"[3] Issues such as the quest for profit, the decrease in the number of reporters, and the end of aspiration for news quality would all be addressed, alongside the theme of homelessness.

In the same interview, Simon indicated that no other theme seemed substantial enough to warrant a sixth season, except possibly the large influx of Latinos into Baltimore.

He noted, however, that since no writer on the show spoke Spanish or had any intimate knowledge of the city's Latino population, the field work would be too cumbersome.

[7] The increased scope of the season to include the media allowed this theme to be explored through an examination of "the people who are supposed to be monitoring all this and sounding the alarm — the journalists.

"[7] In particular Simon has spoken about the devaluing of the reporter in terms of downsizing a newspaper staff and the management expecting to do "more with less" when he asserts that in reality, you can only do "less with less.

[8] Critic David Zurawik saw the unifying theme of the season as "public and private lies," particularly those perpetuated by the media and told by Jimmy McNulty in protest against cutbacks in the police department.

[9] TV Guide writer Matt Roush also saw the central theme as lies and characterized it as "deeply and darkly ironic.

[14][15] The first video takes place in 1962 and focuses on the school days of drug kingpin Proposition Joe; the second is set in 1985 and focuses on Omar Little making an early robbery; the third video is set in 2000 and shows the first meeting of Jimmy McNulty (played by Dominic West) and Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce).

Johnson was later confirmed as joining the starring cast to play Gus Haynes,[21] "a city editor who tries to hold the line against dwindling coverage, buyouts, and pseudo-news.

[5] In the episode "Took," Belzer made a cameo appearance as John Munch, the police detective he has portrayed since 1993 on Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1999) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–2013).

[21][23] Also returning for the street storyline were Andre Royo as heroin addict Bubbles;[21][23] and Michael K. Williams as underworld legend Omar Little.

[21] Season 4 main cast members Frankie Faison, Jim True-Frost, Robert Wisdom, and Chad L. Coleman, who played Ervin Burrell, Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, Howard "Bunny" Colvin and Dennis "Cutty" Wise, respectively, had recurring but not starring roles in the season.

Other returning guest stars included Steve Earle as drug counsellor Walon;[21] Anwan Glover as Slim Charles;[21] Robert F. Chew as drug kingpin Proposition Joe;[23] Method Man as drug lieutenant Melvin "Cheese" Wagstaff;[21] Felicia Pearson as the eponymous criminal enforcer Felicia "Snoop" Pearson;[21] Chris Ashworth as former enforcer for the Greeks Sergei "Serge" Malatov; Wood Harris as fallen kingpin Avon Barksdale; Marlyne Afflack as city council president Nerese Campbell;[21][23] and Amy Ryan as McNulty's domestic partner Beadie Russell.

[10] New recurring guest stars included David Costabile, Sam Freed, Bruce Kirkpatrick, Todd Scofield, Kara Quick, and Donald Neal.

[23] Continuing the show's trend of using non-professional actors and real-life Baltimore figures,[9] several ex-Baltimore Sun reporters appeared in recurring roles.

Other returning directors for the fifth season included Ernest Dickerson, Anthony Hemingway, Agnieszka Holland, Dan Attias, and Seith Mann.

The website's critical consensus reads, "The Wire goes out with a suitably resonant bang in its final season, craftily maneuvering venturesome motifs and a colorful cast of characters to skillfully understated conclusion.

"[10] Brian Lowry of Variety characterized the series' look at the media as the most realistic portrayal of a newsroom in film and television history.

He refuses to doctor stats and is served his FBI file, so he resigns after promoting Carver to major crimes lieutenant and becomes an attorney while Pearlman becomes a judge.

Haynes is demoted but is happy to see Fletcher in his place for his moving story on Bubbles, who is invited upstairs to eat with Rae.

Having healed his relationship with Russell, McNulty takes Larry back to Baltimore, stopping and contemplating the city as a montage reveals the characters' fates.