Liked it a lot but definitely agree with the contention that a much more subtle ending would have been better. Many here take the "well that is how stuff actually works in real life" line of defense for the show which I can understand. But the ending was the polar opposite of that. In real life people don't get stabbed with a 5 inch blade and head but their way out of it. I would have loved some simple "holy **** this guy is crazy and came at me bro so I blasted him" much more than a battle royale. Them getting killed and the real police finding them and wrapping it up would have been good too.
meh. seems like people's overstated perception of realism in the wire has lead to a lot of backlash to a little excitement and melodrama in stories ever since (except in breaking bad, where some ridic plane crash is a whoa awesome moment even though it was lolbad, but i digress). I'm totally fine with headbutting one's way out of a gutting and living to tell about it.