From start to finish.

For the way the team was fragmented at the start, and how the show took its time putting it back together.

For Brother Mouzone.

For D'Angelo's redemption.

For the machinations of Stringer Bell, and the cool control of the incarcerated Avon Barksdale.

For that nutball Jimmy McNulty.

For Dominic West, a Brit acting like an American acting like a Brit for the undercover sting in the brothel ("Uh...spot...on... spot...spot on...you're late.")

For Ronnie's delicious gams.

For Kima, who still kicks much ass.

For Sobotka, Nicholas, Nicholas' girl (and her lovely set of...headlights), Ziggy, and "The Greek."

For Method Man ("Cheese"), who was willing to sacrifice a little bit of "street cred" to get another guy over.

For Brother Mouzone's first scene in the towers.

For Prop Joe.

For Bubbles.

For Bunk, Daniels, Lester, Rawls, Herc, Carver, Prez, Rawls and Valchek.

For Bodie, Poot, and Wee-Bey.

For the blind man.

For Ziggy's duck in the bar.

For David Simon, Ed Burns, George Pelecanos, and the other great writers of this show.

For the anger and frustration the creative team has with "the system," best shown in the montage at the end of the season set (ironically) to the song "I'm Feeling Alright."

And, finally,

For the Television Academy, who still hasn't taken its head out of its collective ass and at least NOMINATED this show for any major Emmys. What a shame.

Listen, The Sopranos is still the best show on TV, if only in terms of volume of quality episodes, but The Wire is gaining on it. Fast.
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"I strive to be live
Cause I got no choice..."
-C.L. Smooth, "They Reminisce Over You," 1992

"It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say
Be yourself, no matter what they say..."
-Sting, "Englishman in New York," 1987