Season 5, Episode One

"the bigger the lie, the more they believe" - Bunk

I recently re-watched season 3, including some of the DVD extras. One of the comments David Simon made during a panel discussion was people complained "nothing happened" in the season three premiere. The audience had just finished watching the premiere prior to the panel discussion so he reviewed the new characters and themes being introduced. Knowing how the story unfolds and looking back on the premiere, I could clearly see how the groundwork was being laid for the next twelve episodes. They mentioned two other interesting facts - the actors receive scripts one episode at a time and they are never sure if the series will be picked up for another season. Season four in particular seemed as though it was moving toward a series finale until the final two episodes when it became clear they were going to get the old gang back together again for one more go. I often wonder about the process of developing a story arch over a season of episodes (particularly on shows like Lost). How much is determine by the time the premiere is completed and how much is developed from episode to episode?

So I went into this season's premiere assuming it would setup up the characters and themes which will play out over the next twelve episodes. I also assumed, since it has been acknowledged season five is the final season, the story line over this season is probably more fully developed from the beginning, so the premiere would be expected to have even more foreshadowing of the events to follow.

The Wire, in general terms, deals with the heroin trade in Baltimore, Maryland but each season has additional themes specific to the season. For more details on the themes explored in each season see the Wikipedia entry. Season five will presumably continue to look at wiretap technology, the drug trade, political corruption, police bureaucracy and the corner kids from season 4 while introducing the new theme of the media. Since Dave Simon worked for the Baltimore Sun for twelve years it should prove to be an interesting look at the MSM (as the bloggers say) or main stream media. It was good to see Clark Johnson has joined the cast as a veteran journalist. Johnson is probably best know for playing Detective Meldrick Lewis in all seven seasons of David Simon's other police drama Homicide: Life on the Street. He has also directed episodes of The Wire in season one.

Beyond the introduction of the media as a theme we know the "new day" promised at the end of season four has not materialized, McNulty is back to his old ways in more ways than one, Carver has been promoted to SIC, Herc has been busted out of the force and is doing PI work for Levi (former house counsel for the Barksdale crew) and Bubbles is staying clean. Marlo is stirring up trouble in the co-op and scoping out Prop Joe's connect in an attempt to get that good package all to himself. And, sadly, no Omar. Oh yeah, the photocopier/lie-detector bit was priceless.

I can't say I cared much for Steve Earle's version of the theme song but its better than the version by DoMaJe. Steve Earle's version will probably grow on me over time.