'The Wire': Oh My, Omar!
Wow.
R.I.P., Omar.
Omar's been on the warpath, hobbling through the streets of West Baltimore, picking off Marlo's "muscle" one by one, taunting Marlo, daring him to come out to play. Baltimore's bad boys (I include Snoop in that category) couldn't take Omar out. It took an unguarded moment and a little kid with a big weapon to do the job. Or as Bunk put it, "Slow to the draw, he was . . . one to the back of the head."
Another, lesser show would have taken out Omar in a hail of bullets. Instead, he met his end in the most prosaic of ways: buying cigarettes at a grocery store. In broad daylight. And sadistic little Kenard -- who'd just finished torturing an alley cat -- just happened to come upon him. Carpe diem, and all that.
"The Wire" is at its best when it underplays big events, rendering the extraordinary ordinary. Of course, in Omar's neck of the woods, the slaying of a stickup artist in the middle of the day is as ordinary as it gets. Omar's passing doesn't even merit a brief at the Sun. Even "bagged up," Omar can't get any respect -- they bungle his name at the morgue, placing his identification on the bag of a white guy.
It's the splashy killings that grab front-page headlines: serial killers picking off the perceived to be innocent. McNulty knows this, and that's why he's spinning his elaborate web of deceit to the B'more powers-that-be. Now, under the glare of the TV cameras, money's no object. As Carcetti tells McNulty: "Do what you need to do. People are dying."
The irony, of course, is that people have been dying all along -- like those 23 bodies entombed in the empty rowhouses? But it takes a fabricated serial killer to get the city machine cranking into high gear. The entombed bodies are black; McNulty's homeless victims are white. Is this intentional on Simon's part? Most likely. Nothing's unintentional on "The Wire."
Here, little bitter ironies abound. Sweet-natured Dukie continues on his quest to live the unglamorous life. But because he's underage, he's having a hard time finding honest work. "I guess you'll need to bang for a while longer 'til you're older," a retired banger-turned-sneaker salesman tells him. Let's hope the junk-man with the horse-drawn cart is Dukie's ticket off the Corner.
Carcetti delivers an Obama-esque speech about the homeless: We. Will. Protect. You! It plays well on TV, but he's got trouble brewing in PG County -- trouble that could scuttle his plans to take over the big house in Annapolis. "I got to kiss a ring, don't I?" Carcetti asks Norman. Norman's response: "More than a ring. Actually." (I laughed out loud.)
Kima and McNulty head over to the FBI to get a workup on the personality profile of the serial killer. For McNulty, this is, of course, an exercise in cynicism. Except that the FBI profile sounds suspiciously familiar: "White male in his late 20s to late 30s. He is likely employed in a bureaucratic entity. . . from which he feels alienated. . . . He has a problem with authority and . . . has trouble with lasting relationships and is possibly a high-functioning alcoholic." Squirm, McNulty, squirm.
Also getting tangled up in lies is McNulty's partner in fabrication: Scott at the Sun. The homeless Iraqi war vet shows up at the Sun and calls Scott a liar. In front of Gus. But Scott is incorrigible, serving up yet another story featuring another nameless source with the perfect quote. But this time, Gus calls him on it. "We have a sourcing policy and I know it. But I do not feel comfortable bending the rules in this instance." Go Gus!
Of course, in "Wire"-land, Gus taking a moral stand isn't likely to do a bit of good.
-- TERESA WILTZ
By Teresa Wiltz |
February 25, 2008; 7:23 AM ET
The Wire
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Posted by: angry | February 25, 2008 7:38 AM
As someone who has to wait for the DVD, I didn't appreciate seeing this spoiler ("Omar, Smoked") on the front page of the Post website. Thanks for ruining the suspense.
Posted by: Annoyed in Baltimore | February 25, 2008 7:40 AM
AGREED. YOU SUCK.
Posted by: atb | February 25, 2008 7:56 AM
How terrible! I'm in Iraq and have been eagerly waiting to head home and catch up on the last season of The Wire. I understand if this sort of detail comes out a few weeks or months after the original airing, but to have such a plot development in the title of your post (which then appeared on the front page of washingtonpost.com) LESS THAN 12 HOURS AFTER THE EPISODE is incredibly thoughtless and selfish. Please fix this before your ruin it for others.
Posted by: Incredibly Disappointed! | February 25, 2008 8:05 AM
Just started watching season 5 last night and only got through through the first two episodes. Then this morning I see this headline on the front page. I'd now like to thank the Post for taking away what would have been a great surprise later in the season.
Posted by: Thanks so much | February 25, 2008 8:17 AM
Please remove this blogger for her thick-skulled headline spoiler. I've managed to watch all previous seasons on DVD without anyone spoiling it for me. Now she spills the beans on the most intriguing character in the best series. What arrogance!
Posted by: Arlington | February 25, 2008 8:50 AM
Omar. Smoked. could mean any number of things, so I'm guessing you DVDers clicked through and had your surprise ruined. Sucks to be you. That's the risk you run if you are not going to watch the show when it airs.
I loved how Omar's death was portrayed and the reactions it elicited. Marlo showed more emotion than he ever had (ironically, the only other display of emtion came when he killed Prop Joe).
Omar - his name sends chills through the corners, his presence causes kids to scatter, feared and respected throughout the game - his death doesn't even warrant a mention in the Sun's local roundup. Same thing as Prop Joe.
The Game is everything to so many people in that city - and nothing to anyone outside of it.
Posted by: sjf | February 25, 2008 8:53 AM
Not everyone has HBO. Don't ruin it for the rest of us. Thanks.
Posted by: youstink | February 25, 2008 9:00 AM
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's pissed about the spoiler being put not only in the headline but on WaPo's main page. Please fire this blogger!
Posted by: johncourage | February 25, 2008 9:00 AM
WHY THE HELL DID YOU PUT THE SPOILER IN THE HEADLINE!?!?!?
Posted by: mike_nimzo | February 25, 2008 9:07 AM
I 2nd every comment here.....what an idiot
Posted by: someone should be fired | February 25, 2008 9:12 AM
At least the Post is giving one of the greatest shows ever a little attention. Still it's stupid to ruin it for the fans who didn't or couldn't see last nights show.
Thanks to David Simon for introducing us to these incredible actors.
Posted by: doowaaaa | February 25, 2008 9:15 AM
Get over it! Maybe the headline could have been more subtle, but the blog entry was going to have episode details like it does every week.
My quick take...great to see Poot off the corner after what happened to Bodie last season. Too bad that Dukie is too young for a real job, but it does show that there is a way "to get there from here". FBI profiler making McNulty squirm...priceless!
We are, however, really starting to see what happens when you compress 12-13 episodes into 10 since some of the plotlines are being resolved in a less than subtle manner. Looking at the preview, my guess is that Michael shoots Snoop since it is only Marlo and Chris in police custody.
Posted by: Lester Burnham | February 25, 2008 9:21 AM
You idiot...thanks for putting the spoiler in the headline.
As if "Omar...smoked" could have meant anything other than it obviously does. For those of us who watch The Wire on DVD, thanks for ruining the final season.
Posted by: Irate | February 25, 2008 9:30 AM
Wow is right. Even the most n00b of all-time n00bs knows enough to NOT PUT A SPOILER BEFORE THE CLICK THROUGH!!!! IDIOTS.
Posted by: Lurko | February 25, 2008 10:20 AM
Get cable crybabies
Posted by: Lucky | February 25, 2008 10:36 AM
What are you guys a bunch of clowns...upset becaus Wiltz reported news that happened last night? Thats like reporting, "The Giants Win over the Pats" the day after superbowl Sunday. If you dont don't have HBO, or chose to watch it slowly on DVD (which in my opinion makes most of the posters today window shoppers) too bad!! Stop being a cheap skate and drop $12 and get HBO if you are sucha big fan that Wiltz's reporting the obvious upsets you so. No need to insult the mesenger because she reports the news!
After ranting on that, I have to say I was sad to see Omar go, especialy at the hands of such a little punk. I think it was Chase's way of showing that life on the streets repeats itself and that a little Snoop and Chris is always on the rise.
Posted by: Turnera | February 25, 2008 10:47 AM
SERIOUSLY! THANKS FOR THE SPOILER!
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 10:48 AM
just because an episode premiers on a certain date does not mean most people watch the episode at said date.
If a newspaper posted a headline "DARTH IS LUKE'S FATHER!" the day Return of the Jedi opened in theatres, people would be a little bit upse.t
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 11:09 AM
so the day after the controversial Sopranos finale, everyone should have stayed mum just because a few stragglers hadn't seen it? please.
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 11:41 AM
Maybe so, but it is fair game at that point. If you feel that strongly about it, maybe you should make it a priority to watch it on said date, instead of being a clown and throwing the word idiot around...its just a tv show at the end of eth day!
Posted by: turnera | February 25, 2008 11:45 AM
Oh by the way in case no one heard Stringer Bell has died in an execution style killing!
Posted by: turnera | February 25, 2008 11:51 AM
I am not sure what all the fuss is about...most people are watching The Wire On Demand anyway. SInce that is the case, you should be happy that the "spoiler" is not coming out sooner. I knew about Omar a week ago. For those of you who are not watching it On Demand, you are racing to be home at 9:00 on Sunday night making sure you don't miss one single moment. If you are so worried about a spoiler, why would you even read a blog about The Wire? I would stay far away from anything that mentions The Wire, if I were you. YOu don't know what will be leaked out. I didn't even watch season 3 but even I know that Stringer Bell was shot-- most of my friends were heartbroken!
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 12:01 PM
No, the point is that it was in the *headline* (which has since been changed). I wasn't reading the blog, I don't read it ever, but there it was anyway, right on the front page of the Post.
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 12:08 PM
exactly, there's not any complaints about the spoiler *within* the blog, it's that it's a HEADLINE on THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 12:12 PM
What's up with this Turnera guy? Can we just all agree that it broke our herats to see Omar killed in such a henious way, and that the reporting of this harsh reality as a headline on the front of the Post makes this reality even more painful and vivid. Omar, I'll see you when I get there :(
Posted by: | February 25, 2008 12:14 PM
Teresa, the people are calling you out for blowing up the spoiler! Just like Omar calling out Marlo. And like Marlo, you have yet to show up and respond. Nonetheless, it was a good episode, penned by Dennis Lehane. Glad the police finally decoded the clock mystery (if I'm not spoiling anything for anybody). Come on Teresa, time to 'man-up.'
Posted by: the wireholic | February 25, 2008 11:09 PM
Enough Already about the headline! It was what it was. Instead, let's talk about what is the best season of one of the most underrated TV shows in history. As a transplanted Marylander, I look forward to watching the Wire every week and will miss it when it ends. For those of you who came to the show late and are catching up on DVD, tardiness has its price. What is the Post supposed to do? Wait for you all to catch up, send a note, and give your okay to release current info. It's not a spoiler if the event already took place and had been broadcast over Television. Deal with it and move on to more important issues such as how does Marlo get stopped now?
Posted by: TerrapinJoe | February 26, 2008 12:40 PM
Posted by: e4y5 | March 12, 2008 8:51 AM
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Do you mind not putting the biggest spoiler in the show in the headline. Thank you so much for that, I'm only on season 4 and like many people the Omar plot line is my favorite. Wow, phenomenally inconsiderate.