'The Wire': The Transfer of Glower
This episode is called "Transitions." I call it "Confusion." Which is to say, this was an episode long on exposition/setup and short on illumination -- with one helluva humdinger at the end.
So many characters, so many plot lines. Marlo and the Greeks and the suitcase stuffed with all that spanking-clean money. Cheese turning on his uncle, Prop Joe. It couldn't have helped when Prop Joe cut Cheese off at the Co-op meeting and said, "He's going to heed the boundaries, I assure you." And then, of course, greed is a powerful motivator.
So, what deep dark secret is Cedric hiding, a secret scary enough to make him want to turn down the chief of police gig? I loved the scene with him in Burrell's office. Talk about tension: Cedric was looking all deer in the headlights, assuring Burrell that he hadn't been backstabbing him, he didn't want his job, yada, yada, yada. And there was Burrell, not saying a word, just silently picking up the golf club -- was he going to hit him with it? Nah, just knocking around a couple of balls to let off a little steam.
I watch the newsroom scenes with particular interest, naturally -- especially the ones filmed here at The Post. I enjoyed it when Scott walked right past my desk and into my boss's office for an interview at The Post. (Except of course, that wasn't me sitting at my desk. Or my boss sitting in her office. They filmed here in the weekend hours last year. Oh, and no, that isn't really the Sun's newsroom.)
But something isn't ringing true with the Sun stuff. It doesn't grab me the way, say, Snoop does as she's standing over one of her bound-and-gagged victims, complaining about how stinky he got after he lost control of his bodily functions. "And we ain't even got started yet."
Gus grabs me. Scott grabs me in a I-want-to-push-him-under-the-Metro-for-besmirching-journalism way. But I didn't buy Alma last week getting up at the crack of dawn to buy a newspaper expecting to see her story ran on A-1. And I found the Old School rewrite man deconstructing "incensed" to be more annoying than authentic. One thing Simon and his crew do get right: Bleak cutbacks at the nation's newspapers.
But back to the whole transition theme. This was an episode that was all about the transfer of power: Burrell being forced out of office and forced to make nice at a news conference where Carcetti appointed Cedric. (Loved the way Burrell threatened Cedric with a smile on his face. Poor Cedric. I see a lot of sleepless nights in his future.) Clay Davis trying to hold on to his power as the grand jury zeroes in on his financial dirty deeds. Nerese navigating between Burell and Carcetti. Omar taking back his power, returning to even the score for Butchie. McNulty and Lester asserting a twisted power, trying to outdo each other with their Machiavellian plot to manufacture a serial killer and pin it on Marlo. (And what's up with the dentures? I didn't know that Lester was so twisted.)
And of course, things ended with Marlo seizing power in the way he knows best: Killing Prop Joe. Or, rather, nodding his head at Chris in a silent command, while he quietly tells Joe: "Close your eyes. Close your eyes. It won't hurt none. There, there now, Joe. Relax. Breathe easy." Did you see the look in Marlo's eyes? He was ushering Prop Joe through his transition to the other side. No confusion there, folks.
So tell me . . .
-- TERESA WILTZ
Teresa Wiltz
|
January 28, 2008; 8:53 AM ET
The Wire
Previous: 'Celebrity Apprentice': The Post-'Gene Simmons Kiss-Off' Version |
Next: 'Celebrity Apprentice': Spygate and the Rat
Posted by: Lester Burnham | January 28, 2008 9:32 AM
Yeah that last minute chilled me to the core. Prop went out with his dignity though, no whining or begging.
Hope to see more of Jamie Hector and Robert Chew on film, in projects mirroring the quality of "The Wire," if not it's criminal milieu.
Posted by: The Wireholic | January 28, 2008 1:00 PM
It was funny to hear Prop Joe describe Burrell as Stone Cold Stupid during his high school years with him - what irony -
how the criminal characters are portrayed as smarter in every sense of the word (not just street smarts)than the law abiding characters.
Posted by: Gwen Runion | January 28, 2008 2:51 PM
I agree that Nerese is one to watch out for. Considering she's trying to line herself up as the next mayor (and whatever else after), she now holds a trump card for future favors from Carcetti. Her back and forth between Carcetti and Burrell looked eerily similar to the playing both sides/back and forth of Clay Davis in a past season.
Posted by: Greg | January 28, 2008 3:48 PM
I agree that Prop Joe getting it was shocking. I have a feeling that the winner in the game will be Omar. He is tough, and smart, and now has real motivation. It will get very interesting.
I also want to comment on the writing. I think the character of Omar is borderline genius. An openly gay gangster, who despite being mocked by his enemies, is the most feared person on the show. He is also toughest. Besides, anyone who wears kevlar as part of their daily wardrobe, has to be cool.
Posted by: Jason | January 29, 2008 2:37 PM
Post a Comment
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
I have a hard time waiting for The Wire each week and head to On Demand during lunch every Monday (the joy of working from a home office), but I really had to re-watch the episode last night as I thought that it was a lot to take in and very disturbing. I had heard that a key character would die early in the season, but I never guessed Prop Joe. He had become one of my favorites to watch each week and I really enjoyed seeing how his character developed each season.
The contrast between Stringer and Avon and Prop Joe and Marlo has interested me with the "good" guys getting it in the end, although I like seeing how Avon is still in the game and hope that the series wraps with Marlo and his crew getting caught. Not necessarily by the police, however, since I think that Omar remains a real threat and has the cunning and smarts that Marlo lacks.
With regard to Cedric, I think that Narese, not Burrell, is clearly the one who is going to expose whatever was in that blue folder and it will totally jam the Carcetti administration. I was glad to see Beadie take a stand with Jimmy, although I had really hoped that the McNulty we saw last season would come back this year. Even Bunk is disgusted and I didn't think that I would ever see that.