This week, with the final episode showing up on HBO on Demand, marks the end of The Wire's fifth fourth season. Here's an NPR interview with creator/writer/producer Ed Burns, and a great Slate interview with creator David Simon:

In our heads we're writing a Greek tragedy, but instead of the gods being petulant and jealous Olympians hurling lightning bolts down at our protagonists, it's the Postmodern institutions that are the gods. And they are gods. And no one is bigger.

By the way: If at any point any character on the show ever talks as I'm talking right now, it would suck. It's crucial that the characters can't lecture us.