The Wire: Episode 55

[Boobie Miles]

I didn't care for Omar acting like he was Wesley Snipes in Blade either, I just didn't comment on that yet. I wanted to let that scene sink in a bit. I've already expressed my misgivings about David Mills on this thread, so you can assume that represents the entire show. But I'd like to watch it again before I declare it completely busted.

I'd like to watch it again, plus I'll give this show the benefit of the doubt that it'll be resolved in a realistic manner (at least as much as that scenario can). The thing that is irritating is that there are so many ways that scene could have been done that wouldn't have required a super hero conclusion. Omar has always had a mythical air, but his shoot-outs always came across as having a touch of realism. Having three trained killers firing automatic weapons at you from about 10 feet away while you crouch behind a couch and then run through a glass door and presumably jump about four stories? Really stretching it.

Even with that, and a few other things this season that haven't been up to Wire standards, it's still the best show on TV by leaps and bounds. Nothing else is nearly as gripping or well-acted. I'm guessing that after all 10 episodes air some of these quibbles right now will fade.

 

[STLIrish]

I didn't care for Omar acting like he was Wesley Snipes in Blade either, I just didn't comment on that yet. I wanted to let that scene sink in a bit. I've already expressed my misgivings about David Mills on this thread, so you can assume that represents the entire show. But I'd like to watch it again before I declare it completely busted.

I'd like to watch it again, plus I'll give this show the benefit of the doubt that it'll be resolved in a realistic manner (at least as much as that scenario can). The thing that is irritating is that there are so many ways that scene could have been done that wouldn't have required a super hero conclusion. Omar has always had a mythical air, but his shoot-outs always came across as having a touch of realism. Having three trained killers firing automatic weapons at you from about 10 feet away while you crouch behind a couch and then run through a glass door and presumably jump about four stories? Really stretching it.

What I didn't get about that scene was not just how Omar made it out (as a buddy of mine said, that must be a tough couch), but also, what was the point of it? What did that scene accomplish?
The whole episode built up to it, but if, as we can probably assume, Omar survives, what did we learn? That Marlo & co. are not just hard but smart? We knew that. That Omar can leap tall buildings? I hope not. They'll just reset and do it again, in which case we might as well have just had the shootout out in the open, where Omar could live to fight another day without stretching the bounds of realism.

 

[Boobie Miles]

I didn't care for Omar acting like he was Wesley Snipes in Blade either, I just didn't comment on that yet. I wanted to let that scene sink in a bit. I've already expressed my misgivings about David Mills on this thread, so you can assume that represents the entire show. But I'd like to watch it again before I declare it completely busted.

I'd like to watch it again, plus I'll give this show the benefit of the doubt that it'll be resolved in a realistic manner (at least as much as that scenario can). The thing that is irritating is that there are so many ways that scene could have been done that wouldn't have required a super hero conclusion. Omar has always had a mythical air, but his shoot-outs always came across as having a touch of realism. Having three trained killers firing automatic weapons at you from about 10 feet away while you crouch behind a couch and then run through a glass door and presumably jump about four stories? Really stretching it.

What I didn't get about that scene was not just how Omar made it out (as a buddy of mine said, that must be a tough couch), but also, what was the point of it? What did that scene accomplish?
The whole episode built up to it, but if, as we can probably assume, Omar survives, what did we learn? That Marlo & co. are not just hard but smart? We knew that. That Omar can leap tall buildings? I hope not. They'll just reset and do it again, in which case we might as well have just had the shootout out in the open, where Omar could live to fight another day without stretching the bounds of realism.

Good point. I was waiting for Omar, at some point, to sniff out that something was up. And since he didn't, as much as I love the character, if the scene was going to go down like that, there's no way he should have survived.

And as you said, where does this leave that storyline? Nothing is accomplished. Again, we don't know what happened to Omar, but assuming he made it out OK, nothing changed as a result of that scene. One thing's for sure, Marlo will not be pleased.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Omar jumped from the building right into the trash under the window. That is the only way I can explain that he survived.

How far was that jump? I thought they were only on the second or third floor? I would think you could survive that fall if you jumped the right way (you might break a leg or something, but at least you wouldn't be shot up).

That seen with Dookie was depressing. What I thought was worse was when he went to the woods to learn to shoot and heard the same advice he heard in the gym, basically that even if you have a gun or not, people are still going to try to roll you...I like to think he is the "good kid makes it out of the ghetto story," But I think it does not end well for him.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

I didn't care for Omar acting like he was Wesley Snipes in Blade either, I just didn't comment on that yet. I wanted to let that scene sink in a bit. I've already expressed my misgivings about David Mills on this thread, so you can assume that represents the entire show. But I'd like to watch it again before I declare it completely busted.

I'd like to watch it again, plus I'll give this show the benefit of the doubt that it'll be resolved in a realistic manner (at least as much as that scenario can). The thing that is irritating is that there are so many ways that scene could have been done that wouldn't have required a super hero conclusion. Omar has always had a mythical air, but his shoot-outs always came across as having a touch of realism. Having three trained killers firing automatic weapons at you from about 10 feet away while you crouch behind a couch and then run through a glass door and presumably jump about four stories? Really stretching it.

Even with that, and a few other things this season that haven't been up to Wire standards, it's still the best show on TV by leaps and bounds. Nothing else is nearly as gripping or well-acted. I'm guessing that after all 10 episodes air some of these quibbles right now will fade.

At 12:01 a.m. Super Bowl nigght I will be ingesting #56.

Still very good.

 

[Omar_dont_scare]

I didn't care for Omar acting like he was Wesley Snipes in Blade either, I just didn't comment on that yet. I wanted to let that scene sink in a bit. I've already expressed my misgivings about David Mills on this thread, so you can assume that represents the entire show. But I'd like to watch it again before I declare it completely busted.

Is it fair to blame Mills for the uneven episode? Given what we know about Simon, I'd wager he signs off on every aspect of the show.

 

[GoochMan]

Finally got to watch this episode...I agree that the Omar scene is very dubious.
The realism of this show is what makes it so compelling, so they'd better have a good explanation as to how he jumped out of that window and survived. Plus he needs a new partner...Omar's gotta realize now that he can't take this crew down alone...they're too smart and too well trained. So who steps up...Slim? I can see him working on Marlo's crew from the other side if they don't get to him first.

Also, something different's up with that cellphone that Marlo has. Freamon and the crew picked a text message off the Wire back in Season 2 (the one typed out in Greek that said 'Shut Down Immediately' when translated). The noise that came out of the computer made it seem as if the message itself was scrambled. Marlo doing that on his own would be a stretch, but the Greeks? They could pull that kind of thing off.

Nice to see Randy's back for Episode 56.

 

[Dedo]

I'm sincerely hoping this all comes together, but right now I'm starting to fear The Wire would've been better off fading to black with Namond looking out at the crossroads.

Really, Simon could be a victim of how great those first four seasons were. Because he explored every facet of that world so well, there weren't many more places to take this group of characters. Now we're left with what is feeling more and more like an unnecessary epilogue, and a newspaper-driven storyline that makes the show feel, for the first time, self-indulgent.

The thing about the first four seasons was that almost every character -- the cops, the drug dealers, the addicts, the corner kids, the teachers, the politicians -- all seemed representative of real people, intertwined because of the same real problems. Even if Omar was over the top and Hamsterdam was extreme, they served their purpose in illuminating something about the issues and people Simon wanted to show us.

But Scott Templeton? What does his character illuminate, other than how a guy like Jayson Blair can climb the journalism ladder? Simon has said the message of The Wire is that "life is worth less." Does Templeton, or any of the other newspaper characters, really fit into that? I suppose an argument can be made that "life is worth less" when a major newspaper buries stories about triple homicides and homeless serial killers. But do we need to spend a whole season hammering that point home? And by sensationalizing the problems of the newspaper business by using a character like Templeton, isn't that message being lost anyway?

I guess it boils down to the idea that we expect The Wire to be more ... what's the word ... revelatory. Through five episodes of the fifth season, the only remotely revealing storyline has been the one about how Carcetti's "new day in Baltimore" looks just like the old one. Before, Marlo and Omar were telling us something new, something important, about the streets -- now it seems like we're watching them just to find out what happens next, the same reason why people watch soap operas. And to me, The Wire has set a higher standard than that.

Again, I'm not giving up on it yet. And some of this post probably was more harsh than I intended. But right now, I'm relying on little more than hope. And if The Wire has taught me anything, it's that relying on hope usually leads to disappointment.

 

[sportsnut]

Finally got to watch this episode...I agree that the Omar scene is very dubious.
The realism of this show is what makes it so compelling, so they'd better have a good explanation as to how he jumped out of that window and survived. Plus he needs a new partner...Omar's gotta realize now that he can't take this crew down alone...they're too smart and too well trained. So who steps up...Slim? I can see him working on Marlo's crew from the other side if they don't get to him first.

Also, something different up with that cellphone that Marlo has. Freamon and the crew picked a text message off the Wire back in Season 2 (the one typed out in Greek that said 'Shut Down Immediately' when translated). The noise that came out of the computer made it seem as if the message itself was scrambled. Marlo doing that on his own would be a stretch, but the Greeks? They could pull that kind of thing off.

Nice to see Randy's back for Episode 56.

The only thing that I can say about the jump is that he hit the trash area right under the window. That's why the camera was pointed down for so long and you saw no body. It also took Marlo's crew a good 5 min before they looked out the window giving Omar enough time to get away.

Also the text messages have been encrypted to protect against wire taps. I am not sure but was that not what killed the Greeks off regarding the port operation they had earlier? I also think that's why they gave Marlo this specific phone.

 

[Boobie Miles]

I honestly believe people wouldn't judge the newspaper stuff so harshly if Simon didn't go on this interview crusade killing the former editors and explaining his grudge with the industry. Had he just sat back (I don't remember him ever doing as many interviews prior to another season) I don't think as many people would be calling out those scenes. Add in the fact that it hits home with the people who write the reviews, and it's even worse. It's just natural; critics don't know enough about the corners, or politics, or police work to pick that apart. But bring it in to a newsroom and a new level of scrutiny is introduced.

The biggest complaint I've seen is that Gus is one-dimensionally too good and the ME and EE are one-dimensionally too bad, and that this show has never done that. I'd offer Freamon (prior to this season), and a bunch of smaller roles, like Norman, were presented every bit as "good" as Gus. And Rawls, and a bunch of smaller roles, like Marimow (name obviously no mistake), were presented every bit as "bad" as the head newspaper editors. I just think everyone is out to pick apart Simon's motives with the newspaper storyline and he's done nothing to dissuade that in his interviews. But I'm not sure it's really any different than past storylines and past characters.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Finally got to watch this episode...I agree that the Omar scene is very dubious.
The realism of this show is what makes it so compelling, so they'd better have a good explanation as to how he jumped out of that window and survived. Plus he needs a new partner...Omar's gotta realize now that he can't take this crew down alone...they're too smart and too well trained. So who steps up...Slim? I can see him working on Marlo's crew from the other side if they don't get to him first.

Also, something different up with that cellphone that Marlo has. Freamon and the crew picked a text message off the Wire back in Season 2 (the one typed out in Greek that said 'Shut Down Immediately' when translated). The noise that came out of the computer made it seem as if the message itself was scrambled. Marlo doing that on his own would be a stretch, but the Greeks? They could pull that kind of thing off.

Nice to see Randy's back for Episode 56.

It also took Marlo's crew a good 5 min before they looked out the window giving Omar enough time to get away.

WTF are you watching?

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

I honestly believe people wouldn't judge the newspaper stuff so harshly if Simon didn't go on this interview crusade killing the former editors and explaining his grudge with the industry. Had he just sat back (I don't remember him ever doing as many interviews prior to another season) I don't think as many people would be calling out those scenes. Add in the fact that it hits home with the people who write the reviews, and it's even worse. It's just natural; critics don't know enough about the corners, or politics, or police work to pick that apart. But bring it in to a newsroom and a new level of scrutiny is introduced.

The biggest complaint I've seen is that Gus is one-dimensionally too good and the ME and EE are one-dimensionally too bad, and that this show has never done that. I'd offer Freamon (prior to this season), and a bunch of smaller roles, like Norman, were presented every bit as "good" as Gus. And Rawls, and a bunch of smaller roles, like Marimow (name obviously no mistake), were presented every bit as "bad" as the head newspaper editors. I just think everyone is out to pick apart Simon's motives with the newspaper storyline and he's done nothing to dissuade that in his interviews. But I'm not sure it's really any different than past storylines and past characters.

I think that, among audience not in our biz, the newspapering has been quite "revelatory"

Also, the sound at the end of 55 sounded like a fax....

 

[HC]

I honestly believe people wouldn't judge the newspaper stuff so harshly if Simon didn't go on this interview crusade killing the former editors and explaining his grudge with the industry. Had he just sat back (I don't remember him ever doing as many interviews prior to another season) I don't think as many people would be calling out those scenes. Add in the fact that it hits home with the people who write the reviews, and it's even worse. It's just natural; critics don't know enough about the corners, or politics, or police work to pick that apart. But bring it in to a newsroom and a new level of scrutiny is introduced.

The biggest complaint I've seen is that Gus is one-dimensionally too good and the ME and EE are one-dimensionally too bad, and that this show has never done that. I'd offer Freamon (prior to this season), and a bunch of smaller roles, like Norman, were presented every bit as "good" as Gus. And Rawls, and a bunch of smaller roles, like Marimow (name obviously no mistake), were presented every bit as "bad" as the head newspaper editors. I just think everyone is out to pick apart Simon's motives with the newspaper storyline and he's done nothing to dissuade that in his interviews. But I'm not sure it's really any different than past storylines and past characters.

I think that, among audience not in our biz, the newspapering has been quite "revelatory"

Also, the sound at the end of 55 sounded like a fax....

Or an internet connection (remembering the old days when modems weren't always silent). The Greek said phones are for calling your girl or talking to your lawyer since the police were not allowed to listen to those calls due to attorney-client privilege. He then handed him the device and said "This is for contacting us". My immediate assumption is that it's not a phone but some kind of hand held computer with internet.
The fact that Marlow gave the number to his attorney might indicate that Marlow is setting a trap for Herc but it also might be his lack of sophistication and not understanding exactly what they gave him.

 

[STLIrish]

I honestly believe people wouldn't judge the newspaper stuff so harshly if Simon didn't go on this interview crusade killing the former editors and explaining his grudge with the industry. Had he just sat back (I don't remember him ever doing as many interviews prior to another season) I don't think as many people would be calling out those scenes. Add in the fact that it hits home with the people who write the reviews, and it's even worse. It's just natural; critics don't know enough about the corners, or politics, or police work to pick that apart. But bring it in to a newsroom and a new level of scrutiny is introduced.

The biggest complaint I've seen is that Gus is one-dimensionally too good and the ME and EE are one-dimensionally too bad, and that this show has never done that. I'd offer Freamon (prior to this season), and a bunch of smaller roles, like Norman, were presented every bit as "good" as Gus. And Rawls, and a bunch of smaller roles, like Marimow (name obviously no mistake), were presented every bit as "bad" as the head newspaper editors. I just think everyone is out to pick apart Simon's motives with the newspaper storyline and he's done nothing to dissuade that in his interviews. But I'm not sure it's really any different than past storylines and past characters.

I think that, among audience not in our biz, the newspapering has been quite "revelatory"

Also, the sound at the end of 55 sounded like a fax....

Or an internet connection (remembering the old days when modems weren't always silent). The Greek said phones are for calling your girl or talking to your lawyer since the police were not allowed to listen to those calls due to attorney-client privilege. He then handed him the device and said "This is for contacting us". My immediate assumption is that it's not a phone but some kind of hand held computer with internet.
The fact that Marlow gave the number to his attorney might indicate that Marlow is setting a trap for Herc but it also might be his lack of sophistication and not understanding exactly what they gave him.

Marlo gets a Blackberry.

 

[Write-brained]

I finally just watched this episode. I'll have to watch it again, but I didn't get the impression that Omar necessarily jumped off the patio. Doesn't it just show him jump from the living room out onto the patio?

And while I find the newspaper angle unbelievable, they're still putting together a very good yarn. It's still compelling to watch, even if it's not up to the same standard as the previous four seasons. I would have preferred they concentrated on the bodies story line than gone into this complex cluster****, but they've got me committed to the last show.

Finally, **** Scott Templeton. The character makes me angry. I hope for the actor's sake that I don't ever meet him in person. I may just pummel him.

 

[zimbabwe]

Just a minor gripe and then a throwaway observation:

Could people refrain from quasi-spoilers like "so-and-so is in the next three episodes?" It's not a big deal, but I don't want to know ANYTHING whatsoever about the upcoming episode until I see it.

Also, loved the music in the bar scene with McNulty, Alma and Douche Baggins. Tears for Fears, 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World.'

 

[ArnoldBabar]

I loved the scene where Templeton and McNulty are both trying to figure out what the hell is going on. For a second when Scott was calling himself, I thought Jimmy had put him up to it to get the wiretap and I had missed something.

Man, my heart was pounding during the shootout. Of course, all four of them surviving 100 rounds fired within the same room wasn't a possibility I considered.

And what kind of horrible window frames do fictional people have? I had the same thought when Matt Damon jumps across an alley and through a window in one of the Bourne movies. If I tried to throw myself through a paned window, I'd just bounce off and maybe cut the hell out of myself. I don't think I'd just go sailing right through.

 

[heyabbott]

Finally, **** Scott Templeton. The character makes me angry. I hope for the actor's sake that I don't ever meet him in person. I may just pummel him.

I felt that way about Steve Harris in the practice. I get hoping his children, on the show, would get raped by one of his clients. But you just realize that's the mark of a good actor.

 

[STLIrish]

I finally just watched this episode. I'll have to watch it again, but I didn't get the impression that Omar necessarily jumped off the patio. Doesn't it just show him jump from the living room out onto the patio?

Just watched this again. He didn't jump, at least not clear to the ground. If you look closely when Chris & co. are looking down off the balcony, you can definitely see a shadow on the side of the building a floor or two down. That, I guess, would be Omar, playing Spiderman, not Superman.

 

[Write-brained]

I finally just watched this episode. I'll have to watch it again, but I didn't get the impression that Omar necessarily jumped off the patio. Doesn't it just show him jump from the living room out onto the patio?

Just watched this again. He didn't jump, at least not clear to the ground. If you look closely when Chris & co. are looking down off the balcony, you can definitely see a shadow on the side of the building a floor or two down. That, I guess, would be Omar, playing Spiderman, not Superman.

Not exactly adhering to the laws of physics ...