The Wire, Episode 53, "Not for Attribution"

I think the job is making McNulty nuts. Somehow, it feels in character especially given that he's drinking again. Bunk has the ability to separate the job from his life, something McNulty is unable to do. I think it's telling that Bunk said to McNulty this season a direct repeat of what he said to McNulty in the first episode of Season 1 ... "There you go givin' a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck".

Do you think they're trying to draw a parallel between McNulty and guys like Marlow? They have no life outside the 'game'.

 

Two things:

-- Am I the only Wireophile who took the death of Butchie hard? That was almost as devastating for me as Wallace and Bodie. Butchie was always such a loyal, sage, sympathetic character, and it was poignant watching him go out with integrity ---- at the ends of the truly sociopathic Marlo.

-- I'm guessing that the person Marlo is killing (if the final image of the "Coming Next Week" stuff last night was indeed of Marlo about to whack someone) is Michael. The Six Flags trip was feel-good, which isn't necessarily foreboding in the sense of plot foreshadowing but an obvious example of the exception to the corner grind lifestyle, not the rule. Michael has lost his heart for the grind (seeing Marlo put a hit on an entire family took care of that), and he is slipping in his day-to-day responsibilities.

And Marlo is speaking to the off-camera victim in a mentor-pupil tone. Not compassionate, but not in the steel-cold way he would address a capo (be it Slim Charles or Partlow or Snoop) in the seconds before icing said victim.

I think it will be Michael.

Great to have Omar back...but sad that Butchie had to go to pull him out of his gaytopia in the tropics.

 

Oh, man. I envy you being able to watch 54 without knowing what's going to happen.

 

No, you're not the only who took Butchie's death hard. That was rough. Butchie was great.

As an aside, has anyone picked up The Wire CD? There are some audio clips sprinkled throughout the disc, one from this season. It doesn't really give much away with regards to plot, just to who's around at a certain point of the season. (The liner notes list the episode the clip is from.)

If anyone wants to know what it is, PM me.

 

My wife took the Butchie thing last night very hard. He was such a stand up guy.

Great shot of Marlo in the Caymans; fish totally out of water with no escort. Bet he thought he would see his $400k stacked up for him. Not going to happen.

Wanted to see Omar back in the game because Marlo is so out of control. Chris is such the epitome of a hitman, he's almost palatable, but Snoop? Man, I just despise her, just nothing redeeming. Cannot wait to see either Michael or Omar take her out.

 

Here's my $64-million question that has been nagging at me since Jimmy started the serial killer thing:

Why not just go to the newspaper about the Mayor pulling the plug on the 22 bodies and wire tap unit? Carcetti says it himself that he doesn't want "that story" to hit the papers.

If McNulty leaks it to the Sun, wouldn't Burrell/City Hall deny it and then put an investigator on the case - which is exactly what Lester wants? It worked when Burrell put Kima on the witness murder by herself last year.

This is so frustrating because Jimmy's smart enough to go to the paper about the serial killer case, but not the elimination of the vacant investigation, the wiretap unit, and the impact the budget cuts have had on the department?

I understand it's just a show, but this is the first time Simon's ignored such an obvious resolution for the sake of plot ...

Oh, and fuck Scott what's hisfuckingnamereporterdouchebag. That guy just pisses me off. Any chance Omar blows his unethical ass away?

 

That would be awesome. Hard to envision, though.
And, yeah, Butchie was a stand-up guy indeed. That was a shitty thing for Chris to do, and unwise (as even Snoop pointed out). Best to let Omar be. Hubris, I guess.

 

I agree with the take on Snoop, nothing I like about her at all. There's something I like about Chris, though I feel his blindly following Marlo is beneath him. I think he's smarter than he lets on, but I'm sure he's well compensated for his work.

I have a hard time believing Michael would get clipped so quick after one day away from the office. It's not out of the question, but I just don't see it and I really hope that isn't the case.

One question on this episode...Are we to believe that Omar and Marlo were on the same tropical island with no knowledge the other is there? When I was watching the episode, I had forgotten about the Butchie incident by the time they got to Omar and was thinking something bad was about to happen and Marlo had found him while down there. Guess they were in different places?

 

Marlo was in Antigua.... Omar was in Puerto Rico, though it wasn't stated, so that tension was being aimed for.

 

How do we know he was in Puerto Rico? Or is that just on the reasonable assumption he couldn't get a passport?

 

Doc, I'd tell you not to post stuff like that, but all you did was make me more insane trying to figure out.

So thanks/f*ck you.

 

El Morro, Puerto Rico