I guess this is the wrong forum for this sentiment, but I couldn't be more relieved this show is finally gone and those of us who never watched it don't have to hear about it any more. Was there ever any show where the disconnect between the media's adoration and the public's disinterest was more gaping?

The thing is, within 12 month the media, and all but the most rabid fans, will move on to something else and begin declaring *that* the "greatest show in the history of television." Wasn't it just a few months ago that The Sopranos was "the greatest show in the history of television"? Now this. What will come next?

It's not that I think The Wire was a bad show (I never saw a single episode) but I do think that, like most forms of entertainment, we'd be a lot better off without it and its hoopla. And if it really was the greatest show in the history of television, then I'll watch it five years from now. You're certain it's still going to be generating interest five years from now?

Man, people are still watching terrible shows from five years ago. So, yes, I'm certain it's still going to be generating interest five years from now. But not so much you'll have to be weighed down by other people talking about it, poor you.

Now, personally, I don't find much of value to be broadcast on TV, and most of the 'best TV shows ever' strike me as just the same crap with better production values - like a hooker with really nice clothes. But The Wire did take advantage of TV's accumulation of hours and episodic structure to build something piece by piece, and honestly, even if I didn't like what it built, I'd think it important enough to rate for trying to make something complex rather than familiar. Which is to say that The Wire, to which everyone was so indifferent, wasn't just another hooker, and that at least should be celebrated.

I love people who disdain things they know nothing about. It's like that kid in your college seminar who "hated" the canonical author the class was reading even though it was clear he hadn't read the book: those sorts of criticisms often say more about the person making them than the thing being criticized.

That's a pretty weak argument, picabia, especially since you admit to never seeing an episode.

Whether you want to admit it or not, this show was different. Yes, different from Law and Order and The Shield, but also even different from The Sopranos. Watch the five seasons, then come back and tell us the show isn't something special.

This is one of the more ridiculous posts I've ever read. You've never seen it but thank God it's over? The disconnect between critics and the public? Since when has the general public been known for it's discerning taste? Yikes. Let me guess....Dane Cook is hilarious, right?

It's not that I think The Wire was a bad show (I never saw a single episode)

Dumbest. Post. Ever.

If you don't want to hear about the show, don't read the articles about it or comment on it. This just strikes me as what the young folks might call, "hateration."

A bunch of people like something and that bothers you? It annoys you that so many people are enjoying themselves?

It would be one thing if you'd actually watched the show and decided it wasn't as great as people claimed, but your sole complaint is that too many people like it. . . Wow.

In trying to portray yourself as somehow above the masses you've only succeeded in proving that you rejoice in your own ignorance and stupidity.

Bravo.

The thing is, within 12 month the media, and all but the most rabid fans, will move on to something else and begin declaring *that* the "greatest show in the history of television." Wasn't it just a few months ago that The Sopranos was "the greatest show in the history of television"? Now this. What will come next?

Thanks for the prediction Nostradumbass. As for me, yes, I think the Wire is the greatest show that I've ever seen, although this final season wasn't the best in my opinion. So, now I'll have one less thing to look forward to on Sunday nights and that's fine. I'll watch other shows that look interesting; read books, play games, hang with my wife and continue to do the things that I enjoy. Does that bother you too?

If you do come out of your bubble of ignorance and actually watch the show, you'll find a thoughtful and detailed portrayal of life in the inner city from a macro level of state and national politics to a micro level of street crime and you may be surprised at how the macro and micro level interconnect.

Thanks for the prediction Nostradumbass. As for me, yes, I think the Wire is the greatest show that I've ever seen, although this final season wasn't the best in my opinion.

Hilarious! I've said it before, but I'll repeat myself one last time. Season 4 was (IMHO) the single best season of television ever, trying to follow that up (with an abbreviated season no less) was a fool's errand; but after seeing how Season 5 played out, I would say that it's tied for the second best season of the Wire with seasons 1, 2, and 3.

picabia--there's a big disconnect from the general public and critics with Shakespear. but just out of curiousity, what do you watch, what do you find interesting?

I would say that it's tied for the second best season of the Wire with seasons 1, 2, and 3.

You know, gken69, this season (5) didn't really do it for me (but I still prefer it over almost every other televised fiction). I was really looking for another version of Season 2 (the Docks). I'd hoped that Simon would open up the newsroom and really show us the internal organs in the same way that he opened up the ports and the unions in Season 2.

Unfortunately either because he was too close to the subject matter, or maybe from fatigue, I think this season lacked the character development that we'd seen in previous seasons.

In season 2 we saw the main dockworker characters' families; thier personal ticks and foibles; and we could kind of understand why the characters took the actions that they did. No such look in this season with the newspaper. Why was Templeton such an asshole? What did he do outside of the newspaper? Or Alma or Gus for that matter. Where were their significant others? What motivated them?

The Wire showed us drug dealers' parents (Namond's mom for example); their families (Bubbles' sister). We saw Kima's love life. We saw her struggles with raising a child while living away form the child. We saw McNulty's alcoholism. There was just a lot more depth to the characters.

What do we know about the newsroom characters? Nothing really. We saw them move the plot along in season 5, but there was no depth to help explain WHY. I know why Micheal became the new Omar. I have NO IDEA why Templeton did what he did or why Alma and Gus or the editors reacted the way they did.

I didn't read the original post, but I'm sure it was a useless waste of time.

The simple answer is yes people will be watching it five years from now, even sixety years from now.