The Wire - Season 5
The fifth and final season of the television series The Wire commenced airing in the United States on January 6, 2008, and concluded on March 9, 2008; it was the show's shortest season with 10 episodes. The series introduced a fictionalized version of the Baltimore Sun newsroom, while continuing to follow the Baltimore police department and city hall, and the Stanfield crime syndicate.
The Wire - Season 5
The fifth season aired on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET in the United States. The season was released on DVD as a four disc boxed set under the title of The Wire: The Complete Fifth Season on August 12, 2008 by HBO Video.[1]
Issues such as the quest for profit, the decrease in the number of reporters, and the end of aspiration for news quality would all be addressed, alongside the theme of homelessness. In the same interview, Simon indicated that no other theme seemed substantial enough to warrant a sixth season, except possibly the large influx of Latinos into Baltimore. He noted, however, that since no writer on the show spoke Spanish or had any intimate knowledge of the city's Latino population, the field work would be too cumbersome.[3]
The series realism has been reported as being maintained particularly through the accurate dialogue and use of contemporary slang.[7] Series creator David Simon further expanded on the thematic content of season five in an interview with Fancast/Inside TV.[8] Critic David Zurawik saw the unifying theme of the season as "public and private lies," particularly those perpetuated by the media and told by Jimmy McNulty in protest against cutbacks in the police department.[9] TV Guide writer Matt Roush also saw the central theme as lies and characterized it as "deeply and darkly ironic."[10]
Season 4 main cast members Frankie Faison, Jim True-Frost, Robert Wisdom, and Chad L. Coleman, who played Ervin Burrell, Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, Howard "Bunny" Colvin and Dennis "Cutty" Wise, respectively, had recurring but not starring roles in the season.
Other returning guest stars included Steve Earle as drug counsellor Walon;[21] Anwan Glover as Slim Charles;[21] Robert F. Chew as drug kingpin Proposition Joe;[23] Method Man as drug lieutenant Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff;[21] Felicia Pearson as the eponymous criminal enforcer Felicia "Snoop" Pearson;[21] Chris Ashworth as former enforcer for the Greeks Sergei "Serge" Malatov; Wood Harris as fallen kingpin Avon Barksdale; Marlyne Afflack as city council president Nerese Campbell;[21][23] and Amy Ryan as McNulty's domestic partner Beadie Russell.[21] The return of guest stars from past seasons was described in reviews as a reward to loyal viewers.[10]
Continuing the show's trend of using non-professional actors and real-life Baltimore figures,[9] several ex-Baltimore Sun reporters appeared in recurring roles.[7] The editor character Rebecca Corbett, played by actress Kara Quick, was named after and based on Simon's former editor at the Baltimore Sun who now works at The New York Times; the real Rebecca Corbett has a cameo near the end of the series.[7] Writer and former political reporter William F. Zorzi gained further screen time after his season 1 cameo.[7]
Creator David Simon continued to act as the show's executive producer and show runner.[7][23] Nina Kostroff Noble once again served as the show's other executive producer.[23] Joe Chappelle reprised his co-executive producer role and continued to direct episodes.[23] Ed Burns once again served as a writer and joined Chappelle as a co-executive producer.[24] Karen L. Thorson returned as a producer.[23] George Pelecanos produced the sixth episode of the series only - his first production work since the third season.[21][24][25]
New star Clark Johnson also helmed the final episode after previously directing the pilot. Other returning directors for the fifth season included Ernest Dickerson, Anthony Hemingway, Agnieszka Holland, Dan Attias, and Seith Mann. Series star Dominic West made his directorial debut. Husband and wife directing team Scott and Joy Kecken were also first time directors on the fifth season.[21]
The fifth season received widespread acclaim from critics, scoring 89 out of 100 based on 24 reviews on Metacritic.[26] On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 93% with an average score of 9.8 out of 10 based on 44 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Wire goes out with a suitably resonant bang in its final season, craftily maneuvering venturesome motifs and a colorful cast of characters to skillfully understated conclusion."[27]
However, Leigh Claire La Berge found that "in the popular press [...] the level of critical anticipation that greeted that season was matched only by the immediate disappointment that followed it", noting that the season is The Wire's most explicitly didactic, the one that most obviously comments on the series's own fictionality, and the one with the least realistic plot.[29] Thus in reviewing the first seven episodes of the fifth season David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun said that while "there is greatness in the seven episodes," the major newspaper storyline "contain[s] nothing that matches the emotional power and sociological insight of the show at its best."[30] La Berge argued that it is precisely the fifth season's capacity to explore the social construction of realism itself that is the season's most important characteristic.
"Just 'cause they're in the street doesn't mean that they lack opinions." - HaynesStanfield takes over as The Greeks' Baltimore distributor and is given a phone and a code to use to contact them. Stanfield gives the number to Levy and Herc steals it and passes it on to the police department. Freamon appeals to Daniels for a wiretap but is unsuccessful. McNulty leaks further details of his invented serial killer to the press and the story gains momentum. When Templeton stages a phone call from the serial killer McNulty uses it as probable cause for a wiretap.[39]
"If you have a problem with this, I understand completely." - FreamonOmar hides and tends to his injured leg overnight and then resumes robbing the Stanfield organization. Stanfield assumes control of the New Day Co-Op, telling the members that Omar was responsible for Stewart's death. Stanfield promotes Cheese, raises the price of narcotics, and suspends further meetings. The police find sealed courthouse documents in Stewart's house and realize there is a leak somewhere. Freamon enlists Leander Sydnor to man the wiretap and realizes that Stanfield is communicating with picture messages.[41]
"...the life of kings." - H. L. MenckenDaniels tells Carcetti that McNulty fabricated the serial killer. Fearing for his campaign, Carcetti orders a cover-up and Daniels is angry but accepts the orders for the sake of the careers of those peripherally involved. Freamon learns that Levy is involved with leaking courthouse documents to drug dealers and tells Pearlman. McNulty and Freamon decide to retire when Pearlman warns them that they are going to be re-assigned to dead-end units. Levy realizes the Stanfield investigation relied upon an illegal wiretap.[49]
The fifth season of the American television drama series The Wire premiered on January 6, 2008 and concluded on March 9, 2008. It consisted of ten episodes, each running approximately 55-93 minutes in length. It follows the newsroom of The Baltimore Sun and examines the continued failure of the city to recognize its own problems.
Bunk is disgusted with McNulty's serial killer scheme and tries to have Lester Freamon reason with McNulty. Instead, Freamon helps McNulty perpetuate the lie and uses the funds for an illegal wiretap on Stanfield. Bunk resumes working the vacant house murders, leading to a murder warrant against Partlow for killing Michael's stepfather.
Davis is acquitted, but Freamon uses the threat of federal prosecution to blackmail him for information. Davis reveals Levy has a mole in the courthouse from whom he illegally purchases copies of sealed indictments. Herc tells Levy that the Stanfield case was probably based on an illegal wiretap, something which would jeopardize the entire case. After Levy reveals this to Pearlman, she uses Levy's espionage to blackmail him into agreeing to a plea bargain for his defendants. Levy ensures Stanfield's release on the condition that he permanently retires, while his subordinates will have to accept long sentences. Stanfield sells the connection to The Greeks back to the Co-Op and plans to become a businessman, though indications are that ultimately he will not be able to resist the lure of the corner.
The fifth season starring cast includes ### roles: 24 starring and ### guest (## regular, ## recurring, and ## single episode) and ## uncredited roles. New starring cast members include new actors Clark Johnson, Tom McCarthy, Michelle Paress, and returning guest actors Gbenga Akinnagbe, Neal Huff, Jermaine Crawford, Tristan Wilds, Michael Kostroff, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.. Former starring cast members Frankie Faison, Jim True-Frost, Robert Wisdom, Chad L. Coleman, Glynn Turman, and JD Williams are removed from the starring cast for season 5 and all but Williams return for brief guest appearances.
HBO announced on September 12, 2006 that it had commissioned a fifth and final season consisting of thirteen episodes,[1][2] which was later reduced to ten.[3] On April 30, 2007, production for Season 5 officially began. Filming wrapped early in the morning of September 1, 2007.[4]
On October 28, 2007, HBO aired a preview of the fifth season featuring interviews with Lance Reddick, Tom McCarthy, David Simon, Clark Johnson, John Doman, Seth Gilliam, Wendell Pierce and Dominic West and footage from the fifth season. Reddick introduced the idea of the fifth season being about the media. McCarthy stated that it examines how the media "reflects, informs and manipulates". Simon observed that "the more graphic our crime, the more we like it, the more we pay attention. There is a little bit of a mockery of that in what we've constructed for season five". Johnson noted that newsroom storyline is fascinating and "a great way to end the series". Doman warned viewers to expect "complexities and complications". Gilliam says that there is "creativity" in how people approach their jobs. Pierce noted that all the characters have to make choices. West revealed that McNulty goes outside the system due to his lack of faith in his superiors. Simon concluded by saying that the season is really about "just how far you can go on a lie". The footage included scenes of Greggs being quizzed by reporters; reporters reflecting on why crime in certain areas is not covered; low morale in the police department; Carver briefing Western district officers; McNulty drinking; William Moreland refusing to get involved with something and Fitz telling McNulty that "you guys are shut out across the board".[5] 041b061a72