A comment thread for all you Wire fans: With only two episodes left in the series, who else needs to put in an appearance? (No fair giving away anything from episode nine, On-Demanders.) Here are some of the choices:
Prez, Namond, and Colvin. This is the most essential one. These characters were the emotional core of season four, and Colvin was the show's moral conscience for two seasons straight. I'd like to see how they're doing.
Cheryl. We've already seen Kima's ex this season, but we haven't seen her in her professional capacity as a television news worker. That seems like an obvious connection this season--and I'd like to see television news splayed out on the examination table the way newspapers have been, if there's time.
Claude Diggins. No real need to see the Marine Unit boat pilot again. I just like this character because he has possibly the most Baltimore name (and face) in the entire series.
Caroline Massey. Whatever happened to the Major Crimes Unit's chief westside translator and coupon clipper?
Officer Walker. Presumably he's still out there, shaking down children and homeless people.
Marcia Donnelly. I'd love another look at the toughest and one of the best administrators in the series. Even if she royally screwed up with Dukie.
Wee-Bey and DeLonda Brice. Admit it. You know you want to see DeLonda again. Plus I'm curious to see if she can snag Asshole of the Year for a second year running on a single cameo.
Shardene. Is she still with Lester? I would guess so--as this week's bar scene makes clear, he is still Cool Lester Smooth.
Stan "Super Bastard" Valchek. Because one brief scene just isn't enough.
I don't expect to see all of them--although you can fit a lot of faces into a series-ending montage--but I hope we see most. Prez, Namond, Colvin, and maybe Wee-Bey and Marcia Donnelly strike me as pretty much essential.
Who did I miss? Who do you need to see one more time?
I must see DeLonda. I've been craving her all season. How dare they wait so long to show her, teasing with a possible total non-appearance?!
Posted by: Sharif | February 26, 2008 at 02:00 PM
Brother Mouzone, although I can't see how to pull it off.
Posted by: Jeff R. | February 26, 2008 at 02:52 PM
With Carcetti getting back into politics, I wouldn't be surprised to see that political adviser McNulty was with, Theresa D'Agostino, back in the mix. Where they left her the last time we saw her was nice, a nice moment, but I'm not sure Carcetti's in the same place as he was at that moment anymore...? That scene with his wife...
She'd be a distraction from all the other things this season, though. Or: has D'Agostino been in the new season and I didn't notice her?
Posted by: Abhay | February 26, 2008 at 04:45 PM
Oh: and the Deacon! Did I miss him too? That absence has maybe said a lot about this season though, so maybe it'd be better without him.
Posted by: Abhay | February 26, 2008 at 04:49 PM
Brother Mouzone is actually the one character I do not want to see return, for the same reasons I'm okay with Omar's fate.
The Deacon--yes, absolutely.
Posted by: Marc | February 26, 2008 at 04:56 PM
People I'd like to see:
Zenobia from Bunny's class - Just cause she was really cool.
Shamrock - If he's out of jail, it would be great to see if he's running his own crew and still swearing by Robert's Rules of Order.
Marimow - Always good to see where assholes land.
And while I wouldn't want to see Mouzone either, Lamar would be kinda amusing.
Posted by: Daniel | February 26, 2008 at 05:50 PM
I've wondered where the hell Shardene is for like four seasons, but then this show has never put too much emphasis on "the home life."
I miss Caroline.
If I never see Valchek again I'll be okay with that. What an asshole.
Posted by: Ken Lowery | February 26, 2008 at 06:03 PM
One character from your list gets a verbal mention on episode 9 in a way that strong suggests they couldn't brought the actor back.
Prez, Wee-Bay and Brianna are the only characters that were in at least one episode every season that hadn't show up in the first eight episodes.
Posted by: Filipe | February 26, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Filipe, I just caught episode nine today and hoo boy, it's a good one--but again, I have to ask that this thread stay free of spoilers or hints. (Though I will say this: Asshole of the Year is locked up.)
Ken: Valchek's a bastard, not an asshole! Okay, he's both--but he is so much fun to watch. I still crack up when I think of him fingerprinting that polaroid.
Daniel: Lamar would be great. And if Claude Diggins has the best Baltimore name, Sean "Shamrock" McGinty has the best street name bar none.
Why do I get the feeling that Bill Marimow is doing just fine in a Rawls-helmed BPD?
I forgot another one--Major Bobby Reed, the head of IID who's completely in Burrell's pocket. The time for him to make an appearance would have been the first episodes, though, when Burrell was besieged. Would he rally behind his rabbi, or turn on him once the writing was on the wall--and wouldn't it have been fun watching him pivot?
(Rabbi and the writing on the wall... I slay myself, I really do.)
Shit, Marimow is probably Reed's replacement.
Posted by: Marc | February 26, 2008 at 07:58 PM
I don't think they can go through a finale without two people: Valcheck and Colvin. Valcheck is the catalyst for the whole series in a way and I think Simon has a pretty good sense of balance.
But Colvin is the heart of Simon's Baltimore. They can't finish it all off without him. If Gus Haynes is this season's replacement, he seems to find himself sitting down with a lot of great characters - wouldn't it be great if the final scene is the two of them talking shit?
Posted by: Sean Witzke | February 26, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Mos' def.
I would say Phelan is more the catalyst for the series, and McNulty, but you couldn't have had a season two or anything after without Valchek.
I have been reevaluating my "Stan's bastardy works for the good of the city" theory lately. The union and the port seem to be dead and that's because he abused his authority to pursue a grudge over a church window. OTOH, Frank Sobotka's corruption was Frank's fault, and Andy Krawczyk would have been coming for the real estate regardless. Still, that's the one truly assholish thing Stan's done that I can't spin into something positive. Except that we got the MCU and The Wire seasons 2-5 out of it...
Posted by: Marc | February 27, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Two words: Fuzzy Dunlop.
Posted by: Jones, one of the Jones boys | March 01, 2008 at 05:42 PM
I think all of season five can be read as an extended Fuzzy Dunlop story.
Posted by: Marc | March 02, 2008 at 12:47 PM