The Wire, Season 2 (1 Viewer)

Matt Pasant · May 28, 2003

The critically acclaimed HBO drama series THE WIRE returns for its second season SUNDAY, JUNE 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET). Created by David Simon (EmmyÂ® winner as one of the writers of the HBO miniseries "The Corner"), the show will have a 12-episode run throughout the summer on Sunday nights. While last year's debut season explored the urban drug war in America, the second season will chronicle the steady decline of the working class in American cities, focusing on the Baltimore waterfront and its unions. As the

The critically acclaimed HBO drama series THE WIRE returns for its second season SUNDAY, JUNE 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET). Created by David Simon (EmmyÂ® winner as one of the writers of the HBO miniseries "The Corner"), the show will have a 12-episode run throughout the summer on Sunday nights. While last year's debut season explored the urban drug war in America, the second season will chronicle the steady decline of the working class in American cities, focusing on the Baltimore waterfront and its unions. As the show shifts to the waterfront, a new cast of characters will appear regularly on THE WIRE

Who else is looking forward to this other than me? I got caught up in the reruns this past couple of months and firmly believe it is one of the best written, acted, directed shows on TV. But heys its HBO... what else can we expect from them?

So, McNaulty is on a boat. Lester is back in homicide, Avon and De Angelo Barksdale are in jail, and Stringer Bell is running the show.

So far, I have heard this season will introduce the new story line of corruption in the port while also maintaining the thread (or at least part of it) about the Barksdale drug family from last season. Maybe they are intertwined? Anything is possible on this show.

Also, I am going to take the initiative and kick start a discussion on a weekly basis on Sunday night or Monday morning following each dramatic episode.

Sunday night!

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Piers C · May 28, 2003

Great show!

Jeremiah · May 28, 2003

Oh yeah, I am very excited. I don't think it will measure up to Season 1 b/c IMO that was the greatest single season I have ever seen of a show, but as long as the writing is good and the acting is what I now expect Season 2 should be pretty damn good.

I want to know how Daniels gets back involved with this case and how much time has elapsed b/c Greggs is back on the beat.

I think the Barksdale plot will probably pretty small but who knows.

Lew Crippen · May 28, 2003

Looking forward to this.

RobertW · May 28, 2003

i've been singing the praises of this show to everyone i know, on other message boards and whatnot, because thhe first season was maybe the most satisfying, well written and produced series i've ever seen on tv. i was actually sad when the first season was over and the fourth season of the sopranos was aired in its time slot; i wanted to see more of the wire.

like jeremiah said, i am expecting this second season to be a bit of a letdown because it really will be tough to top that first season. plus, i'm sure we won't be seeing a lot of the characters from the first season, as the emphasis will turn from the drug trade of the projects to the waterfront, and i'll miss them. but as long as the writing and acting remains topnotch, it's gonna be a great summer of hbo.

can't wait for sunday night.

PatWahlquist · May 29, 2003

The Wire made my Homicide withdrawl almost go away. In referring The Wire to friends, I said it was Homicide without the metaphysics. It is currently the best cop show on TV, nothing can touch it. NYPD Blue is broken down and has been for years, and I don't consider any of the 65 versions of Law and Order "cop shows". The episode where McNulty and Bunk redo the murder scene of one of Avon's girls and only use the "F" word is as creative and entertaining as many memorable Homicide moments. Boomtown, while technically a cop show, qualifies as more of show with characters that happen to be cops, and I like Boomtown a whole lot. But give me The Wire anytime, and hopefully on DVD and in HD before long.

Jeremiah · May 29, 2003

The first season I was so impressed at how complicated the dealers were and how much great police work the cops did. The codes for the re-ups, the amount of re-ups and the person paging codes were awesome, not to mention the jumping over the 5 on the phone. Plus they built that case from practicaly nothing, besides McNutty, nobody even heard of Barksdale, not to mention there wasn't even a picture of the guy.

Matt Pasant · May 30, 2003

The first season I was so impressed at how complicated the dealers were and how much great police work the cops did.

Perhaps the thing I loved the most about the show was that every character in that show had very well defined strengths and weaknesses. It did not make any character out to be too smart, or too dumb. Or too cliched' "Oh he is a tough cop", "Or he is the dumb dealer"..

McNaulty - excellent gut instinctive cop, good details guy... horrible people skills and anager

Daniels - supportive boss, allowed for creatitive thinking and fought for his troops, yet was too political at first and sometimes lost control of his troops

Bubs-- great heart, good man, but couldnt beat the habit despite his wanting too

D'Angelo - Great heart, caught up in something out of his control, yet also very confortable with his lifestyle and pushing drugs

Avon - brilliant mastermind, yet sometimes a rash thinker.

Stringer - The Tom Hagen of the Wire. Strong work ethic and attention to detail, committed and loyal. I dont know his weakness to be honost.

Freamon - Perhaps what McNaulty will be in the future. Smart, brilliant gut instincts, yet he landed in the pawn shop division for his hot head.

Prezbuluski - Hot headed, yet probably responsible for the case getting going with him identifying the code and paperwork schemes.

I could literally go on and on... and that is why this show ricked me, and was one of the finest shows I ever had the privilege of watching

-- MAtt

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RobertW · May 30, 2003

after watching the first season on re-reuns these past few months, i noticed a lot of nice dialogue that kept showing up at later points in the series. mcnulty's question for everything, when he inadvertantly starts some course of action going, whether it be the drug case, or problems in his love life was always "what the f*** did i do?", said in a way that shows he really doesn't get what effect his actions have.

"nicely done" was what mcnulty said to stringer, after d'angelo beat the murder rap in the very first episode. also said to the crew's lawyer after savino takes the heat for gregg's being shot, i think, and stringer just about closes the series saying it right back to mcnulty when many of the drug crew are sentenced to jail terms.

the thing that struck me as so profound about this series was at the end, despite months of police work, and many of the drug crew sent to jail, everything ended up pretty much as they began. the players changed, but the game continued on.

Matt Pasant · May 30, 2003

the thing that struck me as so profound about this series was at the end, despite months of police work, and many of the drug crew sent to jail, everything ended up pretty much as they began. the players changed, but the game continued on.

And I think that is what Jimmy realized when he was sitting the in the courtroom and eventually left. He thought he was going to end the drug traffic in the terraces and the pit... He thought this was going to be a huge case, bust up the drug traffic and fix West Baltimore.

In the end, Avon goes to jail for a few years, Stringer (whom I think is smarter than Avon) takes over, got himself demoted to harbor patrol. And just caused a small hiccup in the traffic for a few days. As evidenced, if the Barksdale crew didnt run the Terraces, someone else would stand on the corner and sell yellow-toppers.

Also, all those in Barksdales crew didn't even flinch during sentancing. It was if going to the can were part of their job description. And in D'Angelos case, he said it was a break from being in the tornado.

-- Matt

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Jeremiah · May 30, 2003

I agree with both your posts Matt and you to Robert.

I was thinking that McNutty was also pissed that the case was brought down before it's time from political pressure, because if they were not shut down they could of brought down everyone in the Towers. Not that it would of ended as you guys have said, someone would just be there to take over.

I was surprised that D got so much time, 20 years is a big sentence but with priors you get nailed, Avon with 7 is nothing, and Sorvino with 3 is even less, I loved Wee Bay for some reason and him confessing to the murders was great.

Liked everyone of the characters in the show. Even Rowles(sp?) was ok, just from his talk with McNutty after Greggs was shot.

Matt Pasant · May 30, 2003

i noticed a lot of nice dialogue that kept showing up at later points in the series

Also, I forgot... When Lester and McNaulty were discussing why he came from the Pawn Shop departmant... Lester told Jimmy to be prepared if they ever have to reassign him and you Major wants to help out and asks you "where don't you want to end up".

Well, in the last episode Rawls did ask that very question to Jimmy, and judging by the look on his face when he was on the boat, its safe to say he did not learn from Lesters advice.

Early reviews of the first 4 episodes of season two are most favorable... in fact some say it is better than last season.

-- Matt

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RobertW · May 30, 2003

well i think rawls threw him for a loop on that one. freamon told him, "when they ask you where you want to go, just sit there and don't say anything". cause freamon was asked where he wanted to go, and he told them "anywhere i can be doing police work, i don't wanna mess with no paperwork". and he got put exactly where he didn't want to be, catalogueing stuff at the pawn unit.

so rawls tells mcnulty "i want to see you land ok. where don't you want to go?" so mcnulty figures if he tells them where he doesn't want to go, say maybe street duty, or robbery or something, he'll end up there. but rawls screws him and puts him on the boat anyway. maybe because the fat sergeant, jay, was there when mcnulty was telling bunk how much he hated the boat. maybe jay told rawls.

Matt Pasant · Jun 2, 2003

Episode 1: Ebb Tide

So we begin with Jimmy on the boat, Pryzblyewski pleaing to work cases, Greggs saddled to a desk, Daniels working evidence, and Bodie making a Philly run listening to Garrison Keillor.

Enter the docks...

Jobs it seems are few and far between, Unions are bickering on which projects they need funded to create jobs. Frank Sobotka seems to be our early antagonist. Or is he a D'Angelo Barksdale who reports to "The Greek"?

Life in the Barksdale family isn't lovely either. Seems the stash is low, re-ups are not getting filled, and they may be losing there control slowly.

It seems this season the case will be in the Port. 14 dead bodies in one area is a bad thing, but pissing off a Major over stained glass in a church seems to be what will really be moving this case forward.

Overall, a good episode. Still like the last seasons 1st episode you are a little lost, but in time it will all come clear again..

Looking forward to next week.

-- Matt

Lee L · Jun 2, 2003

Overall, a good episode. Still like the last seasons 1st episode you are a little lost, but in time it will all come clear again..

I like that they used the same narrative style as the first season, introducing everyone and laying the groundwork for the first ep or 2, then coming with more and more action regarding the people you know.

I was pleasantly surprised to see more familiar faces than I thought would be there.

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Marty M · Jun 2, 2003

I started watching the first season at about the 3rd show. It took me a while to get all the figured out, but once I did I didn't miss another episode. It looks like season #2 will just as good as the first. This will help me get over my Six Feet Under withdrawal.

Jeremiah · Jun 2, 2003

I thought it was a great start to what looks to be a great year. I am excited and agree that the writers have a good pace for the first episode.

McNutty is already sticking it to Rawls and this is a nice way of getting many of the players back together.

Daniels got the shaft in a major way.

Prezbuluski really got a taste of real police work and wants focus on narcotics but his father-in-law is not having that. Bummer right now anyway.

Greggs will be back on the beat real soon.

The guy from the Towers listening to that radio sation was too funny.

I do not like Ziggy at all, how someone can be that big a a freaking idiot I have no idea.

RobertW · Jun 2, 2003

very much like the first episode of the first season. a lot of characters introduced briefly, not really enough time to get to know who, what, or where, but we'll learn more about each of them as the story unfolds. casual pacing, nothing really much happens until right at the end and the discovery of the dead girls in the container.

but everything else is right there. terrific dialogue, great settings and atmosphere, a story that is just gonna suck you in as it unfolds. how they get the old team all back working together is gonna be fun to see. loved seeing prez begging to do real police work, stuff that can make a difference and test his intellect instead of just floating through the job.

so what do we have here? russian girls being smuggled in as wives for american men? prostitutes? 13 dead in the container, and another one floating in the harbor, murdered. i have a feeling the party boat, full of political types, will play a role in this before it's all over.

Matt Pasant · Jun 2, 2003

so what do we have here? russian girls being smuggled in as wives for american men? prostitutes? 13 dead in the container, and another one floating in the harbor, murdered. i have a feeling the party boat, full of political types, will play a role in this before it's all over.

I agree, I thought someone on the boat was going to recognize Jimmy or vice versa.

Sobotka has already requested "facetime" with the Senator. Could this be the same embattled Senator that Avon Barksdale had in his pocket that the feds wanted?

-- Matt

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RobertW · Jun 2, 2003

i don't think so, as the senator attends the same greek orthodox church as sobotka and the police major.

besides, wasn't avon's connection just a city councilman, or baltimore state legislature?

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