They made him the police commissioner at the end (I think), but wasn't there a few long conversations about how a white man can't be commissioner in a chocolate city?

Why'd he get the post then? Did they just run out of black people to give the job to? Or did I simply miss something?

yeah you missed it---the pt was if could do the mayor's bidding, any color

would do. politics trumps race.

I think what you missed is the 1-and-1 relationship. A white mayor in a predominantly black city has to have a black commish, but a black mayor can have a black or white commish. Even before Carcetti became mayor, he knew he had to find a black guy to replace Burrell.

With Nerese as the new (black) mayor, it was ok to hire Valcheck. And he was just about the last man standing after all the excrement hit the fan, so she didn't have much choice.

Since everyone and there brother has commented on the end of the show, I might as well too. I think it was impossible to live up to the whole 'Greatest Show in the History of TV/Mankind/the Universe' hype (caps required), so season 5 was bound to disappoint a lot of people. To those people, I say stop hatin'. Us Wire-istas still enjoyed it and will miss it.

Yeah, that all makes sense. It was Carcetti's man who told Rawls he couldn't be commish, but he could be state police chief.

Regarding the greatest show ever part.. Honestly, season 5 wasn't on par with seasons 3 and 4. But let's be real, not much on television is. I'd say that seasons 1,2 and 5 are equal. And I thought the ending was about as good as it could be. Awesome episode. Tied everything up. It made sure you left the meal not wanting any more but content that you're full.

The commish in S1 was white wasn't he? I think I saw him at the hospital when Kima was shot.

I'm sure Valcheck was just the Commish until she could find a suitable black candidate. It was the same problem Carcetti had. Qualified black candidtes were in short supply so they got higher paying jobs that Baltimore couldn't match and there are no black majors or colonels after Daniels quit.

Yes, the commissioner before Burrell was white. But again, he was operating under a black mayor (Royce), so politically, there was little problem.