doing some wire research since theres no one to discuss with here
found this blog: (doesn't disucss the finale yet)
http://athousandcorners.blogspot.com/
also found this: (seems like the show would be neutered quite a bit to air on non standard cable)
HBO is making a deal with BET that will allow the Viacom-owned cable network to rerun episodes of Time Warner-owned HBO's The Wire, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The deal will likely give BET all five seasons--62 episodes in all--of Wire. The series is currently in its fourth season, and HBO has already ordered a fifth and final season.
The Reporter hints that Wire would get around $100,000 per episode, unlike HBO's big ratings hits Sopranos and Sex and the City, which drew in millions of dollars for syndication rights.