The Wire is finally back on January 6. Season 5, unfortunately the last season, promises to weave the drug street corner culture, the police, the Baltimore docks and the city government from the first 4 seasons, within a story about how the press - namely The Balitmore Sun - covers or doesn't cover real stories. If you've got HBO OnDemand you can see a 25 minute preview/documentary of this season or you can see it here. There's also short prequels of how 4 of The Wire's memorable characters came to be. Prop Joe wheeling and dealing in the school yard. Omar learning his trade and applying his code as a youngster. And Bunk and Jimmy's first night as a team in 2000. See the prequels after the jump.

Although Season 5 looks to bring together a lot of the characters and story lines from the first 4 seasons, it seems like they're also bringing back Avon Barksdale and possibly even "D" who died in season 1. Perhaps they'll have cameo's from Stringer and The Greek too. Of course my hope is lots and lots of Omar. Whatever David Simon has dreamed up, I can't wait. If you're a Wire fan, leave a comment.