A lie ain't a side of a story, it's just a lie.
The Wire: When I say there are spoilers included, I am not kidding. These aren’t just spoilers, these are SPOIL…ERRRS. SPOILERS! I take no responsibility for ruining anything for you…
Season Five
My first e-mail re: season 5:
So, before I start the last half of the last season (:() I thought I'd go ahead and let y'all know what I'm thinking about so far:
Prez isn't in the opening credits. :(. But Bubs is!!! Woohoo!
Carver has come a long way since selling out Daniels!
Dukie is HUGE! And Randy!
I love the line "There's a "b" in subtle?"
I really want to know Collichio's background (as a character). That guy scares me. I looked him up on Wikipedia - he's a Marine!
I can't believe Herc works for Levy...
AVON!!!! Who knew I'd be so happy to see him again? I love that he shocks Marlo. I hate Marlo.
Love the reappearance of Spiros, the FBI guy, Nicky...and Scott, right? Wasn't Scott in some of the scenes in season 3 when Bunny moves everything to Hamsterdam?
I want Marlo to die in a way best described by A Clockwork Orange - ultraviolence. I hate him. I LOATHE him. He killed Prop Joe. Bastard.
So last season, at least for me, was about the world turning on edge. This season, it seems to be about what the characters will do in order to do what they think is right. So far, this is shown through McNulty (and to a lesser extent Freamon) doctoring the bodies, Templeton with the news stories (which makes me SO angry because he's really messing things up!) and then Prop Joe turning on Marlo. So far, it obviously hasn't worked well for Prop Joe, is getting harder for McNulty and I'm hoping that things crash and burn for Scott, although I could see them letting everything work out for him and just chalking it up to "c'est la vie"...
Going into the last episodes, I really have been trying to stretch them out...but I have Studio 60 on deck and now I'm torn between this great show and Aaron Sorkin. D'oh! Have y'all seen anything on the upcoming HBO show Boardwalk Empire? Omar is in it!!! Now...to find someone with HBO that will let me come over every week and watch it...hmmmmm....Natalie Stone has HBO and DVR; I might have to give her a call!
Because I don't live in a cave, I know how The Wire ends...I think it's appeared on every "most shocking moment" show/list recently...but I'm still really interested in how we get to the point where it's going to end. When the show started, my favorite characters were Kima and Bubs. I'd have to say that now, I really love Carver and Bunk - one character that has grown so much and one that has been the steady hand all through the show. (I do still love Bubs, though...can't wait to see how his story works out, but I'm a little nervous!)
Hope y'all had a good week and have a great weekend!
Reply from Andy:
I do love reading along and following your journey. But there’s almost too much now to write about. We need to have a THE WIRE dinner pretty soon. We can have crab cakes, or something Baltimore-ish. I’ll bring the Strawberry soda. [Fan 1's] great at planning this type of thing. [Some other fans], and whoever else can come, and we can just talk abut all our favorite parts of the show. RIGHT?
Don’t rush through the end of THE WIRE to get to STUDIO 60. I love Aaron Sorkin, but STUDIO 60 isn’t his best work, though it starts out strong because the Pilot is amazing. But overall, STUDIO 60 isn’t worth rushing to when you’re savoring THE WIRE!
I have seen the promos for BOARDWALK EMPIRE and it looks wicked awesome. I’m so glad to hear Michael K. Williams is in it. Isn’t is amazing how now, whenever you see these actors, you refer to them as their WIRE characters. I remember talking with people about how Prez was in that commercial with P. Diddy, and how Kima’s girlfriend was in a commercial, or how Daniels showed up in that Cadillac commercial, then LOST, or how cool I thought it was to see Omar in THE ROAD and GONE BABY GONE. Oh, and in BOARDWALK EMPIRE, his character’s name is “Chalky White”. HA!
So, let’s get something going where we can talk about this amazing show, not just type back and forth! I’m free tonight! Tell me where to be and when!
Then there were some planning e-mails about seeing when everyone was free for An Evening with The Wire...which won't be for a while...but anyway...
My next e-mail:
So....not to overwhelm with the e-mails or anything but...OMAR!!!!!?!?!?!?! I seriously thought this is what happened at the end of the entire series, because that's how it'd always shown up on TV. It's only episode EIGHT. What's going to happen?!?!?!?
Also, I've come to the conclusion that Snoop is for real, right? They use her real name as her character name, and I know she's from Baltimore. She's scary! Also, the interview with Jonny's parents was very, very sad :(.
Reply from Andy:
Yeah, Snoop, a.k.a. Felicia Pearson, is VERY real. Crack baby, drug dealer, and she’s even killed somebody. She’s also “written” an autobiography. When they found her, they loved her look and natural on-screen presence, but the basically had to teach her how to speak. I don’t have a clue where she is now, but I think being on the show was great for her, and I came to love her, so I hope she’s doing well. The short description of her book is terrifying: http://www.amazon.com/Grace-After-Midnight-Felicia-Pearson/dp/0446195189
And yeah, Omar. RIP. I never saw that coming. But, then again, he did rob drug dealers for a living. I heard a rumor that David Simon planned to kill him off in the first season, but Michael K. Williams performance made him change his mind. You know the kid who shot Omar? Obviously Kenard was the same kid who was with Michael when Omar limped up and talked to them on the corner. You watch that scene again you can hear how Kenard is unafraid and unimpressed by Omar. But did you know... Kenard is also the same kid that Bunk saw playing in the street in Season 3, saying he wanted to be Omar?
And have you gotten to a scene where there’s a young girl speaking in a Narcotics Anonymous meeting? She talks about all the things she told herself she’d never do, but then did for drugs? I don’t think it will ruin anything if you haven’t seen it yet. But anyway, she also appeared in Season 3, as one of the “rich” white kids who drove to Hampsterdam in a nice car and bought some dope from the kids on the corner there. So, even though it’s a part that has only 2-3 lines over the course of 3 years, they keep the continuity and give us a glimpse at how the drugs are affecting even the upper class in Baltimore. Best. Series. Ever.
And yes, that was definitely Munch in that scene! You have to be a true TV connoisseur to get that one. But obviously, there’s the huge David Simon connection to HOMICIDE (did you ever watch that?). Well spotted, or should I say, to quote one of my favorite subtle little moments in Season 4 between Michael and Namon, “Good looking out.”
Are you a reader? If so, and you want to borrow my copies of David Simon’s books after all this, HOMICIDE and THE CORNER, you’re welcome to them. They’re pretty great.
More from Andy:
By the way, you know there are only 10 episodes in Season 5, right?
My reply:
Noooo!!! I just finished ep 9...I'm really sad :(
Ok. Now that I know I only have one more episode to watch, I don't feel as bad e-mailing so much.
I am definitely going to look out for Snoop...
Here are some things I've loved about the second half of season 5, through episode 9:
As a JMC major, the whole newspaper thing is a great aspect, and one of the more subtle presences from earlier seasons that they've built upon. I love it! Within this, I love: How when Omar shoots Savino, the splatter ends up all over the wall that says "Magazine Sales." As much as broadcast and print journalism hate each other, they both agree that magazines are the scourge of the earth. Journalism nerd humor.... Also, I literally laughed out loud when McNulty uses the word "evacuate" correctly when the rookie finds the body under the overpass. "This guy stinks; he probably evacuated." A funny tie-in to the AP-debate at the city desk early in the season.
In Omar's episode, I did recognize the little boy from the courtyard scene, but didn't remember that it was the same boy Bunk talked to when the girl was killed. At that point, I was mainly glad that if that little boy made it to the convenience store that fast, he probably didn't have time to set that cat on fire that he and the other kids were pouring lighter fluid on...
It's probably because I adore Criminal Minds (it's my Law and Order type show of choice), I loved the trip to Quantico. First, the glory-seeking superior was hilarious, and then when they came up with a profile of McNulty it was hilarious.
I love the look that Lester gave Marlo when he picked up his phone, as if to say "You moron. You knew phones were a bad idea. You knew I was going to catch you this way."
I don't like Herc as a double agent.
I do like how Snoop and Slim Charles were the two that accepted their fate. I can't remember what happened to Slim Charles, but when Omar came to kill him he pretty much just asked him to go ahead and do it. Snoop wasn't surprised, either.
I loved Poot's appearance at the Foot Locker; Namond and Bunny at the school debate. I love the ironic look that Bunny gives Carcetti when Carcetti says "nothing can be done"...and here's Bunny with this reformed corner boy winning debates....
My favorite tie-over from season four is probably Dukie, and how he maintains his childlike sense of wonder throughout both seasons. He truly won't be beaten down; I worry about him now that he's with the dope fiends, though. If they don't address it in the finale, I'm going to pretend that he is the next Lester Freamon, using technology to bring down criminals.
The only missing piece, now that we've seen Spiros, Nicky, Avon, et. al., is Prez. I hpoe, hope, hope he's in the finale!!! [But I bet he isn't...]
RIP The Wire,
Reply from Andy:
Yeah, isn’t it amazing how a show so serious can make us laugh out loud so many times! I loved the description of the “serial killer”, especially when they described him as a functional alcoholic, and McNulty was just sinking in his chair. I love the line from the end of Season 3, “Man, I can’t wait to go to prison,” from the guy who was so brow-beaten by his girlfriend. I also laughed a lot at the first 60 seconds of Season 5, Episode 10, but you haven’t seen that yet.
Snoop’s death was so sad to me, but I also love the fact that she got to be more feminine in that one moment than in the rest of the other 3 seasons. I felt like that moment, staring down barrel of a gun, we got to see who she could have been, who she maybe always wanted to be, but could never be in that world. A girl. That is how you write for “character”.
I also want to point out how quiet and poignant the moment was when Bunk said, “Someone finally touched Prop Joe.” It’s so neat to know these officers who spend their lives chasing these guys, don’t actually want them to be dead /murdered. Think of how Kima and McNulty reacted when Stringer was killed. When Bodie went down. That’s such a refreshing difference from most movies, etc. where the “heroes” are shooting to kill the “bad guys”.
And Season 5 was interesting in what it did with the media. The basic question Simon and Burns wanted to ask was, if all this is really happening, if the story we’ve told rings true, why are we the only ones telling it? Why isn’t the media telling it? And you really get to see some of how they are so close to the “real” stories, like the drug dealers deaths, etc., but never put it all together because they’re covering the sensational “stories” and the Dickensian aspects of it all.
As happy as I was with where Carver ended up, Herc was the opposite. Great storytelling, but I was so disappointed, when he seemed to be going in the right direction at the end of Season 1.
Omar didn’t kill Slim Charles, but yeah, he was a true soldier when he thought his number was up.
I want to hear your predictions for the Series Finale! What do you think is going to happen for all these characters? And be honest, don’t worry about being wrong. I had to wait at least 10 days between seeing the next-to-last and last episodes, and I had some theories that were WAY off. What are yours?
My reply:
Well...I've already started the episode because I already had the disc, and I just got to a part where Dukie goes to the school. I haven't seen him yet, but all I've got to say is PREZ!
The irony here is that while I'm watching this today, I'm embroidering baby blankets for a baby shower tomorrow. I keep pausing the show when I can't pay as much attention. It's quite a disconnect. I'm glad there seem to be two specials included on this disc, though...I have more stitching to do!
Hmmmm predictions... I think that it will all be swept under the rug (or through "back channels" as they say. The main players, with the exception of Daniels, are too power hungry to risk their own necks to do the right thing. As far as who comes out on top, I'm guessing Carver & Kima and maybe, if we're lucky, Bunk. I'm hoping we don't end with McNulty's suicide.
I think Dukie & Bubs will be okay and that Scott Templeton is crushed for the horrible person he is...but I could also see the paper using "back channels" & Scott winding up at the Post.
The next 45 or so minutes will tell, I guess...
Reply from Emily:
gee whiz this is a lot of wire talk! it's fantastic though...I never really talked through everything while I was watching and this certainly makes me want to go back and watch some some key episodes. maybe we can do that at our little dinner. can we dress up as our favorite character and be that character all night? ...minus the killing and such.
I typed one more e-mail on my phone to go out, but apparently it didn't. I think that's ok... We'll talk about it in person...I remember comparing Norman to Yorick ("Alas poor Yorick...") but then on a commentary I heard him described as the Greek Chorus. Same thing, pretty much. Way to steal, Shakespeare!
