Some Spider-man shit here
I can't work out whether Season Five of The Wire is unravelling or coming together! In what is, officially, Episode 56 (titled, brilliantly, The Dickensian Aspect), McNulty's spectral serial killer is now a fiction that's taking over from fact, to the point that Carcetti is preaching to the national news media about finding him and bringing him to justice. Templeton's on TV, being grilled on some sensationalist news show (perhaps real?) about what it's like to be this serial killer's "Jimmy Breslin" - the New York reporter tied into the Son Of Sam case in the late 70s. It's getting out of hand, and that's the point, I'm starting to think. All the pieces fit together. Lester, the very definition of a fine, upstanding police, is now flaunting his illegal wiretap to Sydnor ("If you have a problem with this, I understand completely"). If it means nailing Marlo, so be it. Meanwhile, after Prop Joe, the indestructible Omar - a real serial killer, you might say, and equally spectral - is bent on near-Biblical revenge. (As Slim Charles commented to Avon on the subject of war*: once you in it, you in it.) He survived a jump from a fifth-floor window - literally disappearing from the rosebed beneath, like Michael Myers in Halloween - and is now hobbling round Baltimore on a broom, leaving messages for Marlo. If these are the last days - and with Prop Joe gone, Marlo's effectively disbanded the Co-Op meetings at what looks like the Thistle, Baltimore - then the apocalypse is close at hand. Even Bunk, against all procedural odds, is making headway with the vacants. He's working those cases. As he himself pointed out to the now toughened-up Randy, when he visited him at the children's home where he was deposited so cruelly at the end of Season Four, unsolved murder cases never go away. They come back. And homelessness becomes the burning issue in Baltimore, for no real concrete reason. It's fucking thrilling, isn't it?*Corrected since original post, thanks to those below who put me right.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 11:27 PM
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I don't remember Omar saying about war - once you in it, you in it. I remember Slim Charles saying that to Avon. Omar says things like "because" and "indeed" and "bowtie" to get his pont across.
I remember thinking how sad it was that Randy succumbed to the system he was forced into. But then we all do I suppose.
Tenuous link, but just watched Generation Kill, and Simon and Ed Burns' adaptation makes you route for the good guys because you have a personal empathy towards them, and hate the bad guys because they impose protocol that makes a situation worse or is unsympathetic to the needs of the audience. But at the end, you feel sympathy for those making the decisions at the top level. (hope I haven't given too much away for those that haven't watched it yet.)
machine levine
It's great to see people other than myself getting completely fixated with tv shows. I was going to suggest you use your showbizzy contacts to get a part as an extra in it...and then sadly realised that season 5 is the last one, and we probably wont get to see Andrew Collins chewing bubblegum and kicking ass in Baltimore.
Machine, I'll take your knowledge of Wire trivia over my own. You're probably right about Slim Charles saying that thing, not Omar. It's a sample on the Wire album, and I always hear Omar when it comes on. I'd better check it.
Yep, it was Slim Charles that said "it's what war is, y'know" etc to Avon in the run up to the street war with Marlo.
A great line from a minor character which shows the strength of the writing yet again - commenting on the pointlessness of worrying the details about who "do what to who" once you are already in a war where fighting is now the only option......
It is also a dialogue snippet on The Wire soundtrack (all the pieces matter) which I can recommend for all fans of the show.....
Quote attributed to Omar now changed to Slim Charles. (I am Stalin. But hey, it's The Wire. I tend to write my review in a post-episode rush of excitement - no time to fact-check in that heady instance.)
Bunk "My heart pumps purple piss"
What a great line.
It was good to see Randy again,,and to see how a year or so in care has affected him. Plus if u blinked u might have missed Nick Sobotka from season 2 hecklin' the mayor
I loved last nights episode even Mcnulty seemed to be having second thoughts about whether he could leave that bum at the shelter.
Slightly worried and thrilled that we are running out of time to wrap things up (of course I know that several plots will finish open-ended, this a proper TV show!)
For anyone that's a fan (and not bust like me) http://www.curzoncinemas.com/editorial/features/wire_weekender looks like a good way to spend the weekend!
What a great show. Although I was a bit suspect about Season 5, particularly the decision by McNulty to fabricate a serial killer, it all seems to be coming together. I was also worried about the introduction of the newsroom, and a whole mass of new characters, but so far Scott Templeton is becoming a brilliant "villian" - vain, lazy and disrespectful to those around him. Gus is wonderful too, the complete opposite of Scott in everyway, and the only one savvy enough to see through Scott's huge steaming pile of BS.
Magnificent stuff. Although, have already begun mourning over the fact there are only 4 more episodes left.
I, too, loved seeing Sobotka from Season Two, Droach. How I miss that particular season. (I shall be starting again from the very beginning once this one's up.)
Five episodes left, surely?
*goes off to check*
Aaaargh! Four! We must cherish every second of every one.
The Co-Op meeting was a cracker, as Marlon got up to leave announcing the cost of a brick is goin up.
I can see Slim wacking Cheese because of his hand in Joes death.
The Wire Weekender sounds great.
Perhaps if Charlie Brooker can't make it perhaps you (Andrew Collins) should offer your services to interview /host the Q&A between Simon and West.
"of course I know that several plots will finish open-ended, this a proper TV show!"
Ah! The last episode is feature length and kinda does ... never mind I won't say anything. Be very interested to hear what people think of it tho'.
Good to see 11 replies already. People must be back off holiday.
I've already started season 1 again. Bit weird watching two seasons at the same time but one hour a week isn't enough. It's amazing how much I didn't pick up on first time around.
How can you miss season 2 more than season 4? It's a disgrace...
I love Season Four, but I retain utmost respect to Season Two for going away from the corners.
I'm starting to think that The Wire is a kind of Mornington-Crescent-esque joke and that it only actually exists on this blog. I know it's not true but it means I can enjoy these posts about something I'll probably never see on a whole other level. It's not true, is it? You know, I, er, loved that bit where Blakey said that thing to Wally Blue about Prestel being the future. Anyone?
It's a good thing the Wire Weekender gig is sold out, as I was seriously considering going.
Despite some words of caution from posters on here I'm enjoying series 5 as much I enjoyed the other series. Like I said before, I see this as one 60 hour story and it’s pointless to pick them apart (which makes my message above slightly hypocritical but it was mean to be a joke).
Having said that I do think episode six strayed into melodrama for the first time. Obviously as it is The Wire it was the best kind of melodrama. And the writing team have earned the right to turn the gas up a little bit. And although it has been a TV series that has dealt with the despair, degradation and (err quick something else beginning with ‘d’) drudgery of life in a broken city in a very routine, everyday, kind of manner, some sort of build towards a proper conclusion (nailing Marlo would suffice but I’m not holding my breath) would be satisfying. But it was melodramatic all the same.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it was just unexpected.
Maybe it was deliberate. To fit in with the title of the episode.
i love the wire. however the only thing that taints it slightly for me is the well-heeled fella in the bow tie (forget his name, sorry - but you know the one im talking about). hes far too one dimnesional and bond villan-esque (he even has a walther ppk!) amidst all the developed and intricately stark social realism, plus his relationship with his fat, bumbling heavy clangs too. his character is never really developed and its always bothered me for some reason.
otherwise great show and blog!
mr mui
Mr Mui your bow tied fella is called Brother Mouzone.
I gotta say I quite liked him, he was a diffrent kind of hitman. Someone might need to confirm this, but I think he came down from Philly
I think the biggest stretch came in last weeks episode with Omar surviving that fall and becoming like Michael Myers (Like Collins said).
Mr Mui, wasnt the bowtie man deliberately like that though? I got the feeling he was very much a deliberate farakanesque pastiche.
*Farrakhan
There should be some sort of 'The Wire for Idiots' published. I've read so much good stuff about this particular show (probably making news since it's leaving soon) that I'll have to give it another go. Initially I watched a few episodes from the first season but I kept finding myself falling asleep on the couch, kind of like when golfing is on and the remote control on the coffee table is out of reach - zzzz. too much plot and not enough action -- that's a good thing i know but you have to be in the mood i suppose. having said all this though - the miniseries 'Generation Kill' (written by Byrnes and Simon) was amazing stuff. They really did Evan Wright's book justice. Highly recommended once this show gets on British telly. Kill!
derek - have you read the controversy surrounding the book? The depiction of 'Casey Kasem' - re apparently responded to his portrayal and some incidents in the book, saying Evan Wright only considered a small clique of opinions and didn't go beyond that.
machine levine
hi there, no i didn't hear about the controversy at all. it's really interesting that 'casey' is getting all upset, if anything i thought that 'captain america' came off the worst. to say that wright only considered a small clique is a bit rich - it sort of intimates that he got this stuff third-hand -- wright was THERE, you know what i mean? thanks machine, i'll have to go search for that stuff now, controversy is always fun:)
Derek - no need
http://coinside.blogspot.com/2006/05/generation-kill-full-rebuttal.html
machine levine
Hi Machine, thanks VERY much for that link! Kasem's brother loses his argument (in my humble) at at the very outset...
"As you know the story begins, blah blah blah he forgot the batteries. Then he has a camera around his neck (information from the footage has and will continue to be used for training) so it is assumed he has the same batteries, maybe hoarding them. I'll spare you- different batteries."
it's frustrating that this guy doesn't have the introspection to realize how far from the point he has strayed. unreal.
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