Quick Impressions - The Wire Season 1 - Episodes 12-13

[shadowkat]

Finished watching The Wire Season 1 tonight. It sort of hooks you right around episode 9 and won't let go. I couldn't wait to see the next episode. And I got emotionally invested in certain characters and really despised others. (Stringer Bell? I'm looking at you. )

It bookends rather well - so well in fact that you can tell the writers outlined all 13 episodes ahead of time and wrote them out, story-boarded them, and then did the teleplays. Ed Burns and David Simon are mostly responsible for the plot arc. Ed Burns according to Wiki is a former Baltimore police detective for Homicide and Narcotics division and public school teacher, before becoming a novelist and screenwriter, he co-wrote the miniseries the Corner with Simon, and recently wrote the mini-series Generation Kill in Africa. Simon was head-writer of Homicide Life on the Streets - which was in turn based on a non-fiction novel and in part on Burns' experiences in Baltimore as a Homicide cop.

In regards to how realistic the series is? I can tell you that a former DEA agent, who worked in DC and Baltimore during that time period has stated that yes, this is exactly what it is like. And from my own personal experience working as an intern with legal aid, public defender's office, and defense project - yes, that's what that world looks like and the series is realistic. Depressingly so, in some respects. It reminded me of why I decided not to pursue a career as either a legal aid attorney, prosecutor, or defense attorney and why I want nothing to do with that world. You end up much as Jimmy McNulty and Nekome Greggs discovers in the hole. What's that line from Joseph Conrad's classic novel "Heart of Darkness"? You stare long enough into the abyss, it stares back at you.

Reality aside? The series snakes its way inside your head and grabs a hold of you. Last night I was furious, but I could not wait to see what happens next. The characters live inside you, they take root in your imagination. But not in a fanfic sort of way - more in a -- yes, I've met that guy, or I want to know what happens to him, curious, sort of way, if that makes sense?

It's so tightly written, that Stringer Bell tells McNulty the same thing McNulty told him in the beginning. Nice circular structure. Also every storyline is wrapped up at the end. This season could literally stand on its own, it does not require a second season. Which explains why people who loved the Wire may get irritated with a show like Game of Thrones or True Blood - which is not a self-contained unit and ends on a frigging cliff-hanger. I like both, but I admit the series that wrap up neatly with a satisfying ending to each season - are a treat, there's no long wait, no frantic hunt for more or spoilers, you don't have to commit to it, and it leaves you fulfilled, like at the end of a satisfying four course meal.

Damn, I can't write anything quickly, can I? This is why I don't really like Facebook or Twitter.
The reason I'm writing my impressions after each episode - is I sort of want to see if my views on the series and the characters change as it enfolds or stay the same.



1. I have a serious hate going on for Stringer Bell. OMG. I want him to pay. I want the dude to get cancer and suffer! Feel the same way for Avon Barksdale and Cheif Dupty Burrell and that annoying Senator.

2. McNulty is sort of a tragic hero type, but what is interesting is he doesn't quite fall into the noble hero cliche that we normally see on these shows. He is undercut each time. And even states to Daniels - it was never about Avon Barksdale, it was about me, Jimmy McNulty. And it goes back to his exchange with Stringer Bell - who is in some ways the Drug Dealer counter-part of McNulty or McNulty's mirror self. In the beginning of the series - McNulty tells Stringer who is drawing a cartoon and sitting in back of the D'Angelo court case - where D' gets off and makes Rhonda, the State's Attorney look like an idiot, "nicely done." In episode 13, at the end, Stringer Bell stops by McNulty - leans over him, and whispers in his ear - "nicely done" - this is after D' is sentenced to 20 years hard time for possession. D' doesn't corroborate, instead everyone else does and Stringer gets off - able to continue the cartel, keep it going. McNulty asks Bunch, "what have I done?"

3. In episode 4 or maybe 6, can't remember, Lester tells McNulty that when they come to ask him where he doesn't want to go, and they will definitely ask him this - because McNulty got in their face the same way Lester had - to keep his mouth shut. Sure enough it happens in Episode 13. And McNulty ends up a cop on a boat - waterfront patrol. (Clearly setting up for the next season.) While Lester, amusingly enough, gets transferred back to Homicide detail from the pawn shop, and becomes Bunch's partner. (Was happy with this turn of events.)

4. Greggs isn't sure what she'll do. She doesn't easily give them her shooters. She gives them the one she saw. Does not lie. Bunch tries to get her too and says, if you do, it will play easy, and Greggs states - sometimes you have to play it hard. (Real Police). Her life-partner/spouse, Rosewood, doesn't want her to stay a cop. (I think she was studying to be a lawyer, I could be wrong about that. But I recongized the case file that she asked her life partner about in a previous episode.)

5. D'Angenlo's story is truly tragic. I hate his mom, and I hate his uncle - whose best interests are with themselves and having a nice life paid with money soaked in blood. No choice, my ass. You have choices - that's my problem with that world - they refuse to acknowledge that they have choices.
And own them. But it is true...what D states, when you brought up and conditioned to do one thing, it is very hard to get out of it. It feels...impossible. There's a sense of inertia dragging at you, pulling you back into the hole. Hence the soundtrack - staying out of the hole, but no matter what these characters do - they are in it. It's ironic - their choice to use drugs to escape the hole is what digs them deeper and deeper inside it. As Carver points out - that's why we'll never win - they mess up, they get beaten, we mess up - we get pensions.

6. Bubbles is also tragic...he can't stay clean, it's clear he's fallen off the wagon. NeKome's inability to immediately help him, and McNulty's inability to do it - was perhaps too much? No, I think it goes back to what Walton stated - it's easy to get sober in three days, no problem. It's life, coping with life without drugs that is the problem. It's why you got addicted to drugs in the first place - that's what needs to be resolved. Bubbles can't cope with "reality" - it hurts too much, so he goes back to the drugs. And always will. His story can't have a happy ending.

7. Daniels - lost his promotion...to politics. The white guy got it over him, because he didn't bow to the chief. But the case - he began to care about the case even more than McNulty did. The hope that he could make a difference.

8. Damn, they killed another of my favorite characters. If Avon and Stringer don't get it in the next four seasons, I'm going to be pissed. Wallace. Poor dear Wallace. And Stringer making Brodie and Poot, Wallace's buds, kill him? I don't blame D for wanting to corroborate after figuring that out.
I would. Frigging Stringer Bell. Pure evil.

9. D's mom makes her first appearance, and she is an interesting character...wish there was more of her. Find her a lot more interesting than Avon Barksdale, who sort of just annoys me.

10. Lester gets together with the gal who used to be hanging with D, I rather like that relationship.
They have some nice scenes together. But my ships really aren't romantic, although I think McNulty and Pearlman are hot. I love McNulty/Greggs - particularly how Greggs gets him to help Bubbles.Although it's too little, too late.

11. Oh and Wee Bay copting to every killing on the planet, including the one we know D'Angelo did.

Okay, next week will be S2 - that's next in the netflix gueue. Can't wait to see what they do next.
These two episode redeemed the last two. And while the series is annoyingly male dominated, more women characters popped up. Also admittedly the city homicide/narcotics departments and the drug dealers at the top of the game were mostly men in the late 90s and 80s, it's changing now - we are seeing more and more women. The information age has opened things up a bit.

Overall rating? A-/B+ (somewhere between the two)

Comments

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

I was wondering who Bunch was...then I realized you meant Bunk Moreland (aka, "The Bunk").

As for Stringer...you will change your mind about him before the end of S3 — again. Although that doesn't change the fact that Stringer is for sure a Prince of Darkness (NO SPOILERS! NO SPOILERS! *chews knuckles*).

Although I disagree that Stringer "made" Brodie or Poot do anything. I seem to recall that Brodie, in fact, volunteered and Brodie actually involved Poot. Hell, most people forget that Poot actually finished what Brodie started because Brodie couldn't quite do it himself.

Okay, granted, Wallace was going to die one way or the other once Stringer figured out that Wallace had (at minimum) flirted with becoming an informant — but frankly he could've just as easily told Weebay to do it.

[Side note: Weebay copping to everything is exchange for another sandwich? Will never not be hilarious to me.]

I promise one thing: you will see more of D'Angelo's mother down the road...

Gah! Too bad I'm at work. I'd love to write more.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Gah! Too bad I'm at work. I'd love to write more.

Hee. Me too. Frigging slow day at that.

Although I disagree that Stringer "made" Brodie or Poot do anything. I seem to recall that Brodie, in fact, volunteered and Brodie actually involved Poot. Hell, most people forget that Poot actually finished what Brodie started because Brodie couldn't quite do it himself

No, Stringer manipulated Brodie into it. He more or less said - that Brodie could either step up, or he could become a liability...like Wallace, but he understood either way. Brodie told Poot, who didn't think Brodie had it in him to actually do it (turns out he was sort of right) and came with. Rather painful scene - Brodie and Poot are both shaking and in tears, while Wallace is in tears. Brodie telling Wallace not to cry, to be a man, to stand up and take it like a man.

It's underlined that Stringer Bell and Avon probably haven't picked up a gun to do their own killing in a long long time. (There's a great scene with them in the building laughing at the swat team that has surrounded them, while Daniels and McNulty agree that
these two guys have probably not carried or shot a gun in years and that this is silly, and go in themselves, ignoring the swat team.)

So it's "Bunk" not "Bunch"? Damn, this thing needs close captioning. Thanks.

Okay back to work. Ugh.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad you finished s1, I've been enjoying your reviews quite a bit. Now season 2 is never going to be listed as anyone's favourite but it is a very important one in terms of broadening the show's scope. I'll be interested to read your take on it.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm admittedly curious to see what they are going to do in S2, because S1 did a very good job of wrapping up some story-threads but opening up new ones. You have Bunk partnering up with Lester Freeman (who Bunk told McNulty several episodes earlier that he respected a great deal and knew the back-story.), Carver as a Sgt.
Nekoma - unclear where she's headed. McNulty on a boat at the waterfront. Omar back - last scene is Omar's - where he's clearly back as a thorn in Stringer Bell's side.
The FBI pursuing the politicians. And Brodie/Poot picking up where D'Angelo left off...while Avon's sister and Stringer take over his business as he serves time.

You can do a lot with those threads alone.

[candleanfeather.livejournal.com]

"It sort of hooks you right around episode 9 and won't let go. I couldn't wait to see the next episode." Recognizes the symptoms. Cackles evily. You're so lost!

"And I got emotionally invested in certain characters and really despised others. (Stringer Bell? I'm looking at you. )" Waits for you having seen more.

"The characters live inside you, they take root in your imagination. But not in a fanfic sort of way - more in a -- yes, I've met that guy, or I want to know what happens to him, curious, sort of way, if that makes sense?". These characters, they're real people! It helps that most of them are based on real persons the writers got to know. Omar for example (but he is not the only one) is based on three or four real stick up boys, one of them being in the flesh on the screen in the last two seasons. Ed Burns arrested him.

" But it is true...what D states, when you brought up and conditioned to do one thing, it is very hard to get out of it. It feels...impossible. There's a sense of inertia dragging at you, pulling you back into the hole." The major theme throughout the series, and it's not only valid about the delinquants. I don't know if you felt the same thing, but I was very sensitive throughout this season to the feeling of physical confinement (everything always goes back to the orange sofa and the yard -the pit?-) refering of course to mental and psychological confinement.

"D'Angenlo's story is truly tragic.","Bubbles is also tragic". A key word to the Wire universe: Greek tragedy, as the authors say themselves.You'll often know how such or such character will end up long before it happens, you'll assist to the whole mecanic grinding him down.

And while the series is annoyingly male dominated, more women characters popped up.
You'll see more and very interesting ones though not always sympathethic.

Wanted to say, too, I know the scene triggered you but the scene about Kima being shot is about much more than man pain. Kima is just an example of something (I'll let you discover it by yourself). Other examples will pop up later. The Wire is not just another well written cop show. It's based on an intimate knowledge of what they speak about and fed by political and sociological analysis. I think season 2 will give you a better idea of what it's about and you'll discover more season after season.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I know the scene triggered you but the scene about Kima being shot is about much more than man pain.

Oh, I saw that. McNulty states in her hospital room that when it came time for someone to wear a wire and go undercover in this case he knew it would have to be her or someone who was black...(he drifts off). He's stating that he'll never be put directly in the line of fire.

Also how the killers react to her - as if she's no one important. Just some girl. Not worth a name or a face - until they figure out she was a cop - and panic. It gets across the devaluation of human life - in comparison to money, humans don't matter. This is echoed with Wee Bay who just blithely copts to every killing, one in exchange for another sandwitch - a hilarious scene, but one that underlines how over time these characters have stopped valuing human life as much more than a disposable quantity. It goes back to D's explanation of chess to Wallace and Brodie - he says that the pawns are disposable, that's us, the Castle is important, the Queen is major - but the King always stays the King. You become a Queen by doing the King's dirty work.

There was a lot going on in that scene. It bugged me - because it's yet another reminder of how woman are considered disposable by men or an extension of them in society. Note - this is the only time we see Nekome in a dress - "traditionally" dressed like a woman, pretty, all the other times, she wears pants, a cap, and is attired far more masculain. Including when she's out with her girlfriends - she's dressed in pants, t-shirt, vest, and cap. It's when she's dressed like a lady, a woman, curled and asleep, vulnerable - that she is shot.

These characters, they're real people! It helps that most of them are based on real persons the writers got to know. Omar for example (but he is not the only one) is based on three or four real stick up boys, one of them being in the flesh on the screen in the last two seasons. Ed Burns arrested him.

Didn't know that about Omar - but it makes sense. I've met people like this. Wee Bay reminds me a lot of the guy I defended in 1992. (As a legal intern - I had an ineffective assistance of counsel case that I was researching for a convicted hitman in Leavenworth Penn, the guy was the hitman for a huge drug cartel spanning from NY to the Carolinas. The transcripts from his case spanned 20 volumns - which I remember reading to determine if he had a case. He didn't.)

I don't know if you felt the same thing, but I was very sensitive throughout this season to the feeling of physical confinement (everything always goes back to the orange sofa and the yard -the pit?-)

Very much so. One of the last scenes is just the orange sofa and the pit, with a sort of eerie silence...Another scene is an old retired cop - who has been place in a confined, windowless basement office. And they capture Avon and Stringer in a confined windowless back office. Also of course the cop's digs for the wire - a dank, basement with no windows, all confined in one space.
It's what D states - whether he's in prison or out of prison it feels the same. He wants out of this life, to start over, to get the chance they were going to give Wallace - to be "free". No one in this world is free - they are all trapped.

[shapinglight]

I saw this earlier and meant to come and comment, but now I can't think what to say, except that I'm glad you enjoyed it and will be interested to see what you think going forward. Season 2 starts off feeling very different, but in some ways it's the same. I broke down in tears at the end of the first ep of season 2. Very, very powerful moment.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

The last two episodes redeemed and changed my mind about episodes 10 and 11. Brilliant ending to a season. Amongst the best season endings I've seen to date. They literally addressed every single character and showed us where they were at the end.

But S2 - will have to wait until it arrives via netflix tomorrow.
I get Disc 1 on Sat, and most likely Disc 2 next Mon or Tues if I'm lucky. I don't own this - can't afford it. So renting via netflix, which means it's taking me longer to watch than most people.

Hee. I've been reading your posts on Game of Thrones - agree, going to miss it too. Thankfully, I have the Wire to entertain me.

[shapinglight]

I'm still ploughing my way through Caprica, which I am enjoying, mostly. Am extremely sorry it got cancelled.