tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post9173857706418618123..comments2024-03-25T19:18:14.047-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: The Wire, Season 2, Episode 4: "Hard Cases" (Veterans edition)Alan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-29887895212565527692011-03-24T17:04:12.445-04:002011-03-24T17:04:12.445-04:00I have a few comments...
First: when Aimee and Nic...I have a few comments...<br />First: when Aimee and Nick are in bed and the radio alarm goes off - the announcer says "It's 6:38" in the morning. I am at work most days by 6:38 and in the wintertime, there's no sunlight streaming in the window, nothing but stars still in the sky. I noticed this my during my first viewing of the series, and now that I'm in the second it jumped out at me again. You don't see sunshine that bright during the winter until after 8. I thought it was a small detail, but one they goofed. Feels sacreligious to say they goofed, but there it is.<br /><br />Second: I don't exactly hate Ziggy, but he makes me cringe. Now that I'm watching this again, he has my sympathies because his fate isn't unknown. Back when I was watching the first time I wondered constantly why Nick would bring him in when he's such a complete doofus (a dangerous one - I always felt that; he adds so much tension to everything Nick/Frank/The Greeks are up to); his striped toque reminds me too much of a jester's hat.RaeRaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-36757146961507140322010-04-29T05:30:20.867-04:002010-04-29T05:30:20.867-04:00"and after all McNulty's Season 1 talk ab..."and after all McNulty's Season 1 talk about how they'll never catch Avon or Stringer around drugs or guns (not to mention the extreme care Avon and Stringer take), it seems kind of out of character. "<br /><br />But they do catch Avon on a drug charge because he's too close to the order that D picks up, and then, later, they get him on guns. The point is, they're incredibly careful, and, in both cases, it's a fluke that they get the chance.<br /><br />Also, I believe McNulty's point is that you aren't going to kick down a random door and just get them on a buy-bust. If you spend the time to get all the surveillance that they have, then sooner or later, you'll get them on something, because those flukes will happen once in a while.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-51665126197723891602009-11-13T06:00:06.336-05:002009-11-13T06:00:06.336-05:00Coming late to the party here but I like the way t...Coming late to the party here but I like the way this season's setup kind of mirrors season 1.<br /><br />In season 1 the detail knew a whole lot about avon's operations and what he did but didn't know who he was or what he even looked like.<br /><br />In this season the detail knows nothing about the guy <i>except</i> what he looks like. I think it's the previous episode to this where the detail's board is empty except for Frank's passport photo.<br /><br />So it's the same job but coming from completely the other side. In this episode they show they can wander up to the guy and have a chat but they don't know him. Whereas in season 1 "gameday" they finally get a chance just to take a look at the guy but Jimmy says he doesn't want to go along because "he feels like he knows the guy".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-79553472239741356462009-10-27T00:59:13.351-04:002009-10-27T00:59:13.351-04:00Agreed on your point about McNulty's signing t...Agreed on your point about McNulty's signing the separation agreement. Despite the fact that the decision turned out well in the end, the decision itself was obscene based on his motivation at the time. I don't see the logic in thinking that signing an agreement legally saying that you're no longer together means you're going to get back together.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05594363909791945746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-59890829347799237702009-09-17T09:20:45.720-04:002009-09-17T09:20:45.720-04:00The Barksdale Organization at this point is in cri...The Barksdale Organization at this point is in crisis, as it will remain until its total breakdown at the end of next season. You'll notice how Stringers focus is on commerce and installing a sense of that in his underlings, whereas Avon, or Weebay for that matter focussed much more on discipline and militancy.Ako Bantonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-53414495690610577362009-08-07T19:48:57.446-04:002009-08-07T19:48:57.446-04:00Did anyone else notice the scene in this episode w...Did anyone else notice the scene in this episode with Stringer in the same room as the dope? I'm watching Seasons 1 and 2 back-to-back, and after all McNulty's Season 1 talk about how they'll never catch Avon or Stringer around drugs or guns (not to mention the extreme care Avon and Stringer take), it seems kind of out of character.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-19474826967530146902009-07-10T12:50:47.172-04:002009-07-10T12:50:47.172-04:00mikeb,
You're most welcome. There are a good f...mikeb,<br />You're most welcome. There are a good few Baltimorisms that make it in, like people saying "behind" instead of "because of," as in "Jimmy, you'll never get off the boat behind this mess." As for accents, the best ones belong to Stan Valchek, the assistant principal in season four and Lt. Mello (played by the real Jay Landsman). Ziggy's is pretty good, too, though at times he sounds like what he is: a guy who grew up in a nice part of Towson (a northern suburb, where I'm from) trying to sound like a dock worker from Locust Point. They are <i>entirely</i> different worlds.<br /><br />One thing they absolutely nailed throughout was the local obsession with food and some of the local delicacies: pit beef, crabcakes, steamed crabs, fried lake trout (which is not trout and comes from the sea, naturally). I think a lot of that, but not all of it, can be attributed to George Pelecanos.<br /><br />More credit to him for that, because he's actually from D.C., and as the show makes clear on several occasions, the two places aren't that far from each other in physical terms but the relationship between them is anything but close.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-4025667278938577122009-06-30T14:08:07.628-04:002009-06-30T14:08:07.628-04:00Thanks Tom for that background on Baltimore. I gr...Thanks Tom for that background on Baltimore. I grew up in Elizabeth NJ and I don't think I'd ever heard "a police" used like that. I suspected it had a solid basis in Baltimore linguistics. I'll bet some of the other expressions and accents are accurate too.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09806175370305006933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-81137565031304296252009-06-30T10:07:03.628-04:002009-06-30T10:07:03.628-04:00mikeb302000 and Eldritch,
In Homicide, David Simo...mikeb302000 and Eldritch,<br /><br />In <i>Homicide</i>, David Simon wrote that this is how Baltimore cops referred to themselves. In my youth in Baltimore of the '70s, it wasn't uncommon to hear black people speaking of "a po-lice," though I can't say whether that's still true.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-83099733934958133952009-06-24T01:37:40.661-04:002009-06-24T01:37:40.661-04:00I guess I'm the only person who liked Pablo...I guess I'm the only person who liked Pablo's Nick. Felt very genuine and authentic to me. The final scene of the series with him at the fence is outstanding. I liked him and was delighted at his appearance in S05 (and was saddened by Johnny 50s).Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07589084485878131114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-10900004638433445702009-06-22T11:20:19.098-04:002009-06-22T11:20:19.098-04:00To answer your question, I only thought of Bunk an...<i>To answer your question, I only thought of Bunk and Freamon being cops in that scene, never about their being black.</i><br /><br />Me too. I guess because it never seemed to me like there was a race hang up among the guys at the pier. <br /><br /><i>Frank Sobotka in season 2 is kind of in Avon's role in season 1, but he's more likable for me because his crimes are lesser. He doesn't want anyone to get killed or beaten. So while Avon too has a kind of charming side, Sobotka's charm seems more genuine.</i><br /><br />Watching this season again has made me a big fan of Frank Sobotka, too. I love the way he gets all excited to see Beadie when she sits down next to him at the bar and says “HEY!” all enthusiastically before he realizes the Bunk and Lester are there too. Then he breaks my heart a few moments later with his breakdown moment in the bathroom. <br /><br />And Alan, I really appreciate your “no one prepared young guys like Nick and Ziggy to do anything else” insight. As much as I love the Frank and Louis characters, it was really their fault for not seeing the writing on the wall back in the late 70s and to make sure their kids got lots and lots of education so they could do something that didn’t involve the docks. Then Nick and Ziggy wouldn’t be in this mess. <br /><br /><i>"The Wire" is the first time I've heard the expression "a police" used. "A cop" sure, but never "a police." </i><br /><br />A friend of mine is a Chicago police officer and she uses the phrase “the police” a lot and never the word “cop.” For instance, in describing a friend of hers, she’ll say “He’s the police.” Or she'll say “Are you police?” when asking the profession of another potential cop. So it’s pretty common among officers here. But not really among citizens. <br /><br /><i>"Him and this lady had this daughter. The daughter was born a mute.<br />The wife doesn't like that at all, so she breaks it off, right?<br />So he's stuck raising this daughter; She has her period; She freaks out, goes to him. He thinks she was raped."</i><br /><br />What a crazy anecdote…what’s it even referring too?debbiehttp://celiacsavior.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-56301189670288524042009-06-20T15:00:03.796-04:002009-06-20T15:00:03.796-04:00Yes Paul B., I think you're right about that. ...Yes Paul B., I think you're right about that. I'll keep it in mind the next time I watch that part.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09806175370305006933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44619674060220334202009-06-20T14:27:05.475-04:002009-06-20T14:27:05.475-04:00Wasn't Avon's first intention to give the ...<i>Wasn't Avon's first intention to give the sentencing reduction to D'Angelo?</i><br /><br>I don't think so. I think Avon's intention was for <b>both</b> of them to step forward as informants and have their sentences reduced. It is easier to make a case with multiple witnesses, so the State's Attorney probably would have liked to have another witness to back up Avon's claim. Both Avon and D had a chance to make a deal. It didn't necessarily have to be one or the other.Paul B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-84836314268763237142009-06-20T08:16:15.577-04:002009-06-20T08:16:15.577-04:00I was right. That was the old B&O grain eleva...I was right. That was the old B&O grain elevator (I never knew who owned it), now the Silo Point Condominiums.<br />http://www.silopoint.com/flash.html<br />Frank's worst nightmare.<br /><br />I guess it's been longer than I thought since I've been to Fort McHenry.paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-22254236098949944282009-06-20T05:07:33.773-04:002009-06-20T05:07:33.773-04:00A transcript of Johnny's anecdote in case it r...A transcript of Johnny's anecdote in case it rings any bells for anyone.<br /><br /><i>"Him and this lady had this daughter. The daughter was born a mute.<br />The wife doesn't like that at all, so she breaks it off, right?<br />So he's stuck raising this daughter; She has her period; She freaks out, goes to him. He thinks she was raped."</i><br /><br />There it ends when they find the radiator.Muznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-38485255361228222972009-06-20T04:46:54.730-04:002009-06-20T04:46:54.730-04:00@ Eldritch, I've been wondering that too. &quo...@ Eldritch, I've been wondering that too. "A police" is a curious expression, one which I'd not heard before.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09806175370305006933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-36828563776960537482009-06-20T04:45:08.576-04:002009-06-20T04:45:08.576-04:00Regarding Nick's father. It's funny, I ne...Regarding Nick's father. It's funny, I never really thought of it as a bad performance just that maybe the part was a little small. But when I think about it there's a lot of guys on the Wire with small yet compelling performances in pivotal roles.<br />I always wondered what was wrong with him. I kept waiting for some reveal that he was crippled in his old job or something (was there one? I don't recall). I guess he was a bit too mannered for this show.Muznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-31015260056334447552009-06-20T01:42:25.633-04:002009-06-20T01:42:25.633-04:00@Zohar,
I have been wondering the same thing for...@Zohar, <br /><br />I have been wondering the same thing for years.dronkmunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09324354314421977169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-74542152599592073112009-06-20T01:34:22.569-04:002009-06-20T01:34:22.569-04:00Can we get some Cranston or Paul up in that header...Can we get some Cranston or Paul up in that header?dronkmunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09324354314421977169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-19447181765433344452009-06-19T23:03:34.930-04:002009-06-19T23:03:34.930-04:00I'm pretty sure that wall at the end of Nick&#...I'm pretty sure that wall at the end of Nick's street is a grain elevator. You pass it on the way to Fort McHenry. Google maps says that is is the grain pier of the show. <br /><br />Someone actually went through the trouble of placing flags on Google maps for various locations from all five seasons of The Wire, including Nick Sobotka's house and the grain pier. Though, I have to say some of the flags are pretty far off. My sister and her husband lived in the Jamestown Apartments (where Avon had a girl in Season 1) back in 1976. The flag for it is about 30 miles away from its actual location.paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-84748566269251313922009-06-19T20:49:45.072-04:002009-06-19T20:49:45.072-04:00I love the moment in this episode, where when D...I love the moment in this episode, where when D'Angelo confronts Avon, Avon references how they can use the incident to get reduced sentences and "... get some of our lives back." Right then you see a little flicker of decision in D's eyes, to get his life back in a different manner than his uncle intended.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04803447909527249861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-8960305384340792842009-06-19T19:24:53.350-04:002009-06-19T19:24:53.350-04:00Re: White Mike -- he was played by a set dresser f...Re: White Mike -- he was played by a set dresser for the Wire. So while I've never noticed him in the Season 1 credit sequence, it would make sense if he is there, since he was working on the show during season 1.<br /><br />Link here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0947092/filmoseries#tt0306414Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-91711787862978471722009-06-19T15:41:50.863-04:002009-06-19T15:41:50.863-04:00I'd argue it's no less diegetic than the &...<i>I'd argue it's no less diegetic than the "Walk the Line" montage later this season, or the "Move On Up" election day montage in season four, or even Herc doing a series of hand-to-hands to a specific rap song in the next episode. Marla strikes me as very much the kind of person who would be playing Bach at dinner.</i><br /><br />That's true. It also occurred to me while reading your reply that they might be eating at the same time and listening to the same "classical" radio station, in which case I'd be doubly wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-44834918312882804542009-06-19T15:28:37.979-04:002009-06-19T15:28:37.979-04:00The montage is an odd deviation from the show'...<i>The montage is an odd deviation from the show's aesthetics, not least for the use of non-diegetic music.</i><br /><br />I'd argue it's no less diegetic than the "Walk the Line" montage later this season, or the "Move On Up" election day montage in season four, or even Herc doing a series of hand-to-hands to a specific rap song in the next episode. Marla strikes me as very much the kind of person who would be playing Bach at dinner.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-72326191819131645832009-06-19T15:24:00.215-04:002009-06-19T15:24:00.215-04:00Oh Nick, I feel for you. I wouldn't be able t...Oh Nick, I feel for you. I wouldn't be able to resist either. I never get tired of the fact that Dominic West and Michael K. Williams make a point of bringing Kristin Proctor (Aimee) up in their commentary for episode 6.<br /><br />Anyway, forget my breast obsession for now. I think the race thing is more a card that Lester and Bunk are trying to play, by killing the country music in favor of (vastly superior) soul/funk, but the stevedores are a pretty mixed group, and remember later in the season when Frank is talking to Nat and either says nigger or something like it then says "Pardon my French," to which Nat replies, "Or a Pollock, pardon mine." It sounds bad, but they're clearly comfortable with each other and not overtly racist.Hatfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01184680741873873714noreply@blogger.com