The only part that I find a little hard to swallow is the section on “‘high-functioning’ Jimmy McNulty. To me, it doesn’t so much seem that he enjoys being a pain in the ass, he just enjoys getting the bad guy. He’s willing to pay the cost to get a bad guy, even if it forces a major setback in his own career. That seems to make him happy. But when he takes this too far and starts manufacturing an entirely fictitious serial murderer, it spirals out of control, destroying his new-found happiness and close relationships. Jimmy’s character arc is probably one of the most compelling on the show.

Again, great post. Thanks for taking the time to dive into some unique subject matter. Cheers!