he's definitely not going to pull a chase on us...(although over time i grew to appreciate the sopranos finale)...however ryan definitely realizes the impact and scope of this show, i'm no matter what happens, this will easily be the most memorable season. it feels too soon to say goodbye.

A show that has you routing for the worst cop on tv - ever. Hoping they get away with the money train but knowing that the writing gods will not let that happen. Shocking even Mackey when he sends two guys into a container with instructions to fight it out and only one comes out. Don't forget Armadillo. What an awesome story line. Who ordered the grilled cheese? I already miss this show. I am sure that Ryan will gives us his creative all and not go Chase on us. I can't wait, but as soon as it starts I will be mourning its end.

Hey pal, I've never watched a single episode of Idol and I never will. Sorry I don't love your show, but don't lump me in with the reality crowd. The Wire is a slow, mopey show that loves itself way too much. it's the Six Feet Under of Cop Shows.

The Shield is a better cop show than The Wire; but The Wire is a better show than The Shield.

Short of Crowley's brother capping Vic, though, I don't think there's any way Terry is going get justice. Kavanaugh pretty much sunk that ship.

I've also got to say that, ever since Dutch strangled that cat back in the day, I've had a feeling that he's going to slip over the edge. It would be crazy if he somehow found out what Shane had done to Lem, by all accounts the one member of the Strike Team that Dutch would have considered a decent person. That might be enough to push him to perhaps pull a Dexter and get inside the criminal mind even further... I'm probably reaching there, though.

You have to wonder, though, with the writers' penchant for bringing so much older stuff back, what might rear its ugly head in the final season.

I think the ultimate ending for the series would be for Mackey to lose it all, yet still have his freedom: Shane and Ronnie dead (I'm thinking Armenian mob for Shane and an accident that Mackey's responsible for when it comes to Ronnie; another body he's left in his dangerous, bloody wake a la O'Brien, Connie and Diegur), his family having left him for good, his job done for after he wraps up this case with Aceveda... that would be a great final image to go out on: Mackey alone in the street, gun in hand and no one to kill, no longer protected by the shield.

And to the guy that said the Wire is 'all but unwatchable'... I'm sure there's an episode of American Idol on for your dopey ass.

Woohoo! More free time for Chicklets to make new Fantastic Four films! Awesomes!

Dutchboy and Claudette go on a murder rampage and wipe out the strike team!

The Wire is all but unwatchable. It's terrible. There... I said it. It feels good to get that off my chest.

Yeah, The Wire is good too but for me it's just too freaking depressing. The Shield isn't exactly a feel good show but maybe since the storylines are not as "real" (the Money Train robbery . . . come on!) even if it doesn't end on a positive note you don't feel disappointed/depressed/etc about society in general.

The only reason the Shield wasn't far and away better then the Wire was cable vs. HBO. Imagine the things that could have been said/done/shown had this show been on HBO

While I would never say The Shield trumps The Wire, I love the show. And although it might be too much in the way of wish fulfillment to be dramatically satisfying, I want to see Shane go down hard. I still get chills thinking about the grenade scene.