THE WIRE season 4 (see post #1 re: SPOILERS) (1 Viewer)

[Jim Rankin]

I have to admit, I was kind of skeptical about this season after the Stringer Bell/Barksdale storyline was played out last year. But, this show is one of the most involving, well created shows I have ever seen on television.

 

[Chad Erickson]

i was able to watch episode 40 last night (Comcast finally got their crap together) and it was another solid episode. There were even more people that you haven't seen this year came back and made appearances. i hope that they are one more than just this episode. i won't give it away for those of you who don't want to know.

 

[Holadem]

Random thoughts on the first 3 eps

Bunk's selfishness wrt to McNulty's new situation is really grating. A true friend would let him be.

Prez is in over his head. Whew, that joint is worse than I thought. Storytelling conventions dictate that he eventually makes a difference to someone, and a review said as much. But I trust this show with handling this familiar situation in a way that is honest and true.

Weebay seems to be doing just fine despite the collapse of the Barksdale empire. I guess a legendary muscle like him would commend respect on the inside no matter what. Where is Barksdale anyway?

Providing healthy alternative activities for kids in the 'hood appears to be a sure fire way to get fed and laid by legions of baby mamas -- literally lining up for the privilege. Dang.

If there is a greater asshole than Rawls on TV, I've not seen it.

Yet another classic opening with Omar's morning walk. This guy is forever in the badass hall of fame.

Bubbles and Prez' WTF moment was priceless.

That kid has accomplished what few if any have been able to do so far: Make Marlo blink .

I never thought we would see Major Colvin again. Or Valcheck for that matter. What a rich tapestry of characters the creators weaves in this show.

So it appears the Major Crimes unit has been disbanded? I can't say I am surprised, having commented on a probable shift of focus before this season premiered. I have no idea where we're going, but I am enjoying the hell outta the journey.

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

--
H

 

[Everlasting Gobstopper]

Yeah, RIP Major Case Squad. Funny that for a show called The Wire, the days of wiretapping may be over. Or they may "put the band back together" once the house full of bodies gets found. Wondering whose shoulders that case might land on. At first, it seemed like The Bunk was the only logical choice, since he (up to this episode) was the only remaining person in Homicide who was really fleshed out, but they already did that story back in season 2, when he got hit with the 18 bodies in a can.
Anyone else thinking Odell Watkins will be jumping ship to Carcetti's camp? He may take Marla Daniels along with him.
Seems odd that Rawls appears to be intentionally keeping Kima and Freamon together, as opposed to sending them off to some basement or boat. My guess is he's gunning for Burrell's seat and wants the Mayor's campaign to go down in flames in order to get that done. There was a very telling exchange between Rawls and Burrell at the end of last season, where Burrell tells him he's still a long way from becoming Commissioner, seeming to be a smackdown.
All in all, things don't look good for Royce: he got nailed in the debate, major campaign runners are under investigation (even though the Major Case squad is down, the subpoenas still went out, and I'd be amazed if Carcetti didn't get wind of it), he's got a sex scandal around the corner if he makes a wrong move with Herc, and one of his most trusted advisors looks like he may jump ship.

 

[Michael Reuben]

With Freamon heading to homicide, I think that's a real possibility. And the political fallout will be interesting if the bodies are found, because once they're identified, they'll tie back to the Marlo investigation. If it comes out that the investigation of Marlo was shut down on the orders of the Mayor and his Commissioner, just think what Carcetti can do with that.

Did anyone else wince at the altercation between the two schoolgirls?

M.

 

[MikeyWeitz]

yep,that was pretty hardcore for 12 year old girls.
hell, would have been hardcore for a boyfight at 12 years old.

 

[James St]

I don't think Herc will rat him out but Valchek knows so it may come back to Carcetti.

 

[Chris Woodard]

Here's an odd question for other people...

So I just hooked a friend on the series with this seasons episodes.

Which is good...

But he is convinced based off the first four episodes of season 4 that Cutty is a pedophile.

Maybe I've just become so enamored with his character that I'm blind to anything hinting at it... but does anyone else see it?

I don't. But like I said, maybe it's because I just hope for the best from him.

 

[Chad Erickson]

I gotta say that i never got that vibe from the Cutty character, but i guess you never know.

Like Michael says above, I have got to think that the major cases team will only be apart for a little while and then someone will stumble on Marlo's stash of dead bodies and they will be brought back together.

I watched Episode 41 last night and it just keeps on getting better.

Also, i found this over at HBO.com and there is some great information about the show and why it wasn't filmed in HD this year.

http://members.aol.com/TheWireHBO/exclusive2-1.html

After it was revealed that the Namond was Weebey's son, i went out and looked at the rest of the kids bios and stumbled on to who Randy''s dad most likely is. If you want to know, head over to HBO and take a look. i don't want to ruin the surprise if people don't want to know.

 

[Raasean Asaad]

Cutty is no pedophile he just has a love for boxing and I think a genuine soft spot for kids and their upbringing which i think you'll see in the next episode. Not to mention he has been with plenty of women in this and prior seasons if that means anything.

 

[Holadem]

I hope Chris is wrong about Cutty. It just doesn't fit into the character of the show to go down that route, any more than a further exploration Rawls sexual orientation would (and please, I am not at all equating pedophilia with homsexuality!).

Not seen ep 4 yet.

--
H

 

[Michael Reuben]

Chris's friend needs to see season 3. When you see where Cutty came from and how he decided to open the gym, it puts him in a whole different light.

And I agree with you that it wouldn't fit the character of the show. In the world that Simon and Burns built, bad people are upfront about their badness (think Stringer, Avon, Marlo, the Greek, Brother Mouzon, Omar -- and yes, I understand that Omar isn't all bad).

Rawls is a good example. What makes Rawls a species of villain is right there for all to see: He's the show's purest example of an unprincipled, unrepentantly ambitious, back-stabbing bureaucrat. The random revelation (but only to the audience) that he's gay is a personal detail, not something essential to the character.

M.

 

[Everlasting Gobstopper]

Actually, in the special features on the season 3 DVD, John Doman says that Rawls' attitude stems from self-loathing with regard to his sexual orientation.

 

[Michael Reuben]

I don't have the season 3 discs yet, but that comment makes perfect sense from the point of view of an actor fleshing out a character. From a storytelling point of view, it's Rawls' behavior that counts, and the self-loathing that feeds it could come from almost any source. (There are plenty of self-loathing heterosexuals in the world. )

My point was that The Wire doesn't traffic in head-spinning character revelations (such as some character secretly being a pedophile). What you see is pretty much what you get, although certainly your understanding of a character deepens as you learn more about them.

M.

 

[John_Lee]

Looks like Michael might be picking up what your friend is putting down.

 

[Everlasting Gobstopper]

I think Michael's reticence about Cutty says more about Michael than about Cutty. I think Michael may have been abused in the past.

 

[John_Lee]

Oh, I don't disagree. I was just commenting on a vibe I hadn't even considered being brought right out into the open in the very next episode.

I found it interesting that Michael appeared to muse on how fine the boxer's GF was to see if Cutty was into musing on fine girls, and Cutty was so focused on teaching the kids how to box he took it as a lack of discipline/curiousity on Michael's part.

Two heads in very different places interpreting the exchange in very different ways. Always good dramatic material.

 

[aldamon]

My wife thinks so too. I agree. BTW, she teaches in what could be considered an inner-city school in Durham, NC. Durham is definitely not Baltimore, but from what she can tell, the school segements of this show are dead-on accurate. The part where the teacher says the kids' dimeanor changes depending on the day of the week was very similar to a conversation we had last year.

 

[Holadem]

Gawd I hope Omar makes it out of this season (or show) alive - the alternative is one of my greatest fears...

--
H

 

[Chad Erickson]

I agree with you Holadem. Omar could be in for some trouble. But, he went against Barksdale for a long time and came out ok. You just never know.

Does anyone else think that the vice-principal does a really good job with her acting? Everytime she is on the screen she just comes across as someone that would work in the schools. It seems like she isn't acting and none of her dialog seems out of line.

The season is really taking off and it, for me, is as good as all of the other seasons. Hard to believe we are almost half way through.