Well, it happened. As predicted, Marlo took out Prop Joe. He treated Marlo like his son though I would not have been shocked to see him meet the same fate at Marlo's hand had he had been his father! I am rooting for Slim to join forces with Omar -- he already hinted that he would do so had Joe given up Butchie -- to end Marlo's reign of terror. Perhaps there is justice in the game. Didn't Weebay tell Namond that used be that a punk like Marlo would be taught his place?
Speaking of ends of eras, Burrell finally vacates the office that he has held on to like his life depended on it. And Daniels is on his way to the top. (The scene in Burrell's office where he refuses to say a word to Daniels' pleadings was pretty good.) I got thinking about contrast between a Daniels and Bunny Colvin. Both are clearly good poh-lice. But while Bunny got fed up with what he saw and made an extravagant move two seasons ago, Daniels stayed within the system and is reaping the rewards. In a tiny way the same parallel can be drawn between McNulty and Freeman. And now McNulty is pulling a Bunny this season. Of course, Freeman has also abandoned all sense by "gilding [McNulty's] lily." We already know that this is the sub-plot where the Baltimore Police Department will meet the Baltimore Sun. Lord help us.
Continuing on the theme of demises, we were given the hope that the state of Maryland will finally be rid of the leach that is Clay Davis. I enjoyed the transformation in his demeanor brought on by Rhonda's questioning at the Grand Jury. I'm sure you guys noticed that the i-Team was on hand to cover his appearance at the Court! What's that investigative reporter's name? Jane?
I was sad to see Herc having to accept Marlo's needling about his camera. That scene connected a lot of people in this week's episode, ending with Joe telling Herc about Erwin being in the Glee Club.
The one bright spot in the episode was, of course, Sgt. Carver. He finally tells Herc about his mishandling of the kid from last episode and decides to write up a fellow cop for conduct unbecoming. Bunny Colvin would be proud.
This was pretty action-packed episode for us not even being halfway through the season. I think we are all dreading very horrible things happening over the next six weeks. Brace yourself!
On an administrative note, sorry for being the first post again. I'm doing it so that I can watch the next episode only after I've penned my thoughts about the previous. If somebody else wants to go first, just let me know!
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Before getting to some of what you said, Nevin, along with some my own thoughts, I'd like to just say, "What's with the cheesy electric guitar that plays at the end of the 'previously on'?" It is so annoying and un-Wire-like.
Alright, on with the show, as it were. First, Nevin, you pointed to one of my favorite scenes in last night's episode, which was the Daniels/Burrell scene. I thought it was brilliant, and I really enjoyed the follow-up where we finally see a bit of humanity - and insight - to Burrell in his "last words" to Rawls. A funny irony in that scene was when Burrell said that the Mayor's office doesn't tell anyone else how to do their job, and, of course, as someone who has worked in BCPSS, and as season four of The Wire showed us, politics indeed drives the schools, along with just about everything else. Most of the dysfunction in cities has to do with politicians who lack expertise assuming they know how to fix things in which they lack practical experience and knowledge.
Nevin you also revealed a wish that I share, which is that I am hoping that Slim will join Omar to teach Marlo that he is not the only game in town and that there are consequences for actions. I am betting that Omar won't take out Marlo, he will probably get Chris and/or Snoop, and he may very well go down himself in that pursuit. I am still thinking that it will be the Greek who ultimately teaches Marlo a lesson. Though, I must say I was curious when Marlo told Prop Joe that "the Greeks are cool with it." Are we to believe they signed off on Marlo killing Joe? I find that hard to believe, and even if they did say that, I still think Marlo isn't their kind of connect. I guess we'll have to wait and see. There was more of the Marlo/Joe semantics. This episode gave us, "Marlo is Marlo," and "He's not Joe," the latter of which was said by Vondas and the Greek and said with different inflections. The Greek's statement, to me, was hard to read.
Your observations, Nevin, about the Colvin/Daniels and McNulty/Freaman parallel is right on. I have to say, though, that Simon didn't shy away from showing the problems with Hamsterdam, and I fear for McNulty and Freaman what may be revealed about the perils of what they are attempting to do. In other police doings, I, too, really enjoyed seeing Carver finally rise to the occasion as well. We heard Carver say, "It all matters," which of course stands in contrast to the previous episode's statement by Freaman, "No one cares." Herc is so despicable to me, but the scene between he and Carver in the parking lot felt right and earned to me. And, like you, I did feel a tinge of sympathy for Herc when Marlo laughed in his face about costing him his job.
Finally related to your post, Nevin, I find myself actually feeling sorry for Clay Davis, crazy as that may sound. It's been so enjoyable to watch him grease his way through everything that it sort of feels like the world is spinning off its axis to see him at loose ends. I'd like to see at least one good fight left in him. And, you are right in your spot of beloved Baltimore investigative news reporter, Jane Miller. Though I think she must've had to wear make-up, which is VERY out of character.
Now, on to a few comments of my own. First, though we saw it coming, Prop Joe's execution was absolutely chilling. Marlo's cold calculation and using Chris to pull the trigger was hard to watch. I can't stand Cheese, and it made me sick to hear him make small talk with his uncle knowing he was sending him to his death. I have trouble feeling any sympathy for the sorry end he is sure to meet soon. He's not very bright and he isn't going to last a minute without Prop Joe to protect him. I knew Prop Joe's number was up when he took Marlo to Levy, which I just couldn't believe Prop Joe did. What was he thinking?? Then, when Chris and Snoop gave the gift of Hungryman, we knew that could only happen if Marlo was planning to topple the co-op for good. And, indeed, he was. On a related note, I actually found the most disturbing scene of the show the torture of Hungryman. It made me absolutely sick that Snoop could show such utter disregard for a human's suffering. I know we should have been prepared after Butchie, but it was just too much.
Other things that stood out for me: I worry for Daniels that Norice is now holding is file -- she's awful! The scene with McNulty doing the fake background work on his serial killer was great, completely summed up by Bunk's, "fuck you too motherfucker." I loved Gus narrating the press conference -- and then the little exchange between he and Tom. (BTW, a friend and former Sun employee says that Simon did get Marimow right in the character of Tom. She said he is one of the most personally vindictive people she knows, though always delivered with a public smile.) Oh, and I was glad we finally got a scene with Beadie. I am sort of surprised Simon didn't just fast forward us to those two being broken up. It seemed to me like McNulty is out more than he's home, so it seemed like Beadie would've kicked him out by now. And, McNulty's drinking the listerine tells us he's beyond any hope of temperance or redemption, I think.
The action is on fast-forward, it would seem, and I think the bodies are going to start dropping. It is still open where Michael's storyline is going. I liked when he told his mother that he wasn't going to pay her to be his mother, but if he is going to try and turn away from the corner, that needs to happen sooner rather than later. And I can't help a nagging feeling that Dukie isn't going to come to a good end in all of this either. What do you guys think?
One thing is for certain, Marlo is just going to keep coming until someone stops him. In the words of the Greek, "This, he shows us." May we steel ourselves for the weeks to come.
Hey -- I am getting in on this too. I want to see the next episode as soon as this dolt we call our president finishes his State of the Union address.
You guys nailed all the good scenes! I will have to write first next time! (Oh -- America opposes genocide in Sudan -- how bold of us ... sorry no more SotU side comments.) I am on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to see what happens in the fire-fight between Omar and Chris and Snoop (as it appears in the "next on" segment.) That being said, let me reflect on the actual show...
I was really sad to see the demise of Prop Joe. I really grew to like him and his attempts to "civilize" the drug trade in Baltimore. The co-op's sessions in hotel meeting rooms are really fantastic and surreal images. While the co-op is the logically intelligent thing to do, it seems it is logistically impossible. Human nature gets in the way ... at least urban human nature. Marlo has now decapitated the co-op. What will the former members do? Now their only source is Marlo. Will they bow to his tyranny? (I too would love to see Slim kick some ass.)
McNulty and Freaman continue their lunacy and ratchet things up by bringing props including a set of false teeth to modify the corpses they find. I really don't want to see either of them go down for this, but it seems hard to believe they will be able to get away with it with the idiotic way McNulty is acting. The pathetic use of the post-its in the homicide office is not the Jimmy McNulty we know! Someone has to notice ... maybe? Also the scene where he is asking the morgue worker to tell him when most unclaimed bodies are found. Talk about suspicious. He is not treating this with enough care! Freaman keeps trying to tell him - but will he listen?
The scene with Templeton getting rejected from The Washington Post was sad, but showed more of the pathetic nature of his character. I liked seeing Kima's mothering instinct coming out (maybe a reconciliation there?) and the maturing of Carver also! I always knew there was good police in there even through the dumb-ass things he did in the past (like the scene at the towers in season one). Unlike you two, and call me cold, I did NOT feel bad for Herc when Marlo laughed at him. That guy deserved to be (and the world benefitted when he was) stripped of his badge. I was sad to see Beadie unable to stand up to McNulty and toss him out. How sad. Clay Davis did garner a bit of my sympathy this week, but after the preview, I can see that will be short lived. I don't know how to read the Greek either helen. My first thought is that he is in a tough position and he didn't want to burn any bridges. Hopefully we will see more Greek/Marlo interactions.
One major and one minor characters killed and another major character fired -- all in one episode! Obviously this dam is going to burst. Stories are getting wrapped up, or cut-off altogether. Just for fun -- I am calling Snoop gets got next week (though it brings me little pleasure).
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