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« The Wire
Episode Recap: 'Not for Attribution"
Schemes, and how they don't always quite work out, on this week's installment.
McNulty, having tampered with a corpse at the end of the last episode to make it look like the result of murder, researches similar deaths in the Homicide files and eventually plants evidence on the tampered-with corpse, in the form of a red ribbon tied around its arm, to bolster his attempt to drum up interest in investigating a potential serial killer. In purchasing the ribbon to plant at a convenience store, he crosses paths with and almost meets Alma Gutierrez (Michelle Paress), who is out trying to find a copy of the new Baltimore Sun, the first issue to feature a front-page solo story by her (that of the murder of three people by Marlo's henchpeople in the previous episode). Later, McNulty would call her to place the story of the serial killer (she's essentially the new junior Metro crime beat reporter), but McNulty's planted story is even more soft-pedalled than Gutierrez's front-page story was; buried on page three of the Metro section, as opposed to merely cut down by half, if still on the front page.
While still trying to go behind Prop Joe's back and make direct business contact with the Greek drug smugglers who supply all the Baltimore gangs, Marlo also seeks Prop Joe's advice on how to figuratively and literally launder his money (an approach-bribe Marlo attempts to make to the Greeks is rejected because the cash is literarlly filthy, proceeds taken directly from the street dealers). Prop Joe does what he can to "civilize" Marlo in how to effectively channel his proceeds, down to helping him set up an offshore bank account in the Antilles, but can't convince Marlo that putting a bounty on the predator on predators Omar is not a good idea.
In fact, Marlo's chief enforcers find Butchie (S. Robert Morgan), the blind tavern-owner who has helped Omar in various ways in the past, and shoot up his establishment and his help as they get down to trying to torture Omar's whereabouts out of the old man. They fail to get him to talk, so shoot him in the head and advise his semiconscious employee across the room that he'd better tell Omar everything that's happened here. As they leave, Snoop wonders aloud if dragging Omar out of retirement, particularly with a grudge against them personally, is the best way to go about this; Chris, apparently almost ridiculously loyal, points out that it's what Marlo wants. Meanwhile, one of Prop Joe's lieutentants, who has not enjoyed their encounters with Omar, has already told them of his willingness to help bring the avenging thief down.
Meanwhile, the Grand Jury testimony in the ongoing investigation of Clay Davis continues, as closer and more important aides to and cronies of Davis are deposed. PD Major Stan Valchek (Al Brown) brings the mayor crime statistics that demonstrate a slight rise in activity, probably in part due to the budget-cutting in the department, and Valchek volunteers to be the Mayor's temporary replacement for the current, hidebound and scandal-implicated Commissioner Burrell and his Assistant, Rawls; Mayor Carcetti, knowing he can't install his eventual choice Col. Daniels immediately, wonders if he can slip Rawls in temporariy, and feeds a story to the Sun to see how that might play politically, particularly with the African-American power brokers in the city. When the story comes to City Desk, Gus Haynes passes over Templeton for one of the (soon to be laid off)veterans who actually knows the background on all the principal players; Templeton somewhat sullenly accepts the task of getting reaction quotations from various persons to the announcement. He also blatantly falsifies his best quotation, but Gus isn't quite ready to press the matter. Meanwhile, Daniels and his ex-wife, now on the City Council, wonder what Burrell might do with some vaguely damaging information about the Danielses that he holds, now that it seems likely that he'll be fired.
Michael and Dukie take their young charge out for a day at an amusement park, in part to help Michael clear his head after the massacre; they find themselves flirting with similarly high-school-aged girls and otherwise engaging in age-appropriate behavior...only to find that Michael will be chewed out by his boss upon returning home, for letting his drug corner go all day without direct supervision.
Bunk, who has been railing at Jimmy throughout the episode against the risky gambit of faking up a serial killing spree among the homeless, is relieved to hear Lester, when he hears Jimmy's story, also suggest that Jimmy isn't doing the right thing. Unfortunately for Bunk, Lester suggests that Jimmy hasn't made this splashy enough, and instructs Jimmy how to make it a more lurid and gaudy set of crimes so as get more attention, and temporary funding, for the Major Crimes unit, so that they can close a case on Marlo and his crew.
And Omar, living somewhere on the beachfront in the Spanish-speaking Americas (Puerto Rico? Mexico?) gets the word, and clearly is ready to take revenge.
Lots of groundwork for the grand conclusions laid in this episode...I might even look at the next one as soon as it's available.
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Jan 20, 2008 5:06 PM
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considering this is the wire, i got the the feeling that Omar may be walking around the same island where Marlo is checking on his money. or they will unfortunately run into each other at BWI on their way back.
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Jan 21, 2008 9:37 AM
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I can't wait for Omar's return!!! I felt so sorry for Michael and Dukie when they returned back to reality after Six Flags...but I really wished that when Dukie asked him last week "What will I do while he's in school all day?" - - That he would have said GO TO SCHOOL!!!! I am going to miss this show so much.
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Jan 21, 2008 2:09 PM
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Omar and Marlo were on different islands. Marlo was in the French Antilles and Omar was in Puerto Rico.
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Jan 21, 2008 2:22 PM
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Man this was another great epi. I watched it last week when it became available on demand. Messing with Omar is the WRONG thing to do. I am stressing this for those new to the show. Watching McNulty and Lester together was great. But I am glad Bunk did not have the stomach to go in on that plan.
Another great epi. It was also nice to see Mike and Dukie be kids again.
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Jan 22, 2008 7:14 AM
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I love Michael. He's my favorite character on the show and I always find myself watching like a protective older sister, wanting to help him be a kid! This episode was very good, and I couldn't resist watching next week's episode - and let me tell you - it's great!
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Jan 22, 2008 12:25 PM
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