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The Wire - S2- Episode Ten - Storm Warnings...
I think, but am not positive that this is the last episode Robert Colesberry directed before he died of heart complications. It may be the season finale. Can't remember.
It's a good episode and brings to a climax Ziggy's arc. In some ways Ziggy reminds me a lot of D'Angelo, but oddly the black criminals in this series are far more complex than the white, or less loosely drawn. Ziggy and Nick both come very close to falling into cliche at times. I can well see why a lot of people were less than thrilled with S2 - if you did not like the Nick/Ziggy story arc or found the characters grating, and the whole union storyline it was connected to a bit heavy-handed, or even preachy, this season may have grated on your nerves, and been a bit of let-down from S1.
Ziggy didn't bug me that much, although admittedly a little Ziggy goes a long way. Thankfully, we never got that much of him. And I found the union storyline interesting in some respects, a bit old hat in others - yes, yes, it's corrupt, but not all unions are...and it's a tad aggravating to have that stereotype reinforced. Unions are funky things, I've discovered. Generalize about them at your own risk, I know whereof I speak - since I found this out the hard way.
Episode 10 had some really good moments. And Omar was back in spades. He's not seen that much in S2, but when he is, he makes his presence known and really hits the proverbial ball out of the park. This is a character that to date, has been consistently written well. Better in some respects in S2, where his character is provided more depth.
The themes of education and how the infrastructure of the city, it's mix of interlocking agencies and political interests all continue to press the lower class into the muck. Maintaining a clear division between the two classes. Who has power and who doesn't.
Prez and Ziggy are in a way paralleled throughout this season. Neither can make their father proud, neither seems to get respect from anyone, both feel like clowns or fuck-ups but not in the endearing manner that McNulty is. At the end both explode.
Valcheck throws a hissy fit when he realizes that the FBI agrees with Daniels unit in that Frank Sobotke is not their main target and just a pawn. Valcheck set this thing up to take down Sobotke dang it. To embarrass Sobotke. To get revenge on Sobotke. But everyone keeps insisting on going after the Greek or all these other people that Valcheck doesn't care about. What's a guy to do? Through a temper tantrum and insist (whatever Prez is to him - I think son, but it may be nephew), that Prez leave and come back to his job, sitting behind a desk and not doing anything. Prez infruriated and embarrassed and feeling stuck - strikes out and knocks Valcheck to the ground. Shocking everyone. Daniels wisely has everyone write down exactly what happened, including, McNulty's FBI contact states, us suits, and has someone take Prez home. Smart man, Daniels.
If Prez's explosion seemed shocking it is nothing compared to Ziggy's. Poor Ziggy. He can't do anything right. He puts together a car jacking deal with Johnny 50. They steal a bunch of cars from one of the shipments, ship the cars to the Greek dealer, and collect $70,000. Except the Greek dealer stiffs Ziggy and makes Ziggy feel once again like a patsy, a fool. Furious - Ziggy comes back with a gun and basically mows down the Greek and the kid manning the shop with him. Although I think the kid survives. The Greek dealer guy in the yellow shirt who I can't remember the name of - dies "begging" Ziggy not to shoot him. (I have to admit - right before Ziggy came back and shot him, I was sort of hoping that guy would get smacked big time. Did not like this guy at all. That said, you feel for him when Ziggy shoots him in cold blood (ie. an unarmed man and not in self-defense). ) This action destroys Ziggy. He's killed someone - deliberately, and violently. He goes back to his car and sobs.
A ruine. Ashamed.
The bit between Ziggy and Jaye Landsman in the interrogation room is a work of beauty and made me fall for Landsman again. Both are sympathetic in this scene, although Ziggy is not only tragic but horrifying. I knew kids like this in high school. Landsman hands Ziggy the typed confession and asks him to sign and initial it on each page. He gives Ziggy a cigarette. They both smoke. (Not so sure you can do that now - smoking has been made illegal in most public buildings and offices - which I'm not sure how they enforce.) Ziggy asks if he can change anything. Landsman - and the actor handles this rather well, he subtly shows a bit of uncertainty or a reluctance, but nods, yes, of course you can, just make sure you initial it. Ziggy :" It's where you typed "said" - it shouldn't be said. Where you say that the greek is saying not to shoot him. He wasn't saying...he was begging. Double g. Begging me not to shoot him. Lying there begging me."Ziggy is crying again. "Will that make a difference, do you think? Should I change that?" Landsman, who seems as torn as I am between disgust and heartfelt/albeit bewildered sympathy, says: "yes, it's more descriptive, always better to be more descriptive." When Landsman asks Ziggy if he has any family, anyone he wants them to call - Ziggy shakes his head, no, no one. It's a deeply sad scene. This is guy who has literally shut himself off from everyone. He feels like a failure. Not worth it. And in some respects he is. He no longer sees himself as worth saving - juxtapose this with D'Angelo - who does fight for his own survival, does fight to get out, yet is killed anyhow. Ziggy - who really doesn't need to fight, who is not being prodded into this life, sinks into it anyhow, and drowns. I half expect Ziggy to commit suicide before the end, with Frank railing, while D'Angelo would never have done it, yet people believe he has.
Later, we see Nick...who tries to find the Spiros, but the diner has shut down as has Spiro, because they've been tipped to The Wire by an inside contact with the FBI, which no one knows about. (more on that later). Nick who may be the only person on the planet outside of Prissy and Ziggy's Dad who loved Ziggy...is torn up. He finds Frank and tells Frank. Frank asks - "where were you Nick? Why weren't you helping him? You are his cousin." Nick:"Where were you? You are his father!" I rather like the actor portraying Ziggy and Nick, these are hard roles to pull off. And I did feel sympathy for them. Granted Ziggy is grating, and incredibly whiny...but this little arc did pay off, I think.
Nick goes to the merry-go-round at the children's playground, where he and Ziggy used to play.
This bit is neatly juxtaposed with Brother Mouzone's arrival. Nick tells Prissy about the time Ziggy bought the wrong alcohol - Boone's Farm, because he'd been told that's what college kids drank. They were going to get drunk on real Whiskey and Southern Comfort - in celebration of
the end of high school or some such thing. Ziggy drunk as a loon - gets up on top of the jungle gym and shouts "We ain't need know education like those college boys!" (or something similar). Brother Mouzone meanwhile states - after demanding his "Harpers" and "The Nation" (which are basically the liberal and conversative intellectuals mags) - that there's nothing more dangerous than a brother with a library card. It's interesting the blacks or project kids seem to have a greater respect for education than the whites or dockworkers kids. Perhaps because it is harder for them to obtain? But it is a definite thread. These kids in the projects, on the corners selling dope - don't appear near a school at all. Yet, you get the feeling first from D'Angelo, then from Wallace and finally Stringer that if they could get a good education they would.
Meanwhile on Daniels Wire Detail - the FBI agent who scored the million tons of crack and only cares about bringing in the dope, not bringing in the guys who smuggled it or are responsible for it. He's a bit like Rawls with his clearances, and Burrell with his dope on the table routine. This guy gets wind of the Wire via the FBI's news feed to its agents. (Note to self - if I'm doing an undercover opts - go to the CIA not the FBI.) The FBI's own desire to lick butts gets it into trouble.
So now that they know about the wire tap, Spiros and company shut it down. They throw their phones in the water (not knowing McNulty and Bunk are watching) and send a text message to shut it down. Then go off to clean out their warehouse. McNulty clever guy that he is - figures out how to track down the cell phone signal, trace it to a satellite tower then to the cell phone company that keeps records of all the messages. (Note they wrote this episode before the whole Rupert Murdock voice mail hacking scandle. Cell phones really aren't that private nor are text messages - or anything traded over the internet. I keep that in mind when I post. There are certain things I will never post on because of that, just as there are certain things I'll never text message. In the information age, privacy is a moving target.) It's a neat trick and it bears fruit - they find out they have a limited window to raid the Greeks and get evidence on them for a conviction. So the race is on. I'm rooting for the cops, I hate the Greeks - they aren't as sympathetic as the project kids or as likable, which is another weakness of season 2, the Greeks are bit too one-dimensional - Spiros, Serge, and the old guy. We get more character development on Avon, Stringer and Prop Joe.
Speaking of Stringer, Avon and Prop Joe. Avon not liking Stringer's deal with Prop Joe, either that or Stringer failed to tell him about it - not sure which, brings in Brother Mozone - a new kind of muscel. Mozone is smart. Book and street smart. And packs a powerful side arm. He doesn't kill Prop Joe's dealer, The Cheese, he just wounds and scares him. PRop Joe states there's two ways to play it - just see what happens when Avon's crew runs out of dope or challenge them. He's a bit leery of doing it, but realizes they can't take the threat lying down. If Stringer does it - he risks crossing Avon, which won't work. If Prop Joe openly does it - he's dead, which he don't much fancy. So...he thinks up a third option, a contract killer who would refuse to do it as a contract. If he can manipulate this guy into taking Brother Mozone out for him - he's safe.
Guess who he's talking about?
That's right, my man, Omar. Who else? The number one cheese.
Omar earlier had been buy his uncle's, friends, blind guys? diner to drop off some money for his people and something extra for blind guy. He also feeds a scrap to the dog. (A direct parallel to Ziggy and the Duck, except Omar is a tad brighter.)
Prop Joe tells Omar's friend/Blind Guy - that Avon wants to parlay with Omar, to clear the air.
Total lie - Joe just wants these two to take each other out and leave him out of it. Love Prop Joe.
(See what I mean? The black criminals are more entertaining than the white criminals, I'm not quite sure why...or why the white criminals/dock workers feel at times like cliche...but they sort of do.
I'm guessing they won't be following us into S3? I mean they have some good bits here and there, but generally speaking? When I'm with the dock workers - I feel like I'm watching an old 1970s movie or cop drama like Streets of San Francsico or Police Woman. It has a 70s feel to it. Right down to the hair styles.)
The episode ends with Beadie Russel and Kima. Kima asking Beadie how she chooses between kids and work. Beadie says it's not a choice - always your kids. But what if you are called on a raid? Beadie says she'll leave the kids with her parents. I admittedly find myself identifying more with Kima here (even though I'm not gay) - in that she doesn't want kids, that the idea of kids really doesn't do much for her and feeling a baby kick does not float her boat so to speak. It excites her partner who is very "girly" or domestic, not her. Beadie who sits between both worlds, who has no partner, just her kids - has to constantly choose. She lost her hubby she tells McNulty, because he didn't want her to work - just be his wife. And now...she's alone and struggling, but then so is he. At the end of the episode - Kima calls Beadie to let her in on the raid - aware Beadie wants it as bad as she does.
What about your kids, asks Kima, do you have a place for them to stay? Yes, states Beadie, I can leave them at my parents - thanks! Except it may not be that easy or it won't stay that easy.
Off to watch episode 11...although it's late, so we'll see.
It's a good episode and brings to a climax Ziggy's arc. In some ways Ziggy reminds me a lot of D'Angelo, but oddly the black criminals in this series are far more complex than the white, or less loosely drawn. Ziggy and Nick both come very close to falling into cliche at times. I can well see why a lot of people were less than thrilled with S2 - if you did not like the Nick/Ziggy story arc or found the characters grating, and the whole union storyline it was connected to a bit heavy-handed, or even preachy, this season may have grated on your nerves, and been a bit of let-down from S1.
Ziggy didn't bug me that much, although admittedly a little Ziggy goes a long way. Thankfully, we never got that much of him. And I found the union storyline interesting in some respects, a bit old hat in others - yes, yes, it's corrupt, but not all unions are...and it's a tad aggravating to have that stereotype reinforced. Unions are funky things, I've discovered. Generalize about them at your own risk, I know whereof I speak - since I found this out the hard way.
Episode 10 had some really good moments. And Omar was back in spades. He's not seen that much in S2, but when he is, he makes his presence known and really hits the proverbial ball out of the park. This is a character that to date, has been consistently written well. Better in some respects in S2, where his character is provided more depth.
The themes of education and how the infrastructure of the city, it's mix of interlocking agencies and political interests all continue to press the lower class into the muck. Maintaining a clear division between the two classes. Who has power and who doesn't.
Prez and Ziggy are in a way paralleled throughout this season. Neither can make their father proud, neither seems to get respect from anyone, both feel like clowns or fuck-ups but not in the endearing manner that McNulty is. At the end both explode.
Valcheck throws a hissy fit when he realizes that the FBI agrees with Daniels unit in that Frank Sobotke is not their main target and just a pawn. Valcheck set this thing up to take down Sobotke dang it. To embarrass Sobotke. To get revenge on Sobotke. But everyone keeps insisting on going after the Greek or all these other people that Valcheck doesn't care about. What's a guy to do? Through a temper tantrum and insist (whatever Prez is to him - I think son, but it may be nephew), that Prez leave and come back to his job, sitting behind a desk and not doing anything. Prez infruriated and embarrassed and feeling stuck - strikes out and knocks Valcheck to the ground. Shocking everyone. Daniels wisely has everyone write down exactly what happened, including, McNulty's FBI contact states, us suits, and has someone take Prez home. Smart man, Daniels.
If Prez's explosion seemed shocking it is nothing compared to Ziggy's. Poor Ziggy. He can't do anything right. He puts together a car jacking deal with Johnny 50. They steal a bunch of cars from one of the shipments, ship the cars to the Greek dealer, and collect $70,000. Except the Greek dealer stiffs Ziggy and makes Ziggy feel once again like a patsy, a fool. Furious - Ziggy comes back with a gun and basically mows down the Greek and the kid manning the shop with him. Although I think the kid survives. The Greek dealer guy in the yellow shirt who I can't remember the name of - dies "begging" Ziggy not to shoot him. (I have to admit - right before Ziggy came back and shot him, I was sort of hoping that guy would get smacked big time. Did not like this guy at all. That said, you feel for him when Ziggy shoots him in cold blood (ie. an unarmed man and not in self-defense). ) This action destroys Ziggy. He's killed someone - deliberately, and violently. He goes back to his car and sobs.
A ruine. Ashamed.
The bit between Ziggy and Jaye Landsman in the interrogation room is a work of beauty and made me fall for Landsman again. Both are sympathetic in this scene, although Ziggy is not only tragic but horrifying. I knew kids like this in high school. Landsman hands Ziggy the typed confession and asks him to sign and initial it on each page. He gives Ziggy a cigarette. They both smoke. (Not so sure you can do that now - smoking has been made illegal in most public buildings and offices - which I'm not sure how they enforce.) Ziggy asks if he can change anything. Landsman - and the actor handles this rather well, he subtly shows a bit of uncertainty or a reluctance, but nods, yes, of course you can, just make sure you initial it. Ziggy :" It's where you typed "said" - it shouldn't be said. Where you say that the greek is saying not to shoot him. He wasn't saying...he was begging. Double g. Begging me not to shoot him. Lying there begging me."Ziggy is crying again. "Will that make a difference, do you think? Should I change that?" Landsman, who seems as torn as I am between disgust and heartfelt/albeit bewildered sympathy, says: "yes, it's more descriptive, always better to be more descriptive." When Landsman asks Ziggy if he has any family, anyone he wants them to call - Ziggy shakes his head, no, no one. It's a deeply sad scene. This is guy who has literally shut himself off from everyone. He feels like a failure. Not worth it. And in some respects he is. He no longer sees himself as worth saving - juxtapose this with D'Angelo - who does fight for his own survival, does fight to get out, yet is killed anyhow. Ziggy - who really doesn't need to fight, who is not being prodded into this life, sinks into it anyhow, and drowns. I half expect Ziggy to commit suicide before the end, with Frank railing, while D'Angelo would never have done it, yet people believe he has.
Later, we see Nick...who tries to find the Spiros, but the diner has shut down as has Spiro, because they've been tipped to The Wire by an inside contact with the FBI, which no one knows about. (more on that later). Nick who may be the only person on the planet outside of Prissy and Ziggy's Dad who loved Ziggy...is torn up. He finds Frank and tells Frank. Frank asks - "where were you Nick? Why weren't you helping him? You are his cousin." Nick:"Where were you? You are his father!" I rather like the actor portraying Ziggy and Nick, these are hard roles to pull off. And I did feel sympathy for them. Granted Ziggy is grating, and incredibly whiny...but this little arc did pay off, I think.
Nick goes to the merry-go-round at the children's playground, where he and Ziggy used to play.
This bit is neatly juxtaposed with Brother Mouzone's arrival. Nick tells Prissy about the time Ziggy bought the wrong alcohol - Boone's Farm, because he'd been told that's what college kids drank. They were going to get drunk on real Whiskey and Southern Comfort - in celebration of
the end of high school or some such thing. Ziggy drunk as a loon - gets up on top of the jungle gym and shouts "We ain't need know education like those college boys!" (or something similar). Brother Mouzone meanwhile states - after demanding his "Harpers" and "The Nation" (which are basically the liberal and conversative intellectuals mags) - that there's nothing more dangerous than a brother with a library card. It's interesting the blacks or project kids seem to have a greater respect for education than the whites or dockworkers kids. Perhaps because it is harder for them to obtain? But it is a definite thread. These kids in the projects, on the corners selling dope - don't appear near a school at all. Yet, you get the feeling first from D'Angelo, then from Wallace and finally Stringer that if they could get a good education they would.
Meanwhile on Daniels Wire Detail - the FBI agent who scored the million tons of crack and only cares about bringing in the dope, not bringing in the guys who smuggled it or are responsible for it. He's a bit like Rawls with his clearances, and Burrell with his dope on the table routine. This guy gets wind of the Wire via the FBI's news feed to its agents. (Note to self - if I'm doing an undercover opts - go to the CIA not the FBI.) The FBI's own desire to lick butts gets it into trouble.
So now that they know about the wire tap, Spiros and company shut it down. They throw their phones in the water (not knowing McNulty and Bunk are watching) and send a text message to shut it down. Then go off to clean out their warehouse. McNulty clever guy that he is - figures out how to track down the cell phone signal, trace it to a satellite tower then to the cell phone company that keeps records of all the messages. (Note they wrote this episode before the whole Rupert Murdock voice mail hacking scandle. Cell phones really aren't that private nor are text messages - or anything traded over the internet. I keep that in mind when I post. There are certain things I will never post on because of that, just as there are certain things I'll never text message. In the information age, privacy is a moving target.) It's a neat trick and it bears fruit - they find out they have a limited window to raid the Greeks and get evidence on them for a conviction. So the race is on. I'm rooting for the cops, I hate the Greeks - they aren't as sympathetic as the project kids or as likable, which is another weakness of season 2, the Greeks are bit too one-dimensional - Spiros, Serge, and the old guy. We get more character development on Avon, Stringer and Prop Joe.
Speaking of Stringer, Avon and Prop Joe. Avon not liking Stringer's deal with Prop Joe, either that or Stringer failed to tell him about it - not sure which, brings in Brother Mozone - a new kind of muscel. Mozone is smart. Book and street smart. And packs a powerful side arm. He doesn't kill Prop Joe's dealer, The Cheese, he just wounds and scares him. PRop Joe states there's two ways to play it - just see what happens when Avon's crew runs out of dope or challenge them. He's a bit leery of doing it, but realizes they can't take the threat lying down. If Stringer does it - he risks crossing Avon, which won't work. If Prop Joe openly does it - he's dead, which he don't much fancy. So...he thinks up a third option, a contract killer who would refuse to do it as a contract. If he can manipulate this guy into taking Brother Mozone out for him - he's safe.
Guess who he's talking about?
That's right, my man, Omar. Who else? The number one cheese.
Omar earlier had been buy his uncle's, friends, blind guys? diner to drop off some money for his people and something extra for blind guy. He also feeds a scrap to the dog. (A direct parallel to Ziggy and the Duck, except Omar is a tad brighter.)
Prop Joe tells Omar's friend/Blind Guy - that Avon wants to parlay with Omar, to clear the air.
Total lie - Joe just wants these two to take each other out and leave him out of it. Love Prop Joe.
(See what I mean? The black criminals are more entertaining than the white criminals, I'm not quite sure why...or why the white criminals/dock workers feel at times like cliche...but they sort of do.
I'm guessing they won't be following us into S3? I mean they have some good bits here and there, but generally speaking? When I'm with the dock workers - I feel like I'm watching an old 1970s movie or cop drama like Streets of San Francsico or Police Woman. It has a 70s feel to it. Right down to the hair styles.)
The episode ends with Beadie Russel and Kima. Kima asking Beadie how she chooses between kids and work. Beadie says it's not a choice - always your kids. But what if you are called on a raid? Beadie says she'll leave the kids with her parents. I admittedly find myself identifying more with Kima here (even though I'm not gay) - in that she doesn't want kids, that the idea of kids really doesn't do much for her and feeling a baby kick does not float her boat so to speak. It excites her partner who is very "girly" or domestic, not her. Beadie who sits between both worlds, who has no partner, just her kids - has to constantly choose. She lost her hubby she tells McNulty, because he didn't want her to work - just be his wife. And now...she's alone and struggling, but then so is he. At the end of the episode - Kima calls Beadie to let her in on the raid - aware Beadie wants it as bad as she does.
What about your kids, asks Kima, do you have a place for them to stay? Yes, states Beadie, I can leave them at my parents - thanks! Except it may not be that easy or it won't stay that easy.
Off to watch episode 11...although it's late, so we'll see.