...and I'm halfway through it. It's still as shattering as it was first time round, only there's an added twist of the emotional knife to it knowing, as I do now, what the ultimate fates of the characters - the kids especially - really are. Knowing, for instance, that Carcetti's idealism, Rawls' wish to do 'real police-work', McNulty's happiness in his uniformed role, Bodie's fledgling attempt to go it alone...knowing it's all going to turn to shit...man, heavy stuff indeed.

I've just seen the bit where Li'l Kevin is interviewed by Herc and Herc fucks up by unwittingly revealing who his "informant" is. Much hate for that dumb sack of shit.

So yah, it's the best season of anything ever, by far. I think my main problem with Season 5 is that it's "area of examination" (news media) doesn't hold the same dramatic flair or intellectual interest the school system does. I just found it so boring, like paying £30 to be told the same thing every episode it took one hour to learn in sixth form media.