Season 5, while at the same time highly anticipated, is also a disappointment, because the series is ending. I think any failure in the creation the "media" character is the show's failure to introduce this character in previous seasons. The free-zone dealt with the media a bit, but it didn't introduce it enough for viewers who are ignorant to the news process.

The Wire succeeded last season with introducing the education system. But public schooling is an institution and process with which everyone is somewhat familiar, as students and as parents of students. We all knew that Weebay and Omar and Marlo and Bunk came from somewhere, and season 4 pointed to that in an earnest attempt.

I think we are all anticipating an objectification.The media character is big task but they'll succeed, as I predict, by retaining character specifity and scenario specifity rather than objectifying the media process in a larger way.

I must digress however and point out that the creators have decided to end The Wire due to an inability to find a new character setting. I think they entertained the idea of pointing to the Latino gangs, but chose not to do it due to the insurmountable task of researching that issue.

I have an easy new character--the wealthy suburbanites! Herc will probably get a nicer apartment or new house in the suburbs. Where does Rawls live? Carcetti? Where do all the editors and business men and women that travel into the city on a daily basis to work go at night? To eat? To commit white collar crimes or buy drugs, etc. How do police investigations differ in those situations? How do these people or communities add to or subtract from Baltimore's equation?

I hope that was a joke. Aren't there enough shows about wealthy suburbanites already? Go watch The Sopranos.

You're absolutely correct st, but humbly it was not a joke.

While I agree that there are "enough" wealthy suburbanite shows, I would actually say too many.

I would like to pose this:

How many police/cop/murder shows were there before the Wire? How many are there currently? How many times have writers tried to create the image of the streets and crime before the Wire? The education system?...Head of the Class (jk), Boston Public...Politics?...West Wing, K-Street

The creators were looking to find another target for another season. The latino population would have required them to do too much leg work, since the heads were too unfamiliar. My suggestion is that the suburbs play a very important part in keeping drugs and crime and low income housing where it is (intentional or not). Develop that. It doesn't have to be entirely focused on desperate housewives.