The Wire rewatch: I Went to Hampsterdam and All I Got Were These Lousy Spiderbags

[Summah]

I d

To be honest, I still have no idea why McNulty felt the need to pretend to be a racist. The guy gave no indication that he wouldn't cooperate. Did he just feel like being in the skin of a racist that day?

Sometimes McNulty did stuff that made no sense, even considering how self destructive he was.

[Summah]

Slapstick and Reformation.

It's getting close to the end for Stringer, the acting by IE and WH is brilliant here, especially in Reformation, they're always good, but the second half of season 3 is like a whole nother level.

I love Brother Mouzone and the siren, most shows would have had a flashback, but the Wire trusts us to remember or not.

I think Royce thinking seriously about Hansterdam having positive effects is maybe the only time I had any respect for him.

[WarGalley]

I've been out of the loop with a new job so haven't been able to re-watch the episodes..

This week's eps are Back Burners and Moral Midgetry.

McNulty manipulating Prez into researching Carcetti's campaign advisor is really low, even for him. And the whole racist schtick with the cop in that town, such an asshole.

Wait what? What does McNulty do with Prez?

I love Brother Mouzone and the siren, most shows would have had a flashback, but the Wire trusts us to remember or not.

What was the deal with the siren?

[Summah]

Wait what? What does McNulty do with Prez?

He gets Prez to research the political strategist (the one working for Carcetti) that he's sleeping with, getting her phone # etc, leading him to believe it's legit police work.

What was the deal with the siren?

I believe it was a memory of Omar calling 911 after he shot BM and foreshadowing the two working together.

[Jack Bauer 24]

Does anyone like McNulty?

[The Wolves]

Does anyone like McNulty?

I did, but he like everyone else had issues.

[Werthead]

Note on the HD remastering of The Wire. It's happening, but it was delayed at the last minute (after some promos started airing), with no new air date set.

[Summah]

I don't like McNulty.

The other thing in this weeks episodes, and I thought this was actually quite topical, was Colvin's comments to Carver about how he (and his entire generation) cannot be effective police because they have become soldiers in the war on the drugs and given that a lot of recent discussion has centered around the militarization of police in general I thought this was interesting, and Colvin was one of the brightest, if unconventional higher ranking police in the series.

[Summah]

Middle Ground & Mission Accomplished

The dialogue and chemistry between Omar and Brother Mouzone is great, MKW has great chemistry with a lot of other actors on the show as well, but I really like these two, and his dialogue, Omar-speak is always entertaining.

It's an interesting piece of foreshadowing that Avon calls Stringer a n$&@%r (er not a) when talking about his dealings with Clay Davis etc because this is before he gives BM and Omar permission to kill Stringer and tells them where he'll be (which is much more than just permission), I think he sees Stringer as a problem just as Stringer sees Avon as a problem but I think hadn't decided what to do with them.

I'm never quite sure what to make of Stringer and Avon's last night together. They both think it's the end (or close) for different reasons, I'm not sure if all that reminiscing is meant as a goodbye or if it's just cold.

And I think as amazing as Idris Elba has been in the Wire previously, the end of this episode, the first time I saw it, is what made me think he was not just a good actor but a brilliant actor. This time I watched it on my tablet and really got a good close up of his face and wow, I don't think that's something most actors are capable of.

I think Avon's reaction to Stringer's death is fascinating, especially compared to how he reacted to D's death. He seems quite depressed. He doesn't seem to me as if he feels guilty, just depressed, as if his BFF died and he had nothing to do with it.

And then we have almost everything ending, Hamsterdam shut down (some trivia, the real filming location, those particular boarded-up row houses which were actually on the east side were also bulldozed a few year ago), Barksdale organization destroyed, Colvin's career ruined and of course Carcetti, like a cockroach will thrive in this situation and use it to his advantage.

I think I would have benefited by waiting to watch the last episode, Middle Ground is so powerful that even though Mission Accomplished is good, it just feels I don't know less good in comparison, but I'm already late with this weeks epps, although half the time I'm talking to myself here so maybe it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

Next week, on to the best season.

[Mark Antony]

Avon and Stinger on the balcony! That scene man. Favorite scene of the series.

And yes Omar and Mouzones cold open is also classic.

[Shryke]

I think Avon's reaction to Stringer's death is fascinating, especially compared to how he reacted to D's death. He seems quite depressed. He doesn't seem to me as if he feels guilty, just depressed, as if his BFF died and he had nothing to do with it.

He's sad that Stringer is gone.

Avon knows how to play the game but that doesn't mean he's always happy about it.

[Mack Kilimaro]

"Get on with it, motherf--"

Best death in the series? One of the more memorable ones in all of television, IMO.

[Talleyrand]

"Get on with it, motherf--"

Best death in the series? One of the more memorable ones in all of television, IMO.

Agreed, though the best line of the episode for me has to be.

Omar: It's boarded up on both sides, so we'll have to go in through the front.

Brother Mouzone: That's a change for you, isn't it?

[Summah]

This was a great opening episode. It really sets up the season and the main story lines well. The 8th graders, Marlo's crew, the cops, the politics.

Boys of Summer & Soft Eyes

My perspective on the kids is so different now, because I know a lot more about them and how they end up. As good as it is, it's also depressing because I know Namond is the only one who comes out ok. I think though it was obvious that Randy and Dukie were going to have a rough time from the beginning, and seeing it again, the clues are there that Michael was much more suited for the game than Namond was. I wonder how much this has to do with Namond (like D) having a cushier upbringing and not made hard or even turned into a sociopath by his environment like some of the other characters. It's also clear how much harder than Nay that Michael is, the posturing at the gym, but what I think really displays it is the scene with Marlo where he's not afraid to make direct eye contact with him after turning down his money.

Of course there is still the game and the cops. Now it's Marlo as the top of the west side kingpin, and the clever, creepy and cold way Chris and Snoop dispose of bodies (I still think about dead bodies in boarded up row houses when I'm near a whole block of them). The hardware store scene was funny, I really can't imagine it working nearly as well with another character. I think the way Marlo gives money to kids to make himself more famous is sad and pathetic.

Herc was told to act dumb, hahahaha.

Carcetti acts like a child, temper tantrums and all for a lot of the first episode, if he wants it so badly why does he act like that? But then of course at the in the second ep debate he's on.

Something that I never noticed before, towards the end of the episode when he's getting picked up right before he sees the poll results, Carcetti says he deserves a bump and then sniffs and wipes his nose, which is quite suggestive to say the least. I don't remember any other hints about that, although it would explain some of his behavior.

[Talleyrand]

I think the way Marlo gives money to kids to make himself more famous is sad and pathetic.

I think it works as quite a good contrast between him and Avon. Barksdale gave his 15 grand to Cutty but didn't want his name anywhere near, doing it seemingly either as a favour to a loyal ex soldier or just to give something back. Marlo on the other hand is giving out small amounts on the street specifically so people will know he did so and be grateful to him and even then he seems to begrudge it

[Summah]

It's also foreshadowing of what happens to Marlo, in the final episode when he comes back and talks to the kids and they don't know who he is.

[Summah]

Home Rooms & Refugees

I think the opening of Home Rooms with Omar is interesting, how people react to him and call out. The bag of drugs that comes down when he sits to light up a cigarette is classic. It's also huge foreshadowing for how he dies. It's also ironic that Omar ends up with the ring after all.

Not that I expect much of her, but De'Londa was unnecessarily cruel to Dukie.

I know it's never said explicitly, not even later on when he asks for help, but I think it's very clear here that Michael is a victim of some sort of abuse, and even here, you on first viewing I think you could guess most likely sexual abuse at this point because of the way he reacts to Cutty for example.

This whole thing with Marlo shoplifting and the security guards, I think that was really petty, even for Marlo. I really can't imagine Avon getting into a situation like that and then sending his soldiers after the guy.

[Shryke]

Home Rooms & Refugees

I think the opening of Home Rooms with Omar is interesting, how people react to him and call out. The bag of drugs that comes down when he sits to light up a cigarette is classic. It's also huge foreshadowing for how he dies. It's also ironic that Omar ends up with the ring after all.

Not that I expect much of her, but De'Londa was unnecessarily cruel to Dukie.

I know it's never said explicitly, not even later on when he asks for help, but I think it's very clear here that Michael is a victim of some sort of abuse, and even here, you on first viewing I think you could guess most likely sexual abuse at this point because of the way he reacts to Cutty for example.

That Michael has been sexually abused in the past hass, to me, always been blatantly obvious. I like the way the show plays it though. They don't have to call attention to it cause they assume the viewer isn't dumb.

This whole thing with Marlo shoplifting and the security guards, I think that was really petty, even for Marlo. I really can't imagine Avon getting into a situation like that and then sending his soldiers after the guy.

I don't think it's at all petty for Marlo. It's a perfectly illustration of the difference between Marlo and Avon. Marlo cares about his reputation and his image probably more then anything else. The security guard cannot be allowed to even brush up against that without retribution.

Plus, Marlo has always been one to shoot-and-stuff-in-a-rowhouse now and ask questions never. Every potential problem or slight or whatever has one solution.

[Mr. X]

They don't have to call attention to it cause they assume the viewer isn't dumb.

I think that sums up a lot of what makes The Wire so great.

[Summah]

First, a housekeeping issue, this season has 13 episodes, so we can either have a week with just one episode or a week with 3 episodes. Personally I suggest that we watch the final episode of season 4 in it's own week, because three in a week might be a little difficult to manage. Anyone else who's still doing the rewatch, what do you all think?

Alliances & Margin of Error

So, something I never understood about the whole thing with Bubbles and Sherrod. I get that Bubbles doesn't want Sherrod on a corner and I understand why he wants him to go to school. But after Bubbles saw that he was illiterate and he was still socially promoted to 8th grade despite missing years of school, how exactly is school going to help him? He really can't keep up or even catch up, not without a lot more resources than that school and Bubbles have.

Oh...most of the politicians are horrible, but Carcetti can be so smarmy (then again so is O'Malley). The church scene was interesting. Because Royce looked right at home, and Carcetti and especially his wife looked uncomfortable, just so white, which was I'm sure quite intentional.

The first time I saw this episode I thought the stuff about Randy believing zombie stories was kinda funny, but on this rewatch, because I know what happens to him, there's an added layer of tragedy. Although we do get Dukie's best line: "there ain't no special dead. There's just dead."

De'Londa is a terrible mother, Brianna cuts her off, so of course the answer is to send her 8th grader, who is not cut out for the game, out to deal drugs rather than trying to earn money herself.