All Good Things ....

"All Good Things ..." was the name of the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The sentiment of that phrase is how I feel about what I will be doing this evening - watching the series finale of The Wire.

The Wire is a show that takes place in Baltimore, and it explores the relationship between the gangs, the detectives, the dock workers, the politicians, the public school system, and the media. These relationships build in this order and each subsequent season adds an element, while continuing the previous storyline. So intricate, so complex. I'll drink that milkshake. Haar, sorry, I know I should not, but that clip makes me laugh.

And that's the thing - There are times in The Wire where there is violence, and I do not laugh. It is not so much the graphic nature, it is the taut reality of depictions of characters and situations that makes me so earnest when I watch the show.

I am not going to go on analyzing the The Wire, there are plenty of blogs out there that do that. Instead, I will mention the 5 characters I enjoy the most and why without spoiling anything.

1) Stringer Bell - His character is a twist on the noble-savage. Not so much a noble, but like a thinking thug. He is sharp, eloquent, and a leader, but he is ferocious and Machiavellian.

2) Omar Little - He is a like a twist on the concept of Robin Hood. He lives by a code, and that is what separates him from others on the street.

3) Det. Bunk Moreland - When he is sober, he is a fine detective, and along the way, you realize he is "an ethical S.O.B.".

4) Marlo Stanfield/Chris Paltrow - Win by any measure, they are like Grant and Sherman for the Union Army, they would be proponants of total war. They commit themselves 100% to their cause - gaining the streets of west Baltimore and securing access to the drug supply. These characters are so calculated, so thorough, and well, evil in our eyes, but in their world, well, "It is what it is" to borrow words from their lieutant enforceer, Snoop Pearson.

5) Augustus Haynes - I grew to really like his character and his priniciples.

I will definitley savor every last minute of this show that I have come to enjoy.

At least 30 Rock and Heroes will be back soon!

At some point in the future, I would like to discuss comics, heroes, and villains. Something for me to mull over in the coming weeks.