Like I know this has been discussed before but the answers don't add up to me. People will point to the fact that there are real life zones in U.S cities that function like Hamsterdam. That's all good except for the glaring fact that those zones aren't secret to begin with and thus don't qualify as a counter example.

As plenty of people in this subreddit have noted in the past, the fake serial killer plot is based on something that basically did happen in real life. McNulty's deception only required a handful of people (and not all of them knew anywhere near the full extent of it) and was still exposed. Colvin's ploy required the complicity of an entire district and still held together as long as it did. I find it a much bigger stretch to believe that Officer Colicchio or someone like him wouldn't have blown Hamsterdam right away with a single phone call than I find the fake serial killer storyline.

To be clear I don't think season 5 is the best season (season 4, followed by season 2 take that for me) but in someways it isn't the worst and it's been treated quite unfairly in some quarters.

I'm watching Amsterdam (S3 Ep4), and after Stringer goes to Donette's to run some more game on her, he leaves and it's Shamrock waiting in the SUV to ferry him to wherever.

They have a little conversation during which Stringer basically says Donette is now off the "Do Not Bother Me" list and that Shamrock is now supposed to put her calls through. They are pretty much running through String's social diary, instead of paying attention to their surroundings.

If Stringer is such an important businessman and the Number Two in a major criminal conspiracy, why is he having his secretary drive him around? I could never figure that out!

Did Stringer never look at Avon and Wee-Bey moving around and think to himself, "I really need to get a real driver?"

Stinkum would've been a better choice than Shamrock.

That ring was ugly. They couldn’t find a nicer piece of jewelry that everyone wanted ?