring and often corrupt system. One of the shows central themes is that a cops enemy are not murderers or dealers, but the politicians and higher-ups known as 'The Bosses'.

The Street - This group goes from the corner boys, on the drug corners, all the way up the drug kingpins and suppliers. The street focuses on what is referred to as 'the game', which is essentially the drug trade. The story of the street shows that the black urban poor in Baltimore are born into the attitude that you have to join the game in order to survive.

The Hall - City Hall is, in simplistic terms, the bad guy to The Law's good guys and The Street's anti heroes. The bureaucracy and self interest of those in the mayors office and in the upper echelons of the police force often impede police investigations and, in some cases, even benefit the the drug trade.

To add to the realism of the show many of the actors and contributors to the show are former cops of the Baltimore PD (including a former Commissioner who was indited for misappropriation of funds) and even the criminals portrayed in The Street are former dealers (some of whom were arrested by their now fellow actors).

As the story progresses over five seasons other institutions, such as the school system, the newspaper and the ports, are brought into the story, but, without insulting myself, even the explanations above are too simplistic to do the show real justice.

Do yourself a favour. Buy it. Rent it. Shee-it even steal it if you have to. Just watch it.

Here are some of my favorite scenes featuring some of my favorite characters from the last five years. Also, if you are interested, you can read my review of the first season here.

Omar


Detective McNulty


McNulty and Bunk


Corner Boys


Snoop


Clay Davis


Det. Lester Freamon


Bodie