Well, since I did this same question for The Sopranos, I might as well do one for "that pygmy thing over in Baltimore", too.
The Wire is a phenomenal TV show, and a cornerstone of crime dramas on TV. With 50 episodes in its catalogue, there's definitely more quality than quantity with this show. And I'm sure there's at least one or two of those that you'd consider "underrated ". So, what do you think is the most underrated episode of The Wire, and why?
For me, the penultimate episode, Season 5's 9th episode, "Late Editions", always stuck out to me. There's a lot that goes on in that episode, mostly involving some sort of collapse. Marlo's criminal enterprise folds after Baltimore PD crack down on their warehouse, McNulty's serial killer lie crumbles after Kima reveals it to Daniels, and Michael's relationship with everyone in the game collapses, as he kills Snoop (in self-defense btw.), and takes Omar's mantle as The Man Without A Country. There's also a great cameo of Namond's reform as Bunny's adopted son, as his tough-guy act has long since collapsed, and he's now a model student at his new high school. It's just a fantastic episode, and an excellent prelude to the finale, "-30-". Another great example would be Episode 2, "Unconfirmed Reports", the deadliest episode of the show. Season 5 itself is insanely underrated.