Thanks, HBO.

Thanks for giving us five seasons of one of the finest dramas ever to grace the small screen.

Thanks for giving us a universal story, Shakespearian in scope, that was funny, tragic and devastatingly real.

Thanks for giving us Jimmy McNulty, true “po-lice.” Thanks for giving us Omar Little, the stickup artist with a moral code.

Thanks for Prop Joe and Ervin Burrell (one smart and one, well, not), old high-school classmates.

Thanks for Daniels, who proved that even a squeaky-clean cop could be blackmailed. Thanks for Landsman, who proved that even a lazy, obnoxious sergeant could stand up for his detectives when he really needed to.

Thanks for Gus Haynes, the newspaperman’s newspaperman. Thanks for Bubbles — pardon me, Reginald — the only junkie I’ve ever loved.

Thank you for all the perfectly imperfect characters who have entertained us these past few years.

There’s a lot that could be said about last night’s finale of The Wire.

Would Kima Greggs have given up Lester and McNulty so easily? I say yes, once she knew about it, she had no choice. That’s who she is. Would Lester and McNulty have forgiven her so easily? I say yes; Lester got his pension, McNulty managed to finally extricate himself from the nightmare he had created and didn’t end up in prison.

Did Michael have to become his generation’s Omar and did Dukie have to become his generation’s Bubbles? I say yes, because, well, someone had to.

Did I have to laugh out loud when Slim Charles popped Cheese last night? No, but it sure was funny, in a disturbing sorta way. I know, he’s dead. But he killed Prop Joe (not with his own hands, but he might as well have). He deserved it.

Did Scott Templeton have to win the Pulitzer? Well, no. And yes. No, because I don’t like to think that a liar and slimeball like him could achieve such heights. But yes because that’s how David Simon feels about his former industry. And I could name some vaunted decorated journalists who lied (as anyone, from any industry, could similarly do).

Will Gus Haynes and Alma Gutierrez forever suffer the consequences for their efforts to tell the truth? Nah. Whiting and Klebanow will move on, another set of editors will come around and they’ll see the two of them are too good for their jobs and they’ll come out of the doghouse. Seen that before, and the truly talented folks who are willing to stick it out for the long haul tend to rise again.

As far as series endings go, this ranks right up there as near perfect. The only one I’ve seen that may have been better also was on an HBO series (not The Sopranos, which I’m still mixed about): Six Feet Under.

That ending montage, showing how each of the main characters eventually died and when, with “Breathe” by Sia playing over it, was 99.8 percent pure. The song, even now, still gives me slight chills when I hear it. Though Six Feet Under was far more uneven over its run than The Wire ever was, it’s hard to beat that series ending.

The Wire might have done it.

With the first-season version of Tom Waits’ “Way Down in the Hole,” sung by The Blind Boys of Alabama serving as the soundtrack, we saw what happened to most everyone. Rhonda is a judge. Daniels sacrificed his police career for the sake of his two lady loves — current and former — but still will do just fine as an attorney. Valchek finally became police commissioner (how long has he been pushing for that?). Carcetti won the governor’s race. Narese is mayor. Kenard (was that the name of the street kid who shot Omar?) is well on his way to becoming the next Marlo Stanfield. The new drug co-op is picking up right where the last one left off. Chris Partlow is serving his time, hooking up with the Barksdales on the inside. Rawls becomes state police commissioner.

Everyone who always worries about who’s scratching who’s back gets what s/he was looking for. Most who play by the rules get screwed over. A few do just fine. (Bunk and Kima as partners? Perfect. She’s a great foil for his … Bunk-ness.)

But isn’t that how life is? Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes … sometimes, you just get by.

When you walk through the garden
you gotta watch your back
well I beg your pardon
walk the straight and narrow track
if you walk with Jesus
he’s gonna save your soul
you gotta keep the devil
way down in the hole
he’s got the fire and the fury
at his command
well you don’t have to worry
if you hold on to Jesus hand
we’ll all be safe from Satan
when the thunder rolls
just gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole
All the angels sing about Jesus’ mighty sword
and they’ll shield you with their wings
and keep you close to the lord
don’t pay heed to temptation
for his hands are so cold
you gotta help me keep the devil
way down in the hole

— “Way Down in the Hole,” music and lyrics by Tom Waits