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Vogler posted:I would say that Marlo made no mistakes, at least not in the way that Avon or Stringer made mistakes. What Marlo wanted was unsustainable, and he knew that it was. Which is interesting given Marlo as a metaphor for capitalism.
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Oct 28, 2013 12:45
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omg chael crash posted:Personally, I couldn't stand a single thing about Brother Mouzone. He just seemed so silly and overacted, and he felt like nothing more than a caricature of a Nation of Islam member. Though, I suppose I'm not much of an expert on that particular subject. Aside from him, I was mostly bored senseless of the News plot until the last 2.5 episodes or so. It ended up tying together rather neatly but the journey there, for me, was a bit of a slog. I agree with you about Mouzone, but the point of him is that he is one of those larger than life professionals who doesn't screw around with the street game. I'll be real nerdy and propose a heiarchy of competence among the criminals in this show, from the top down: The Greek, too slick and powerful to be caught. Omar and Chris, terrifying forces of nature who are made vulnerable only because of their continued participation in the game. Prop Joe, Marlo, Avon, Stringer, who are all kingpins but expose themselves because of unbreakable ties to the game (Stringer) Slim Charles, Wee-Bey, Snoop, competent lieutenants but not cut out for executive level management. D'Angelo, Bodie, Cheese, and a host of other bodies who were only waiting until the game caught up with their shortcomings. Orlando, because gently caress that guy. Mouzone would be on the same level as Omar and Chris, except since he is not part of this game he's not really vulnerable. He has no ties to Baltimore, he just shows up to be a consultant. It would be more jarring if Mouzone was killed during the show, I think. What is artificial about his character is that the writers had to characterize him very quickly, and used the juxtaposition of his passive and nerdy appearance (Cheese: "You selling bean pies?") with his ability to be an Omar-level badass when required. Except Omar was a regular character, so the unrealistic aspects of his character are often softened or even made humorous (Omar gets breakfast) in order to contextualize him within the setting. With Chris, we never get many hints about his personality except that he is some kind of demonic human shark, but it makes sense that a killer of his caliber would be Marlo's right hand man. Mouzone just sort of pops up out of nowhere, almost as if from a different show, and asserts his badassedness without any of the 'realistic' mitigating factors that bring him back down to the streets. The whole NOI angle is to show that he, like Omar, is largely in control of his image. Omar is a ghost who strikes from the shadows, who lives 'in the wind' and could always be around the next corner. Mouzone is a higher tier of professional, not bothering with street game - he could be that Day of the Jackal motherfucker needed to hit Clay Davis - and this severe professionalism is reflected in his subtly intimidating but ostensibly harmless self portrayal. Mouzone doesn't need to dress and swagger like a soldier, he's above all that. He only had to shoot Cheese once, with a bullet of his own creation no less, before everyone got the message that loving with him is a fatal mistake. And who knows, he might actually be NOI. Wasn't he praying to Allah when he was ambushed and gut shot? EDIT: I think that Omar is more competent than the Kingpins because Omar is obviously larger than life, almost an action hero. Plus he was able to assert his will when and where he chose, without the benefit of a large organization to protect him and act as a force multiplier. Chris, while being a Stanfield man, would have been fine wherever he was. I also think that Chris was the only character in the show who had a reasonable shot at taking down Omar in a 'fair' fight. That's kind of where they were leading in Season 5 as I recall. boner confessor fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Oct 28, 2013 |
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Oct 28, 2013 21:40
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Popular Thug Drink posted:With Chris, we never get many hints about his personality except that he is some kind of demonic human shark, but it makes sense that a killer of his caliber would be Marlo's right hand man. Mouzone just sort of pops up out of nowhere, almost as if from a different show, and asserts his badassedness without any of the 'realistic' mitigating factors that bring him back down to the streets. We do get a little bits of this, though: Mouzone arguing with Lamar about messing up his magazines. Chris' love of music and that dorky little dance he does when his favorite song comes on. We even get a small glimpse of his wife and kids in season 5, who Snoop seems to like a lot. I found Mouzone properly demythologized and made human when Omar caught him dead to rights, and then chose to let him live. All it takes is one guy who doesn't buy into the myth to end it, as Omar himself finds out from Kenard later. For Chris, it was the implication that something like what happened to Michael had happened to him in prison, fueling his anger when he kills Devar. It's subtle, and it's not something any of the characters in the show would ever see, but it's there for us viewing from above.
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Oct 28, 2013 22:25
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Spoilers Below posted:We do get a little bits of this, though: Mouzone arguing with Lamar about messing up his magazines. Chris' love of music and that dorky little dance he does when his favorite song comes on. We even get a small glimpse of his wife and kids in season 5, who Snoop seems to like a lot. Mouzone was only in 7 episodes and we didn't spend much time with him. Chris was in 26 episodes and we saw him get up to a lot more than just chasing off soldiers and gunning for Stringer. I don't disagree with you, I just don't think we ever really saw more than a sliver of Mouzone's human side as opposed to his scary gangster side. This makes him much more of a 'character' than the other characters on the show, which when combined with his intense levels of scary gangsterism makes him seem (to me) somewhat dissonant to the otherwise grounded and realistic perspective of the show. quote:I found Mouzone properly demythologized and made human when Omar caught him dead to rights, and then chose to let him live. All it takes is one guy who doesn't buy into the myth to end it, as Omar himself finds out from Kenard later. For Chris, it was the implication that something like what happened to Michael had happened to him in prison, fueling his anger when he kills Devar. It's subtle, and it's not something any of the characters in the show would ever see, but it's there for us viewing from above. We the viewer see behind the mask so to speak. The only character who does is Lamar while other characters still only ever see the badass. Mouzone's badassery was enough to impress Omar into sparing his life, creating a bond between the two based on mutual hyperprofessionalism. It indicated incredible mental fortitude on Mouzone's part, but all Omar needed to pick up was that Mouzone was too pro to go out like this. Mouzone was able to make Stringer piss himself using very few words. But both Omar and Stringer were looking at the mask. Maybe that's all Mouzone is? Maybe he's so no-nonsense that his highly competent killer persona is his true self? Even Omar took off the mask a couple times - when Bunk dressed him down, when he was burning himself in penitence over Tosha's death, when he pleaded with McNulty and Bunk for help beating the mail lady murder charge, when he lost his mind with vengeance over Butchie's murder. Behind that mask, where we can see Omar's honor and Chris's anger, there's really nothing there for Mouzone that is exposed to the audience. I guess it's that hollowness that makes him stand out to me.
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Oct 28, 2013 22:48
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One thing I dig is that while they work as a team, Chris and Snoop are very different people. You never hear about Snoop's family, and frankly I'd imagine she doesn't have any. Chris' family shows his motivation for what he does, whereas Snoop's motivation could be viewed as just sadistic. Not to mention that Chris has a better idea of the culture of Baltimore, and maybe even the world in general. Snoop doesn't even know B-More radio stations or music. He's clearly the better educated, more professional of the two and I think that's what shocks Snoop when Chris kills Devar. He's been calm and professional possibly the whole time they've been together and he just loses it. But Snoop isn't even that shocked, she just finds it funny. Same with her grabbing the security guard's badge, it's a trophy that appeals to her but I doubt she can express why it does. It's an interesting relationship for two people who are lumped together due to their association in the Stanfield organization, but probably wouldn't hang out on their time off.
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Oct 28, 2013 22:53
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Snoop being an actual drug dealing rear end in a top hat in real life never ceases to amaze me either.
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Oct 28, 2013 23:19
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Just started a rewatch of season 5, and I picked up on something I missed the first time round. The scene where McNulty first gets the idea for the serial killer and changes the crime scene to make it look like a murder, he is completely, utterly, dying with a hangover! Its such a small thing, but having been hungover myself I can totally see how it may have left him really short on patience, not thinking straight and fully prepared to just say "gently caress it" and go with this insane plan.
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Oct 28, 2013 23:40
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escape artist posted:I think Colvin's story specifically is to highlight the idea that you cannot change the institution, however, if you are willing, you can change an individual's life for the better. This actually seems to be a common theme in the show. Take Bubbles' story for example. Or the prostitute, Dee-Dee. And so many other examples. Anyway, as it happens, I just had my own little rewatch and I was just on the last episode of season 4 too. It's probably one of my favourites, even though it's so soulcrushing.
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Oct 29, 2013 00:00
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So there is this ultra competent killer guy. Who walks around in highly recognizable outfits and shot people in public places at broad daylight. He employs no stealth whatsoever and even revisits the same place regularly after shooting revengehappy gangbangers. He has never been apprehended or killed in a driveby because both police and the gangbangers are just too impressed with his professional demeanour. I blame people who like Mouzone for all the bad shows on TV.
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Oct 29, 2013 01:06
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bucketybuck posted:Just started a rewatch of season 5, and I picked up on something I missed the first time round. Marginally related, but one of my favorite small lines from the show is from Season 5, where McNulty's talking to that one young cop while investigating the woman who died in bed with a pillow over her head. McNulty asks the officer if he's never put a pillow over his face to shut out a hangover, and the cop says something like, "me? I just throw up a couple times, and go to work." I've had that thought a few mornings myself, actually.
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Oct 29, 2013 01:08
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3Romeo posted:Season 5's newspaper arc, like Jerusalem and ally_1986 said, will probably come up a lot. But for a different answer: there are times, especially in season one, where Simon and the writers aren't subtle at all with their proselytization. The one scene I can think of that settles for all is when Herc and Carver are talking at the desk, and Carver says, "You can't call this a war. Wars end." Sorry if I'm remembering this scene wrong, but Carver's delivery of that line, along with Herc's response, made it seem like it was intended to be sort of a trite, obvious thing to say. I mean, I guess you can call it sort of a cheat by the writers, but it didn't seem like it was intended to be some kind of profound moment, especially since it was like, 10 minutes into episode 1. (Also, the chess scene is alright, but the McNuggets scene is stronger.)
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Oct 29, 2013 04:13
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I think you're right about it being trite and obvious, but I also think that's because it was couched as such, becoming profound exactly because the audience isn't yet familiar with the show but expects a healthy dose of cynicism and irony to go along with insight--even if the insight itself is the kind of soundbite wisdom you expect a couple of knuckleheads like (early season) Herc and Carv to have. Without that contextual, um, camouflage, I guess, the characters become nothing but mouthpieces. And it was an important enough line to make it past the cutting room floor. In case you missed it, this really is just me splitting hairs.
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Oct 29, 2013 06:00
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hhhmmm posted:I blame people who like Mouzone for all the bad shows on TV. About this, you are unequivocally wrong.
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Oct 29, 2013 11:45
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 is now available for all your future posting needs.
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Oct 29, 2013 12:59
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hhhmmm posted:So there is this ultra competent killer guy. Who walks around in highly recognizable outfits and shot people in public places at broad daylight. He employs no stealth whatsoever and even revisits the same place regularly after shooting revengehappy gangbangers. He has never been apprehended or killed in a driveby because both police and the gangbangers are just too impressed with his professional demeanour. Mouzone's rep protects him. He doesn't need to be stealthy - are the cops going to come because of a gunshot, no fatailities or victim, in the Towers? The street criminals aren't going to call the police for help either. He revisits the same place regularly because it was his job to chase rival soldiers away, which you'll notice he did because everyone was terrified of him once they learned his rep. Prop Joe's so scared of Mouzone that he manipulates Stringer into sending Omar after Mouzone - the only other person on the show who gets this treatment is Marlo, another scary man. You'll also note that Mouzone spends all of his off time holed up and sending Lamar out to do his business, minimizing the chance some crew will take a run at him. For a show about criminals you're getting real picky here.
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Oct 29, 2013 15:28
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Popular Thug Drink posted:Mouzone's rep protects him. He doesn't need to be stealthy - are the cops going to come because of a gunshot, no fatailities or victim, in the Towers? The street criminals aren't going to call the police for help either. He revisits the same place regularly because it was his job to chase rival soldiers away, which you'll notice he did because everyone was terrified of him once they learned his rep. Prop Joe's so scared of Mouzone that he manipulates Stringer into sending Omar after Mouzone - the only other person on the show who gets this treatment is Marlo, another scary man. You'll also note that Mouzone spends all of his off time holed up and sending Lamar out to do his business, minimizing the chance some crew will take a run at him. Yes this, and it applies to Omar as well. It's said multiple times by various people that no one wants to take a shot at Omar or Mouzone because if they miss, then they'll be on the Omar/Mouzone hit list, which is practically a guarantee of death. Mouzone's rep is so big that even though he primarily works out of New York, the Baltimore people still know and fear him. This rep didn't come overnight, and it didn't come easy.
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Oct 29, 2013 19:21
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hhhmmm posted:So there is this ultra competent killer guy. Who walks around in highly recognizable outfits and shot people in public places at broad daylight. He employs no stealth whatsoever and even revisits the same place regularly after shooting revengehappy gangbangers. He has never been apprehended or killed in a driveby because both police and the gangbangers are just too impressed with his professional demeanour. Mouzone doesn't really seem like he has much presence to the police, let alone the ones outside of New York. When he's introduced, a police officer passes right by him without any suspicion. He seems to just be prominent among other members of the game. Bubbles couldn't even identify him, if memory serves. "Guy in a suit with a bow-tie" didn't really take Kima and McNulty too far. Mouzone is very aware of his reputation and takes liberties here and there (his first mistake nearly costs him his life), but he has Lamar doing a lot of footwork and running errands for him, so he can remain elusive. Like others said, reputation is a hell of a thing. In season 3, he threatens to cut off Avon's reputation from New York which means so much to Avon that he gives up Stringer.
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Oct 29, 2013 20:19
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Meltathon posted:Mouzone's rep is so big that even though he primarily works out of New York, the Baltimore people still know and fear him. And even those who don't know (Cheese) learn pretty drat quick. The bowtie looks dorky and is good cover, but from a different perspective (after being shot) it indicates a man who doesn't need to project or brag how dangerous he is. A man who is clearly an outsider who just walks right into the lions den and starts telling locals how it's going to be is either a total fool or someone you absolutely should not gently caress with. For the edification of the audience, Cheese made this painful mistake. This is also where the "highly recognizable" outfit comes in because, although in the context of the show a gangster in a suit and tie is very unusual (thus signaling special status) a dude in a suit and tie on the street isn't out of place, even in the projects. If anything, he doesn't look like a typical gangster and so wouldn't attract extra attention. Especially if he looks like an educated, respectable, political black man (which he does, to me) it would cause seasoned beat cops to be wary when talking to him. The police wouldn't throw him around like a corner boy because Mouzone looks like the kind of guy who could file a suit and get someone fired. I can't even see Officer Walker putting Mouzone against a wall without some second thoughts. So shooting a guy in broad daylight in a crowded area was a relatively risky move but the payoff in showing the world just how scary you are. Extra points for wearing the All Business suit. boner confessor fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Oct 29, 2013 |
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Oct 29, 2013 20:57
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bucketybuck posted:Just started a rewatch of season 5, and I picked up on something I missed the first time round. One of the things that always intrigued me about that scene was that he made the sign of the cross before starting off, as if to ask forgiveness in advance. At least part of the reason is that he never really displayed any religious tendencies before!
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Oct 29, 2013 21:35
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Skeesix posted:One of the things that always intrigued me about that scene was that he made the sign of the cross before starting off, as if to ask forgiveness in advance. At least part of the reason is that he never really displayed any religious tendencies before! What about when he dismissed Bushmills as "Protestant Whiskey", preferring the Irish Catholic choice Jameson?
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Oct 29, 2013 22:15
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escape artist posted:What about when he dismissed Bushmills as "Protestant Whiskey", preferring the Irish Catholic choice Jameson? That's not necessarily a religious thing per se. "Irish Catholic" is a culture that many people identify as, even if they don't have strong religious beliefs.
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Oct 29, 2013 22:21
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Diabolik900 posted:That's not necessarily a religious thing per se. "Irish Catholic" is a culture that many people identify as, even if they don't have strong religious beliefs. It was a joke.
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Oct 29, 2013 22:22
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Skeesix posted:One of the things that always intrigued me about that scene was that he made the sign of the cross before starting off, as if to ask forgiveness in advance. At least part of the reason is that he never really displayed any religious tendencies before! Honestly I never interpreted that as being particularly religious. Seemed more of a 'just in case' deal, more of a psychological exercise rather than a religious one. He's basically resigning himself to the course of action, kind of a 'better to ask forgiveness than permission' thing.
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Oct 29, 2013 22:33
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Skeesix posted:One of the things that always intrigued me about that scene was that he made the sign of the cross before starting off, as if to ask forgiveness in advance. At least part of the reason is that he never really displayed any religious tendencies before! In a later scene, in episode four when they are at another dead body, he also asks Lester "never to tell his priest about this".
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Oct 30, 2013 01:11
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Wax Dynasty posted:
I appreciate it Wax that's really well done.
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Oct 30, 2013 02:35
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Isn't brother Mouzone based on the suspect in 2pac's murder? As in there was an identikit photo that was published by the police that is a ringer for Brother and was described as wearing a bowtie. Edit: Biggie, not 2pac exmachina fucked around with this message at 10:47 on Oct 30, 2013 |
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Oct 30, 2013 09:16
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exmachina posted:Isn't brother Mouzone based on the suspect in 2pac's murder? As in there was an identikit photo that was published by the police that is a ringer for Brother and was described as wearing a bowtie. No.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:20
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Pbuh life.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:43
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It's too bad about the timing. If I had access to my dvds I'd probably volunteer for a writeup or two as I actually kinda liked season 5.
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Nov 4, 2013 22:19
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Skeesix posted:It's too bad about the timing. If I had access to my dvds I'd probably volunteer for a writeup or two as I actually kinda liked season 5. I got a couple of things that need dealing with but I'm planning on getting started on season 5 in a day or so - it's almost time to wrap things up 
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Nov 4, 2013 22:29
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comes along bort posted:Speaking of I can't believe it took this long for someone to think of using this as an album/song title: Pusha T owns, not surprised he's a fan of The Wire.
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Nov 5, 2013 02:29
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Black Bones posted:Pusha T owns, not surprised he's a fan of The Wire. Clipse have been dropping Wire references going back to the first We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape. Plus there's the whole maybe they were actually coke dealers thing. I remember their former manager getting busted for running a drug ring a few years back.
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Nov 5, 2013 02:38
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There was a brilliant sketch that repeatedly referenced The Wire on SNL this last weekend.
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Nov 5, 2013 14:36
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Can you link it or find the name? I'd love to see it.
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Nov 5, 2013 17:04
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Sneaky Fast posted:Can you link it or find the name? I'd love to see it. It was the cold open. And it was basically this - http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/
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Nov 5, 2013 17:35
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exmachina posted:Isn't brother Mouzone based on the suspect in 2pac's murder? As in there was an identikit photo that was published by the police that is a ringer for Brother and was described as wearing a bowtie.  That is the suspect sketch of the person that killed Biggie. But I doubt Mouzone was based on that.
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Nov 5, 2013 18:29
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omg chael crash posted:Double post, sorry. Welcome to the club now make sure everyone you know watches this show. I wish this thread was more active because this really is the best show ever.
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Nov 5, 2013 19:53
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Buckhead posted:It was the cold open. And it was basically this - http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/ loving appalling comments as usual.
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Nov 5, 2013 21:12
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Buckhead posted:It was the cold open. And it was basically this - http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/09/85-the-wire/ No, it wasn't, and no, it wasn't. Seriously? Somebody makes a polite request and you reply with anger and disinformation? Stop being a dick. Here's the sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI0ib11evdU
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Nov 7, 2013 02:52
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So here we are, the fifth and final season of The Wire, the best television show ever made. The show always struggled with ratings, but thankfully HBO had quickly picked up that the relatively small audience were people who had subscribed to HBO ONLY to get The Wire, and that if the show was canceled, they would go too. This final season is frequently called the "worst" of the five seasons, though always with the qualifier that this still makes it amongst the best seasons of television ever made. Some people felt that the show "jumped the shark" with the serial killer storyline, though it's roughly on par with the Hamsterdam storyline in season 3. Others felt that the newspaper storyline was weak and too detached from the main story - to be fair it seems that the latter was entirely Simon's intention, but I do believe he was just a little too close to the subject matter to give it the even balance of institutions in previous seasons. This final season was only 10 episodes long, though David Simon has always insisted that had he felt he needed more episodes, HBO would have given them to him. That said, I can't help but feel that the first episode title of the season isn't just a reference to the newspaper downsizing/police financial restrictions, but also to the final season of their own critically lauded but low-rated television series. Season 5, Episode 1: More With Less Bunk posted:The bigger the lie, the more they believe. Bunk interrogates the suspect in a shooting, a sadly standard affair for him that he handles with practiced ease. The suspect - Deshawn - knows his rights and his keeping his mouth shut, but Bunk expertly manipulates him with a series of tricks that would never get past any lawyer. First he establishes that Deshawn was witnessed at the scene, then uses innocent information about his partner Monell to convince him that Monell is doing a deal and giving him up. He insists that Monell is being so helpful that they've gone out and bought him McDonalds, and Deshawn feels a sinking feeling in his gut when Bunk casually gives out the details of Monell's orders - it's exactly the type of thing that Monell always orders when they go there. Outside, a brash and confident Monell (one of the boys who Randy acted as lookout for at Edward Tilghman the previous season) is happy to have gotten his meal but still confused as to why the police offered it to him, and tells them he isn't telling them poo poo. As they pass the interrogation room (door now deliberately open) Deshawn gets a good look at him happily stuffing his face with fries and buys Bunk's story hook, line and sinker. What follows next feels utterly ridiculous, but is actually a real life thing that David Simon witnessed during his year shadowing Homicide for his book. Preparing three pieces of photocopied paper reading TRUE, TRUE, FALSE, the police tape Deshawn's hand to their photocopier and tell him it is a lie detector machine, and then ask him three questions - is this his name, is this where he lives, did he and Monell shoot their victim etc. Deshawn is convinced he has been caught dead to rights and bitterly complains that he should have left Monell at home and shot the guy himself (thus shifting the blame to Monell and wrapping him up in the deal as well), giving everything up voluntarily before his lawyer has even arrived. Bunk and Norris are delighted at the ease with which they've trapped him, impressing (and kind of depressing) a new young recruit to Homicide, and Bunk provides the epigraph for the episode before the new opening titles (complete with a new cover of Way Down In The Hole by Steve Earle) play.   It's easy to see comments like Norris' as indicative of the writers making little digs at society. While this is undoubtedly true, it makes perfect sense from a character standpoint for somebody like Norris to say this - because he does see the worst and stupidest examples of humanity on a day to day basis. Plus, it's hardly uncommon to hear everyday people make deprecating comments about their country, people and even themselves. Season 5 gets a little more flak on this issue than other seasons, but this type of thing goes right back to Carver telling Herc,"You can't call this a war... war's end," in season one, episode one. The Major Crimes Unit are still investigating Marlo, but the cracks are beginning to show for them while Marlo remains rock solid. While Sydnor and Kima are impressed with the continued discipline of the Stanfield soldiers (they frisk every visitor Marlo gets and remove any electronic devices they bring with them), they're getting tired of going through the same process of photographing visitors each day. They're in the surveillance van, while McNulty and Dozerman are on the roof getting photos of the actual meeting, Dozerman passing the time by complaining about not getting paid overtime and bringing up the story about Jimmy getting a blowjob from a "whore" (actually a sex slave) while on an undercover operation - Jimmy smiles but insists it never happened, and goes on photographing Marlo. The meet is with the leader of an independent drug crew, and Marlo is his charming old self as he blankly lays out the term of their "deal", the same that was offered to Bodie - their corner is now his corner, they will now get their product from him, there will be a 60-40 split, this is the way things are going to be. The independent tries to insist that the split needs to be 50-50 so he can keep paying his people, and Marlo indifferently tells him to just pay them less. Just like with the security guard, Marlo simply will not compromise or bend or give way, and tells the independent that he has two choices - take their package and a 60-40 split or "tool up" his people and wait for Chris, Snoop and their soldiers to come pay them a visit. Cowed and given absolutely no wriggle-room to save face, the independent has no choice but to accept - Marlo has decided he wants that corner, and so now that corner will be his. He leaves and Marlo gives instructions to a young soldier, who races to a scooter and heads off up the street, soon followed by Lester who is given warning by Kima and Sydnor. The MCU is going through the motions, but it's the same thing every day, and Marlo is showing no signs of loosening his discipline. The same can't be said at the Western, where Sergeant-in-Charge (SIC) Carver shares some cheerful insults with the squad as they note he is probably on his way to becoming Lieutenant. Things get serious when he tries to do the read-outs/warrants though, as the patrol and detectives angrily demand to know what is going on with their overtime and court pay. Things get very heated, and it is through sheer force of will that Carver is able to maintain control (impossible to imagine the Carver of season one being able to command that level of respect). But when he finally settles them down and has their attention, his own face falls as he gets to the first item in the read-out - all unmarked and marked cars will no longer be repaired and MUST continue to be used in their current state, no matter how bad their condition is. The squad erupts in a fury and Carver loses complete control, and this time he knows he won't be able to get it back - there is only so much "professionals" can take, the "New Day" that Carcetti promised seems a long way off right now for police who are owed 60+ hours of overtime and court pay and still have bills to pay, kids' education to pay for, alimony to cover etc. Freamon follows the scooter but stops once Sydnor and Kima pick it up, though they're sick of their assignment they're at least maintaining their own discipline and professionalism. That's the subject of discussion for Carver when he leaves his briefing to speak with the Western's new Major - Mello - who temporarily filled in for Colvin and has now stepped into Daniels' place, probably at Daniels' recommendation. Mello asks if he gave the professionalism speech (Carver did) but Carver points out that in the "real" world, they actually PAY professionals. He articulates the concerns pretty well, it's bad enough they're not getting paid overtime or court pay, but it was only a year ago that Carcetti went around every precinct and promised the men higher pay, pension bumps and better equipment. They're informed of trouble in the parking lot and head outside to find two officers arguing furiously over the condition of a patrol car, accusing the other of leaving it in its current filthy condition. They come to blows as other police enthusiastically cheer them on, and Carver asks Mello if he should break them up. When Mello gives no answer, he asks if the Major thinks this is good for morale, and Mello makes the sadly accurate point that at this point, the police force has NO morale at all. Freamon pulls up behind Kima and Sydnor and heads out onto the sidewalk, pretending to contemplate buying a newspaper while talking with the other two - the kid on the scooter drove around for half an hour before finally going to see Chris. Chris takes the message and tells the soldier with him - Michael - to go watch his corner, but he'll get in touch if he needs him if "it's on". Michael leaves and Chris turns to look directly at Freamon, Kima and Sydnor before leaving himself - he is fully aware of their presence. They get a call from McNulty that Marlo is on the move, and Dozerman asks McNulty if they should follow him. Jimmy, frustrated beyond belief, just grunts that there is no point, they already know where he is going. Burrell - still holding on to his Commissioner spot - and Rawls meet with Carcetti, Norman and Steintorf to discuss police finances, and its not good news. Carcetti wants to know if they can make MORE cuts, and Burrell informs him they've already cut to the bone. To Burrell and Rawls' great discomfort, Carcetti brings up the current crime stats, and when they tell him it is impossible to get the double digit decline he promised considering the financial situation they're in, Carcetti has the temerity to act offended and let down. He snaps that they need to give him "something", and insists that the police will be getting their backpay when they can afford it, and the payraise they were promised too... it's just going to be a year late, is all! He keeps searching for more things to "trim" and Rawls brings up the issue of the major investigation of the dead bodies they pulled out of the vacants. Norman - who was strongly considering leaving Carcetti's Administration at the end of season 4 - is outraged, they want to give up an investigation into TWENTY-TWO murders? Murders that put them on the national news as a disgrace? Rawls rather callously (but sadly, accurately) notes that this was last year's news, and that people will have already moved on/forgotten about it. Carcetti leaps in, saying he doesn't want to see any headlines saying they're giving up on the case.... buuuuutttttt..... and Rawls smoothly moves into place - they can "suspend the investigation pending new developments". That will save some money, but the police need something from Carcetti too - a lift on the 10 hour restriction on secondary employment. Again this outrages Norman, that means police will be spending most of their time working as bouncers or security guards or putting up drywall as contractors, NOT doing police work. But morale is at rock bottom and the police need some kind of financial relief, so if Carcetti won't pay them (now!) then at least he can let them go out and get paid elsewhere. He agrees and dismisses the highly uncomfortable meeting, shaking Burrell and Rawls' hands and insisting that once they're through this unpleasant situation, things will improve. Once they're gone, he turns to Norman and tells him to speak his mind - this is the reason he "keeps him around", as somebody who will cut through the bullshit and tell him the truth without politicking. Norman doesn't hesitate, he should have taken the Governor's money when it was on offer, fixed the schools and been free to give the police the payraise they were promised. Steintorf leaps quickly in, if he'd taken the money he would stand no chance of becoming Governor (barely two years after becoming Mayor!), but Norman as a counter for that - without the double digit decrease in crime he promised, he isn't going to be Governor either, just "a weak-rear end Mayor of a broke-rear end city".   Marlo meets with Chris, a meeting that lasts all of thirty seconds before they go their separate ways, frustrating the police further who have spent the whole morning following the convoluted path to get to this meeting. Marlo is simply passing on to Chris that the independent corner folded - "had no heart" as Marlo puts it - and so Chris can stand his men down, it will be a simple takeover of the corner. Marlo notes with amusement that the police have followed Chris to the meeting, and reveals that he is aware of McNulty and Dozerman watching him too. They have learned well since Marlo was brought into the Co-Op, and the days of the likes of Omar being able to casually watch Marlo's meetings unseen from a nearby building are long since gone. Most frustrating for the police is that they no longer use phones - when they were first up on Stanfield they had him on the phone during shooting practice making implied threats to a low level stashholder - now Marlo won't even talk on the phone to his most trusted man. Sydnor and Kima want to call it a day but Freamon - disciplined Freamon - wants to see where Chris goes next, but they buck at the suggestion, insisting that Chris doesn't slip and besides which they're not getting paid for any of their overtime. With a sigh, Freamon agrees and the surveillance ends for the day - they can't compete with the discipline or the money of the Stanfield Organization. At Michael's Corner, Dukie spots Michael approaching and asks Marcus or Spider if they have a count for him. "For you? No," is the reply, and they head away (joined by Kenard, who Michael took on despite thieving from Namond last season) without a word. Michael observes this and is not pleased, and asks Dukie why he lets them get away with this, then tells him to go home since Bug will soon be out of school. Dukie comments quietly that he isn't like Michael, but Michael just sends him on before confronting Spider. The older boy, who once considered Michael an interloper to HIS gym, gives him the count freely and tries to ignore Michael asking why he wouldn't tell Dukie, and Michael snaps at him to answer the question. Spider, older but subordinate, mumbles that it's just that Dukie is acting like a bitch, and Michael is unable to deny it - Dukie just isn't cut out for the Corner world. Back at the MCU office, Freamon observes their chart of meeting places and comments that the highly disciplined Stanfield Organization is "getting sloppy", they used the same meeting ground twice in one week! The others aren't overly impressed, this is hardly a sign that the case is about to crack open. Lester, disciplined and patient, insists that they will start to fall into pattens, all organizations do over time. Those last two words get everybody's attention, and they point out that they worked a 14 hour surveillance shift today and they're only going to be paid for eight hours of it. Filling in paperwork, McNulty reveals he is now up to 180 hours of overtime, all of it unpaid, and Kima notes the old truth that a case needs to go green before it can go black - they need financial support to make this case. Lieutenant Asher comes by, completely out of the loop on all their discussions and the investigation, still concentrating on the construction of his beloved lakehouse for his retirement. Freamon offers to buy a round or two of drinks for everybody and Kima says in that case she will drink "a round or two", and then approaches Asher to ask if he has heard anything about when overtime will start getting paid. Asher, who is no idiot despite his complete lack of involvement, says he hasn't been told anything... it seems he isn't "in the loop". Funnily enough, Burrell and Rawls are meeting with Daniels that night to give him the bad news - the MCU investigation is being shut down "pending further developments". He's disgusted, he's had his best people on the case (22 murders!) for over a year and the case is being shut down? Burrell seems to take a savage satisfaction in telling him that Carcetti is tangled up with the schools and has put the police on hold, and when Daniels tells them that Carcetti made personal promises, Rawls tells him he is free to please try and cash in any personal markers he can on behalf of the Department, they could use it! They hit him with the really hard news after that - money is now so tight that all Colonels and below are having their take-home cars taken from them. That alone is enough to tell Daniels - who bought into Carcetti's "new day" promise - that there is nothing that can be done, the money simply isn't there any longer. By comparison, at Michael's place there's a scooter parked in the living room and a widescreen television and X-Box hooked up in the completely paid for apartment provided free of charge by Marlo. CSI is playing on the television, which is amusing considering the difficulties we'll soon learn about Bunk facing re: the Department's "CSI". Michael and Bug are playing Connect 4, with Michael trying to show Bug when his moves are tactically unsound, and praising him when he makes a move that blocks off Michael or puts him into a bad situation. Dukie joins them and Michael tells him that he's decided Dukie doesn't need to put in time on the Corner if he doesn't want to, he'll still pay him regardless. Dukie has his pride, and asks exactly what he would be getting paid for, and Michael explains that he can't risk Dukie being locked up since then there will be nobody to look after Bug when he gets home from school. Dukie asks who will watch the Corner then, if not him? Spider will get the job on a week's trial to see how he does, and Dukie understands what has happened.... so what does this make him, then? A nanny? What does he do while Bug is at school? Clean the oven? Michael, irritated at Dukie forcing the issue when he's just trying to look out for a friend, tells him he can do whatever the hell he wants till Bug gets home, his time is his own. For Dukie, who has been desperately searching for a point to his life, this kindness is cruel - he doesn't want to be a charity case or a burden, but what does he have to offer? He's a school dropout who can't command respect on a Corner, just what the hell is there for him to do? Unlike the police, he's getting plenty of money, but getting no work at all. He walks away, a failure at "The Game" while Michael celebrates with Bug who has just beaten Michael at their game.   McNulty, so conscious in season 4 of his drinking problem, isn't holding back at all now. Taking up Freamon on his offer of "a round or two", he is drunk and complaining bitterly about the "lying motherfuckers" who convinced him to leave his patrolman's paradise to return to Major Crimes. Kima laughs that he was bored in Patrol, but he takes exception to that, furious at himself for believing in the "new day" promise and diving headfirst back into a Major Case only to have his hopes and dreams of REAL policework dashed yet again. Kima and Freamon are in more control of their faculties, but a morose Freamon admits that if he hadn't been taken off the wire during his initial investigation into the Stanfield Organization, he'd have had Marlo locked up a long time ago. McNulty leaps on that as proof that the Bosses simply can't do the right thing, it's not in them, and finds a kindred spirit when Bunk drunkenly comes through the door and greets his drunk ex-partner. McNulty, who kept himself so controlled in season 4, slurs to Bunk to "buy me a drink, you whore!" but Bunk grumpily asks with what, showing his own overtime paperwork. Freamon is surprised, he thought if anybody in the force was going to keep getting paid appropriately it would be homicide. Jimmy slaps his own 180 hours down on the bar and asks the bartender to give him credit at 50cents on the dollar, insisting he'll double his money when the overtime comes through. The bartender is having none of it, and points out what none of them want to admit - even when the city starts paying overtime again, there is no way in hell they're going to pay out for 180 hours worth for one man - Jimmy is NEVER going to get paid. So how do they pay their tab? Bunk and Freamon comically suggest robbing a store and begin divvying up roles, Kima agreeing to cover them. So who does that leave for a wheelman? They turn to Jimmy who can barely manage to take a seat without falling on his rear end, leering at a nervous lady at the bar. They laugh that every plan has a weak link, and go back to drinking. It's a funny scene, but also a depressing one - McNulty has a serious drinking problem, not helped by his "friends" insisting he drink more and not be "soft". Now that they've got him back drinking heavily, they turn him into a joke instead of recognizing that the stable family man and good patrolman is putting everything he worked so hard for at risk, not at all helped by the frustration and stress of his return to "real" police work. The next day opens appropriately enough with a shot of The Baltimore Sun logo... behind bars. Staff are smoking out by the loading bay, three of them discussing the potential for layoffs or branch closures, though with an air of detachment since they all have "seniority". They joke about the Managing Editor's propensity for hiring a "certain type" of attractive 20-something female, most of whom can't write worth a lick. One of them - Gus Haynes - heads inside and up the stairwell, then does his rounds through the cubicles, hurrying up a young writer to make deadline, asking what another is working on, chiding two staffers for simply watching smoke from a fire somewhere in the city and not informing the police reporter to investigate etc. Gus is the City Desk Editor, his job is to manage all reporting on local news and get it together for each edition of the paper, which means he's always up and about and pursuing something or somebody, or dealing with problems and finding what solutions he can. Gus will be the focal point of the newspaper storyline, played by director Clark Johnson, and is meant to fill a rough parallel to McNulty in that he is a no-nonsense guy who bucks the system and tries to force the institution he works in to "do the right thing". Unfortunately, either due to the time constraints of the final season, or David Simon's inability to distance himself enough from the character, or maybe being TOO subtle about Gus' misguided priorities... the character comes across as a Super-Journalist type who can do no wrong, about as close as you will ever get to a Mary-Sue in The Wire. It's a drat shame, too. Carcetti and Nerese Campbell meet with the US Attorney to discuss a potential solution to the city's crime problems and Carcetti's political ones. They want to take a number of their pending criminal trials and move them Federal to take advantage of stricter jail time for firearms offenses, effectively removing a number of criminals from Baltimore for at least 5 years when they might be out in a few months otherwise. He's also seeking Federal support to cover the rowhouse murders, and the US Attorney notes that he could spare probably a dozen FBI Agents plus all the resources they need to work that case.... but that help comes (of course) at a cost. The State's Attorney has been building a case against Clay Davis, and the US Attorney wants THAT case to go Federal too, and give them a prize scalp. Carcetti points out that Bond is the one who makes that call, it is up to him whether the case goes Federal, but the US Attorney notes that Carcetti could certainly apply pressure or otherwise convince Bond to give up the case. Both are under no illusions though, the US Attorney wants Clay Davis because he's a Republican, and successfully prosecuting Clay would be a huge blow to the integrity of the Democrats. The Attorney does point out, quite correctly, that Clay Davis is amongst the most corrupt politicians in the country regardless of which party he is in and he shouldn't be protected just because he is a Democrat. I have to side with Carcetti on this at least, since it's not like they're NOT prosecuting Davis, it's just being done at the State level rather than the Federal - but the Democrats being the ones to prosecute a Democrat Senator makes the party look good. The meeting devolves into a shouting match, with Carcetti roaring at the US Attorney that Bond told him to go gently caress himself and Carcetti is going to double-down on that. The US Attorney leaves with a sarcastic,"Good luck with your crime problem", and Norman enters to wryly observe that the meeting clearly didn't go well. Nerese points out that pissing off the US Attorney may have been a bad idea, as Bond is clearly looking to scalp Clay to help his own political career, he wants to be Mayor of Baltimore one day. Carcetti warns her that Clay getting taken down would likely bring down half the Royce Administration with it, but she smirks and says she isn't concerned about that (Nerese knows how to cover herself), but he should be - because he just turned down the only viable solution they had to fix the city's police problems. The MCU have picked back up surveillance of Marlo, and Kima and Dozerman are bemused to see he's gone to a nice hotel for what appears to be a booty call. Dozerman says he's happy just to see Marlo has some kind of hobby outside of being a drug kingpin, and they look no further into things. Inside, of course, Marlo stops being loving and hugging to the woman and coldly explains to a waiting Chris that she's to be taken to the room and given the run of the place, and once she is settled in Chris must take care of "that other thing". Marlo himself is going to a New Day Co-Op meeting (their "New Day" came and they're making plenty out of it), he's lead Kima and Dozerman right to a gathering of all the most powerful druglords in Baltimore City and they haven't got a clue. The issue on the New Day Co-Op's mind is an old concern - gentrification. East Side territory is being taken over not by a rival organization, but by corporations looking to do up the area and entice affluent young couples and respectable businesses/stores. This means that East Side drug territory is moving to different locations, particularly towards the county, and the question is who gets what? Marlo speaks up immediately, new territory is up for grabs, surely? Prop Joe agrees that this is usually the case, but considering the nature of their Co-Op, he thinks it is in everybody's best interest that those being moved out by gentrification should take that new territory. Marlo notes that Joe is East Side so he's profiting himself, and a bemused Joe replies that his own territory is unaffected, but that HE is capable of thinking about others than himself and the kingpins he had in mind are others at the table, who nod their appreciation. Again we see the difference in how Joe handles things and how Marlo handles things - for Marlo it was important to show no flexibility at all when dealing with the independent crew, he simply imposed his will on them and they were forced to accept it. Joe sees new territory open up and gives it to others who are losing their own to a force they can't contend with (old, white money), and thus gains their gratitude and support. Marlo wants to rule through fear, Joe is happy to rule through networking and relationship building. Marlo perceives that as a weakness and he probes mercilessly for more, openly suggesting that maybe somebody new should hold that territory, and putting Slim Charles on the spot by asking if he wants the chance to run a territory himself. Slim glares at Marlo and pointedly tells him no, he's fine where he is. The others note that Marlo is out of line and Joe reminds him that he is the one who dictates where his Lieutenants will go. Marlo shrugs and says he was merely seeing how things were, and Slim leans in close to warn Joe that Marlo is clearly up to some poo poo, they need to keep an eye on him. Cheese, on the other side of Joe, is also watching Marlo intently, but for entirely different reasons - he's thinking yeah, why SHOULDN'T he be given control of this new territory?    The last time we saw Bubbles, he was sitting near-catatonic in a psychiatric ward before breaking down with grief and guilt over Sherrod's death, now we see him seemingly still in a near-catatonic state, sitting in a basement. A voice calls out,"Reginald" and eventually he comes back to himself, it's his sister and that is his real name. He walks to the foot of the stairs and she tells him that she's about to head out for night shift, which she has every night this week... which means he has to go. Upset, he tells her he'll just stay quietly in the basement but she insists, part of the agreement for letting him stay was that he not be in the home unless she was physically present.... the last time she left him alone in the house he dragged half her kitchen away to sell for drugs. He tells her she could lock the door but she won't be moved, she has far too much bad experience to take him at his word. So, miserably, he grabs a coat and heads outside, nothing to do and nowhere to go, fighting that ever present need to get high that will NEVER leave him. Chris is driven to the Courthouse, confusing Sydnor and McNulty who are following him. McNulty agrees to follow him in, while inside Daniels and Pearlman are letting Bond know the unpleasant news about the MCU being shut down. As they fill him in on the severe financial cutbacks the police are suffering, Bond's focus remains on the Clay Davis case, how does the MCU closing down affect that? Pearlman explains that Freamon will return to Homicide once there is no MCU, and she needs him for this case, he is the one who has collected almost ALL the dirt they've been able to put together on the Senator. They're interrupted by a friendly request for directions and Pearlman tells the man where to go, none of them aware that they've just assisted Chris Partlow, number two man for the Organization they're currently discussing the case against. Bond tells Daniels he'll go to the meeting with Carcetti in an hour to give what help he can, and asks Daniels to meet him in his office now to bring him up to speed on all the details. At the Baltimore Sun, an editorial meeting sees the Managing Editor, Klebanow, confused as to why they're behind The Daily Record on a story about funding cuts for the MTA. Several editors wince and he's reminded that they haven't had a Transport Reporter since the last round of buy-outs, but he calmly tells them this is no excuse for not covering the story - they simply have to do "more with less", the catch cry of efficiency experts the world over. They're joined unexpectedly by James Whiting, the Executive Editor, whose presence soon becomes apparent when the Regional Affairs Editor brings up a story on the University of Maryland not making its desegregation goals again. He quickly speaks up to tell them about how the numbers don't tell the full story, the campus is far more hospitable to minorities now, why he was having lunch with his good friend the Dean of Journalism just the other day who told him all about how black Faculty and students have all felt a transformation in the campus! Gus sarcastically asks if "Dean Wormer, Dean Martin, whatever his name is" is white, and Whiting (holy God his name is Whiting) the white guy tells Gus that the Dean is an excellent journalist and credible source, and race is beside the point. The Regional Editor is overridden, they won't write a story on the deseg goals until they've had a chance to "really research" the issue and get a better understanding of how things are at the University. With that the meeting is dismissed, and the Regional Editor asks Gus why he poked him - Gus insists he did no such thing, a healthy newsroom is one where people argue about everything, and if he feels a way about a story he's going to question it. He admits that maybe the "Dean Martin" line was a "little poke" before continuing on back to his desk. Here we see what - for me - is one of the major problems of the newsroom storyline, one that will only get worse as the season continues. Gus is oh-so-clever and witty and everybody finds his snide little remarks so charming, while his Bosses are either ignorant or easily duped or just earnestly stupid. Characters like McNulty have obvious flaws, characters like Burrell and Rawls get a chance to show they are deeper characters with some talents or skills that show why they are in the positions they are in. Whiting (his name is Whiting and his first appearance is to pour water over a story about a University failing to meet desegregation goals  ) and Klebanow never look like they are anything but dopes with no business being in journalism.  In the Courthouse, Chris is given one of the freely available documents on prior cases, a folder on Sergei Malatov, muscle and driver for The Greeks from way back in season 2. All he really wants is the photo, which he slips into his pocket before leaving, grinning broadly at McNulty who is "casually" hanging around outside. McNulty heads into the office and spots the folder on the counter, fascinated and confused - what does Chris Partlow want with Sergei, who was sentenced to jail for the rest of his life? He returns to Sydnor and brings up the port case they worked, and Sydnor reminds him that he didn't work that case with him so no, he doesn't remember. McNulty, interest piqued, notes that Chris Partlow does. That night at The Baltimore Sun, Gus goes over a story on a building fire and calls over the writer - Alma Gutierrez - to explain a flaw she made in her story. She noted that 100+ people were evacuated, but she should have said that the building was evacuated. The Copy Editor - Jay Spry - explains that evacuating people requires giving them an enema, the kind of detail that is easy to miss and is exactly why people like Gus and Jay exist, or rather why their positions do - somebody has to pick up on these details and pass on their knowledge to the next generation of reporters. Gus looks through the photographs of the fire in East Baltimore and is disgusted to see an abandoned doll in the foreground, and gets on the phone to the Art Department to insist they give him something else to print. It seems that this particular photographer ALWAYS includes a burned doll in whatever fire photos he brings them, Gus is sure his car has a trunk full of burned dolls just waiting to be used. The Sun can't allow staged photographs to be used, that's another important role of the Editor, to spot these things and nip them in the bud. He's brought a report on the Council Meeting, where the homeless intiative was shelved at Carcetti's request because it's not something the city can afford right now - this seemingly insignificant bit of news will have a huge impact on the rest of the season, but at the moment nobody sees any real news merit in it. As Alma looks up evacuation in the dictionary and another young reporter called Scott Templeton complains that Baltimore is a lovely news town - the only story that went National recently was the rowhouse murders and "they didn't even solve it"! - Gus proves another vital function of the Editor: experience. He calls over the reporter who brought him the Council meeting story, he's spotted a name in the section on zoning that stands out - Ricardo Hendrix. Enthused, he tells the reporter to dig up everything he can on the bill, especially who sponsored it, a bill that will see one property being traded for another. So what's the big deal? The property in question is a strip club, and Ricardo Hendrix is Fat Face Rick the East Side drug kingpin. He tells Alma to go to the club and tell Rick that they'll put his face on the front page of the paper every day till they get a comment, and tells Scott to go to the (newspaper) morgue and collect whatever background research he can for the story. Scott is aghast, he goes to the morgue to collect data while Alma gets to go to a strip club!?! At City Hall, Bond and Daniels find Carcetti and Norman hurrying down the corridor apparently on their way out. Carcetti asks if they're late for the Council Meeting and Daniels reminds him they had a meeting scheduled, something that Carcetti was completely unaware of. Norman explains they've been running late all day and somebody was supposed to call Daniels to let him know, and Carcetti asks if they can reschedule. Infuriated, Daniels explains the MCU has been shut down and Carcetti tells him they'll reopen when they have money again and can pick up the investigation then, which maddens Daniels even more since investigations don't work that way. Carcetti snaps back, tired of telling everybody that he's not being tight, they literally have no money to spend, and Bond breaks in to explain that this effects the Clay Davis case too. Carcetti, who just burned his bridges backing Bond against the US Attorney on this, is shocked, the MCU is handling that too? Making a quick decision, he tells them he'll tell Rawls to let two detectives stay on, and they can get the rest back down the road when they have money. With that he's off for a Charity function, leaving behind a seething Daniels - once Carcetti's biggest supporter - to note to (a satisfied!) Bond that one thieving politician trumps 22 murders. At a bar, old Western district buddies Colicchio, Dozerman and Carver are complaining to Herc about the sorry state of the police force. Herc, living proof of the non-existence of karma, is wearing an expensive suit and looking good, flush with cash and living a successful life. He was kicked off the force for conduct unbecoming but got out just in time, and lawyers were quick to leap on employing a former police officer with active connections in the world of law and order. Herc shows off his suit and declares it puts the b in subtle, and Colicchio proves again he is an even dumber version of Herc by asking,"There's a b in subtle?" Herc has come to see them to catch up, but also because he's hoping one of them can run some tags for him and get him information for his employer. They stare coldly at him till he "suddenly" remembers that he's buying the next round, and everybody gathers around chummily, Carver slapping him on the back - his old friend whose incompetence destroyed the life of a young boy forever. At The Sun, Gus and Jay are reviewing the story on Fat Face Rick when they're joined by Klebanow, and they catch him up on events. Fat Face Rick is selling his property for 1.2million dollars and being sold a property five blocks away for 200k, meaning he can move his club and pocket a million dollars profit perfectly legitimately. Even better, Nerese Campbell sponsored the bill and Fat Face Rick is listed as donating 40k to her reelection fund, and they've found multiple donations from others all listing their address as the strip club. Klebanow is impressed and asks why this didn't come up in the budget meeting, and Gus is quick to give the reporter - Jeff Price - the credit, saying he caught it late in his own notes on the meeting, but he did catch it. Klebanow gives them the front page (below the fold), congratulating them on a job well done, and Gus' night only improves when Jeff calls him to tell him he has an official quote from Nerese but she also wants to speak to Gus "off the record". With great delight he takes the call and listens to the clearly concerned Council President explain and justify why the property transfer was necessary and good for the city, then hits her hard by pointing out that Fat Face Rick's new property has twice the floor space.... and is it true he donated 60k to her campaign? They finish up the call and Jeff gives Jay the on the record quote, while Gus considers that Nerese didn't question the 60k figure when Rick was only listed as donating 40k, and tells Scott to keep hunting to find the other 20k, much to his consternation. Scott wants the exciting parts of the job, going to strip clubs or getting the Council President on the line and hitting her with tough questions. Nevermind that Gus has well over a decade (if not more) of experience, he wants that now. A drunk McNulty is successfully flirting with a woman at a bar, and excuses himself to make a call to Beadie. He is about to use the payphone in the bar but when he reaches for change he finds his cellphone and remembers these things exist. Calling Beadie, he tells her they're working late while bar music plays loudly in the background and people laugh and clink glasses together, insisting hes not drunk but he won't be home till later. Hanging up, he nods to the girl at the bar before heading into the toilet, perhaps he's sensible enough to at least buy a condom. Bubbles walks the streets, past touts and dealers and junkies. As he passes an alleyway he spots a junkie he knows staggering down the street, braces himself and then passes him by. The junkie suddenly calls out to him and Bubbles turns, the junkie happily greeting him. Bubbles nods and the junkie continues on, not pressing the clearly clean Bubbles for money or drugs or suggesting they go get high together, and a relieved Bubbles continues on - he's not going anywhere but he can't stay still, he has to keep moving. The Sun staff retire to a quiet bar for drinks to celebrate doing some honest to God journalism, where Gus declares that it's a good night when a politician calls you a son of a bitch. He calls out a credit to Alma at the bar for getting such a good quote from Rick, and Jay asks how she did it. She explains she simply went in, sat down and watched the girls till Rick approached HER, asking if she was looking for a job, at which point she hit him with the questions. Scott quietly notes to her she deserves more than a Contrib Line for her part but she's happy with her part, so what does HE want? He wants to work for The Times or The Post, and scoffs when she tells him The Sun is still a pretty good paper to work for, leaving him alone at the bar as she goes to join the others. Beadie sits up in bed waiting for McNulty to return. Finally tired of waiting, she checks in on her kids, goes to the front door, looks outside to see if he's there then closes the door and switches on the front light before going to bed. There's a light on for McNulty, he just has to want to find his way home. The next morning, Bubbles is back in his basement preparing for his work, making his bed and listening to the sounds of life up above him where he not allowed to go. He shoulders his bag and heads out the door, at least now he has somewhere to go. At the MCU, Daniels is telling everybody where they will go. Hating every second of it, he informs them that whatever money is still going to the police is in Patrol and Crime Suppression, even though he agrees with Sydnor that just sitting on Stanfield's people every day has had a limiting effect on their own (visible) crimes. McNulty glares sullenly as Daniels dishes out the new assignments, with Kima and McNulty back to Homicide, Dozerman to Tactical, Asher to fill a vacant shift in another district while Freamon and Sydnor are now attached to the State's Attorney's office for the Clay Davis Grand Jury. He lamely offers the same thing that Carcetti did, that when the money is back they'll all be back on this too, then mutters sorry before walking out the door, having dismantled what has been his baby since day one - a unit devoted entirely to high end, quality police work. McNulty yells after him tha the wonders what it feels like to work in a real police department, echoing an earlier statement by a Sun staffer that he wanted to know what it was like to work for a real newspaper - in Baltimore, one institution is much the same as another. Bubbles' job is selling newspapers on the median strip to cars waiting in traffic. Nerese Campbell buys a copy of The Sun from him and waves off the change, and as he continues on down the line of traffic she rolls up her window and whispers furious obscenities as she reads the front page story on her connection to a known drug dealer - it's not a good day to be the Council President.   At The Sun, they read their own paper, and Bill Zorzi (Courthouse Reporter) is impressed, asking when the story broke and stressing again it's a good loving story. Alma is pleased too but Scott seems irritated, heading to Gus' desk and asking who is doing the React Piece. Jeff is, since he's technically the person who broke the story (he isn't, he completely missed the significance) and Scott says that he'd like a shot at it, he needs a story. Gus nods and tells him to stay hungry, but offers him nothing else, leaving Scott frustrated while Gus goes back to his usual routine of admonishing the city desk to get him their proposed stories before the budget deadline. Herc's employer is revealed to be Levy, and Herc is proving just as obtuse with this Boss as all his others. He's reading the sports section instead of the front page, where one of their clients is being identified as a drug dealer. Herc hands over the information that Levy needed and laughs that it only cost him a round of drinks, the police are suffering so badly from financial restrictions... and Levy proves why attention to details isn't only important for journalists - he only bought ONE round? Herc, who had been in the middle of complaining about being fired for pulling over a black Minister (it was actually for stealing and losing a camera!) is confused, and Levy points out that none of those other officers should have had to buy a round. Herc is a prominent Defence Investigator now... it's time he learned about the expense account. Money might be tight for the police, but it sure as hell isn't for Levy's law firm. McNulty and Kima return to Homicide, much to the former's disgust - he was happy in Patrol, he came to MCU with the promise of a "new day", and now he's back in Homicide, where he was never happy. He walks to his old desk, where the new young Homicide Detective, and grunts that it is HIS desk. The detective is confused, what the hell is this? But when McNulty just stands glaring and a beaming Landsman gives him the nod, he takes his coat and moves away. McNulty settles down in his old seat and Landsman, reading The Sun, of course, chuckles,"The prodigal son." McNulty lashes out, kicking the desk in a fury - his rage is building to the point that he is now ready to do something desperate and very, very, very stupid. The Baltimore Sun will play a key role in it, and when all is said and done, Gus will never have a clue just how big a story was right there just beneath his own white whale.  
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Nov 7, 2013 02:59
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