EVEN FOR A SUPREMELY FUCKED-UP POLICE DEPARTMENT, THIS TAKES THE PRIZE: As we learn in The Wire's season two penultimate episode, "Bad Dreams," one fax can make the difference between life and death. But why was Frank Sobotka there in the first place? Why would he trust the Greeks over the authorities, or even weigh two competing offers? Did he really believe that the Greeks could do anything for Ziggy? That he was so willing to open up to Beadie (who gets the Real Police star of the week, though it would have been even better without our seeing someone tell her "look at the mirrors/use the city", and just show) and then everyone else, but he still ... oh, god, it hurts.
Help my union? For 25 years we've been dyin' slow down there. Dry dock's rustin', piers standin' empty. My friends and their kids like we got the cancer. No life-line got thrown all that time, nothin' from nobody, and now you wanna help us? Help me?
And from the other side, the police were so close. Landsman couldn't connect the dots, and he realizes it. The Greek walks right past Kima. The police has Sobotka ready to confess, but Ronnie sends him home until his lawyer can show up.
Which makes the Omar-Stringer-Brother Mouzone story the minor part of the episode, and it's so weird seeing Omar being outplayed so easily for once. I imagine there will be consequences.
At this moment, I don't get why folks see this as a "lesser" season of The Wire ... it must speak volumes about what's left in 3, 4, and 5.
