Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyit
Oh, the joy. Having only caught up with Ep 4 last night, I was able to watch Ep 5 tonight. It was just like the old box-set days. The Wire: it is a miniature of an entire city. You follow Templeton into a soup kitchen to get some "react quotes" for McNulty's Scotch-mist serial killer ("he bites"), and the guy who runs the place goes into the kitchen, muttering something about the reporter being "no Bob Woodward" (ouch! after the failed trip to Washington, that hurts!) and who's cleaning pots and pans in there? Only Bubs, who we'd almost forgotten about. But no, like all the other living, breathing inhabitants of this miniature city, his life goes on. Next, he's talking to Steve Earle about taking a test for "the bug" and we learn just that bit more about Bubs' fears of leaving the junkie's life behind. He's got to keep the devil down in the hole. Meanwhile, up top, where the air is thin, Senator Clay Davis - so very nearly a comic creation and yet not - delivers one of his best "Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyit"s to date - he didn't even cross the "t", it just faded out. I don't know about you, but I'm on the edge of my seat about the way this Zodiac-like serial killer is getting out of hand, with both McNulty and Templeton - for different reasons - slapping mud on the fiction. (I saw Zodiac on TV again the other week - one of the best American films of last year - and it reminded me of The Wire: lots of men in shirt sleeves talking to each other on phones and in offices and all glued together with the laborious nature of policework.) I'll be honest, it took me a few goes before I worked out who Omar and the soul-singing Donnie were staking out, but the gun battle snapped me out of that. So many shots fired by so many black people at other black people. And didn't we all get up on our feet and cheer when McNulty landed a wire for Lester! It's like the good old days again. Somebody else will have to explain to me why Marlo accepted the cell from the Greek on the bench. Is it some kind of cover? To wrongfoot the likes of Lester? The yellow Post-It with his number on became a terrific McGuffin as it travelled from Levy's Rolodex, via Herc, to Carver, and then to Lester. And they gave us Cutty back! He looked different somehow, but the gym and his big barrel chest and slow delivery were unmistakable. We had emotional content too, this week, with McNulty's ex-wife's pleas about Beadie, and Beadie tapping up Bunk for love advice. Never overplayed, these scenes. And how sweet the irony that Clay Davis was bumped from the Sun's front page by a non-existent serial killer.Click. Hiss. Now what?
- My girl has gone, and said goodbye
- Don't you cry, hold your head up high
- Don't give up, give love one more try,
- 'Cause there's a right girl for every guy
posted by Andrew Collins @ 12:15 AM
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9 Comments:
I have to say, watching it last night - it seemed to me to be the drama version of Songs in the Key of Life. And you could have easily gone with 'If it bleeds it leads', but your Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyit was better than my attempt.
This might interest you, concerning Omar and Donnie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Little_and_associates
Incidentally, what happened to Omar jumping out of the building happened to Donnie for real, according to David Simon. Oh, and Denise 'Fran' Boyd was the nurse that took the sample from Bubs.
There are levels to this show that you could still explore even after it has finished to become a true anorak like me.
Machine Levine
I think Marlo's new phone has another unconventional way for him to let the Greeks know he needs a 're-up' (look at me using street talk. I won the Observer box set competition by knowing what that meant. Shame I had them all already with series 5 on the way). That's why we saw Lester's confused expression right at the end when he didn't quite know what the wire was telling him.
I love the Templeton/McNulty story line. Both lying for their own reasons. I wonder if they get together and confess to each other later.
But poor old Beadie (I'd always thought it was Beattie). Terrible that Bunk left her hanging for comfort but, once again, it felt so real.
Have you seen this one of Clay:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HrfCixsd2N8
ive already seen this last series, but its great to be reminded that so many people love those same great characters and moments.
Impossible to criticise. Perfect tv, perfect drama, perfect art.
I will disagree with you on the serial killer thing thus far; it is out of character for Lester and a jump too far for McNulty. I think it is heading to a point about the media ignoring "death" unless it sells but think this is a poor way of doing it....particularly for a show so rich in intelligence and subtlety.
What is impressing me is the Marlo thread. Stringer and Joe made it "easy" to see the dealers as common sense men, raised in a "better" time. But with Marlo the series is excellent at showing us the thought-patterns of those raised in this world from kids on the corners - no respect for life and see the death of another with the disinterest that you or I have for a tree in a park - it is just "there".........his parts are excellent and the actor (James Hector I think) is great. Cheese is another example and I'm looking at Michael now to see where his development takes him - he seemed to know more than the world of money and death so perhaps his brother will prevent this path being his all? Who knows?
It's very easy when looking on youtube to find spoilers for The Wire, so be very careful with it (although that link is very funny).
PS: the Marlowe cell phone stuff gets explained later on Andrew. It wouldn't be The Wire if it didn't keep you guessing.
Great Episode.
But where did Omar get to?
This weeks Baltimore sporting legend to get namechecked was when McNulty mentioned Cal Ripkin in the bar I think. Ripkin played for the Baltimore Orioles for 20 years (81-2001). He holds the record for not missing a game in 2,632 games (16 years).
I've just realised something: The Wire could not work in any other medium, neither feature film nor novel nor even graphic novel. (Nor opera, come to that.) That's what's so special about it. It's pure TV.
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