"The Wire" aired it's final episode last night. I found it to be a wholly satisfying conclusion to what I think was the smartest, most layered and authentic series to ever air on television. Pity only 1.6 million people on average watched it. But whatever - since 2002 it's depiction of societal ills and the power of entrenched institutions to grind down the individual, all under the guise of a cop drama, never failed to hold me in rapt attention.
Plus, in addition to the stellar writing (believable character arcs, intertwined plot threads, the refreshing lack of lazy exposition), brilliant acting and subdued direction, they never - until the final coda last night - used music as a cheap emotional cue, but only as background noise as it would actually be heard the characters; in a bar, car radio, etc. Any emotion was from the characters or situation, not ham-fisted aural cues. And even in this last scene (a montage), they only used the shows theme. Nice.
Sincere kudos to all involved. And I'll continue to pay you the highest compliment a cheapskate like myself can: by purchasing this season on DVD as soon as it's released, just as I have the previous seasons.
And now, for my next trick, I'll be canceling my subscription to HBO.
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