This to me was one of The Wire's more minor episode. Sure some events took place that will have major consequences in the future but isn't that true of virtually every scene in the show? If X had not done Y, then the horrible thing Z would not have happened.
The pre-title sequence has a Jimmy telling us why he came back. He "came back out on a promise" and by God, he will save the village even if he has to burn it first. feel really bad for Bunk. Don't you hate it when someone you love puts you in a compromising position? Bunk will not rat out Jimmy yet he can see that Jimmy (and he) can both lose their "lawn chairs." And Freeman's encouragement of Jimmy only made it worse for Bunk.
It's the third episode of the season and we still haven't talked about the title song. What do people think? I think last season's version was my favorite and the current season is second.
My favorite from last night's show were when one middle-aged man retorts "Who isn't"? to the other's plea that "[He] is the Vice President of a major financial institution." I also enjoyed Chris and Slim Charles comparing the styles of their bosses outside the money-laundering church. And of course, Snoop's expression on her opinion that going after Omar was a "fucked-up plan" if you ask her. (Just when you started loving the odd couple of Chris and Snoop, you see what they are capable of -- torturing and killing a blind man.)
Like I said, we are now in the consolidation phase. Which of these events will come back to haunt us? Marlo makes overtures to Vondas. Monsieur Marlo goes to the islands. Daniels reminder that he has skeletons in his closet for the old days that Burrell knows about. (Will we ever find out? I am thinking not.)
Looking forward to hearing what you guys thought.
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Hey Nevin. I know what you mean about feeling like the episode was minor -- though for me, I didn't feel like the episode was minor so much as frustrating. I found myself impatient with issues related to plot as well as actual content. Beginning with the opening scene, I felt annoyed by the heavy-handedness of this episode, particularly with respect to the McNulty and Sun plot lines. McNulty's drinking is overemphasized, to the point of being unbelievable. As if it's not enough to have McNulty looking drunk, we see him drinking, Bunk commenting on the drinking, Bunk taking the bottle, Jimmy asking for it back. We get it, already, McNulty is off the wagon. I guess I resent this because it seems I think I've always admired the way that the quiet tragedies of life are portrayed so well on The Wire. Rarely do we see the kind of crash and burn that we're witnessing with McNulty, and that doesn't mean it couldn't or shouldn't happen for the plot, but I can't help feeling like it's really heavy-handed.
The paper plot is similarly heavy-handed. There are aspects to it that I like, but I think the dialogue is very wooden. "They're dead where it doesn't count." First of all, we already heard this in the bar scene with McNulty, Freaman, and Bunk, second, it's so self-righteous, and while the character might really say this, it just came out rehearsed and expected. The same is true of almost every line by Whiting and Tom. I am sick of "do more with less." We get it!! I know I am complaining at the moment, but I guess I am just sad because The Wire is definitely my favorite all-time television show, and one of things that makes it a favorite is the fact that it works like literature and it relies on nuance and subtlety and the intelligence of the audience to understand the larger argument and themes. I feel like as the series comes to a close, David Simon doesn't trust us to connect all the dots. I say to Simon, please, let us do more with less.
Now, on to what I liked about the episode. I really liked the metaphor of being "locked in the box." It's a great comment on all of these characters and of the city as a larger entity. It's also really interesting to see Bunk, who clearly lacks the commitment of a Freaman or McNulty, standing up for what's right, albeit there's certainly a motivation to keep his job and not ruffle feathers.
For me, this episode is all about watching Marlo make his move. I think the best line was between Chris and Slim Charles. Chris remarks on Prop Joe's verbosity and draws the contrast, "not like Marlo." And Slim responds, Definitely not." It's frustrating to watch Prop Joe make such bad decisions with regard to Marlo. This is two episodes now where we've seen Slim indicate that Marlo is dangerous and not to be trusted, but Prop Joe can't resist thinking he can "civilize" Marlo. It hurts to watch because we know it can't end well for Prop Joe, and three of the major factors telling us happen tonight: Marlo is actively seeking a direct line to Vondas, Marlo has now managed to move much of his money offshore, and Cheese has shown a change of loyalty, directly disobeying Prop Joe's directive on the Omar bounty and makes a play toward Marlo's crew. Cheese is an idiot and will no doubt end up dead, but I shudder to think how many more will end up dead because of him.
Other moments where I thought the episode did what The Wire does best: the juxtaposition of Michael at Six Flags and then returning to his corner, Andreas's treatment of Marlo, the wonderful exchange between Gus and Wilson, Bruce Kirpatrick's great turn as Twigg (whom I will really miss in the Sun scenes), and the lovely shot of Burrell looking out of his office at the city, silently. A great shot, and reminiscent of the Avon/Stringer scene on the balcony, in some ways, before their own respective demises. And, though I couldn't watch the scene where Chris and Snoop killed Butchie -- the forced drinking was too much for me -- it was the right move by Simon. Chris and Snoop are killers, and whether they are truly antisocial or not isn't clear, but what is clear is that they have conditioned themselves to be so in order to survive. Whatever is likeable about them or funny, this is part of them too,and sometimes the people they kill (like last season's security guard that pisses off Marlo) make you wonder how they sleep at night.
I was very pleased to see Michael Kenneth Williams return, though sad too. I love Omar, and I'd love to see him end with the last laugh in retirement. But, I think we all know that's probably not likely. I just hope if he must meet an end it is swift and with dignity.
Oh, and in response to your question Nevin, I like the Steve Earle version. I liked it the first time I heard it, and it continues to grow on me. I think it has the grit to match the dark view this season has given us this far.
I don't know why I said Andreas, by the way. I meant Vondas.
I knew what you meant, helen!
I will begin by praising this season's theme song. At the beginning of each season I think, "oh too bad, this one isn't as good as last year." But after a few episodes I am always digging it. This season is no exception -- didn't like it at first, now, much like Ronald McDonald, I'm lovin' it. What a task it must be to choose the artist to perform the opening theme. The original performance of the same theme song is just another thing about The Wire that makes it great.
This episode shows the snowball really starting to pick up steam. Marlo is even more clearly making a run at king -- a run that will almost certainly include dropping some bodies. McNulty is way out in left field, worse than we have ever seen. Omar is pissed and you can bet he is going to put aside a certain promise he made to a certain B'more murda police named Bunk. Templeton is writing works of fiction in the Baltimore Sun as many of those around him are being fired. Clay Davis's and Burrell's reigns seem to be crumbling. It's all going to hell. But we are only in the third episode! What fun!
All that being said. I agree with helen on the heavy-handedness of the McNulty plot and to some degree the newspaper plot. I hate to criticize The Wire but Jimmy's behavior is getting a little bit ridiculous -- even for him -- and that is saying something. I also enjoyed Slim and Chris hanging outside the church. I like both these characters. They are interesting because they are clearly intelligent and yet they have settled for a "right-hand-man" position. (Any admiration I felt toward Chris was quickly squashed after viewing the brutal Butchie scene -- ouch! Chris and Snoop are stone cold crazy eyed killaz!)
I am definitely enjoying the season but it is hard to know how much until I see the whole thing. I am really excited to see Omar will be returning with a vengeance (the preview for the next episode shows him saying something like, "Oh I am going to work them, sweet Jesus!" -- at least he is an eloquent stone cold killer unlike the rest of these boars.) I don't want to see Omar end up dead - but I did hear Michael Williams interviewed on "Fresh Air" on NPR and when Terry Gross said she hoped Omar survives, he responded, "It's Baltimore baby. Everybody dies." Yikes!
Just want to nod vehemently in agreement with Jason's comment about not knowing how much you like a season of the show till you watch it in its entirety.
Agreed. I think that it is going to be so nice to watch the entire work, season 1 to season 5. Watching it straight through, I think, will give a whole other perspective.
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