BEATING THE ODDS: Episode seven of The Wire's fourth season, "Unto Others" (Sepinwall; THND), is the halfway point in the season and very much a potential turning point for so many of the characters. Prez seems to have found another way to solve a puzzle -- how to reach his students on their own level and smuggle some education into their curriculum -- and Cutty seems to have evolved even further as a man committed to his kids. Kima cracked the case, Royce and Carcetti made nice, and Daniels and Pearlman are both being recognized for doing their jobs well.
On the other hand ... Namond and Randy both seem like lost causes, thanks to a system that's either catching up with them too late, or in Randy's case a law enforcement system too easily undermined by its practitioners. (If only Carver had conducted that followup interview himself.) Bubbles is getting abused from all sides, and Sherrod's probably lost. But with six episodes to go, as we know, a lot can still change -- and most of it for the worse. (Police are no closer to catching Marlo than they were before.)
At least Omar's still surviving. For now.
I was very, very nervous for Cutty when he stepped in front of Namond. Just because Cutty got redeemed and spared last season, I don't trust Simon not to torch him this season.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how much Bunk is going to press the issues relating to Omar. He doesn't want to ruffle the feathers of his fellow Homicide detectives, but at the same time he's too good of po-lice to let something like that go once it's started niggling at him.
That one scene with Namond near the end of the episode encapsulated how hard it is to work with seriously damaged at-risk young people. They infuriate you at the same time that they make you ineffably sad for them.
And my heart just continues to break for poor Bubbles. Stop kicking the Bubbles-puppy, you meanies!
I am going to make you a shirt that says, "Stop kicking the Bubbles-puppy, you meanies!"
ReplyDeleteI find myself with little to say here, except that I also held my breath for Cutty - I was sure he was doomed. We're in that middle section where the pieces are moving into place, and now I just hunker down and wait for the inevitable heartbreak.
I would wear that shirt. Especially if glitter is involved.
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