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| The Wire - The Complete Fifth Season | 
 enlarge | Actors: Dominic West, Clark Johnson, Aidan Gillen, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.99
Buy New: $37.02
You Save: $22.97 (38%)
New (51) Used (13) from $30.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  70 reviews
Sales Rank: 364
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 630
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.5 x 1.3
MPN: HBOD38240D
UPC: 883929015368
EAN: 0883929015368
ASIN: B00123BY6S
Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 2008
Release Date: August 12, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Bodymore, Murderland March 19, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
As a proud, sad, passionate and dedicated lifetime Baltimorean all I can say is Yes!!! Thanks for telling our story. Not stories, STORY, because we are all really connected like that... "Smalltimore" It makes me feel so whole to see our reality played out with such complexity and honor for who we are, who we try to be and who we end up being in the end. My boys and I say thanks WIRE for helping us tell the world what we are made of and why we love our town in spite of it all!
 The WORST season of The Wire, by far... July 6, 2008
6 out of 48 found this review helpful
And that is saying a lot, considering season two was a miraculously bad sophomore slump for such a great show.
Season five has so many flaws, it would be hard to list them all without giving away most of the season.
This season focused on the media side of things, and yet the media characters were extremely one-dimensional and had no depth. Clark Johnson was decent, but since his days on Homicide are over, he should stick to directing.
The entire season sprinkles characters from the fourth season ("Bunny" Colvin, Randy, Namond, Prez, Dennis "Cutty" Wise, etc.) into two or three minute cameos, which is just pathetic. If this season is so bad that it has to harken back to past characters, there is a huge issue with the quality of what is being produced.
Much of this season is just a string of silly cliches and it really lacks any true grit that the previous seasons were so acclaimed for. There are momentary flashes of brilliance, but not as many as you would hope. If you own the first four seasons, by all means buy this to finish off your collection. If you are a random person looking to dive into this series, watch seasons one, three, or four.
 A Come Down from Season 4, but it Was Still Fantastic. 4.5 Stars August 5, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
After the dizzying heights of season 4, in my mind the greatest single television season ever created, was their anyway that the fifth season of The Wire couldn't disappoint at least a little bit?
A lot about the final season seemed hurried. Be it McNulty's descent back in to self destruction, the surprisingly surface level characterizations of the news reporters, the thoroughly half backed and unrealistic plot that all of the action hinged on, really took a lot of the punch out of The Wire. Still, a lot was good about season five as well. The street drama was very strong, with Marlo's growing ruthlessness, Cheese's characterization, Michael and Dukie's touching relationship, Omar's legendary status taking a very surprising hit, and one absolutely chilling scene that I won't spoil. The political aspect was just as cynical as ever, with Carcetti going from idealistic reformer to political opportunist in the span of three seasons. It's quite a fall from grace.
The main problem was that David Simon didn't have enough time to tell his story. There was way more plot than ten episodes could hold, and as a result some things got rushed. 3 more hours would have given Simon and company enough time to explore some of the themes and characters, particularly the newsroom stuff. Everyone felt like such broad characters in the newsroom. Gus, the idealistic city editor, Scott Templeton, swarmy and scarily ambitious young reporter who does whatever it takes to get ahead, and Alma, the naive young reporter who's struggling to maintain her integrity in this environment. And I can't forget about the editor James Whiting, who wants everything to be Dickensian, a nod to what critics frequently call The Wire. I never really felt that the term fit, because The Wire's social critiques actually had bite, where Dickens' work never felt like it was all that harsh or critical. This season though, it felt like typical ineffective and toothless Dickens.
Another problem was McNulty. I actually hoped he wouldn't come back. I felt that The Wire had moved past McNulty, to a more emotionally resonant place. They achieved something miraculous last season, and part of it was phasing out the main character, a high functioning alcoholic who can't help but self destruct and break the rules. I was done with McNulty, and to see him back and worse than ever just felt like a rehash. The Wire never really looks back, it always looks forward, but this felt like McNulty from season 2. Plus his fall again seemed very quick, although we're suppose to keep in mind that the season is taking place a year after season 4. Though we don't see McNulty getting worse over time, it just seems to happen.
I won't even get in to the whole main plotline that grabs every aspect of the story. All I will say is that my jaw dropped when I saw it first, and then it just kept getting more and more ridiculous, building in to some huge edifice that never seemed real. You could argue that The Wire isn't suppose to be realistic, but this is the first time I've felt they've gone to the level of parody to make their critiques about Baltimore institutions. Plus the Clay Davis plotline went by way to quick and ended in a rather goofy way.
Still, the street aspect was uniformly good throughout. Marlo is a genuinely scary character. He's so much more ruthless and efficient than Avon and Stringer. He's never caught up in the trappings of wealth; it's all about the crown for him. Michael came in to his own this year, as a character struggling against the pull of the violent drug life while still maintaining some of his humanity. Dukie's story was very touching as well. The Omar plot felt a bit odd to me, but it also felt realistic. Cheese, played well by Method Man, came in to his own this season. He makes you hate him by the end of the season. Chris and Snoop continue to scare me as well. There is no one as cold blooded as these two on television. And I can't forget about Kenard, who has one of the most memorable moments of the season.
The politics were pretty strong as well. Carcetti is just painful to watch. He's gone from the idealistic reformer to the political opportunist in about three seasons. Simon doesn't have a lot of nice things to say about politics, and this is a pretty bleak view. Narese Campbell comes in to her own here as well. Perhaps the biggest surprise is Michael Steintorf, played by Neil Huff. He turned in to a political hit man here, and I almost started to sweat every time he's on screen. Watch his conversation with Bill Rawls in the last episode to see what I mean.
And I can't forget about Bubbles, who put in a genuinely touching performance this season. I wish he had more to do, but what we got was amazing.
Despite the problems with this season, it is still very good, and it was still better than most of what was on television, and I still tuned in to watch religiously every Sunday. For a first time viewer, there is a ton of continuity and it would be best to watch the first four seasons before purchasing season 5. All the pieces matter, so it's important to absorb every episode. If you're a fan already, you're probably going to pick this up anyway. There is more good than bad here, but it's more of a victory lap than a tour de force like the rest of the series is. The show lives on in my mind. The names change, but the game remains the same.
McNulty, Bunk, and Kima's last year at Hogwarts April 16, 2008
4 out of 14 found this review helpful
A bittersweet denouement to an epic tale of good, evil, and coming of age. And while I feel the series never fully recovered from the death of kindly old Professor Bell at the end of Season 3, this is still some of the best television you'll ever see. I'm going to miss you, Voldemore, Harryland!
The Best TV Show Ever: The Final Chapter July 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
There's a scene at the beginning of episode one of this season of "The Wire" involving a suspect and a photocopier that fans of the classic NBC series "Homicide: Life On The Street" will very much appreciate. Indeed, Detective Munch (played by Richard Belzer), one of the stars on "Homicide" before he made the move to his present home on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit", was actually in that classic scene. I mention Belzer because he actually makes a cameo appearance later on in this season of "The Wire", much to my surprise and delight. David Simon, who as fans will know, is the brains behind both these series, also makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it non-speaking appearance later on in the season.
Then there's a scene at the opening of episode two, where Bubbles (played by Andre Royo), who I just adore, tells the audience at his local Narcotics Anonymous meeting that he's been clean for fifteen months. My heart was smiling along with my face as I put my knife and fork down - I was watching while having breakfast - and joined in the applause. Not only did I feel that I was right there in the meeting room, but after four seasons, I've begun to feel like I actually know Bubbles and have grown to love the drug fiend with a heart of gold that he is. I was totally happy for him.
Meanwhile, McNulty (played by Dominic West), co-opting an exasperated Freamon (played by Clarke Peters) and to the complete disgust of Bunk (played by Wendell Pierce), resorts to desperate measures to secure funding for his detail's hunt for Marlo (played by Jamie Hector) and somehow, a "Baltimore Sun" reporter finds himself drawn in and way over his head. It was fascinating to watch the machinations of the police and media working side by side and in many respects, in conjunction with each other. McNulty gets what he wants and the funding flows in from the Mayor's office but has he bitten off more than he can chew?
For me though, the nectar to be savoured this season was watching the development of the seemingly inevitable showdown between Omar (played by Michael K. Williams) and Marlo. The actual end was hinted at before it actually happened, but it still came as a shock. It left me somewhat dissatisfied. It was somewhat of an anticlimax.
But still, all this is why I love this show so much. Like most fans, I've been following most of the characters since the first season and they've become almost like family. I'm not sure I've identified this closely with characters from any other series I've ever watched. Ever.
The final season of "The Wire" ended here in the UK recently and my local TV guide was full of praise when it premiered. (The first two or three seasons passed them by completely but better late than never, right?). The show was even featured on the BBC's highly-respected programme "Newsnight Review" and it was equally exalting: "The best TV you've never seen," one reviewer said. "A modern epic," said another. I agree with every single word.
My local TV guide, "Radio Times", was also waxing lyrical just before the final season aired. Call me smug but I've been telling anyone who would listen about "The Wire" since the first season, as have all true devotees of this brilliant HBO show - and so, Amazon permitting, I'm taking the liberty of sharing the magazine's comments (with a few minor edits) with the Amazon community. This is what they said:
"It has never won big audiences or major awards, but "The Wire" has repeatedly been described by critics [and fans alike] as "the best drama on TV". Why do they rate it so highly? Its forensic realism for one thing, along with a pitiless examination of corruption in police and local government - and all this as the background to a police procedural with complex characters, intelligent plotting and a total absence of cop-show cliche. If you've promised yourself to give it a look, do it soon, as the fifth and final season begins on [UK cable channel] FX on Monday [the 21st of July].
This series is also the swansong for the Yorkshire-born [I did not know this], Eton-educated [didn't know this either] Dominic West who stars as boozy cop Jimmy McNulty. After six years of playing an American anti-hero, he's going on to play Oliver Cromwell, the man once voted the tenth greatest Briton of all time, in [UK terrestrial] Channel 4's epic drama "The Devil's Whore", coming this autumn..."
Elsewhere, the magazine also states:
"The fifth series of the compelling cop drama has finally arrived and it doesn't disappoint. Creator David Simon has again shifted focus to another ailing institution, [and this time it's] the press. At a fictional version of "The Baltimore Sun" (where Simon worked in real life), a team of journalists produces the same stories day in, day out. Disillusioned city editor Gus Haynes (Clark Johnson) stalks between desks, his balding pate gleaming, demanding "Where else would you rather be, huh, kids?"
He's one more cog in the city's worn-out machinery and he knows it. Elsewhere, the battle between Baltimore's drug dealers and a cash-strapped police department continues. This is a drama at its best: gritty, smart and completely addictive..."
Like I said, I agree with every word. I've watched all four previous seasons of "The Wire" and I can say with ease and without the slightest intent at hyperbole, that it is the best thing I've ever watched on TV. This is a series that has taken multi-layered storytelling to new levels of complexity. No other series ever has managed to get me to invest in every season on DVD and I doubt any other series ever will. I'm sorry to see it end but I think those behind it are doing the right thing. Best to go out on a high.
If you haven't seen this piece of genius yet, I urge you to give it a try. It does require focus and patience but the payoff is huge, which makes it ideally suited to DVD (the language is indigenously authentic, which makes the subtitles really handy for me) and this is a show that doesn't even attempt to mollycoddle or help you along in any way (which for me, makes the review button equally handy on occasion). If you're a genuine connoisseur of good TV, do yourself a favour and buy this. In fact, buy all five seasons if you can. The politics is as rough and tumble as any I've seen on "The West Wing", the gangsters are as real (and as ruthless) as they are on "The Sopranos" and the police procedure equals "Homicide: Life On The Street", "NYPD Blue" or "Law & Order" effortlessly. And even though I have some media experience, the media angle to this final season just opened up a whole new world to me.
On the con side, there are only ten episodes to this season and, as I forgot to mention when I reviewed season four, the packaging of the fourth and fifth season DVDs are not quite as sturdy as the first three were but I'm probably nitpicking. None of that is really important if I'm totally honest. To me, this is the best TV show ever. My hat goes off to David Simon, the cast, crew, directors, writers and absolutely everyone else involved with it.
So don't be one of those who got left behind and catch up now. If I were a lottery winner I'd buy all five seasons for all my friends and family. One weekend - probably this coming winter - I'm going to stock up my fridge and cupboards with plenty of food and drink, switch off my phone and watch all five seasons back to back. It's going to be heavenly :)
As reviews go, this is one of my longer ones but I could write a thesis on this show. I suspect someday, someone probably will.
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