Ya this show is great. I have kinda watched it in reverse due to watching it ON DEMAND via comcast and I grabbed season 1 from my local library a while back but re-watched it when they put it back on comcast like 2 months ago. I saw season 4 then 5 then 1 and halfway through season 2. Waiting for on demand to show the rest of season 2 and im psyched for season 3 cuz from what ive read on wikipedia it contains all of the street life element. But my favorite characters are 1. Omar 2. Bodie Broadus 3. Avon Barksdale nigga is ruthless 4. Snoop Pearson shes fuckin ill, and 5. Bunk Moreland. I love the baltimore accent on there the word DO is pronounced DEEW, its the little subtleties that make the show so real. So far I liked season 4 the best and found my self a loyal Barksdale and I hate the shit out of Marlo Stanfields crew, but you gotta respect him he is cut throat as hell murkin anybody not takin his package and straight eliminating his competition.
But ya im real excited about the next half of season 2, It is all about the higher ups above the street level drug trade. The greek is a man about his buisness, the dollars talk. And I cant wait for season 3 from what ive read they set up an area where it is legal to buy, sell, and use drugs. The episodes where Bubbles, Johnny and them other fiends are schemin are some of the best episodes and are a good depiction of how shit really is in the hood.
I love how this show is not afraid to kill off quality characters, I dont wanna make any spoilers for those who have not seen the series in its entirety, but they dont pull any punches in this regard. Its no big deal for one of your favorite characters to only be around for 1 season.
I just watched The Corner when comcast had that out and it was pretty good as well although a little dated cuz its from 2000 I believe. But its by the same guy as The Wire (David Simon) and features many of the same characters (Lester Freamon, Sydnor, Prop Joe, Cedric
Daniels and his wife from the first season whose name escapes me ATM, Jay Landsman, to name a few...)