Trepidations

Season Five, Episode one got off to a strong start. At the same time, contemplating the enormity of the narrative task now facing the show's creators, it seems hard to believe that they're going to be able to reel this whole thing in in a dozen episodes. Not that I expect The Wire to do anything as trite as "wrap up" all the threads into a tidy package, but surely something needs to happen. But with Michael and Dukie from season four still in the mix, then the political plot thread, the new newspaper thread, the cops, the co-op, Omar, and hints that Avon Barksdale and at least some elements of the Greek's crew coming back into view, it all just seems like . . . a lot of ground to cover.