She looked vaguely enough like Trixie (slender, blond) but I can't get over the feeling that Jen was killed for the sake of the drama rather than for a logical reason.

Nah, I think it was entirely due to being closest resemblence at hand. I will say I was glad we didn't have to witness the act itself. Part of me was wondering if that's where the theater troupe might have made themselves useful (e.g. faking Jen's death) but I'm not sure they could have come up with something that would have withstood the close examination that Hearst gave her.

I'm hard pressed to come up with a villain I've despised more than George Fucking Hearst (even with those few moments where some humanity trickled out) which is a goddamn testament to Milch and especially McRaney. Who'da thought Rick Simon had it in him (let alone Major Dad).

Yeah, t, on the Wire, it's much like starting a new show every year. Even though I felt like Fay, seeing Pres in his new role and thinking "Oh! Bless!" because I have a soft spot for him and he'd had such bad luck.

Because I've seen Better Off Dead and I can picture that Simon might just act out season five, I'm picturing BALMER RESIDENT: Shame to waste a perfectly good white boy that way. as DS mumbles all the voices and etc.

Still haven't seen the Deadwood finale, so I'm not reading any posts that appear to be about it.

rather than trying to get caught up with what's gone before. Madness?

I think you'll be ok this season. They seem to be starting mostly fresh.

mos def. Still excited, though. Most shows that would piss me off, especially with one hottie dead and the other one going off to be a Big Movie Star Guest Appearance Guy(Although, DW, love ya I do, but looking at your filmic ouevre, what have you played but McNutty the Roguish Horndog With Self-Deprecating Super-secrit Heart Of Gold? Ok, sometimes you use your real voice. Don't get me wrong; I love the RH, etc. But you're not exactly stretching, are you, petal? Although if I were you, I'd count picking Julia over Maggie Gyllenhall as "Science fiction experience") But these characters are all so strong, I expect not to think about that too much. (OK, yes, my oost made me watch a Julia Roberts movie. I'm a total Pearlman. Happy now?) But something felt wrong about him PG-13. McNulty gets aphasia. Because not a "Fuck *me*" to be had.

Thanks, erika and Corwood. I will make the plunge, and somewitmes I will know what y'all are talking about.

I found The Corner just sitting there On Demand, too, I'm more than a little tempted to give that a watch.

The Corner's pretty good, but, to paraphrase a comment a friend said the other night, you never forget that you're watching a TV show with The Corner. With The Wire, it's like life; the artifice is more of a piece with the product.

I will make the plunge, and somewitmes I will know what y'all are talking about.

You may have seen this already but there are 8 minutes synopsis of each Wire season on OnDemand right now. That should help some.

Thanks, lisah, I haven't seen that. Is that what that Wire Reup thing is? I'lll look for them.

David Milch article on Slate: [link]