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Comment by zeeg | Hacker News Reader

I still can't believe how they ended it with Omar like that.

I can't find a link right now, but I remember an interview with David Simon where he mentioned that Omar was originally supposed to appear only in a short arc (and then be killed). The actor (Michael K. Richards) was so good that they had to keep him. (Still can't find a link to the David Simon interview, but here's a link to an interview with the actor. He says 7 episodes was the original number.[1])

My point being: that character had to die. As awful as I found it to watch his last episodes, there was really no other end for him.

[1] http://www.hobotrashcan.com/2005/08/23/one-on-one-with-micha...

Having Omar die also allowed them to emphasise the whole thing starting over again and nothing really changing - Michael taking Omar's place, Dukie taking Bubble's and so on.

Omar is Michael K Williams, not Michael K Richards.

Stupid of me, thanks. (Michael Richards played Kramer on Seinfeld. Wow. Weird transfer.)

But you knew that was coming, right? It had to happen. It's a Greek drama in which their fates are sealed.

David Simon at USC[1]:

In what seemed a preemptive nod toward any outraged Omar fans in the audience, Simon also leaned on the same source to explain the fate for some of his show's most popular characters. "Those who want to know why Omar had to die, why Stringer had to die," he said, "Strap on a helmet, get in the game and read Antigone. Read Medea. It had to happen."

[1] http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/03/the-wire...

The one truly great thing about the last season was that they reincarnated his character. He was the one character whose arc was perfect from season 1 through season 5.

You should add 'Spoiler' to the start of your post. I've only watched up to Season 2.

Not that you are wrong. But when do we start & stop using 'spoiler' tags?

A week after the episode was on TV for the first time? A month? A year? And with movies?

I guess it's right to not use the tag when talking about Star Wars, for instance.

I guess too that The Wire's 5th season was enough years ago to don't use spoiler tags. I've learned this the hard way (Dexter 5th season finale, amongst others) and stopped worrying about this. It's the Internet, there will be spoilers no matter how careful you browse.

Again, the only thing I can think of where using spoiler tags was absolutely necessary is in unreleased shows/movies/narrative

All very good points. I admit I was expressing my grief rather than offering something constructive. My sympathies re: Dexter season finale.

Well people like him and I love to spoil the fun for everyone else.

By the way: Bruce Willis is dead.

Soylent green is people

Kaiser Soze is Kevin Spacey.

It's been 2 and a half years since the end of the wire. I don't think he owes you a warning

I know, right? When that Viper showed up in Baltimore, I was like WTF, that character's supposed to be dead. Not realistic at all.

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