Kevin D. Thompson

Merry Christmas To Me! 'The Wire' Comes Early!

Christmas came early for me. Santa's big day is still three weeks away, but I got my first gift today -- the first seven episodes of The Wire's new season!

Yes, TV's best drama is back next month (Jan. 6, to be exact), but thankfully I won't have to wait that long to watch it. When I opened my mail and saw what was inside, I ripped open that DHL package like it included winning lottery tickets.

(Note to Santa: I could use a few of those, too.)

The upcoming season of The Wire is even more special because it'll be the show's last. To be honest, I'm surprised HBO's achingly realistic drama survived this long. The series is almost too good for TV. Too bad The Wire can't be released as a series of movies every year.

Each season The Wire tackles a thorny political, economic or social issue that makes you think hard and deep. In the first season, the series focused on the soul-draining war on drugs and law enforcement's role in it. The second year dealt with the death of the working class. The third season season zeroed in on the city's political machine and how corrupt it can be. In the fourth and arguably the show's best season, the writers set their sights set on Baltimore's broken school system and how it's ill-equipped to successfully educate inner-city residents. The system's failings were seen through the eyes of four West Baltimore boys caught up in the city's debilitating drug trade and who were also stuck in a grossly understaffed school that passes around out-of-date textbooks.

This season The Wire will turn its spotlight on the media's role in addressing -- or failing to address -- all the complex issues dealt with on the series during its magnificent run.

Thanks for the early gift, Santa, er, I mean, HBO!