In Memoriam - The Wire

The Wire has come to an end. After 5 seasons, the show has aired it’s final episode and is now a piece of our history. I’ve read numerous articles, blogs and message board posts of people arguing their disappointment or satisfaction with the finale. I don’t want to look at or discuss The Wire in the small scope of one episode or even one season. And I’m not left with either of those feelings. When that familiar song played at the end of episode 60, I was left with a mixture of sadness that the show was over and thankfulness that it existed in the first place.

After a lot of thought, I’ve arrived at a few reasons why I think The Wire has captivated the loyal audience it has and why people have reacted so emotionally to the show.

First, The Wire does not allow you to be merely a casual observer. You cannot sit down for an hour, watch an episode, and then just move on with your life. You have to form an opinion. You have to feel something about the characters, the situations, or the circumstances.

There is no way you can watch an episode where the police major legalizes drugs in restricted areas and not feel something or want to discuss the implications of such a policy. To me, this was one of the critical plotlines in the entire series. It showed not only the futility of drug enforcement policies, but also how devastating drugs are; not just to the users, but to the community at large. To watch the citizens of those neighborhoods try to live their normal lives in the hell of Hamsterdam was heartbreaking.

Next, in the relatively short span of 5 seasons, The Wire was able to develop so many amazing and beloved characters, as well as plenty that people absolutely hated. But these were not your average good guys or bad guys. The genius of The Wire is in the contradictions it presents. Every “good guy” has some dirt beneath the surface and just about every “bad guy” has a conscience or a desire to do something better.

It takes amazing writing to make people care about and even love a homeless junkie like Bubbles, a mass-murdering stick-up boy like Omar, or a womanizing alcoholic cop like McNulty. But that’s what The Wire did. They showed the intimately human aspects of all these characters. You knew Bubbles’ life was a daily struggle and your heart went out to him. You knew Omar lived by a strict, albeit abnormal, moral code. And you knew that McNulty ultimately wanted to bring down the big target whether it be Stringer or Marlo.

The final and I think most profound theme that I take away from The Wire, is that many of society’s problems are systematic, but the results and effects of those problems are personal. Take Dukie for example. He grew up in a home where his parents were drug addicts who were constantly being evicted from their homes. He was let down by his family unit. He was let down by the system that deals with drug enforcement and drug addiction. He was let down by the system that is supposed to provide quality low-income housing.

Then he was let down by the school system that stopped caring about him after middle school. With no guardians or reason to attend school, he ends up living with his friend Michael. Surprisingly, this ends up being the healthiest living situation he’s ever had, but it is temporary. Once he can no longer stay with Michael, he’s cast out into the streets to recreate the lives of his parents.

And that cycle is the last impression of the final episode and maybe the series as a whole. Everything is a cycle. The systems are so far gone that the only hope for redemption is really on a personal level. But even when a character like Bubbles finally reaches redemption, there’s Dukie to take his place.

But The Wire really wasn’t all gloom and doom. There were many lighthearted or even hilarious moments in the context of the show. There is really no doubt that the writing and acting of The Wire were far superior to anything that has been on TV before. While this leaves us all with a bit of sadness, if David Simon has taught us anything it’s that another show will come to take the place of The Wire. Right now there is some young writer working on a show that will affect and move people in a similar way. At least that’s what we can all hope for.

But, there will never be another Wire. So, we bid you farewell and will continue to appreciate you on DVD.