“…the life of kings.” - H.L. Mencken

I’m done. 

I finally finished watching the “greatest television series of all-time”. Marathoning five seasons of corners, wire taps and Baltimore’s finest was everything I ever could have hoped for.

David Simon has said that The Wire follows a novel-like structure. I haven’t watched a television show (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, my apologies) that builds character so effortlessly. Information is doled in perfect dollops. No broad strokes. Everything just feels… well, real.

In my own work I always seem to overexert myself, try a little to hard. My characters become cartoony because I have filled in so many blanks. Sometimes the withholding of information can say the most about a character. Secrets, simplicity.

I can’t say that season five was my favorite season. I can’t say that I loved the way the show ended… but it ended correctly. People made mistakes, moved on and everyone ended where they ended. The city continued on.

Because not everything is fair. Not everything is balanced. Lose a boy on the corner. Good police gets fired, bad get promoted. We juke the stats, re-up the stash and life moves on.

I mean, it’s Baltimore. Sheeeeeeeeeeeet.