'The Wire' finale: Same as it ever was

The finale The Wire delivered bucketloads of resolution, but even in the midst of all that, nothing much changed. Which couldn't be a more appropriate ending for the series.

After taking in the unbelievably powerful, next-to-last episode of The Wire, and about the only complete thought I can form is: Damn.

If you're a Wire fan without access to HBO On Demand (like me), it was awfully tough not to be spoiled as to one of the big events in this week's episode. It's a testament to how good the show is that even when it happened, I still jumped in my chair a little.

Dominic West's directorial debut on The Wire this week may have pushed this season's story ahead only incrementally. But experience teaches that with this show, things that don't seem huge right away can add up to something huge down the line.

There were arguably more important developments in this week's episode of The Wire than Omar's stepped-up campaign against Marlo's operation, but none more viscerally entertaining than seeing him take out pieces of the empire.

Best moment of Sunday's episode of The Wire? Easy: Templeton's incredulous "He made another call?"

One of the things The Wire has always done exceptionally well is depict the parallels between the street and the official world. Sunday's episode dealt with a pair of successions, one bloodless but somewhat messy and the other cold and efficient.

As McNulty chases his quixotic serial-killer angle to its next (il)logical step on The Wire this week, Bunk does his level best to wash his hands of it. As usual, though, he does it with a style that's beyond the reach of most of the rest of us.

I suspect -- based on chatter I've read from those who've already watched episode two of The Wire, either on demand or through other means -- that you'll be wanting to discuss what McNulty did at the end of the hour. Me too.

The teaser promo for season five of The Wire just about perfectly encapsulates what we can expect this season, and it takes only 27 words to do it. It's a feat of concision that an old-school newspaperman would love.