FRONT AND FOLLOW: Episode 8 of season one of The Wire, "Lessons," and we learn that Stringer's even smarter than we thought (elasticity!), McNulty an even worse dad, and Bunk can't handle ... well, a lot of things. Also, that it's probably nice to get your spouse's book into your tv show if you can.
Alas, poor Stinkum. I have many thoughts right now, none of which I have time to share because of work needs. Tara's TWoP recap is another good place to start, and I'll see you in the comments when I can.
I know it's been addressed in these comments and elsewhere before, but I love how well this show shows each and every character as both good and bad. Bunk's affair this episode, while played mostly for humor and his attempts to burn his clothes to get rid of trace evidence did make me laugh, is just the latest, as previously he'd been a good detective and friend, who looked at, but didn't touch, women other than his wife. Between that, Jimmy's kids tailing Stringer, And Stringer Bell, drug lord and economics student, this was an episodemfull of showing other sides to the characters, but in a way that's true to them, thoughtful, well written, doesn't come out of nowhere. The Wire is the anti-Glee.
ReplyDeleteOh, McNulty. What are we going to do with you? Such a great scene, and such smart kids. I love that he plays front-and-follow with them at the mall, but with Stringer? Oy.
ReplyDeleteEight episodes in, and I still am having trouble keeping the Barksdale crew straight. The only ones I always know are the ones where I know the actors from somewhere else - Stringer, Avon, Wallace. And I've got Dee figured out. But the junior people are hard to keep straight - Stinkim, Poot, Wee Bey... Of course, if they keep killing them off, it won't matter, I suppose.
Agree with Maret about how well characterized everything is. Even though McNulty is our hero, they dont' go for the simple characterization of having him be a screwup father and husband, but being perfect at work. He doesn't have the guts to own up to screwing over the other cop whose case he's going to ruin, but has Bunk do it for him. He can't leave well enough alone with Daniels, and burns a lot of bridges. Ditto Kima - she's obviously a great cop, but Omar played her, and she knows it. I'm waiting for a little more nuance on Freamon - so far, he's been the all-knowing oracle who languished in the department for years because the higher ups refused to make use of him. We need a bit more fleshing out there.
I'm surprised we got pay off on the Day Day scene so soon. I would have thought that, much like the kid Prez messed up, that that thread would take a few episodes to come back around. Guess not.
I loved that Stringer scene in the class. And I am fascinated that they're not playing it as "Stringer is trying to better himself so he can get out of the Game," but instead "Stringer is trying to better himself so he can play the Game better." Fascinating.
It's a good think I'm so swamped right now, or I'd have already finished the season, instead of struggling to watch one episode a week...
Hey, when did I get ahead? Maybe when I watched, like, 4 episodes this past weekend. ANYWAY, I think what really struck me in this ep, like everyone else, whas McNulty's parental downfall. Also, in reading Alan's recap, I was reminded of Wallace putting the math problem in the context of drugs. I wonder what would happen if that happened in school. 100% success rate?
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the kids, it's hard to accept the inevitability of The Game as presented here. You want to tell the kids to stay in school, to do well, to get out of the hood as soon as they can. But where will they go? How will they live? What else can these bright kids do? Why isn't Barksdale more intent on helping these kids out?
Here's something else i can't quite put my finger on. Stringer Bell wants to learn real-world economics to become better at The Game. Dee wants The Game to become more like the real world, with less killing and more stable business practices. Neither wants out of The Game, necessarily. They just want to reform it, like many forward-thinking, intelligent people. They want to make their own world better, in their eyes. There's more there, but I'm still mulliing it over.
I think with Day-day being pulled over with that cash we're being pointed towards something MUCH bigger than one tiny wire can trace, and the unfolding of that is clearly going to leave a great many bodies in its wake.
It is pretty amazing, isn't it, how much complexity these characters already have, part way through season one. Plenty of shows don't give that much complexity over their entire runs. I also think that Stringer Bell is one of the most amazing characters that I've ever seen on TV. He's knee-deep in muck, but so damn smart, and with this sense of class about him. I mean, the first time that we see him is in a courtroom, looking completely natural, like he fits in perfectly in a way that many attorneys don't. But he's there to intimidate witnesses. Damn.
ReplyDeleteI'm ahead too. I mainlined the rest of season 1 this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that Dee, at the least, can picture a world where he is truly outside of the Game. He has more imagination that a lot of the other guys at his level of the organization, but it seems like he doesn't think that really is a choice. Stringer is another question: Does he see a way out of the Game? If he does, would he try to take it?
ReplyDeleteI loved the bit of short-handed storytelling done at the beginning of the episode. The kids and McNulty get separated, and he reports them missing, but no extra time is spent running around looking for them or having a tearful reunion scene. As long as some scenes take to play out, nothing is done for overtly dramatic impact.
ReplyDeleteI marveled at that too - I am using library DVDs which sometimes skip, so I thought I'd missed something. All we need to know is that the kid got the plates, and that they ended up fine. Highly unusual way for TV to tell a story.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the whole Stringer-trying-to-better-himself-to-play-the-game-better is something I also find extremely interesting and thought-provoking. I think it plays into the whole how much of the way things are is because of the system or individual choice or the hand you're played or what? I have no idea where I come out on those questions with this show, but I do think it's complicated and the show gives you a whole lot of views on it. And I just love the Stringer Bell character, and how Idris Elba plays him.
ReplyDeleteQuick nerdy complaint: Stringer's in Intro to Macroeconomics. Wouldn't elasticity of demand be taught in Micro?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, but I can ask my friend the econ professor, if you'd really like to know. I believe she does actually teach macroeconomics.
ReplyDeleteMy friend the AP Economics teacher confirms, it is in the Micro curriculum - but there can be applications within Macro.
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