The Wire Season 4 Episode 10- "Misgivings" review

"The world goin' one way, people another." - Poot

With bass booming and eyes barely clearing the wheel, Donut drives another stolen SUV right past Officer Eddie Walker, giving the cop a double take. Within seconds, he's got the siren and lights on him, as the boy guns it around a corner and careens into several parked cars. Donut makes a run for it, sending Walker after him. But as the kid turns a corner, he finds his boys and trades his retro jacket for a sweatshirt and ballcap, throwing his pursuer off the trail - briefly. Walker eventually catches up to the boy, even more enraged and determined. "You know what kinda f**king paperwork I got now?" he says, breaking a few of the boys fingers, insisting it's time for Donut to feel his pain.

Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell vents to state Sen. R. Clayton "Clay" Davis about the box into which he's been forced, required under the new administration to run everything through his deputy. He even heard Mayor-Elect Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti put out feelers to a black deputy chief in Pittsburgh, promising him "pie in the sky." Davis tells him he just needs to give the Mayor-elect a little something to see him in a new light, "some kinda police s**t...something that looks good to Carcetti." Burrell is without ideas, but Davis promises to lobby the new mayor on behalf of his old ally.

At Tilghman Middle School, Grace Sampson explains to Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski why the heat in the classrooms is suddenly being set so high - it's intentional. With statewide exams coming up, the only way to get the kids to sit through the 90-minute prep classes is to make them drowsy. "From now 'til they're done, everything's about the tests," Sampson tells him.

Covering their corner, Poot assures Preston "Bodie" Broadus that the winter won't be too cold this year - global warming. Then why are we cold right now, asks Bodie. "We're getting older," Poot explains to his friend's amusement. When Little Kevin shows, looking sheepish after missing time on the job, Bodie presses him on why the police picked him up. Some murder, he tells him, but "I didn't say s**t to them bitches," he assures. "I ain't the one you need to convince," Bodie tells him, implying that being out of pocket for a few days after the "po-po" come looking will surely get back to Marlo Stanfield. Bodie and Poot agree that Kevin should tell the boss of the police encounter before anyone starts to suspect Kevin's got something to hide.

As the corner kids in the experimental class role-play behavioral skills at a restaurant, Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly sticks her head in to summon Howard "Bunny" Colvin and Professor David Parenti. She's getting heat to push every class to prep for the tests, no exceptions, with 90 minute blocks of math and language. Parenti protests: they can't sit 30 minutes. And Colvin thought they were the exception - the whole point of the project. He asks if they can talk to anyone. In fact, he's told, the Area Superintendent wants to meet with them.

Renaldo, keeping surveillance on Marlo and his crew, asks Omar Little whether he knew the kingpin when they robbed his card game. "Boy was just barely a name to me," Omar responds, implying that while he knew Marlo was an up-and-coming westside dealer with a fierce rep, he had not yet laid eyes on the young man. Renaldo wants to know if he would've still gone through with it - knowing who they were dealing with. "Woulda enjoyed it that much more." Omar tells him.

Sgt. Thomas R. "Herc" Hauk brings a peace offering - chicken wings from Tyrone's up on North Avenue - to an angry Bubbles, who is all banged up from the beating he took from his oppressor, the dope fiend who has been shaking him down almost daily. Herc tells him how bad he feels, expressing surprise when Bubbles tells him that he drove right by the beating. Knowing he never even left the office, Herc explains dismissively that they had a "communication problem." He then buys his informant a disposable cell phone, telling him to call direct next time he's in trouble. He just needs him to get word out about a missing police camera, and a $500 bounty for its return. "Five hunnert for a camera and a chicken box for Bubs, huh?" Herc offers him a $100 cut, but Bubbles reminds him it's not about the money for him - the fiend is terrorizing him and messing with his livelihood.

Little Kevin pays his pre-emptive visit to Marlo, explaining what the police wanted and pinning the blame on Randy Wagstaff for talking to them. "Who the f**k is Randy?" Marlo asks. Kevin explains he was the young messenger he chose to "put some distance 'tween me an' Lex." Marlo asks if he told the boy what happened to Lex. "No, swear," Kevin says and waits. As he starts to leave, two henchmen escort him, then shove him into the back of an SUV. He stares at Marlo pleadingly. Chris Partlow asks if they should target Randy next. "He can't hurt us," Marlo explains, and it's true: the most the boy could have in the way of information is heresay. But, he adds, put the word out that he's a snitch.

As Omar watches them all from his row house hideout, he's surprised to see a former Barksdale lieutenant, Slim Charles, arrive to witness the abduction of Little Kevin and discuss the coming re-up with Marlo. "Don't add up," he tells Renaldo. "Interesting though."

Donut returns to the corner to display his finger splints. As Namond Brice talks about f**king up the evil Officer Walker, two police cars pull up and the kids scatter, but not before Sgt. Ellis Carver corners Namond. "Gave you fair warning, didn't I?" he says, as his sidekick, Off. Bobby Brown, finds the boy's dropped stash of drugs. Carver snaps on the cuffs.

Now that Carcetti is the Mayor-elect (he won the general election by 82 percent in predominantly Democratic Baltimore), Clay Davis pays him a visit at his interim City Hall office, claiming he wants to clear the air. "You gonna give the money back?" Norman Wilson asks. Davis laughs and cuts to the chase. Burrell has the ministers and the council president on his side. They'll see the wisdom of new leadership when they find a suitable candidate, Wilson tells him. Davis offers to help them secure what he knows they need: pay raise approval for the new candidate from Nerese Campbell, the council president, and a green light from the ministers. Carcetti asks what they owe him in return. "I'm in Annapolis," Davis says, and he's hearing Carcetti might be there too in a few years. "We may find ourselves working together closely."

"Jesus Christ," Carcetti says after he leaves. Wilson is impressed. "He's slick. Apologizes for the short con, and in the next breath, setting us up for the long. He and Burrell are thick as thieves." Carcetti asks his deputy if he knows what the long con is. "Least we know he's running one," is Wilson's response.

Carver is holding Namond at the Drug Enforcement Unit office of the Western District, but the boy can't reach his mother. She's in Atlantic City, then headed to New York for shopping and a show. Carver preps him for what's ahead: if they can't reach a guardian, they have to send him to baby booking, where he'll spend the night. Namond looks scared - he heard East side and West side don't get along in there, and guys get raped. The only other guardian Namond can come up with is an aunt, but he can't get her on the phone either. Carver plays tough at first, determined to teach the boy a lesson, but seeing Namond's genuine fear, he gives in and lets him spend the night on the bench in the DEU, with oversight from a midnight shift officer.

Chris and Snoop watch as Michael Lee points out Bug's father, who's buying drugs off a dealer, most likely for his mother, he tells them. "I just want him gone. Away from me an' Bug," Michael tells them. "The f**k he do to you?" Snoop asks. Michael can't answer. But Chris gets it: "We take care of it, boss."

In the roll call room of the Western District, the troops get their marching orders for the day. Notable on the shift commander's briefing sheet are a rash of church burglaries they need to get on - one of them was on Off. James "Jimmy" McNulty's post - and the word from on high is to double arrests over the next month, with a focus on minor quality-of-life violations - disorderly conduct, open containers, public indecency. More of New York's 'broken windows' theory. Some of the Western officers protest, but Lt. Dennis Mello explains the Commissioner himself wants to spike arrests.

Colvin and Parenti meet with the Area Superintendent, who questions them about the restaurant field trip. They try to explain why their kids can't be put through 90-minute test prep classes. "So we're writing them off?" the Superintendent asks. Colvin tries to explain: they're learning for their world, and every one of them knows they're going to the corners. "They're not fools, these kids...Jesus, they see right through us." Parenti reminds her he made it clear at the beginning: they'd be addressing kids who needed to be socialized before they could be educated. "We can't lie - not to them, not to ourselves," Colvin adds. The area superintendent seems to withhold final judgment.

After spending the night on the Drug unit's bench, Namond still can't get his mom or aunt on the phone. Carver asks him to think of someone else - any other adult who could come get him. Namond has only one idea: Mr. Colvin. Carver is amused at the mention of the name of his old boss, the former commander of the Western.

Herc still can't find the camera, and Det. Leander Sydnor tells him it's time to come clean with Lt. Charles Marimow. He refuses at first, certain the man will take his stripes, but eventually heads into the boss's office, just as Bubbles finds his persecutor again. As Herc begins to explain about his sloppy paperwork, he gets the call from Bubbles, and tries to tell his boss he needs to take it. "I don't care who it is, turn that f**king thing off," Marimow insists, before launching into a tirade about the train station incident, accusing Herc of making up his informant, then assailing him for failing to bring in a single worthy case - otherwise he might have some reason to let a few things slide. Herc backs down from telling the truth about the camera.

In the halls between classes, Randy gets shouldered by a kid coming the other way. "Snitch bitch," the kid says. When Michael asks what it's about, Randy just shrugs, trying not to look shaken.

The patrolmen begin their street sweeps; McNulty, Off. Anthony Colicchio and the other young officers start round ups for open containers outside a bar. "I know you think its bulls**t," Officer Baker tells McNulty, writing up a ticket on a double-parked car, "but I spend my shift where they tell me." McNulty lets him in on a "little secret." "The patrolling officer on his beat is the only true dictatorship in America," he says, rattling off their liberties, like locking up a guy on a humble and getting drunk on shift. "No one - I mean no one - tells us how to waste our shift." Besides, McNulty boasts, he has some bigger fish to fry - he's figured out a pattern on the church burglaries. They're interrupted by angry bar patrons who are furious at the tickets on their cars, the sudden police onslaught. A punch is thrown and a melee is in the making. "This could get outta hand," Baker says to McNulty. "Isn't that what we want, right?" McNulty says, heading towards his cruiser. "More arrests?"

Carver brings Namond to Tilghman Middle to greet Colvin, explaining that the boy "invoked your name with a measure of respect." Colvin recalls his disrespect from a few weeks earlier. "Mr. Colvin, Sir: F**k. You." Namond at least wants credit for saying "Mr," but Colvin suggests a ride on the juvenile services bus might do him some good. The boy pleads with him. Colvin agrees to call his wife.

Over dinner, Namond puts on his best manners for Mrs. Colvin, who says she was expecting "more of an adventure" as her husband suggested. "Don't be fooled," Colvin says, smiling. "This is his Eddie Haskell act." When Namond hears his wife call him Bunny, the former cop warns him not to spill it. "I'll cut your balls off," he says, convincingly. But inside, Colvin is a bit charmed.

At the booking desk, McNulty brings in a felony burglary arrest on another church robbery - in stark contrast to all the misdemeanor arrests that are clogging the Western. Meanwhile, over in Col. Cedric Daniels' new office downtown, Mello complains about all the weak charges for loitering and disorderly conduct. "Neighborhood people, sometimes they appreciate quality-of-life arrests," Daniels says diplomatically. "Except we're locking up the neighborhood people," Mello responds. As for morale among the officers, it's split - the officers who love stats are happy, but Mello was hoping a new mayor would put an end to juked numbers, not ramp it up.

Bodie and Poot get a visit from Slim Charles, who spills the news about Little Kevin. "Chris and Snoop walked him down an alley. He in a vacant now." Bodie stares, dumbstruck.

With the Area Superintendent visiting Prez's class, he focuses on sample exam questions. As soon as she leaves, he lets the kids decide what they want to do with the remainder of the 90-minute test-prep block. The boys go back to their dice and probabilities. None of the boys will pair off with Randy, but Michael steps up and joins him.

Renaldo's at the wheel of a borrowed taxi, with Omar sitting in back, as the two of them continue their surveillance - this time on Slim Charles, who they have followed away from his meet with Marlo.

In the pilot project classroom, Zenobia Dawson and Chandra act out another simulation exercise, this time as a case worker and applicant at Social Services. As Principal Claudell Withers enters with the Area Superintendent, Zenobia takes her part a little too seriously, insisting she's just trying to make it realistic. The hostility ratchets up until Chandra slaps her, then shoves the social worker who tries to contain her. Colvin has to intervene. "Typical day?" the superintendent asks Withers. "I wouldn't know - my first day.... Mrs. Donnelly oversees this project."

In a front office meeting later that day with Withers and Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly, the superintendent is harsh. "What I saw today wasn't education as I understand the term. And they didn't seem very socialized either." The teacher tries to explain it wasn't their best day, as Parenti argues that, on the whole, they've actually made progress. Colvin adds that the outbursts are fewer, and they're more engaged. But when pressed as to how many could return to a regular classroom, the teacher offers only three names: Namond, Darnell and Zenobia. Donnelly calls it "a tremendous achievement," and the principal - deciding to back his subordinates - concurs. Then the social worker weighs in: "Many of these kids are profoundly damaged... any gain or progress is temporary. I think this project may be flawed."

Daniels goes to Carcetti to let him know that Burrell bypassed Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls to double street arrests and juke the stats - the chief is reasserting control of the department and making a play for the Mayor to keep him. "Why did you come to me?" Carcetti wants to know. He explains his logic: if Rawls already came to Carcetti with it and he let it happen anyways, that's a problem for Daniels - because Carcetti's claim that he wants to reform the department is dubious. If Rawls didn't tell him, then the Deputy is okay with Burrell's tactics, or he's letting the chief screw up so he will get fired. Either way, Daniels needs to know where Carcetti stands. "I gave you my word," the Mayor says. "Thanks for going outside the chain of command," he adds. Daniels assures him it won't be a regular practice.

Bubbles rattles his cart past a Baptist church, asks two churchgoers if they can help him get something to eat, and gets no reaction. He spots a black minister in a suit making his way to his car, and calls Herc using the cellphone that the plainclothesman purchased for him. Herc casually apologizes for not taking his call when he was in a meeting, and Bubbles responds by giving him the license plate of the minister's car - and telling him Marlo's people have a bag in the trunk, getting ready to make drops. Herc jumps on the tip with Off.. Kenneth Dozerman, and Bubbles, his working relationship with Herc over, tries to sell off the cell phone.

Within minutes Herc, Dozerman and a chopper are on the minister's car - siren blaring, lights flashing, as Herc orders the man out of the car, hands up, and spins him onto the hood to search him, then forcing him to sit on the sidewalk. They pop his trunk then search the car, as Herc confidently grabs his briefcase, taunting him knowingly as if it's the motherload. When he opens it, all he finds is a Bible. Herc has come up empty again. Bubbles set him up. "I'm damn sure gonna have your name and badge number," the minister tells Herc.

Clay Davis meets with City Council President Nerese Campbell, urging her to give Carcetti $25,000 for a salary bump for the police commissioner job, to buy time for Burrelll. Davis explains that the money won't be enough to lure serious candidates from the outside, but it will be enough movement so that the new mayor will believe that he will eventually get what he needs from the council. Then, Davis beautifully plays the middle between Carcetti and Burrell, calling the Mayor and leaves a message that he got him the money for a new police chief. "Tell him, 'Senator Davis has his interests at heart.'"

Colvin drops Namond off at his house, and he gets a peak into his home life when the boy introduces him to his mother, explaining that Colvin took him in after the cops picked him up. "Leave my son the f**k alone," De'Londa says to Colvin, before chastising her son for being afraid to go to baby booking.

McNulty and Det. William "Bunk" Moreland get their sons together at a restaurant, and Bunk asks the young McNultys if they plan to follow in their dad's footsteps. One wants to be a video game designer, the other a rock star. As for Bunk's kids, the older one wants to be chief of police, the other a pediatric neurosurgeon. McNulty's ex, Elena, arrives to pick up the kids, and sees that he's not drinking. They get some alone time, and ask about each other's new partners. "We're close, we're not..." Elena says of hers. "If I'd known you were gonna grow up to be a grown up..." she says smiling fondly at him. McNulty is clearly gratified by this belated endorsement.

Bodie is still upset about Little Kevin, especially as he's the one who told him "do the right thing, go talk to the man." Poot tries to get him to see it from Marlo's point of view, invoking their own murder of Wallace years earlier, but Bodie thinks the logic is flawed - Kevin didn't snitch. Marlo's just a "cold motherf**ker." "It's a cold world, Bodie," Poot tells him. "Thought you said it was getting warmer," he responds. "The world goin' one way, people another," Poot says.

As Michael's mother heads out to look for Bug's dad, he stops her. "He ain't coming back," he says, staring her down. A few blocks away, the man leaves a grocery store to face Snoop and Chris, who follow him, Chris drilling him on whether he likes f**king boys. He tells them he's living with a woman now. "She got kids." Snoop says. "I ain't touch them kids. Who told you that?" he demands. Chris plays friendly. "When you inside, ain't no p**sy." "Well, yeah, s**t," he responds. "You been inside. Man gotta bust his nut, know what I'm sayin'?" "I do," Chris says, as he pulls a gun and pistol whips the man, kicking and pummeling him bloody, only stopping when he's unrecognizable - and still. Snoop looks stunned at the ferocity of the beating, so much more emotional than any other violence in which Chris has been involved. "Damn, you didn't even wait to get the motherf**ker inside."

Back at home, Michael watches as his mother, agitated and waiting for her fix, glares at him. He smiles knowingly, once again the man of the house.

Once again, a lot of things to consider from this episode. I swear, I have to watch these episodes over and over on DVR and DVDs (admittedly I have seen all of season 4 but I watch religiously on HBO every Sunday because this show is littered with small satisfying details that you might ignore initially). Officer Walker's reign of abuse continues- this time on Donut. In retrospect, Donut is really doing horrible things by stealing these vehicles but when you see the kid- you realize just that. Donut is just a child. He is doing criminal things and is running wild- but what else would you expect him to do given his surroundings. So, when Walker broke Donut's fingers, I winced in pain watching it. I love Donut's clever tactics of trying to detour Walker- from using the smashed cars as a sort of barrier and then switching jackets to throw Walker off his trail.

Speaking of Walker, I love the continuing passing of Old-Face Andre's ring. And I love how each wearer of the ring has had misfortune meted out to them. The original owner of the ring, Old-Face Andre had his re-up stolen from Omar, had the ring taken from after Marlo intimidated him and then later Andre dies after going back on his testimony. Marlo's misfortune was being robbed at the poker game by Omar. Omar's misfortune was being falsely accused of murder and being locked up with 98% of the boys he robbed. Fortunately, Omar is now out and looks to be okay (well, depending as safe as Omar can possibly be- the man thrives on the street). And Walker will meet his misfortune soon in episode 11 which I will review soon. And the new wearer of the ring may have to worry because every time that ring has been passed, something bad has happened to the person.

Since season 1, the writers have shown the corruption of Clay Davis. This episode truly reveals that character's manuevering and scheming nature. He is a complete opportunist who knows how to survive in the political arena. And although he and Burrell seem to be "thick as thieves" (using Norman Wilson's line)- you know that Clay would hang Burrell out to dry in a moment in order for his own political gain. However, to Burrell's credit he understands the political game better than most and will more than likely try to find a way to survive.

Also, as deplorable as Burrell may be in some cases, he was smart in trying to juke the stats in an effort for his own self-preservation. I also love the growing friendship between Carcetti and Daniels. It's becoming very apparent that Daniels is being groomed as the heir apparent to replace Burrell. However, Burrell still has dirt on Daniels from "the old days" (referenced in season 1). When forced into a corner, it is more than likely that these truths will be exposed.

Poor Little Kevin. The one thing I've learned from this series is that if you try to do the right thing or if you try to assert some level of individuality/humanity- more than likely, it will cost you. Now, Little Kevin was the one responsible for Lex's death- however, Lex did kill Fruit against Bodie's wishes. But, Little Kevin did not snitch when Herc tried to interrogate him. There was no smoking gun and Kevin didn't snitch. Remembering the days of the Barksdale crew (and also the turmoil that happened when Wallace was out of pocket and disappeared in season 1), Bodie advises Kevin to do the right thing and clear the air with Marlo.

If this season has taught us anything it is that Marlo is a different breed than Avon. He is far more sociopathic and vicious and drops bodies just to prove to everyone that he can. Avon had a great deal of humanity and the deaths that occurred where calculated and pertained to business. The bodies that fall in Marlo's wake are senseless deaths just to bolster his rep. So when Kevin reported to Marlo, I knew it wouldn't end well- and it ended with Kevin being escorted to be boarded in a vacant by Snoop and Chris. I loved the look on Slim Charles face when he sees Kevin's face before he's driven away. It was a look of understanding that things are slowly beginning to get out of control. And that Marlo is just killing just because he has the ability to.

One of my favorite scenes in the episode was when Slim Charles revealed to Bodie what happened to Kevin. I've always been a JD Williams fan since his stint as Kenny Wangler on OZ but it's really his role on THE WIRE as Bodie that you really see the dimensions this guy can bring. This scene is downright heartbreaking with Bodie realizing that he contributed to Kevin's demise. Do the right thing is something that a loyal soldier like Bodie has done time and time again. However, the rules of the game have been changed and an older Bodie realizes that. Why did Slim reveal this to Bodie? Was it out of respect since they are close? Or is it because Slim ultimately hopes that someone does something about the shit that Marlo is pulling?

The best visual was the wide shot of Bodie alone on the corner, contemplating his viewpoint on Marlo, the status of the game, Little Kevin's death and his own place. Also, I loved the Royce For Mayor sign in the shot as well. I think that is potentially deliberate. Is Bodie fighting a losing race just like Royce? And like Royce is Bodie's (and the Barksdale clan period) term officially over and the new breed officially being inducted? A lot of subtle nuances to chew over.

And it took three plus seasons, but it was nice to see Bodie and Poot discussing Wallace's death. Bodie's still sure that the death of Wallace was necessary because Wallace was going to snitch. Which in actuality, is partially true (Stringer's paranoia really took over in that instance). But Bodie in my viewpoint, is becoming the voice of the audience with his commentary on the way Marlo conducts business and views life. When episode 13 roles around, I guarantee you that Bodie's words will echo that of the audience in general. Bodie is steeped in the game and is a soldier, but there is humanity and honor in him. Marlo and his ilk are soulless and devoid of feeling toward the lives of others. Things are no longer the same as we have been used to for three previous seasons.

I love Namond's continuing bond with Colvin. And the dinner conversation with Bunny's nickname being revealed to Namond was hilarious. Namond actually seemed a bit shaken up by Bunny's threats of cutting his balls off. I still am wondering about the origins of Bunny's nickname myself. However, how can someone not feel sympathy for Namond is beyond me. After seeing the "love" his mother offers him, it's a wonder how Namond is barely able to function. She would rather her son spend a night in baby booking and scolds him for being safe with Colvin. De'Londa Brice may be one of the most cold-hearted characters I have ever seen- concerned solely about her own standing financially than her child's safety.

I'm glad that Herc received some sort of comeuppance for his amazing fuck-ups. He's so self-absorbed and unable to take any sort of responsibility that he has fucked over various characters this season including Randy, Bubs, etc. And I was thrilled that Bubs was able to trick him into arresting the minister. The minister and the two women that Bubs was trying to talk to earlier- remind me of the hypocrisy that is inherent in a good portion of churchgoers. They claim to be righteous but they ignore a man who is of a lower social bracket than they are. How Bubs maintains his wonderful soul through everything is what I find remarkable. He's truly one of the most positive characters trying to survive and cope in a world that is completely flipped on its chaotic axis.

And is there a more patient and calculating character than Omar? Basically he has collected more data in his short time out than the police have been able to figure out. He's piecing together this puzzle and is figuring out who is working with who- and methodically figuring out how to get even with Marlo/Prop Joe.

And the ending was downright brutal. For the first time, we see Chris lose his cool and destroy Bug's father with a uncontrolled fit of brutality. The look on Snoop's face was priceless. I also love how never once Michael said that Bug's father molested him- it's implied and Chris (obviously a victim of abuse and molestation as well) understood the situation. It reminds me that victims of the same crime will share a common unspoken language. And that is what happened here. Michael has sold his very soul and his loyalty to protect his brother. It's a noble cause and I applaud the beating in a sense. Nothing is worse than child molestation or abuse in my mind- but what makes that death more accepted than any other death in this series?

Amazing episode and I will have to watch it again.

The Wire Season 4 Episode 9- "Know Your Place" review

"Might as well dump 'em, get another." - Proposition Joe

On his corner, Bodie Broadus listens to Little Kevin talking with other lookouts, touts and runners about Sponge Bob, and chides them for watching too many cartoons. But Bodie breaks into a smile when he sees Poot approaching, having been paroled after 15 months on his four-year sentence. Bodie updates him on the new boss, Marlo Stanfield. As they joke about Poot's penchant for chasing girls, Sgt. Thomas R. "Herc" Hauk and Det. Kenneth Dozerman pull up, forcing the crew to hit the bricks. Herc's looking for "Little Kevin," but no one gives him up, so he orders the four smallest guys into the car and takes them downtown. Kevin, Poot and Bodie remain. "These police out here knew how to flip it even just a little, my s**t'd be in handcuffs," says not-so-little Kevin.

Det. William "Bunk" Moreland greets Omar, who - with the murder of the delivery woman no longer charged to him - is released from custody in the Harford County Detention Center, north of Baltimore. But as Omar tries to figure who did do the murder, Bunk gets in his face, ordering him, "No more f**kin bodies from you. No comebacks or get-evens on this. No more killing." Omar gives his word, but when Bunk suggests he get out of the city, offering to put him on a northbound Amtrak, Omar won't go for it. "Baltimore all I know. Man gotta live what he know."

Mayor-Elect Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti heads a discussion with City Council President Nerese Campbell, his aide Norman Wilson, newly elected State's Attorney Rupert Bond and other city officials about his plans, and it quickly becomes clear that his goal of attacking crime with a new police commissioner will face some major hurdles from the budget process - and council president Campbell.

When the students arrive for class, Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski has rearranged the desks into small groups and placed the kids in new seats; they grumble but acquiesce.

Proposition Joe Stewart pulls up to Marlo and Chris Partlow's car to report that Herc (whose business card Marlo provided) is assigned to Major Crimes - the guys responsible for bugging Barksdale and Stringer Bell. When Marlo says he changes his phone every two weeks, Prop Joe hands over a wire tap report that named Stringer, who was changing his phones every day. Marlo nods and Chris immediately tosses a cellphone out the SUV window.

In class, Prez has the students doing practical math exercises: measuring height and arm span to learn fractions, and Duquan "Dukie" Weems shows kids how to search the Internet. Typing in "candy," Randy Wagstaff discovers he can get a better wholesale price on his products online, but Dukie points out the obstacle: the need for a credit card.

Carcetti's meetings continue with a presentation from the Baltimore Development Corp. President on waterfront development options. Tommy is lukewarm about the idea of a promenade with his name on it, but lights up at the idea of casinos and all the possible revenue that might result. He quickly backpeddles when Campbell objects to "sucking paychecks out of my community." Tommy adjourns the meeting to meet in private with Campbell to press her on her opposition. She accuses him and Councilman Anthony "Tony" Gray of having "jumped the line" - she had a deal with Mayor Royce that he'd back her for mayor when the time came. He urges her to work with him; after all, in '08 he may be governor and as council president, she'd end up appointed to the mayoralty "without so much as a campaign speech."

Bubbles has tracked down Det. Shakima "Kima" Greggs for some help busting the fiend who's continuing to beat him up for drugs and money. She tells him she's homicide now, not looking for drug information, but she grudgingly agrees to drive Bubbles around to try to find his nemesis.

Carcetti, Wilson and State Del. Odell Watkins review their options for getting rid of Police Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell in light of Campbell's opposition, since they won't be able to recruit a top-level black candidate to replace him without her agreeing to at least a $50,000 bump in the commissioner's salary. Wilson suggests they get Burrell to quit; if he leaves on his own, Campbell can't say anything.

Randy and Dukie try to talk Prez into using his credit card number to buy candy. He reluctantly agrees, but only if they give him cash up front. More important, he tells them he doesn't want them on the corner to get it. When a teacher realizes her car's been stolen, Prez shoots the boys a look; they shrug ignorance.

Meanwhile, Donut pulls up to Namond Brice's corner in a car with a Tilghman faculty bumper sticker. Bodie and Poot, who have their own corner adjacent, are instructing Namond on where to place his lookouts. Before handing over the package, Bodie warns Namond not to be sending his mother to speak for him. Embarrassed, Namond tries to explain he had nothing to do with that.

At Marlo's outdoor lair, Chris reports there's been no sign of Old Face Andre - his store's locked and he hasn't called for a re-up. Marlo worries that Omar may have been sprung, which means Andre could be backing up on his story to the police - and possibly implicating Chris in the murder of the delivery woman. Chris reports they've dropped five New York bodies; Marlo thinks that's enough to serve the Co-op's interest in driving the out-of-towners off Monument Street, and so, he gives him his marching orders: "This s**t with Andre? Job one."

Having no luck in their search for the fiend, Greggs promises Bubbles she'll hook him up with Herc or Det. Leander Sydnor at Major Crimes and get him working their drug stuff in exchange for their help.

Renaldo and Omar stake out Andre's gated store. He may have promised Bunk not to kill a man, but Omar says he can still put a gun in Andre's face. "That man got some explainin' to do."

Randy, accompanied by Dukie, buys his way into a dice game. He leaves later that night with a wad of cash, protected by a player who let him in, and then followed him on his every pass and made money, and who wants to know the boy's system. Randy explains it's all about the math and probabilities. "Where you learn your game?" asks the player. "Edward Tilghman Middle," says Randy, with no small amount of pride.

Herc and Dozerman get reacquainted with Bubbles, and ask him about Little Kevin, who Bubbles confirms is Bodie's boy. Bubbles offers to give Kevin a new hat the next afternoon so they can ID their suspect, and Herc promises they'll take care of the fiend oppressing Bubbles as soon as they have Kevin.

Bug shows his brother Michael Lee his baking soda volcano project, but when Bug's father hovers, Michael sends Bug up to bed. "Ain't got a forgiveness to your soul," the man says to Michael. "F**k you!" Michael fires back. His stepfather gives him a warning, "You're big, but not big enough," before pressing him for the D.S.S. account card. Michael tells him there's nothing left from this month's check. "Before the first of the month then," his stepfather says.

Greggs shows up at ex-girlfriend Cheryl's apartment and hands over an envelope of cash. With her homicide overtime, she can catch up on back monthly payments for Elijah. As she watches the boy playing in the living room, they're interrupted by a guest, a woman who announces she's "home." Cheryl's new partner apologizes for the mess, and Cheryl explains they're expecting company, a celebration for her new roommate having passing the bar. Kima excuses herself, making an awkward exit.

Chris and Snoop bust into Andre's woman's bedroom, and fire a shot right beside her head. Terrified, she swears she doesn't know where Andre is. They believe her.

Presenting a wad of cash to Prez to pay for his candy order, Randy reports that the teacher's schoolings earned him the money. "You shouldn't gamble," Prez says. "Iâ....m just saying, the math be right, Mr. P," he says proudly, ignoring the admonishment.

Crammed into a deli booth, Carcetti meets with Burrell to ask the police commissioner to resign. But Burrell shrewdly refuses: "If you want me to go, you gonna have to s**tcan me."

In the project class, the kids are instructed to pick one of three tables, each with a scale model erector set. Whichever team puts its model together first wins dinner at a downtown restaurant of their choice. The instructions have been removed to make it more interesting. "Yeah, it ain't like we follow the instructions anywhere else, right?" quips Namond.

Old Face Andre looks for help from Proposition Joe, hoping that in exchange for the deed to his store, Joe could front him some cash to get out of town. Out of options, Andre is forced to accept the low ball offer: $2,000 and a safe ride north.

In the project class, Howard "Bunny" Colvin and the team observe the groups arguing over how to assemble their projects. But Namond manages to lead his team to a fairly successful Eiffel Tower - pocketing just a few extra parts before presenting the finished product to the teacher. When she questions him on the extra parts, he denies their existence. "So who cook a good steak 'round here?" he asks.

Carcetti and Wilson meet with Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls to lay out how things will work once Carcetti takes office. Having refused to quit, Burrell will have to clear any new initiative through Rawls and all day-to-day administration goes through the Deputy Ops as well. Tommy confides he has to make Maj. Stanislaus Valchek the Deputy Commissioner of Administration as a political pay back, but asks him to make sure Valchek does no harm. And finally, he wants to bump Maj. Cedric Daniels up to colonel, giving him C.I.D. and "carte blanche to fix the investigative units." Rawls balks a bit at Daniels' "independent streak" but agrees to all points. He does have one question for Carcetti and Wilson: Why keep Burrell as a puppet commissioner instead of firing him? They offer no answer.

Michael uses his mother's D.S.S. to make an ATM withdrawal - securing the last of this month's money - before joining Randy and Dukie. He asks Randy whether he's ever called social services on his mother, because he's thinking about it. Randy advises him against it, warning that once social services gets involved, they'll separate Michael and Bug, put them in group homes. Dukie suggests he talk to Prezbo, and Michael admits the teacher did suggest the school social worker. But Randy rules him out, declaring the school social worker to be an alcoholic. Dukie asks about Cutty but this sets Michael off : "He's too friendly...like he some type of faggot or something...Everybody just too motherf**kin friendly!" Dukie and Randy are surprised; Cutty doesn't seem to be remotely gay. But Michael storms off, leaving Dukie and Randy confused.

Herc and Dozerman watch a heavyset Little Kevin sporting his new red hat and realize they didn't get the joke about his nickname. "They flipped it," Herc says, belatedly.

At a Tilghman Middle School staff meeting, Donnelly informs the teachers they all have to focus on teaching language arts test questions to prepare for the state exam. Prez can't believe the pointlessness of teaching test questions, and wonders how it will ever assess how much the kids are learning. Grace explains they're not really assessing the kids - if the scores go up, the school administration can say the schools are improving. Prez realizes he's been here before; they're "juking" stats, just like in the police department. "Making robberies into larcenies. Making rapes disappear. You juke the stats and majors become colonels."

Sgt. Ellis Carver and plainclothes Off. Anthony Colicchio make a move on Namond's corner. As the boys scatter, they grab little Kenard. But Carver won't give chase to the others or book the eight-year-old. "He isn't even bait," he says as he destroys the vials of drugs found in a nearby ground stash. Colicchio doesn't get the point of it all. "I like to think that until the handcuffs actually fit, there's still talking to be done," Carver explains.

Colvin takes Namond's winning team for their steak dinner to Ruth's Chris in Baltimore's Inner Harbor - Zenobia Dawson, with her 3-hour hairdo, Darnell Tyson and Namond. They arrive open to the idea of a new experience, then proceed to argue about what "rare" means when it comes to ordering steak.

A jittery Bubbles stakes out his persecutor and makes his payphone call to Herc, leaving a message that he's holding fiend for the five minutes Herc promised it would take him to get to Riggs and Calhoun. Meanwhile, Herc is questioning Little Kevin about the murder of Lex, and when Dozerman gives him Bubbles' message, Herc says he'll deal with it tomorrow. Sydnor leaves the interrogation, disgusted - they have no leverage, no body, just the name Lex. Herc makes the mistake of asserting to Kevin that they have a witness to his involvement, and when Kevin invokes Randy's name, Herc compounds the mistake by failing to feign curiosity about the name. Meanwhile, Bubbles, seeing an unmarked car with a flashing light, assumes the cavalry has arrived, and taunts the fiend, only to have the car race past to some other call. The fiend beats him with a metal pipe, leaving Bubbles bloody in the street.

At the fancy steak house, Darnell , Zenobia and Namond are out of their element, having never experienced coat checks, recited specials or what to do with their napkins. After dinner, they're demoralized. Zenobia doesn't want to take a photo of the restaurant anymore, Darnell wants to go to Mickey D's for a real meal and Namond blasts hip-hop on the radio, no longer interested in the Billie Holiday that was on Colvin's car radio earlier. Colvin drives off, the kids arguing. Chaos again.

On the eve of his promotion, Daniels enjoys leftovers and wine at ASA Rhonda Pearlman's house, as they toast their good fortune. "Funny how it works," Daniels says. After all the years he tried to climb the ladder "kissing ass, covering ass and doing what I'm told," he finally gets the big promotion when he says what he really thinks, while the subpoenas end up getting her promoted. "Maybe we're turning a corner here," Daniels adds, hopeful, "and it's not gonna be so unbelievably f**ked up anymore."

Prez leads his now-indifferent class through sample test questions. All enjoyment from learning - and teaching - effectively squashed, he spoon feeds them the verbatims of what they need to write on their No Child Left Behind mandated tests.

Marlo and Chris hand over payment for a package to Proposition Joe and Slim Charles, but Proposition notes they are $25,000 short. Marlo figures the New York bodies are $5,000 per head, the going rate for a professional hit, but Proposition reminds him that the spirit of the co-op means they all watch out for each other, and the price he gave included consideration for the N.Y. bodies. "On the other hand," Slim Charles points out, "we got something that you want an' it's coming back to you, free of charge."

"It's a proud day for the Baltimore Police Department," Commissioner Burrell says from the podium before a seated crowd of colleagues and family, including a proud Pearlman, as he announces the promotions of Valchek and Daniels and several other newly minted police supervisors. The Commissioner pulls Rawls aside after, not realizing his Deputy Ops was prepped on Carcetti's promotions: "Valchek we coulda guessed, but Daniels?"

Colvin reports to Professor David Parenti about what the restaurant trip revealed, describing how the outing plummeting the kids from masters of the universe into fear and humiliation, without any awareness on their part. Parenti suggests maybe they were aware, but didn't want to acknowledge it. "How do you get them to believe in themselves when they can't admit their feelings about who they are and what they're doing in this world?" asks Colvin.

Prez, frustrated with the student evaluations and sample tests, comes to a decision. "To hell with Donnelly and to hell with their statewide test scores," he says to Grace Sampson. "I came here to teach, right?" Grace looks at him, offering the trace of a smile.

Carver shows up at the gym to do some talking. He gives Namond, Kenard and Donut a warning: "I see you out there a second time and everyone takes a beating and goes to Cheltenham." Dennis "Cutty" Wise fills Carver in on Namond's lineage, surprising Carver, who years ago locked up his father, Wee-Bey. "Same blood, but not the same heart," says Cutty.

Thinking he's headed north, Old Face Andre is introduced to his real escorts: Chris and Snoop. He begs them not to do him in the vacants; his people won't know. But Chris just assures him, "I got your back," as they lead him off to his death.

Staking out Marlo's lair from a nearby row house, Renaldo and Omar identify Marlo for the first time, and realize he's the dealer they robbed at the players' poker game. "No wonder he don't like me," says Omar, amused.

Michael comes to Marlo looking for Chris: :"I got a problem I can't bring to no one else." Marlo and Snoop sit and listen to Michael's dilemma as Omar watches, dismissing Michael as no one he need be concerned with: "He's just a kid," he sighs.

The beginning of the episode was beautiful with Bodie reuniting with Poot (who was arrested in "Mission Accomplished" in season 3) and then the revelation that they are now slinging for Marlo Stanfield- the same guy they were trying to bring down during the Barksdale/Stanfield war. But Poot, seems to be content that one boss is just the same as the other. And Lil' Kevin is very much a big kid- with his retelling of cartoons to the other slingers.

Herc never can seem to catch a break. The art of irony is lost on him thus he doesn't get Lil' Kevin the first time around. And he uses Bubs for his assistance and Bubs uses the red hat trick (that he implemented back in season 1) and instead of fulfilling his obligation- he bails on Bubs. Thus, Bubs continues to get beat by the addict which is painful to watch. I consider Bubs to be the broken-hearted soul of this series and watching him being beaten by a metal pipe is incredibly powerful. I hope Herc receives some comeuppance for his actions.

Sydnor's frustration mirrored that of the audience towards Herc. Sydnor understands that they had no leverage over Lil' Kevin- yet Herc was so blinded by his pursuit of the lost camera that he plowed through. There is no advantage when they interrogated Kevin and thus, Kevin didn't say a word. However, he does know that Randy did the snitching.

The Bunk/Omar relationship so carefully fleshed out in season 1 continues here- in many ways, this season shows parental figures and I feel Bunk is one for Omar (or at least he and Omar are two sides of the same coin). When Omar gave Bunk his word, I believed Omar because he is the type of character he values his code and will adhere to it. I do worry if Omar is placed in a life or death situation, he will still stick to that word- because well, he's Omar. And Omar's code of ethics is something he's proud of. I loved how Omar said, "Baltimore is all I know". This line mirrors that of many of the characters- like Wallace, Bodie and Frank Sobatka. These characters can't think of life outside their natural environment, and Omar is no different.

However, he does stake out Andre's store and it seems retribution is going to meted out- whether or not Omar will have Renaldo kill someone since he cannot now. I also liked Omar taking notes during his surveillance and his revelation that Marlo was the one he robbed during the poker game. He's a patient and methodical character and it's a nice reference to "the pen is mightier than the sword". While the other dealers/kingpins on the show deal their problems with a mere gunshot, Omar waits in the shadows and does his own detail that would make Freamon proud.

The dinner scene with Bunny/Namond/Darnell and Zenobia is heartbreaking. In many ways it was another study within a study because we got to see these kids have their spirits crushed and they knew that they were fishes out of water at that restaurant. They were embarrassed and shamed because they would never be a part of that world. But the scene where Bunny and Namond bonded over Billie Holiday and Namond saying that he could flip things around on Bunny is so moving. Namond truly has so much potential in him and can do so many great things. He's a smart and quick-witted child- but the streets are not for him.

However, Michael's seduction into the streets and to Marlo's fold seems to finally have happened. Due to the love he feels for Bug and to avoid Bug receiving the same molestation he did from his wife's ex-convict boyfriend, he seems to be willing to offer his very soul/allegiance in this Faustian exchange.

The show's theme of showing the corruption of every institution continues with the stressing of language arts test questions. Prez, who was making some progress in his class with some revamped teaching methods is now back at square one. No wonder the children are so lost- the school system is in the end- just another institution like the police dept, drug trade, etc.- it's going to be flawed regardless.

Old-Face Andre's demise was inevitable because since he went back on his testimony, he was screwed. I have to love Proposition Joe- ever the businessman who took everything that Andre had up front and then after taking Andre's property and money- still gave him up to Marlo in the end. He's a clever one- and a master kingpin. I feel that in the very end, Prop Joe will still be around. He's played the game very well and has been a nice balance to the chaotic violence of characters like Marlo (and Marlo's ilk). I wonder if David Simon will continue his tying of real-life events into characters storyline and have Prop Joe killed in a nightclub like the real Proposition Joe was killed in a nightclub in the 1980s (the real Prop Joe was from the West Side of B-more not the East Side like the fictional one).

And on a very small note, I was so excited to see Kia Corthron writing this episode. Kia is an extraordinary playwright of such works as "Breath, Boom" "Anchor Aria", "Sweat" and many other great pieces. I love the beautiful nuances she brought to the episode such as the aforementioned Billie Holiday scene with Bunny/Namond. Yet, the voice of the series stays the same. And that is the amazing thing about THE WIRE. Unlike almost all other shows, this show never loses its voice. None of the characters talk out of character or behave out of their character. This show remains David Simon's voice- although it is encompassed with such talents as Ed Burns, Kia Corthron, novelists like- George Pelecanos, Richard Price and Dennis Lehane. The show never will lose its soul and its distinct voice.

The Wire Season 4 Episode 8- "Corner Boys" review

"We got our thing, but it's just part of the big thing." -Zenobia

Coming off his seeming breakthrough teaching gambling probabilities, Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski is once again attempting a word problem in his math class at Tilghman Middle School, as the class largely ignores him. One boy, Taye, is telling Randy Wagstaff a joke, so Prez puts him on the spot for the answer. Taye illustrates his test smarts by calling out the correct response, then offers to demonstrate how he knew as he strides to the blackboard. "Easy...five got the dinks," pointing out how Prez left multiple "dinks" of his chalk beside the right answer when he did the problem for the earlier class. Prez is dumbfounded as Taye returns to his seat, triumphant.

Sgt. Jay Landsman briefs his Homicide Unit shift that Mayor-nominee Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti will be "fact-finding" in the department. He also gives an impromptu eulogy for C.I.D. commander Raymond Foerster, who has lost his bout with cancer: "The man served 39 years, obtaining the rank of colonel without leaving a trail of bitterness or betrayal. In this department, that's not a career - it's a miracle." Later, when detectives Shakima "Kima" Greggs and Michael Crutchfield observe Carcetti pouring himself the last of the coffee, Greggs - still smarting at having her rookie status mocked in the mayoral debate -- takes it upon herself to reprimand him. "F**k that, you finish a pot, you make the next one." Carcetti sheepishly obliges.

As Dets. Thomas "Herc" Hauk and his boon companion Dozerman peruse an electronics catalogue, contemplating the high costs of most surveillance cameras, Lt. Charlie Marimow - the Major Crimes Unit commander -- confronts Herc for the bad train station roust of Marlo Stanfield and the innocent woman, who's now filing a harassment claim. Herc defends himself, saying the information was from a reliable informant. Marimow wants a name and when Herc balks, Marimow insists. "Fuzzy Dunlop' Herc blurts, assuring Marimow that the guy's never been off. Marimow isn't pleased with Herc involving another agency and bringing discredit to his unit through the complaint, and threatens to bury him with his own report if anything comes of the gaffe. Marimow wonders if the newly-minted sergeant followed the election results: "Your rabbi has left the building."

In Howard "Bunny' Colvin and Professor David Parenti's project class, the students have settled down, finally realizing their tantrums won't get them suspended. The teacher asks if they feel like winners, since the word around school is that they've beat the system by having themselves removed from regular classes. Namond Brice responds they're "players." "Kingpins?' she asks. They tell her that's two or three years away; now, they're corner boys. She asks their dreams -where do they see themselves in 10 years? Several give the rote answer of the NBA; one says pediatric neurosurgeon, like that guy at Hopkins - a reference to noted African-American surgeon Ben Carson, whose name resounds throughout the city school system. When she asks how many wrote "dead," Namond and three others raise their hands. Namond laughs, caught in another inner-city cliché: "You saw that coming, huh?" She chastises him for reading a magazine and he denies it's his, claiming someone left it in front of him. Colvin busts out laughing, suddenly seeing things clearly: The school's the system and the teachers are the cops, the corner boys just use school to practice getting over. He asks the kids to help them understand how they can teach them something useful, then gets them talking about what makes a good corner boy. Suddenly, the group comes alive with opinions: This is the world, after all, that they are learning for.

Staring up at the The Board at the homicide unit, Det. William "Bunk" Moreland points to the name of the dead delivery woman at Andre's store, trying to talk fellow detectives Crutchfield and Vernon Holley into revisiting Omar Little as the killer -- or at least revisiting the crime scene. When Carcetti approaches, trying to make small talk about the number of names on the board, Bunk steers the detectives off to an interrogation room to talk privately. Crutchfield angrily argues that even if Omar didn't do this one, his name pops up on lots of other cases, that an eyeball witness has identified Omar as the shooter - and further, that Bunk is out of line interposing in their casework. But once his partner's out of the room, Holley is pressed by Bunk to at least take another look.

Meanwhile, Carcetti continues to put a damper on the day's activities, despite assurances that he's "not the hall monitor or anything." When he urges the detectives to do what they normally do, Greggs snipes: "I wouldn't know what we normally do around her. I'm new and inexperienced." This prompts Carcetti to realize she's the rookie who was assigned to the Braddock case and who he mocked in the debate. He swallos that and tells them to do as they normally would. So Greggs reclines, Lester Freamon goes back to working his dollhouse miniatures, and Landsman flips open his skin magazine. "This is your day?" asks Carcetti. "When we catch a body, it's different," explains Freamon.

Herc and Dozerman pull over Marlo Stanfield, asking for the camera back. Marlo asks for Herc's card and peers at it: "City, huh?" Herc makes him an offer: "You do me one, I'll do you." Marlo says he'll keep an ear out for the camera, but you know how camera's are, like pigeons in the wind - a twist of knife knowing that Herc was probably staring at images of pigeons for a time after the camera disappeared and was dumped in a coop. Marlo drives off, leaving Herc to contemplate the moment. Dozerman then tries to convince Herc to come clean with Marimow about the camera, but Herc refuses. If he tells the truth now, he'll lose his stripes.

Walking home from school, Michael Lee quizzes Randy on how he got off so easy on the rape charge at school. The girl dropped it, Randy tells him, as Michael advises him that things go away if you keep your mouth shut. Randy complains Miss Anna has him on a short leash now. 'Shit, at least you got a leash," Michael laments.

At Kavanaugh's, Colonel Foerster's detectives wake is in full swing, pints poured as a packed crowd of police, prosecutors and law enforcement officials belts out the choruses of The Pogue's "Body of An American" while Foerster lays in repose on the pool table nearby. Already drunk, Bunk bolts outside to puke in the gutter, then nods acknowledgment to the waiting funeral home attendants. When he comes back, he finds McNulty drinking a club soda and lime. Bunk is disappointed that McNulty will not join him in his excesses.

In a homegoing of a different kind, late at night in East Baltimore, Chris and Snoop lay out some more New York boys in another row house mausoleum - chasing the out-of-towners off the Monument Street corners as Marlo agreed to do for Proposition Joe Stewart and the New Day Co-op. Snoop says a few words about the departed having wandered too far south.

In Prez's class the following day, he tries to enforce quiet during a quiz, but one of the girls blows up and storms out and Prez begins to sense that whatever advances he makes by teaching lessons informally don't necessarily translate to the regular curriculum. Meanwhile, Chris and Snoop lead some young soldiers through their own schooling on shooting -- when to take a head shot, and when to aim for the belly and below the belt to get around the vest. In these lessons for the world they know as real, the children of West Baltimore are adept, competent and confident.

At Prop Joe's second-hand appliance store, Marlo hands over Herc's card to Proposition Joe and Slim Charles. Proposition promises to check him out but in return, they ask Marlo to consider not losing the New York bodies in the vacants -- it defeats the purpose of sending a message if they just disappear. A little bit amused, Marlo tells them he'll get word to his people.

Suited up in a Kevlar vest, Carcetti spends his next day with the drug enforcement squads in the Eastern District, observing low-level buy-and-busts and other street-level arrests - up to and including an occasional entrapment or two.

In the project class, Colvin quizzes the kids about corner logic. They talk over each other, excited to explain and debate something they know about. When Colvin tries to quiet the din of voices, asking for one at a time, Namond tells Darnell to speak for them. Colvin and the teachers are impressed with the newfound focus and self-regulation.

Bunk and Holley visit Old Face Andre's store to review how the robbery-murder went down. As Andre warily recounts his story, once again implicating Omar, Bunk takes in the empty shelves, the steel reinforced rear door, the heavy-duty bullet proof glass cage, the fact that there is a high-end security camera at the store entrance pointed on the street outside, but the security camera inside the store is broken and defunct - a definite drug front. Andre tells his story and the Bunk finds the holes. He asks Andre to come downtown and clear a few things up and Andre refuses. After buying a bottle of Mylanta for his hangover, Bunk reiterates to an already converted Holley the holes in Andre's story.

After school, Namond brags about his new class to an incredulous Michael and Randy - it's like the kids are schooling the teachers, talking about "bidness." Namond blows off going to the gym with Michael; he has to vial up the rest of his package so he can sell it off and re-up.

Proposition Joe calls the police department from a payphone to track down Herc, entertaining himself by using fake voices and names as he follows the trail with increasing surprise: from narcotics to the Mayor's office, and then to Major Crimes, where he's told Sgt. Hauk is on the street.

Chris Partlow comes up with a way to suss out the New York boys on the street - ask them a Baltimore question about local Baltimore club music. "They don't know s**t 'bout that in New York," he explains. Turns out Felicia "Snoop" Pearson isn't much of a music person; she doesn't follow that "Ninety-Two-Q s**t" either, but she's willing to give it a try. She asks a corner kid who his favorite is on the local hip-hop station's Big Phat Morning show. When he says a name Chris hadn't mentioned, she puts a gun to his head. But Chris waves her back at the point of killing the man. The deejay mentioned is also on the show.

Carcetti complains to Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls and Carcetti aide Norman Wilson about what he saw on his ride-along - entrapment for twenty dollars worth of drugs, and lots of manpower for a haul of three vials of coke. Rawls agrees, but says his hands are tied. He blames affirmative action, explaining it's a numbers game - a 20-percent hike in black officers to match the city's demographic which, due to affirmative action, has to be matched up the chain. Inexperienced people get promoted and are put in charge, he tells him. "And he who owes his good fortune to the numbers? Abides in them." To show arrests are up, they have to make arrests - even those of a lesser quality. Implicitly, he is criticizing Burrell. Those are the orders currently, Rawls explains, but he suggests he'd be interested in having the opportunity to change things.

Walking in on Namond thinning out his remaining vials, stretching them for additional sales, De'Londa Brice lets him have it for bringing his work home. His father never brought it home; it's too dangerous if the cops come. "That's what you have a lieutenant for," she chastises him.

After their meeting, Carcetti and Wilson tells Carcetti remark on Rawls' naked appeal to racial solidarity and willingness to use affirmative action as a scapegoat for the department's problems. Carcetti asks about Major Daniels, but Wilson doesn't know much, only that Daniels is black and doesn't have any obvious political sponsors.

Michael comes home to find empty kitchen cupboards -- his mother has sold off their food. When she tells him she has to go out, he only gives her $10 to score. She tries to hold the "D.S.S. card" over his head, threatening to take it back, but he isn't swayed: "Next time, don't go selling the food outta our mouths," he shouts as she departs.

Back in the project class the following day, Namond is holding forth arrogantly, rationalizing the drug trade by noting societal disconnects. They are told not to hustle, lie, cheat, steal, he declares. But they're just doing the same thing as the government - "Amron," steroids, booze and cigarettes, the real killers. It's hypocritical, Namond insists, and Colvin doesn't argue back. An argument is not the point. The fact that these adolescents are now fully involved in discussing their life, their society and their place in it - this is what matters to Colvin, Parenti and the class teacher. Colvin asks them to sit down and write the laws to being a corner boy, challenging them to do it together, as a group.

In the teacher's lounge, Prez vents about having to stick to the dry, No-Child-Left-Behind, test-based curriculum -- the kids aren't learning it. The teachers insist he has to; if their students don't pass the test in April, the school gets taken over by the state. "Maybe they should," he replies. The teachers tell him to teach the test, not math: "North Avenue is all about the 'leave no child behind' stuff getting spoon-fed." Grace suggests a middle ground: some of the state stuff, and some of his own methods. An older teacher finally speaks up: "The first year isn't about the kids, it's about you surviving." Prez takes it all in and wonders how to proceed.

Herc, Dozerman and Western District D.E.U. plainclothesmen Tony Colicchio and "Truck" Carrick bust in on Marlo and his guys, who are just hanging out in Marlo's open-air lair. They toss the area as Marlo and his crew remain unfazed. "Every day," Herc warns, until his camera comes home.

Pearlman enters Daniels' office in the Western District at the tail end of a phone call from Carcetti, who wants to meet Daniels to have a conversation about what works and what doesn't in the police department. "You have the Mayor's ear now?" she says, proudly. He wonders how honest he should be. He doesn't know the incoming mayor at all. What if Daniels criticizes Burrell and Rawls and then is hung out to dry? Pearlman acknowledges the risk, but urges him to fire away, both barrels.

At night on the street, Chris and Snoop use their Baltimore music litmus test to I.D. a transplant from New York City. They shoot him in the head, leaving him where he falls.

Michael comes home to find an excited Bug: his dad came home. He glares at his mother, then turns away in disgust as his younger brother's father brushes his face. "Damn, You grew," his stepfather tells him. Later, Michael confronts his mother -- she promised he'd never come back. He was paroled early from his 12 years on a drug charge, she tells him, and he's changed. She tells Michael to give up the D.S.S. card. "He gonna take care of all that for us."

Bunk and Holley show up at Old Face Andre's store with a summons for the Grand Jury.

Carcetti and Wilson meet with an emissary from the national Democratic Party and more transition team members. They discuss the future. It's acknowledged that they need to quickly produce something they can herald as a "Baltimore Miracle." The D.N.C. official suggests a double-digit percent drop in crime and a downtown building project - something tangible that Carcetti can put his name to. When education is brought up, Wilson is adamant they stay away from the schools: "Our last four administrations left us with an inner city system with inner city problems. We get involved, start talking s**t, It becomes our mess." Still, Carcetti is told, if he gets the crime down builds something nice, and keeps his boyish good looks, he may be running for governor in '08, taking back the statehouse from the Republican incumbent.

Prez tries to talk to a brooding Michael in class. When the boy won't open up, Prez offers to send him to see a school social worker and Michael pauses, thinking, but ultimately decides against it.

Colvin, Parenti and the project class teacher debate whether the kids' focus can be brought to bear on regular learning. The teacher points out they're not just dealing with corner issues, but problems like post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, maybe even borderline psychosis in one case. These kids have suffered a lot of damage in life. They decide to let things play out for now, before forcing any other learning.

Namond applies some of the corner boy rules he and his classmates have been articulating to Kenard, the youngest kid in the Fayette Street crew. In the basement of Kenard's rowhouse, he hands over his remaining vials for his new lieutenant to store. Being under 13, Kenard is safe from a serious charge- safe from anyone but Namond or Marlo should he mess up, Namond says, falsely claiming Marlo as his patron. "All's I get is a extra ten dollars?" asks Kenard. Namond promises they can talk about that if Kenard performs well.

Bunk and Holley wait with Old Face Andre before his grand jury testimony, warning him about the time he can get for a perjury charge. Andre claims he was put on medication that made him groggy, and worked over by Holley when he was first interrogated - he didn't know what he was saying. As Andre shuffles off to the washroom - a witness who has now thoroughly impeached himself -- Holley angrily denounces Andre as a liar. Bunk dryly feigns surprise: "You think?"

Chris and Snoop are pulled over by Herc and Dozerman. They search the car, failing to discover the dashboard trap that holds their weapons, spotting only some lyme and the nail gun in the back of the truck. No weapon, no drugs. Nothing that they can use for a criminal charge. With the gangsters seated on a curb, Herc fires a nail from the gun into the asphalt near Snoop's leg. "I want my f**king camera," he threatens, before tossing the gun back and leaving them.

Daniels and Carcetti meet over lunch and Daniels, upon hearing about Carcetti's day with the Eastern drug squads, guesses Carcetti found the street -level busts a waste of time, money, energy and, sometimes, talent. Carcetti reveals that Rawls claims he'll change all that if he's in command. Daniels shows his surprise for a moment, but refuses to "go up the chain" with his opinions, but does tell the mayor-to be that there was one unit doing good work: Major Crimes. Carcetti asks what happened to that unit, and Daniels replies: "A good question." Carcetti asks if he'd object to replacing Foerster as C.I.D. commander under Rawls. When Daniels questions the "under Rawls" part of the formula, Carcetti affirms that he is not ready to do away with the current No. 2 in the department: "He is the Deputy Ops, is he not?" Daniels considers him, "How for real are you?" Carcetti tells the new Colonel they'll find that out together.

Dozerman tries to talk Herc into the two of them and Det. Leandor Sydnor kicking in for another camera, but Herc notes that a new camera would not have the same serial number as the one they lost. Desperate, Herc remembers that Randy told them a kid named Little Kevin was the one who told him to tell Lex to go up the alley, and then later told him that Lex had been killed. Maybe Little Kevin saw something.

De'Londa counts Namond's profits, and it comes up short in her opinion. When she finds out that Namond has been slinging on a weak strip, she storms out to set Bodie straight, over her son's embarrassed objections.

Police Commissioner Ervin I. Burrell comes to Rawls, unhappy with how Carcetti's running around, talking to people out of school within the department. He suggests to Rawls that they need to regroup. Rawls interrupts him to say that he's talked to Carcetti already. Burrell gets the picture: "You're making your move." Rawls cannot deny it.

Michael shows up to retrieve Bug at the after school rec-center, but is told by Miss Ella Thompson, the rec center director, that Bug went home with his father. Michael bolts in a panic.

Landsman is handed a report by Holley as Bunk looks on. He yells at them both for unsolving a murder.

Michael runs home to find Bug doing math homework with his father, and orders the boy to come to him right away. Bug obliges, confused, and Michael eyes his stepfather with rage.

Snoop and Chris toss their guns into the harbor below the Hanover Street Bridge. To be safe, as an afterthought to Herc's car stop, Chris tosses the nail gun into the water too. Snoop can barely watch. Telling Chris that he owes her eight hundred for the tool.



A lot to digest from this episode. Many of the storylines are being wrapped together beautifully and in pure WIRE fashion, we are seeing that there isn't one detail too miniscule. All threads are being tied together wonderfully.

The opening scene with Taye in the classroom pointing out the "dinks" that Prez made with his problem is priceless. The look on Prez's face when Taye explained how he knew the answer was a gem. Taye didn't need to know what was going on per se- he picked up on a pattern that Prez was oblivious to and figured everything out. These kids might not have a vested interest in learning- but they're far from stupid.

Kima is truly coming into her own with this episode. I loved how she made Carcetti make a new pot of coffee after he finished it. She indeed has proved herself and I liked her quick verbal joust with Carcetti after the media was trying to label her as an inexperienced homicide detective rookie. Everyone was walking on eggshells with the soon to be Mayor's appearance. However, I think that Carcetti is indeed genuine was platform of reform. It's going to be far from easy- but he seems to have a vested interest in making things work out.

The scene with Kima, Freamon and Landsman showing Carcetti what they do in their down time (which is 90% of their time) is stellar- with Kima stretched back, Freamon working on his models and Landsman characteristically looking at his porn. Gotta love Freamon's reply that this is their normal work day until a body falls.

Herc continues to shoot himself in the foot as we see in this episode. The one thing you got to say about Herc is that he has never been "good police". Carver- even when he was a knucklehead working the Western District- always had potential. Carver learned his mistakes and followed Colvin's advice. Herc is stubborn and not interested in changing. The name of the informant ("Fuzzy Dunlop") is a nice connection to season 2 when Carver and Herc used an informant named "Fuzzy Dunlop" to get out of a sticky situation. But Herc cannot catch a break whatsoever. And Marlo, just relishes in the chance to rub the missing camera in Herc's face.

Meanwhile, I wonder if the insistence to dispose of the New York dealers in such a public and bold fashion (to send a statement) will bite Marlo in the ass. So far, he has been very careful about hiding the bodies in the rowhouses to conceal suspicion from law enforcement. Prop Joe is very much about business and usually steers away from sending a message- however, he does encourage the violence as long as it profits him. The scene with Prop Joe dialing the various departments and changing accents and stories each time- was flawless. I think that scene was probably written solely for Robert F. Chew (who plays Prop Joe) so he can flex his expansive acting chops (the man is also an acting teacher).

Also, I loved the whole screening process of determining who is from New York during the Snoop/Chris scenes. Snoop may be as Bawlmer as they come, but she has no idea about the local music scene and doesn't know shit about club music. Gotta love Chris' line, "You ain't right girl".

The continuing theme of honor and having a code follows over into this episode as Bunk proves that it wasn't Omar who committed the murder of the taxpayer. Omar is many things- he is definitely a predator. However, Bunk knows that Omar is not responsible for THIS crime and I loved how Crutchfield butted heads with The Bunk about this. Stats still matter in terms of the homicide dept. But in just a short period of time, Bunk has been able to poke all the holes in Andre's story and makes the man back off his testimony. Things are not looking good for Marlo when Omar eventually finds his way back to the street.

The scenes with Michael and Bug's dad are very chilling. I remember the actor who played Bug's dad as a junkie from THE CORNER- but he truly makes the skin crawl and now everything about Michael's behavior (especially towards Cutty) makes sense.

Rawls trying to make his political play is going to ultimately fail because Burrell knows how to play the game better than anybody- and also because in that town, Rawls is still the wrong color (then again, so was Carcetti).

Loved Snoop's reaction after Chris threw the nailgun in the water. She loved that instrument of destruction. Again, Herc didn't realize what he potentially had in his hands when he had Snoop and Chris pulled over.

Great episode and it's setting the stage nicely for the remaining episodes of this season.

The Wire Season 4 Episode 6 & 7- "Margin of Error" and "Unto Others" review

Don't try this shit at home." - Norman Wilson

On the Sunday before the primary, the mayoral candidates attend their church of choice with their families and entourages. Mayor Clarence Royce heads to a black Baptist Church in East Baltimore, Councilman Tony Gray to St. Bernadine's Catholic Church in Edmondson Village, while Councilman Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti use the opportunity to travel to the church of a politically influential minister in West Baltimore, where an A.W.E. gospel choir is tearing it up. Randy Wagstaff and his foster mother, Miss Anna, head into a storefront Pentecostal church, while Bodie's boys, including Kevin, sling on the corner across the way. The Reverend Reid Franklin holds forth with an election day homily, preaching to his flock and Carcetti in particular about Moses as law-giver, and "men of truth who fear God and hate covetousness." He asks the congregation to keep those standards in mind when they choose their city's leaders.

After services, Carcetti tells Reverend Franklin he hopes state Delegate Odell Watkins - now firmly in the Carcetti camp -- won't be the only one to break with the incumbent mayor. "You're holding me to a high standard," he chides. "Moses? I mean, Jesus, Reverend..." Jennifer Carcetti winces at the small blasphemy. Unperturbed, the Reverend promises to keep an open mind - a sign that Carcetti is indeed making inroads among black voters - and shoots back: "Moses will do for now. We'll save Jesus for your second term."

Across town in a surveillance van, Sgt. Thomas "Herc" Hauk watches for Marlo Stanfield and his lieutenants, spying through the camera hidden by the Major Crimes Unit in Marlo's outdoor lair. No signs of life. Hauk tells Detective Leandor Sydnor to call him when someone shows up, and departs.

Carcetti and aide-de-camp Norman Wilson work the crowd outside Baltimore's new African-American History Museum when Watkins, pressing the flesh for Carcetti, arrives with an attack flyer he has just been handed by a voter. The flyer screams: "Carcetti Defended Notorious Slumlord." A last-minute smear campaign depicts the candidate getting a loathed local landlord off the hook during his days as a private sector lawyer. Tommy claims he never met the guy, much less represented him. "They photo-shopped me." He isn't appeased by Bennett and Wilson's assurances that they have time to knock the false allegation down.

At their lair, Marlo and Chris arrive and stage a phone call for the hidden cameras, of which they are well aware. Monk takes a call and hands it to Marlo, who asks what time he can pick up "the skinny girl from New York," insisting he's gonna take care of it himself. As Herc and Sydnor watch from the van, a lip reader translates. Herc decodes: The skinny girl is cocaine. Sydnor can't believe Marlo would go near a package himself, but Herc feels vindicated in his view of Marlo as a mope.

Back in the Carcetti war room, the team reviews the fake flyer and how to debunk it. Tommy is beside himself, convinced this will destroy his chances. His campaign staff assure him they'll take care of it.

Namond and De'Londa, dressed in their Sunday best, meet with Brianna Barksdale, who breaks the news there will be no more money coming their way on Wee-Bey's behalf. Outraged, De'Londa threatens Brianna, noting that Bey could get to speaking about her brother Avon - exposing Avon to even more prison time. "I don't give a shit what happens to Avon," Brianna fires back, before telling Namond that she invited him to the meet for a specific purpose - to make it clear that his mother's been paid enough that he should have enough money going forward. Namond doesn't know what to believe.

Working the weekend shift two days before the primary election, Norris fills Greggs in on a message from a jailhouse snitch who wants to make a deal for the information they need to make the dead witness case. Norris wants to push it through before the election to shake things up - not knowing or caring whether it hurts the Mayor or Carcetti. "I don't even vote. But it'll be fun to f**k with all them downtown suits." Not to mention the fact that an arrest in the controversial case could land Greggs on the 11 o'clock news, payback for what the politicians put her through.

At home, the Carcettis watch the late night news, exhausted by the campaign and wishing it was over. Even though they found the original photo in the local newspaper's morgue files and were able to prove that it was doctored, some damage has been done. And officially, the Royce campaign claims to know nothing about claiming the smear tactic or the origin of the slanderous fliers. Tommy Carcetti confides to his wife that he'd have been okay losing by fifteen points, but now that he has a shot, he can't take the idea of losing by two.

Back at home, De'Londa Brice tells Namond Brice he's now going to have to step up. He can't quit school, but he has to go ask Bodie for his own package. Namond asks his mother what Brianna meant about her being paid enough money. "She's a lying bitch," De'Londa claims, as she calls Wee-Bey to break the news. Wee-Bey seems decidedly non-commital as De'Londa rails her outrage, indicating he has no plans to snitch on the Barksdales.

At roll call in the Western District, Lt. Dennis Mello announces the new arrests warrant for murder and a weapons charge for Omar Little. The cops know him well; they're glad someone finally got paper on him. But Off. Jimmy McNulty finds something strange. "You ever know Omar to do a citizen?" he asks Officer Tony Colicchio.

Early that same morning, Wilson finds Carcetti at campaign headquarters, where he's been poring over data trying to figure where he should go door-to-door in the waning hours of the campaign to pick up more votes. Wilson drags him off to do his radio shows, insisting he leave the campaign planning to the experts.

As the Tilghman Middle School students arrive for the day, Roland "Prez" Pryzkylewski intercepts Duquan "Dukie" Weems and takes him to the gym locker room, where he presents him with a locker, clean clothes, soap and a laundry bag. If Duquan gets to school early, he can shower and change and Prez will take the dirty clothes and wash them.

Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls pays a visit to Homicide, surprising Sgt. Jay Landsman. He's heard about Norris making a move on the Braddock case to writ out a jail witness for an interview, and he's not happy with the "let the chips fall where they may" approach, given that a determination over whether the murder resulted from Braddock's witness status could risk either Royce or Carcetti holding a grudge if they win. And it turns out that city polling places still need to be covered by more uniformed officers. He tells Landsman to order Greggs and Norris to report for poll duty. "They can pick up their writ and talk to their snitch on Wednesday," Rawls says.

As Grace Sampson hands out the list of the ten students being pulled for the University of Maryland study, the teachers are genuinely relieved to lose a few of their knuckleheads. Prez is trying to explain fractions to his math class when he's interrupted by Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly, who pulls Namond, Darnell and Zenobia from class with no explanation, leading to lots of speculation about what kind of trouble they're in. Donnelly and Sampson round up the remaining students from other classes. As they are walked to their new classroom, Tiffany - now subjected to teasing over her bathroom trysts with the boys - is talking animatedly in the front office.

With Carcetti still wound up about the flyer, Wilson reports that state Senator Clay Davis wants to meet, likely to throw in with Carcetti. But of course, Davis won't come cheap. Tommy is dubious about Davis squeezing him and not coming through, but Wilson and Theresa D'Agostino convince him the money is worth the gamble.

Settling into seats at a nice restaurant, Davis explains to Wilson and Carcetti that he can't offer a public endorsement so late in the game, but he can see to a push in a few of his organization's key precincts, and split some of his tickets and walk-around money between the Royce and Carcetti camps. He slips Carcetti a piece of paper with a figure on it and Tommy nods. Carcetti and Wilson beg off the sit down lunch - they're due on the campaign trail -- and Davis jokes they should just leave enough for his tab.

When RandyWagstaff is called to Donnelly's office, he at first denies he knows anything about Tiffany being in the bathroom with two boys, Monnel and Paul. But when he hears she claimed they raped her, he quickly and truthfully insists he was just a lookout -- and she went willingly. Donnelly warns him there will be an investigation and likely suspension, if not explusion. Maybe even criminal charges. As she dials Randy's foster mother, Randy begs her, offering all of the valuable information he has about other activities at Tilghman Middle - tagging, thieving, slashed tires. As nothing stops her, he makes a last ditch effort. "I know about a murder," he says softly, recluctantly, finally getting her attention.

Grace Sampson and Howard "Bunny" Colvin explain the mandatory program to the ten chosen students, who are none too pleased to hear about it - Namond, well versed in the terminology of incarceration by his father, immediately declares the new class to be solitary. They've been removed from gen-pop and sent to the hole. Colvin agrees with the assessment. From Donnelly, Prez learns about Randy's situation, and pleads with the assistant principal to let him call someone he trusts at the police department. "I don't want to see him get chewed up by the system." He pays a visit to Major Cedric Daniels, who suggests passing it to Sgt. Ellis Carver. Prez is dubious, but Daniels assures him Carver's come a long way.

At the Amtrak station, Herc stakes out the arriving New York train. When he spots Marlo approach a woman arriving on a southbound Metroliner - who Marlo clearly does not know and who is clearly confused - Herc sends the Amtrak police supervisor to make the collar so he can surprise him at the interview. He grabs both her and Marlo, confiscating her bag in the process. Marlo smiles to himself as he's dragged away. Herc looks on, proud. But minutes later, when the supervisor reports they'e both clean, Herc has no choice but to cut Marlo and the woman loose.

Brought into the school case, Carver pays a visit to Randy'shome to talk to Miss Anna, and as Randy listens from the other room, he explains to the foster mom that the boy was just an unwitting go-between on the possible homicide case. If he keeps his mouth shut and cooperates, they can keep him out of it. Miss Anna is distraught at the danger he could be in, not to mention his bad judgment in that matter, as well as the incident at school. Carver agrees, but assures her that "rom what I can tell, he's not a bad kid."

When Election Day finally arrives, Dennis "Cutty" Wise gets up early and heads out for a jog, evading his latest conquest's questions about when he's coming back. As he runs through the poster-festooned streets, campaign workers herd people to the polls, and candidates cast their votes for the cameras. At Tilghman Middle, now a polling precinct, Miss Anna heads in to vote while Randy waits outside. Spider, handing out Carcetti ballots for pay, quickly bolts when he sees Cutty - who has been searching for him for weeks. The Precinct Captain then hires Randy to take Spider's place, giving him a crate of flyers and $50 to put one in every doorway in a Westside neighborhood. Miss Anna okays it, but orders him to come straight home after. So Randy sets out with the flyers, rounding up Dukie, Donut and Kenard to help, while Michael begs off to head to the gym.

Meanwhile, Greggs gives Norris hell for getting her stuck on polling detail, thanks to his plan to jerk around the politicians and get them both on the 11 o'clock news. Carcetti is meeting and greeting his public in his home district when he's accosted by an older supporter who says he knew his father, then starts in on what's happened to the city starting in on what's happened to the city since "the moolies" took over city government. In the wake of the racial epithet, Norman Wilson offers Carcetti a bitter smile. Carcetti is speechless as the man walks off.

De'Londa drags Namond to see Bodie Broadus, humiliating her son as she demands he be given his own package. Bodie can't say no. Meanwhile, Namond's friends are not far away, growing tired of their own new gig papering row houses with campaign literature, but Randy threatens not to pay them if they quit. When they realize he's already been paid and is holding their money, they demand instant gratification. Randy pays out the cash, but continues to finish the job on his own.

At the gym, Michael Lee works a bag as Cutty works yet another lady, showing her some moves. Namond comes in looking for the gang. He tells Michael he's got his own package from Bodie, and asks if Michael wants to go in on it. Michael refuses. He goes back to shadow boxing, as Cutty tries to engage him in conversation, asking why Spider hasn't been around. "Why don't you ask his moms," he says, nodding towards the lady Cutty's been putting moves on. Clearly, Cutty also made time with Spider's mother. "Ahh, I ain't no angel," Cutty says, smiling at his latest. "No you ain't that," Michael responds, his distrust of Cutty on full display.

At Carcetti headquarters, they watch the TV as Clay Davis stands at a podium with Royce, fully endorsing the incumbent. They surmise that he probably shook the Mayor down for even more than the $20,000 they paid him. Wilson insists it was worth a shot, but Carcetti - wondering if Davis knows who the winner is likely to be and has backed Royce accordingly - shows that nerves are getting the better of him.

In a grocery, Omar Little spots a radio car outside. Cautious, he goes back to the beer refrigerator and slips his gun behind the forties. As soon as he exits, Officer Walker orders him against the wall and spotting his ring, pockets it. When Omar accuses him of not playing by the rules, Walker throws him to the pavement, just as McNulty, Colicchio and other cars pull up. The charge is robbery murder, McNulty tells him. Omar shows his surprise then tells McNulty he needs to make a quick call. McNulty looks to Walker - who has the collar - and Walker shrugs indifferently. McNulty dials the number that Omar offers then holds the phone for Omar to tell the voice on the other end that he's been arrested and is on the way to Central Booking. "I'm on it," Butchie responds. Omar nods a quick thanks as he's tossed in the wagon. Something doesn't add up for McNulty.

As the early returns come in, the candidates watch from their respective hotel suites. Namond heads home with Bodie's package, telling his mother it's a piece of cake. In the privacy of his bedroom, he stares at the vialed coke package as if it's a bomb.

Omar's brought into the bullpen at Central Booking on Eager Street downtown, to the jeers of inmates - many having been robbed by him. For the first time in a long while, he looks genuinely fearful.

Tense with anticipation, Tommy and Jennifer Carcetti take a break and walk along the harbor boardwalk. He speaks about what could happen if Baltimore found the strength to turn itself around, to solve its problems. When his cell phone rings, Jennifer urges him to answer. He hangs up before giving her the news: "Royce is conceding...we won." "Are we happy about that," she asks wryly. Carcetti allows that he thinks so.

An hour later, still incredulous, Carcetti takes the podium at his campaign's hotel ballroom, thanking his team as he points out they still have a general election to win. "Is there a Republican candidate for mayor in Baltimore?" he asks to laughter, Baltimore being almost exclusively Democratic in voter registration. As Jennifer begs off the celebration to go home, Wilson approaches with an unrepentant, shameless Davis. "Shouldn't you be dead to me?" Carcetti asks Davis. "You got off cheap," the senator laughs.

In his holding cell, Omar readies for a fight as the guard lets in two hulking new inmates. One of them pulls out a shank, as if ready to fight, before muttering, with a half-smile, "Butchie sent us." Omar sighs relief, taking the weapon.

As the celebration winds down at the Carcetti suite, Theresa D'Agostino and the victorious candidate are the last ones left. Pouring one more for the road, D'Agostino - an old flame from their law school days -- goes in for her "win bonus," kissing Carcetti deeply. He starts to respond, then pulls back. "You suddenly feeling mayoral?" she needles him. She's not convinced he's changed, she says, telling Carcetti that Wilson routinely saw him ogling women on the campaign trail. She tries again and he gives in, momentarily, then he stops them. "Maybe you have learned something," D'Agostino says on her way out. "Write me a check." The episode closes on Carcetti, with his future suddenly unwritten.



"Aw Yeah. That Golden Rule." - The Bunk

In his cell, Omar Little gets help from his allies, who create a makeshift suit of armor by wrapping reference books around his midsection with an ace bandage and duct tape. All padded up, the three head to the morning chow line. A fight breaks out between two men in front of them, and as one drops, Omar takes a shank to the chest. When the weapon slides off his armor, Omar grabs the shocked attacker's arm and twists him into a lock, then slams his face against the wall. "We could'a made a baby," he says demonically, licking the guy"s ear before ramming the weapon into the man's rectum. The rest of the inmates flinch as the man collapses, screaming in pain. One of Butchie's allies warns the bystanders against having witnessed anything.

"How that for a message?" Omar asks his allies as they slip away from responding correctional officers. Not bad, they tell him, except the price on his head is now up to five figures. And the man paying the bounty? Some high-end westside dealer named Marlo. Omar claims he's never heard of the man, then asks for a phone to call a police. When his allies look at him with disdain, Omar shrugs them off. The man owes him a favor, he explains, indifferent to their looks.

Still on a rush from his Democratic primary win, Thomas "Tommy" Carcetti meets with the ex-mayor for advice. "National party has to take notice, young and pretty as you are," the long-ago mayor tells the councilman. Though he shrugs off the flattery, Tommy can't hide his excitement at the thought, but he has a burning question - he wants to know why the old guy didn't run for a second term when it was his for the taking. The ex-mayor tells a tall tale about his first day on the job, about how all the pomp and circumstance of the job quickly gave way to eating silver bowls full of shit from the unions, the blacks, and the Polacks. "You sit there eating shit, all day long, day after day, year after year." When he realized this, he decided being a downtown lawyer and getting to see his family every night made for a fine life. Carcetti smiles politely, though he seems unimpressed with the old man's wit.

Missing from his training sessions at the gym for weeks, Spider is working one of Marlo Stanfield's corners, taking money from two addicts, when Dennis "Cutty" Wise approaches, pressing him on where he's been. "You ain't my f**kin' father," Spider snaps, turning away. Now certain as to where the problem lies, Cutty tries to assure him that what happened between Cutty and Spider's mother ("I can throw down in the kitchen - among other places") should have nothing to do with him taking advantage of the gym. Apparently, Cutty took more than a carryout plate from the woman. "You one of my best, boy. If I thought I was gonna hurt you..." "Man, f@%k you," Spider fires back, "ain't nobody gonna hurt me." Spider returns to work, leaving Cutty defeated.

Meanwhile, the Fayette Street boys have taken to spending their lunch break in Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski's classroom, playing poker. Prez reminds them he said no gambling, but they try and assure him it's all for peanuts. He decides to use their card game as a math exercise, and gives them tips on figuring out their odds. They ask if he can do the same with dice and he agrees.

Now that the election is over, Dets. Shakima "Kima" Greggs and Edward Norris have permission to solve the Braddock case, and they bring in their jailhouse snitch for questioning.

After having kicked Sherrod out for failing to attend school, Bubbles now goes looking for the boy, worried about his whereabouts. Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly tells him Sherrod hasn't been in class since he last brought him in. "If you see him, tell him he can come home if he wants," Bubbles tells her haplessly. Meanwhile, Prez gets the idea to ask if the school has any old board games in its possession. Alarmed that he's veering from the curriculum, Donnelly nonetheless tells him to check the equipment room in the basement. Prez does so and is stunned to find a treasure trove of newer edition books, videotapes, VCRs, even a brand new computer - still unopened in its crate.

Det. William "Bunk" Moreland meets with Omar in jail, who reminds him he's still holding prosecutor Ilene Nathan's card, an IOU for his testimony against Bird, a Barksdale organization enforcer, for the killing of William Gant, a state's witness. Bunk is at first indifferent. Omar's get-out-of-jail free card was for a small felony or two - not a "taxpayer murder with an eyeball witness" for which Omar has been charged. Omar insists he's been set up, that Bunk knows he's never put a gun to anyone who wasn't in the game. He tells the detective that the witness against him - Old Face Andre - runs a package out of his stores, and therefore would tend to resent "folk like me." Bunk reminds him about the other murders he likely did, Stringer Bell among them. "This one gets to court, you can tell a jury how wrong it is," he tells Omar. Omar reminds him he's not likely to survive that long in jail. "If I knew I'd be sharin' quarters with all these boys, I might not robbed so many of 'em," he confides. "Aw yeah," Bunk says, amused at the man's predicament, "that golden rule." Somebody else took down that delivery woman at Andre's store, Omar insists, and now Bunk's letting him walk. This argument hits home with the detective "A man must have a code." Omar offers, throwing back words that Bunk once offered to him years ago.

As Namond Brice works his corner, a rival gang hovers on a corner down the block, staring him down and contemplating a handgun atop the tire of a nearby parked car. They debate the matter briefly before deciding that it is only necessary to wait until Namond leaves the strip - they don't want to bring police to their corner with nearby violence - and then throw some hard punches and let him know he is encroaching on their territory.

On a bench in an abandoned park, Marlo tells Proposition Joe Stewart about the train station raid. He was hoping to flush out who was really after him, but no such luck - all he drew was the Amtrak police. Joe tells him to steal the camera. If someone makes a stink about it - it's local. If not, it's the Feds; they can afford to lose a camera without crying the blues.

Still searching the streets for Sherrod, Bubbles gets shaken down by the same violent dope fiend yet again. "Money or pills, I don't care which," the kid says, roughing him up. A cop pulls up, but instead of going after the violent offender, Officer Walker warns Bubbles that he can't sell on the street without a license, then takes some of his DVDs, citing copyright infringement. "You gonna rob me too?" Bubbles says helplessly as the Walker drives off.

At the gym, Cutty calls a timeout to talk to the boys, apologizes for "welcoming the attentions" of some of their female relatives. He was in jail for a long time, he explains, but "I didn't mean no disrespect." He doesn't want to get in the way of them learning the sport and bettering themselves. Some of the boys seem impressed; some smirk knowingly. Michael Lee sees non-committal. It is the best that Cutty can do to limit the damage done.

Bunk takes Omar's case to fellow homicide detectives Vernon Holley and Michael Crutchfield, and asks them what they ran on their key witness, Old Face Andre. Pissed he's getting up in their business, Crutchfield tells off. Bunk prevails on Holley to review the case with him.

Outside Cutty's gym, the rival corner boys pull up to wait, snorting a vial as one pulls a gun - hands it to Sherrod, just in case. When Namond exits the gym, Sherrod - high and wild-eyed - sets him straight: "You need to back off that spot," Sherrod says before shoving him. Namond drops his backpack and shoves back. "The f**k you thinkin'?" he says, loud enough for the gym to hear. The two go at it until Sherrod pins Namond against a dumpster. Cutty steps out and intervenes, sending the rivals away and Namond back to the gym, where he gives him a warning about messing with someone who's high. Namond plays tough, claiming to be pissed at Cutty for having to come to his defense. Cutty asks Michael what Namond is wrapped up in. Michael tells him it's not his business.

In Mayor Clarence Royce's office, Carcetti and his team meet with the defeated mayor to talk about the transition, and the two share a few laughs about their worst campaign moments, including the witness story and doctored slumlord photo. It's clear that both men are professionals; no grudges are held. Royce urges Carcetti to make short work of the Republican candidate in the general election, acknowledging that in heavily Democratic Baltimore this should not be a problem. "I'm halfway glad to get out," Royce says about his mayoral run, offering up Parker to help Carcetti with whatever he needs in the transition. Pending the hiring of a full-time chief of staff, Norman Wilson is taking over transitional duties for Theresa D'Agostino, who's off to help the DCCC win back some red states seats. Carcetti assures them she got her win bonus. "Mine too," Wilson says dryly.

In the surveillance van, Dets. Thomas "Herc" Hauk and Leandor Sydnor notice something's awry on the monitors - close ups of pigeon wings. They check to see if their camera's been moved and, yes indeed, it's gone.

At a downtown law office, a nervous Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman meets with her new boss, newly-elected State Attorney Rupert Bond, and congratulates him on his win over Demper. When Bond brings up the pre-election subpoenas, she begins to explain, apologetically. He interrupts: he wants to put her in charge of the violent crimes division - which means all homicide prosecutions. Ilene Nathan is moving up to second deputy. "I admire your courage, if not your loyalty," he tells her. Pearlman can hardly believe it.

Donnelly visits Prez's classroom to let him know Randy Wagstaff is off the hook with the rape charge - the girl now says it was consensual, and that Randy wasn't involved. As for the police interest in the murder he allegedly witnessed, it's out of her hands. The kids in the class are more settled, but only Michael has diligently completed his homework. In another classroom, Colvin's pilot program kids are acting out again - Namond tells the teacher off, then makes fun of another kid, Darnell, for his drinking problem. The pilot project kids are testing the new system.

Having struck out with their jailhouse snitch, and been advised by Det. Lester Freamon to take a shot and go straight at their presumptive suspect, Greggs and Norris do exactly that. In a courthouse office, Greggs, Norris and Assistant State's Attorney Ilene Nathan watch as a polygraph examiner wires up Anthony Wardell, the young dealer against whom the murdered Braddock was going to testify. When the examination is over, the examiner tells Greggs, Norris and Nathan he can "call it like you want it." "F**k kinda science is that?" snaps Greggs. "I'm here for you, detective," the examiner explains. Norris tells her the polygraph is used as leverage - to bring suspects in and mess with them. The kid's lawyer - the redoubtable Maury Levy - knows the game. He lets Wardell explain that Braddock's mom and his mom are like cousins, and he wouldn't have killed Braddock for flipping - he was only looking at three and a half years in any evevnt. Greggs looks almost convinced.

Meanwhile, Bunk tells Ilene Nathan about Omar's situation, showing her the card she gave him two years earlier. Omar claims he's being set up on this one, and is worried he'll be killed in prison. Nathan agrees to move him to a county detention center a good distance from Baltimore, then tells Bunk her debt to Mr. Little is paid.

At Police Headquarters, Major Cedric Daniels presents crime statistics to the department's top brass at Comstat, pointing out that while murders are down, all other violent crime is up. When Carcetti shows up to observe, they all stand at attention, then let Daniels continue. He makes no effort to hide the higher crime rate in the Western District and bluntly tells his superiors - in Carcetti's prescence - that too many of his officers have spent too many years chasing stats, and not enough of them are sufficiently trained to investigate violent crimes properly. Commissioner Ervin Burrell takes offense, but Daniels presses on as Carcetti takes it in.

Herc pleads with Carver to help him recover his camera - he's worried that his new superivisor in Major Crimes, Lt. Charles Marimow, is gonna burn him for losing something worth more than four grand. He's certain Marlo has the device, but they combed the Westside looking for every pigeon coop. At the mention of Marlo's name, Carver suddenly remembers debriefing a kid who knew about a murder Marlo's people did. He meant to call Bunk on it - Bunk had a warrant on the guy who supposedly got killed. If Herc brings his boss a solved murder, Marimow might forgive the camera. Carver calls Bunk to let him know about the young witness, but gets Crutchfield, who crumples the message, muttering his anger at the Bunk for interposing in the case involving Omar.

When Herc finally questions Randy, the boy tells him about passing along the message from Little Kevin to Lex, and later being told by Kevin that Chris and Snoop killed Lex. He heard they turn people into zombies for Marlo, though he doubts that, of course. "This is bulls**t," Herc says, trying to get Randy to say he directly witnessed the murder. Randy insists he didn't. They drop the boy off a block from his house, as he requests, so no one sees him with police, and Herc, regarding the whole misadventure with Randy as a waste of time, decides they need to go right at Marlo to get the camera back.

Continuing to examine the problems first-hand, Carcetti decides to do a ride along in a radio car car, just in time to witness a fresh crime scene - two men shot by police in a clean shooting, with one body to the hospital, the other on the street. Carcetti watches as Daniels - working that night as the duty officer - arrives and takes over. Carcetti, encountering Daniels for the second time in as many days, asks about him and the uniformed officers who are escorting him express mild approval of Daniels ("He's not as bad as some.") Carcetti, for his part, seems impressed.

Still troubled by the fact no one even heard a shot fired in the Braddock murder, Greggs heads to the scene by herself, and using crime photos, she reenacts possible bullet trajectories. Tracing their origins, she winds up deep in an alley on the other side of the street, where she discovers Chlorox bottles set up for target practice near a row house, and a dresser riddled with bullet holes. From one hole, she plucks a .38 caliber slug. Then she finds hollowed potatoes - homemade silencers. Hearing voices inside the nearest row house, she knocks on the back door, gun drawn: "Baltimore Police."

When Assistant. Principal Donnelly tells Cutty and his truancy round-up partner she needs kids for their October day, Cutty tells her the work is not for him. He'd be open to something where he'd be working with the kids, he tells her, but this elicits nothing but an exasperated look. As Cutty leaves, he encounters his old flame - Grace Sampson. They exchange pleasantries, and it is clear that Cutty is in a better place.

Having tried repeatedly to force the school into suspending him, Namond Brice is non-plussed. In a time-out room, he sits, arms folded, as a social worker takes notes. Colvin tries to talk to him, but the boy lashes out, repeating "f**k you" as fiercely as he can. Colvin lets him know he's not going back with the others until he learns to behave, and he's not going home either - there's no more suspension for him. The old games won't work in the new project class. Colvin leaves to pay a visit to UM Professor of Social Work David Parenti in the pilot program classroom, and as another student lashes out, he whispers, "This might be harder than we thought." "Fascinating, though," Parenti responds. "Clinically speaking, I mean."

Prez's kids are tame by comparison, playing dice with monopoly money. Duquan "Dukie" Weems is working at the new computer, smiling even, as Randy, returning to class from suspension, catches up on what he missed. When Grace Sampson appears in the doorway to observe the games, Prez explains: "You trick 'em into thinking they aren't learning, and they do."

Bubbles finally finds Sherrod on his corner, scratching his skin and wiping his nose, eyelids heavy. "Been lookin' all over for you," Bubbles tells him, before trying to apologize. He warns him that the corner is going to run him down fast, and urges Sherrod to come home as soon as he gets paid. Sherrod seems to agree, and Bubbles leaves, clearly disturbed that the boy is getting high. "I'll see you in a few," says Bubbles, hopeful.

Greggs brings her find back to Norris: the slug matches the one found in the autopsy. "You veteran crime fighters got a name for this here, right? Murder weapon or some s**t like that?" she says, holding up the gun. She tells him where she found it, how Braddock was killed not because he was a witness but because he had the dumb luck to catch a stray from someone target shooting in a rear alley. "Our guy's dead from a stray?" Norris says, incredulous. "And this f**k Carcetti gets to be the mayor behind the stupidity. I f**king love this town." And then, as an afterthought: "Nice pull, Greggs." As a homicide investigator, she is no longer a mere rookie, and her hazing is over.

Opening the door to his squatter's lair, Bubbles calls out hopefully for Sherrod. He looks around at the emptiness, then collapses on his own bedroll, realizing his surrogate son has not yet come home.


Carcetti's ascension to power was outstanding to watch and the look on Carcetti's face when he discovered that he beat Royce was very realistic. Most of your standard fiction would show Carcetti leaping for joy and smiling- but Carcetti's look when he realized that he won- painted a very interesting picture. Now, he has what he yearned for- does he still want it? It's one of those you have what you want, but now comes the responsibility that comes with the position. And Carcetti truly does want to improve his city but the scene with the ex-mayor is a nice set-up to what is most likely to come.

Royce couldn't seem more relieved to get away from his duties as mayor. I believe some of his discussion with Carcetti (post-election) was partially to save face (once again the show's continuing theme of everything being done for the sake of work only) and also was genuine. Royce basically became more interested in being mayor than actually creating real reform. And the sad fact is that Royce seemed to realize towards the end of his tenure. But, now, Carcetti is poised to cause serious change (and it seems that he is indeed quite sincere about making these changes)- but how long can this reform last before various institutions bastardize his political ideas?

I remember in the first season, we got a glimpse into Omar's mindset about prison when he told McNulty when he was pulled over for a parley, "I ain't going back inside no cage". However, Omar is definitely a survivor (also from the first season it was referenced that Omar had a stable of boys when he served time in The Cut in Jessup) and he learns to adapt. He is surrounded by enemies though now and he doesn't have the luxury to lurk in the shadows. There are no confines and even with Butchie's protection- Omar is aware enough to know that his chances to survive (especially with Marlo's bounty on his head) is very slim. Thus, Omar makes the call to Bunk for a chance to get out of his current predicament.

In many ways, Omar and Bunk adhere to the same sense of a code but have just followed different paths in their lives. Omar's plea that a man must have a code harkens back to the first season when it was revealed the two went to the same school and lived in the same neighborhood when growing up. The nature of the code that Omar follows is irrelevant, Omar's point is the code is in place and it is something that he does not take lightly. Bunk realized that there is some validity in the statement and realizes that Omar may be set up.

I also appreciated the fact that Bunk referenced the murder of Tasha from season 3 ("Hot Shots") and the death of Stringer Bell- and his suspicion that Omar was involved in both cases (which are indeed very astute assumptions). Thus, this is another reason why characters with merit and with integrity respect someone like Omar- as he respects them as well. Omar is the anomaly to the game- the lone wolf who is not tied down to any institutions- but decides on his own, to follow a strict code that he follows. Thus, this is why the murder of the citizen doesn't set well with Bunk. And this is going to cause conflict with Crutchfield who could give a rat's ass whether or not Omar is truly guilty. It looks good on paper- and the point to him is the stats. But, Bunk, circumvents him and is now trying to figure out what really happened and is successful in getting Ilene Nathan to move Omar to a safer lock-up.

Beautiful how the show ties up everything from previous seasons- Omar never lost that get out of jail free card that Ilene gave him after Bird was convicted in season 2 ("All Prologue") when Omar testified. I almost feel spoiled watching a show this well-weaved.

Bubs really was the star of "Unto Others" because it opens on him (following the teaser) in silence- realizing how much he cares for Sherrod and how much potential lies in the boy. His searching for Sherrod on the streets and his subsequent assault by the violent dope fiend who is treating Bubs like his personal ATM is painful to watch- because Bubs is truly one of the few good souls left in a truly insane world. Then to watch Walker (the piece of shit cop who robbed Randy and Omar) also steal from Bubs- really sealed the hopelessness this guy is going through.

Sherrod, meanwhile, is trying to find his way on the corner but there is no future in that for him. He doesn't have it for the streets and the scene where he attacks Namond after snorting his courage to do it- is very telling. Bubs' discussion with Sherrod was almost so agonizing, even I couldn't watch it. It's very honest as well. These two are desperately trying to communicate to one another but the words are not there at the time. But Bubs does admit he cares for the boy and he would like him home. The look on Bubs face when he sees that Sherrod is not back at the end is painful. Not a word was needed. The silence and look on Bubs' face explained enough.

It's great to see Kima coming into her own in homicide. I loved how she pieced together exactly what happened in a well-drawn out dialogue-free scene. The beauty of this show is how accurate these scenes are. Anyone notice that Kima picked up the potato before entering the house? Nice way of tying in the "Tater Killed Me" joke from episode 4 of this year into Kima's vindication.

The look on Dukie's face when he finally seemed happy was truly jarring and tear-inducing. The poor kid usually is so ravaged with poverty and pain that any moment to see his happiness is just moving.

I wonder if Prez will be punished for going outside the curriculum in order to teach his students. Unorthodox methods in institutions is usually frowned upon on this series- because it will only lead to punishment or being demoted.

The scene with Brianna meeting with Namond and De'Londa was beautifully done. Any chance I get to see Michael Hyatt is great and in many ways- her and De'Londa are the same woman. They both have used their children and exploited them in the drug trade. And they both have made great profit in the game. However, Brianna is far more shrewd and intelligent- and has finally cut all ties to Avon (probably because she knows that Avon knows what happened to D'Angelo). She has cut the money faucet to De'Londa- after all, the Barksdale empire is dead so the money has to eventually stop. And De'Londa forcing her child into the life now that no money will be coming is deplorable.

Loved Bodie's assessment of De'Londa as a "dragon lady" and his assessment of her character being the reason why Namond has become the person he is today. Bodie's a gem.

Cutty seems to have realized that he needs to step away from his frolicking with the mothers of the boys at his gym. However, it seems too little too late in Spider's case. He has clearly given up on Cutty. And Michael still is keeping Cutty at arm's length.

Poor idiotic Herc. He never has been good police. And he sadly will never be good police. He can't think outside the box and think PERIOD. The incident with Marlo at the train station and his incorrect assumption of Marlo as a mope was enough to cause Marlo to steal the camera per Prop Joe's suggestion. And now, Herc is cornered- and is so desperate he turns to Carver for help. Notice Sydnor's annoyance with Herc when they were talking to Randy. When it comes to institutional ineptitude- Herc is in a league of his own.

It looks Daniels previous punishments from being loyal and being about the case will be corrected because Carcetti sees potential in him. And Pearlman's fear of the subpoenas from earlier on, is partially the reason for her career advancement. Got to love the curveballs on this show.

Great two episodes and I can't wait to see the next episode.