FYI, there’s now a category for The Wire here at Virtual Bomaniland.  I’ve never had a category before, but I thought some people might want to look over old recaps as we prepare for the finale.  I don’t know who out there is like me, but I study this here.  I like to go back and track the progress of things, see what little tidbits I can pull out.  Ultimately, it kinda ruins the suspense, but I’m more concerned with understanding and appreciating this show than being jolted by it.
Also, my fancy schmancy all-in-one remote went belly up on me, and I’m too lazy to get up and turn on the episode on the TiVo.  Soooo, I’m doing this from memory.  I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t seen the episode about five or six times.  At least.
1.  Dope on the table.  One of the best thing about Wire fanatics–we all described the press conference from the dope seizure the same way.  That was a lot of damn dope on the table.  $16 million.  And it wasn’t like that was enough dope to last until summer.  Cats is moving serious weight, jack.
2.  Lester’s the coolest.  First, that he’s still with the scripper from Season One is so interesting.  That he had Daniels fooled was just the power of Lester Freamon.  And the way he gamed Clay Davis all the way down was masterful.  In a lot of ways, this has been Lester’s season.
3.  Give Marlo this–he’s real about his.  The first glimpse of emotion from Marlo in three seasons came in jail.  And it went away right fast.  I gained back a small measure of respect for Marlo once it became clear he didn’t know Omar was calling him a bitch in the streets.  He would have stepped up.  He’s ruthless, and his respect for the game is suspect, but no one can say Marlo doesn’t carry his.  Also…
4.  …you notice how Marlo was sure he could trust all his people?  Wasn’t noooooobody snitchin on Marlo.  Haaaaaaayuuuuulllllll no.  However, I found it interesting that he could think Michael gave up info on dope deals, even though he didn’t know anything more than when the re-up was coming.  Then again, what else could have happened, far as Marlo knows?
5.  Chris is a G, also.  He’s got Mike’s back.  I do respect that.  I no longer wish he catches on fire, especially now that I’m sure he’ll never get out of jail.  Dead to rights.
6.  Let Bubbles in the house!  I know he robbed her blind before, but it’s been more than a year.  Let him get a plate!  But goodness, anyone that doesn’t love Bubs doesn’t love life.  And now, finally, he’s getting right.  That’s worth a trip to the dinner table.
7.  Mike, Mike, Mike.  Peeping game from the backseat of a car?  Straight Omar.  “You look good, girl.”  Possibly the best non-Omar or Clay line in the last two seasons.  The kid’s an absolutely fascinating character.  And seeing him drop his brother off in the county broke my heart.  That was the most emotional scene since Wallace.
8.  But Dukie walking down the alley to become a junkie was just as bad.  All because he had nowhere else to go.  The game, man.  The game.  But yo, what’s up with the fiend rolling down the street with a horse?  That’s how they do in Baltimore?  I’m from TEXAS, and we don’t even do that.  TEXAS, I said.  TEXAS!
9.  Boooooo Kima.  Yeah, she had to follow her conscience.  But she really went off and messed everything up, with no eye to the greater good reached in the end.  Kinda simple, really.  Then again, simple has its plusses.
10.  Herc.  You moron.  Came this close to putting himself in.  Then again, Levy wouldn’t care if he did.  Levy just wants his paper, and doing that helped him get quite a bit.
11.  Gus is headed down.  The writing’s so clear, even though your man Templeton’s so obviously dirty.  Time to go ahead and say it.
12.  The newspaper storyline is the worst Simon has given us.  Why?  Because it’s the one he’s too deeply invested in.  What makes The Wire so fascinating is that every character is a portrait in gray.  Few are outright good, and few are outright bad.  However, there are white and black hats all through that newsroom.  That’s what has made the story less interesting.  Oh, it’s certainly done the job of explaining the relationship between government and media, but it fell short on nuance.  Perhaps this would be different if we got to see what the editors have to deal with from Chicago, like we saw Burrell have to deal with mayors.  Either way, we don’t see that.  As a result, we got something that served better as a plot device than as its own independent story.
13.  Snoop is dead.  This drink I’m having right now is purely a coincidence.  I promise.  Would have liked some Cheese with this wine, though.
14.  And now, it’s on.  The jig’s up.  Now what?

…and one of the categories is “Bo”s.  Where every solution has the sound “Bo” in it.  Would you believe I’m nowhere to be found?  I mean nowhere.  Are you kidding me?  Don’t they know I host a radio show?

If you have an Airport Express and use it to play music through your stereo system, make sure your wireless router uses WPA2, not WPA.  Use WPA and you’ll be resetting four times a day.