Here I sit in the writers’ room of HBO’s “The Wire” in Baltimore. I’ll be writing Episode 5 of the upcoming season, thanks to my old bud David Simon.
This final season will be a shortened one – just 10 episodes. They'll start filming in a few weeks. I cannot reveal anything about the storyline, except to say that it’ll surely be the funniest season ever of “The Wire”… if you like your humor dark. We’re talking the “Dr. Strangelove” of police procedurals here.
Attention “Homicide” fans… I can reveal this: Clark Johnson will have a prominent role on “The Wire” this coming season, as the city editor of Baltimore’s daily newspaper.
48 comments:
Thank you for the Clark Johnson scoop, UBM! While I'm a little bummed it will be a shortened season, I'm sure the quality will be superb and I can hardly wait until it's back on the air. I look forward to seeing your ep, too!
great news!!! i'm a huge homicide and wire fan. i knew u were cool, ubm!! hbo and writer's room...i have to sit down.
Man, all this time I've been restraining myself from spamming you with all my fanboy insider questions about "The Wire". . . you are really tempting me.
Awesome. It is cool as hell to see Clark Johnson with a good acting role again. A question for you though: So long as Clark Johnson's going to be there acting, any chance that he might direct an episode? He hasn't helmed an episode since season 1, and I always preferred his TV directing to his movies.
Aww... Say it ain't so! Only 10 episodes? That breaks my heart. Especially for the FINAL season ever. I hope that's enough to wrap up all the storylines.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Andrew, good question. Simon says: Clark is scheduled to direct the last episode, the series finale. He directed the first one; he should direct the last one.
Which is cool. And I love the stuff he's directed for TV also. But I really, really miss his acting.
UBM!!!
Thank you very much for the news. Recently it had crossed my mind that with your relationship with Simon and your news media past that you would be associated with this season in some way.
Congratulations! Can't wait for the the new season (I know it'll be a while). Can't wait for your episode to air.
OMG I can't wait!!!! Plus I would love more humor, especially after a really bleak season 4.
I don't really mind the shortened season, as it allows the writers to focus more rather than add fluff (see: Battlestar Galactica).
Plus I also read that David Simon and Ed Burns are going to write for a new HBO series...congrats to them.
Sorry to sound like a fanboy (what can I say, The Wire is the greatest TV show ever), but any idea on when the series is supposed to air? I don't want to spend another 2 years between seasons of the show...it's torture.
Congrats on coming back to The Wire. Great news on Johnson returning. Talking of cast, was Simon able to secure the whole bunch, including a full-time Dominic West? It would be a shame for the final stint to be lacking significant McNulty.
Yay! Clark Johnson is the man.
Clark(e)ness = goodness.
Yeah, what was the deal with Dominic West last season? He seemed an afterthought and never had any real storyline. It'd be great to have him back for the final season, really integrated into the story.
Jack and Doug: McNulty (Dominic West) is back in a big way for Season 5. They didn't know whether they'd have Dominic at all for Season 4... because of his movie career.
But yeah, the final story is built around him.
Happy, happy, joy, joy! Mills and Johnson back together again! I can't wait!
Hey, David as long as you're writing an episode, could you write a scene where Clark Johnson's character is wearing the Meldrick hat? You know it would make all the fanboys smile. On the other hand, Simon doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would make "wink,wink" references to other shows.
Since you are digging into the Homicide roster and making work for actors therefrom - and since it appears that you are accepting suggestions - how about writing a part for Andre Braugher? His characterization of Frank Pembleton was the shit! David, run it by David. Thanks.
Then - Ben
Can I ask, who else is on the writing staff for the new season?
hated the first episode of the series, but i've really gotten into the show since it's come on bet, have to rent the other seasons,
i'm very excited about the show coming back!! wonder what the next big-drama on HBO will be...
and i wonder if the sopranos will comeback with in the next century..... (april 8th my behind lol)
The Wire is the best show on tv - and Homicide reruns are a close second. Clark Johnson should totally wear that Meldrick hat as well
10 Episodes? The final season better go hard. Suggestion: If Omar is back ( I mean if I hit the jackpot like that I would leave B-more,) I would release "No Heart" Anthony from prison to do a caper or two.
On the other hand, Simon doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would make "wink,wink" references to other shows.
Wasn't there a reference to "Deadwood" last season?
I'm psyched that this will be a big McNulty season since I love Dominic West. I hope McNulty and Bunk have lots of scenes because Bunk is my other favorite character on the show. Also, if you really do take suggestions, could you get Bruce Campbell in an ep? He can do drama very well (he was great as Jake Rodzinsky in a two-part H:LOTS arc) :-)
Besides questions about Dominic West's availablility for season 4, I read Simon talk about how McNulty's role in season 4 was critical for his character. He needed to get himself cleaned up and straightened out for season 5, which is exactly what happened.
Now, I'm just curious to see if he can keep it together now that he is back in Major Crimes and feels the need to avenge Bodie and take out Marlo.
Yeah, put on the porkpie and tell the bear joke one more time...
mann clark johnson's meldrick was my fav character on homicide.. so well played..so funny and so real.. I can't wait to see him acting again. Andre Braugher would be awesome in The Wire!! He deserves to be acting high quality material like this show.
Ohh 1 quick question for David.. was 10 episodes becuase that's all HBO wanted to pay for, or because thats all simon needed to finish the story?
Tim: It was a money thing. That's all HBO wanted to pay.
Great, truncated Wire and no more Rome. HBO, you cheap bastiges!
Remember Simon compared The Wire to a "66 hour movie". Since we have about 51 hours to date, 15 hours left in Simon's head, right？If 5th season is Shortened to 10 eps, how to tell a 15-hour story within 10 hours???
So glad to see something about the new season of the Wire and so pleased that you are writing an episode. Thanks! Do you know if filming in Baltimore has started?
They're gearing up, Lisa. I think they start shooting within the next couple of weeks.
Is it true that we might see Avon Barksdale again? I miss his character. I heard that Wood Harris was interested in returning for the last season. If you do bring him back, please let him cap Marlo. And damn those cheap bastards at HBO for cutting the season short. Grrr.... Do you think there might be a Wire movie? That would be cool.
Thanks! That is great news. Hopefully they will have another Ella Fund event in Baltimore this year so I can meet some of the writers, cast and crew.
Lisa - I could be completely wrong on this but there appears to be a movie that is, if nothing else, a rip off of the wire schedule for the end of this year. Look up "4 Life" on imdb, it stars a few of the leads from The Wire including Wood Harris and JD Williams.
Im suprised Munch has never appeared on The Wire. Hes been on about 10 different shows. Write in a scene featuring him will ya.
I heard that about Wood Harris making an appearance in the final season too, but my guess is that it will be only in some all-encompassing series finale montage. The story with Barksdale is done, and David Simon has made that clear. I wouldn't be suprised, however, if they show him in his jail cell during the ending montage. As much as I'll be sorry to see the best television show come to an end, I cannot wait to see how they'll do it.
You (rather coyly) call it merely "Baltimore's daily newspaper," but I somehow doubt the Trib Co. is happy enough with David Simon's talk of The Sun to let you use the name... Will this be The Sun or some fictionalized version?
I've also yet to hear any impression that Simon or the other writers have had of the new daily paper, which seems to take the corner-cutting he decried at the Sun to an extreme (Simon's lamented the Sun's reporting staff being cut from 500 to 300, the Examiner makes do with a few dozen). Any thoughts?
any idea when season 5 will debut?any idea when season 4 will be out on DVD? thanks
On the other hand, Simon doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would make "wink,wink" references to other shows.
I'm pretty sure the line "You're not here for the hunting, are you?" made it somewhere into the first episode...
Richard Price's episodes have almost all contained references or dialogue from his novels, mostly "Clockers".
This has me sooooo excited about the wire! I really cant wait!!!!
When is it filming I live in Baltimore and would love to see you all shoot...Email me if possible
Yesssss! Clark "The Man" Johnson is back. Being a huge 'Homicide' fan, now I know this will be good. Can't wait. I love that man!
Jimmy....I need some of that pussi!
Great! Looking forward to season 5! I'm a huge fan, as you probably can see on my fanboyish blog http://mcnulty.wordpress.com ;-) Anyways, it will be sad to say goodbye to the people on the show once it's finished....
Will Brother Mouzone be making an appearance in Season 5? Definitely one of the most unique of characters, along with Omar, Snoop & Marlo.
I can't wait for this 5th season, it'll be cool as hell if Richard Belzer made an apearance as John Munch Andre Braugher made an apearance as Frank Pembleton and Kyle Secor as Tim Bayliss, and I can't wait to see the whole comedy aspect, as the show has always had that in small amounts before, and I have a feeling it has the potential to be funnier than most sitcoms. wouldn't it be cool if Michael Chiklis or some other The Shield alumni guest roled after the Shield's final season is over?
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