(Unless y'all still wanna talk about that other thing . . .)


Quick Note on Spoilers: I'm only up to Season Three, but I'm not a spoiler-stickler like others may be. For instance, I already know the "big thing" that happens next season. However, because some people have that disposition, you might wanna throw up a "Season ?? Spoiler" warning just in case. And if you still haven't seen the third season and don't want it ruined, leave this post now.

Okay . . . Although I can surely appreciate this season without needing to compare it to the previous two, I guess I have to say that all the reasons why I really liked this one--primarily the rather ingenious 3-D perspective on the drug game that movies or TV seldom offer, especially the street level activity-- are the same reasons I loved the first season and was relatively more lukewarm on the second. But anyway . . .

My only issues this season: the music was less a potent force than it's been in the past; Cheese and his storyline (and Meth's acting) were not up to snuff; and McNulty's relationship with the campaign strategist, while supplying a role reversal of sorts, was cliché (though even it acquitted itself overall by the end). Everything else? Terrific.

Just about every new character introduced proved himself a worthy addition. Colvin was a guy who had reached the end of the line and thought he had nothing to lose. This made him risky by conventional bureau standards, but of course it was those conventions that were failing the city already. In that way, he was honorable in a dishonorable fashion. And losing his high-scale pension was bittersweet but necessary, as was the rather ambiguous response Bubbs gives to him at the end. Next, Carcetti was served well to be a mystery for at least the first half of the season, where you were left wondering who he really was: Another scum politician? Man of the people? Self-serving prick? Trusted ally? In the end, he was all of those, led by ambition, admirable and an asshole for the same reasons. Ultimately, the government storylines were well-handled and thankfully more fleshed out than in S1.

On the street side of things, Slim Charles, especially his voice, fit in nicely as a Barksdale henchman: smart but not ultra-serious like a Stringer and not a showboat like Wee-Bey either. Marlo then was rather quiet and elusive, but that worked well for him. Again, he was ruthless but not exactly in the same way we have seen another player before. I also appreciated how Cutty went back and forth and forth and back with his own moral dilemma. There wasn't just one turn, and even when he got "saved" by the church, he just changed his direction not his style. Each point added complexity to his character. Finally, although we have long since been familiar with Avon and Stringer, watching their two business styles clash over and over was quite thrilling. I knew ahead of time that Stringer was going down, but still it was interesting to be able to trace the fracturing of their relationship and then guess when and how (I still ended up surprised).

Then the finale, aided by a great Solomon Burke track, was a satisfying but not necessarily clean closing of a truly great season. Anyway . . .


The Wire Season 3: 25 Best Moments / Scenes.

25.RELEASED ON P&P (EPISODE 7: BACK BURNERS)
McNulty and unit learn of Avon's parole.

24.MAKE-A-FACE (EPISODE 8: MORAL MIDGETRY)
Herc and dealers play with identity kit.

23.THE GAY BAR (EPISODE 10: REFORMATION)
Rawls at the back table.

22.DEVONNE'S SHOT (EPISODE 10: REFORMATION)
"It needed doing."

21.FROM THE V.A. HOSPITAL (EPISODE 2: ALL DUE RESPECT)
Omar returns in wheelchair.

20.A LIFE (EPISODE 9: SLAPSTICK)
Lester to McNulty: "The job will not save you."

19.OLD EDMONDSON BOYS (EPISODE 6: HOMECOMING)
Bunk and Omar reconvene.

18.KISS THE SKY (EPISODE 4: AMSTERDAM)
Cutty comes back home (with a couple friends).

17.IN THE GYM (EPISODE 4: AMSTERDAM)
Colvin struggles to keep the kids in line.

16.MCNULTY AND BRIANNA (EPISODE 8: MORAL MIDGETRY)
"I was looking for someone who cared about the kid."

15.LET'S BANG OUT (EPISODE 3: DEAD SOLDIERS)
Omar's crew in a shootout.

14.JUSTIN'S BOXING MATCH (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)
"You still got plenty to learn."

13.ROUNDUP (EPISODE 5: STRAIGHT AND TRUE)
The drug game moves to Vincent Street.

12.AVON ARRESTED (EPISODE 12: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED)
McNulty shows Avon that Stringer gave him up.

11.SUNDAY MORNING (EPISODE 9: SLAPSTICK)
Omar and grandmother shot at en route to church.

10.THE ALLEY (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)
Omar and Muzone meet back up and team up.

09.I MISS MY DOG (EPISODE 2: ALL DUE RESPECT)
Cheese shoots canine and confesses.

08.CARCETTI INTERRUPTS (EPISODE 12: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED)
" . . . We surrendered to the horrors of the drug trade."

07.CIVIC COMPROMISE (EPISODE 2: ALL DUE RESPECT)
Colvin talks of the paper bag and the poor man's lounge.

06.A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY (EPISODE 8: MORAL MIDGETRY)
Avon challenges Stringer, Stringer confesses, and the two fight.

05.WE ARE PO-LICE (EPISODE 3: DEAD SOLDIERS)
Ray Cole's wake.

04.THE TOWERS COME DOWN (EPISODE 1: TIME AFTER TIME)
"The best territory in the city."

03.PREZ GETS A FORTUNE (EPISODE 9: SLAPSTICK)
"A new friend makes himself."

02.NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEALERS (EPISODE 7: BACK BURNERS)
Dark on Vincent Street.

01.STRINGER'S DEATH (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)
"I ain't involved in that gangsta bullshit no more."

Season 1
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=145443&mesg_id=145443
25. N.WARWICK & LONGWOOD (EPISODE 11: THE HUNT)
Rawls adjusts the street signs.

24. SCAVENGER HUNT (EPISODE 9: GAME DAY)
"Follow the money."

23. BOTTLES & TVS (EPISODE 2: THE DETAIL)
The Terrace fights back.

22. GOLDEN GLOVES (EPISODE 3: THE BUYS)
Lester Freamon finds a picture.

21. THE RED HAT (EPISODE 2: THE DETAIL)
Surveillance courtesy of Bubbs.

20. CHESS NOT CHECKERS (EPISODE 3: THE BUYS)
"The king stay the king."

19. HOOD ORNAMENT (EPISODE 6: THE WIRE)
Wallace sees the body.

18. REESE'S AND A CAN OF TEA (EPISODE 7: ONE ARREST)
Eye-patch kid sees Prez.

17. WAYLAN SPEAKS (EPISODE 7: ONE ARREST)
Narcotics Anonymous meeting.

16. THAT NOISE (EPISODE 10: THE COST)
Crickets in the country.

15. AVON VISITS BROTHER (EPISODE 5: THE PAGER)
"A little late, a little slow."

14. $150,000 IN THE SAFE (EPISODE 12: CLEANING UP)
Avon & Stringer wait to be arrested.

13. DEAD SOLDIERS (EPISODE 3: THE BUYS)
Bubbs critiques Sydnor's addict attire.

12. THE ONE YOU KNOW ABOUT (EPISODE 4: OLD CASES)
D'Angelo's version of Deidre's death.

11. FRONT AND FOLLOW (EPISODE 8: Lessons)
McNulty's kids' spy game.

10. A CITIZEN'S DEAD (EPISODE 2: THE DETAIL)
D'Angelo writes a letter.

09. OMAR LURKS IN THE DARK (EPISODE 8: Lessons)
"You come at the king, you best not miss."

08. THE MAN WHO INVENTED MCNUGGETS (EPISODE 2: THE DETAIL)
"Hey, Mr. Nugget, you the bomb!"

07. FUCK, FUCK (EPISODE 4: OLD CASES)
McNulty and Bunk investigate the crime scene.

06. WEE BEY'S AQUARIUM (EPISODE 11: THE HUNT)
The fish and D'Angelo's nerves.

05. SNOT (EPISODE 1: THE TARGET)
"You call the guy 'Snot'?"

04. OFFICER DOWN (EPISODE 10: THE COST)
"This got the right feel for you?"

03. D'ANGELO'S CONFESSONS (EPISODE 13: SENTENCING)
Butch Stanford.

02. WALLACE'S DEATH (EPISODE 12: CLEANING UP)
"That's us, man."

01. STEP BY STEP (EPISODE 13: SENTENCING)
Smart and well-rounded final minutes of one of the best seasons of scripted television.


Season 2
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=6&topic_id=199351&mesg_id=199351
25. MCNULTY HAS A THEORY (EPISODE 3: HOT SHOTS)
Bunk and Lester get ahead of Jimmy.

24. DATE NIGHT (EPISODE 6: ALL PROLOGUE)
Jimmy and Elena get back together, for one night at least.

23. THE WIVES (EPISODE 4: HARD CASES)
Bad news at dinner.

22. SON-IN-LAW / FATHER-IN-LAW (EPISODE 10: STORM WARNINGS)
Prez punches Valcheck.

21. STRAY BULLET (EPISODE 9: STRAY ROUNDS)
Boy shot in bedroom.

20. IBS BACKTALK (EPISODE 5: UNDERTOW)
Frank and Johnny Fifty receive their summonses.

19. PELLETS IN PLASTIC (EPISODE 10: STORM WARNINGS)
Mouzone and Cheese meet.

18. NO ENGLISH (EPISODE 3: HOT SHOTS)
Bunk and Lester question passengers.

17. BEADIE'S PLACE (EPISODE 8: DUCK AND COVER)
McNulty's visit back to reality.

16. CARNATION ARRANGEMENT (EPISODE 7: BACKWASH)
Bodie buys flowers.

15. BAD PACKAGE (EPISODE 3: HOT SHOTS)
Avon's set-Up.

14. CITY LINES (EPISODE 1: EBB TIDE)
McNulty makes a fax.

13. REPORT OF A SHOOTING (EPISODE 11: BAD DREAMS)
Omar and Mouzone meet.

12. NICK TALKS (EPISODE 12: PORT IN A STORM)
"That's The Greek."

11. MODERN URBAN CRIME ENVIRONMENT (EPISODE 7: BACKWASH)
A tennis ball goes flying.

10. FLOATER IN PATAPSCO (EPISODE 12: PORT IN A STORM)
Frank winds up in the water.

09. GREAT GASTBY (EPISODE 6: ALL PROLOGUE)
Prison book club.

08. FATHER-SON VISITATION (EPISODE 11: BAD DREAMS)
"Fucked is what I am."

07. I'M AN XL (EPISODE 3: HOT SHOTS)
Stringer cracks and goes for D's girl.

06. TANG (EPISODE 7: BACKWASH)
Frank and Bruce DiBiago talk.

05. FINAL CALLS (EPISODE 6: ALL PROLOGUE)
D'Angelo is strangled.

04. OMAR TESTIFIES (EPISODE 6: ALL PROLOGUE)
"I got the shotgun, you got the briefcase."

03. US (EPISODE 12: PORT IN A STORM)
Stringer and Avon at the window.

02. THE GREEK ENTERS (EPISODE 2: COLLATERAL DAMAGE)
"You Have My Word."

01. MALAKA (EPISODE 10: STORM WARNINGS)
Ziggy shoots.

sig: "you'll have a knapsack full of jack after taxes."

The username is supposed to be a Letterman reference,
but I guess you can claim royalties too.

Another season I absolutely love for no particular (though it's definitely in my top 5 for the show, period) is in Episode 5, I believe, where Prop Joe, Stringer, and all the other dealers first start the co-op. After the meeting, Stringer walks up to one of his crew, who's sitting in the corner dilligently taking notes, snatches the binder from his hand and says "I know you ain't taking official minutes on some fucking Criminal Conspiracy shit!?!?"

Where they both draw weapons, you're expecting some kind of Western shootout, and then it ends rather calmly. Only reason it didn't reach higher is because it was cut short with Omar saying, "I'm listening" (or something to that effect). Still great though.

I also found Muzone's attitude towards Omar's lifestyle and Lamar's trips to the gay bars great: "your homophobia is so visceral." At the end, right before they get at Stringer, dude then mentioned something about how not going in from behind would be a change for Omar.

>Another season I absolutely love for no particular (though
>it's definitely in my top 5 for the show, period) is in
>Episode 5, I believe, where Prop Joe, Stringer, and all the
>other dealers first start the co-op. After the meeting,
>Stringer walks up to one of his crew, who's sitting in the
>corner dilligently taking notes, snatches the binder from his
>hand and says "I know you ain't taking official minutes on
>some fucking Criminal Conspiracy shit!?!?"

Right . . . and the whole "the chair recognizes" formalness of the meeting was funny.

also in another meeting, when Shamrock is doodling a naked lady on his notepad

Stringer gets all disgusted with him -- but it reminded me exactly of him drawing the "Fuck You Detective!" on his notes during D'Angelo's trial

--------

deepdiscountdvd has a 20% off sale and with the code (dvdtalk), season 3 is only $44 instead of the listed $99.95

>Then the finale, aided by a great Solomon Burke track, was a
>satisfying but not necessarily clean closing of a truly great
>season.

the best closing musical montage of the four seasons

>20.A LIFE (EPISODE 9: SLAPSTICK)
>Lester to McNulty: "The job will not save you."

I loved this scene...to me it's the best summation of Jimmy McNulty and the flaws that make him great/ruin him

great list, although any list on S3 has has to include Chris Partlow's drive-by on Avon (unless I missed it)

just the way Marlo set that shit up, back on Avon -- it showed there was a new boss in town

"This clown-ass n/gga went and got four sandwiches and four sodas, you heard me?"

"Cool. N/ggas don't roll out in a few minutes, we onto something."

-Devonne walks past, looks back, wrapper gets tossed out the car window-

"Go by them slow."

I think Partlow had ten lines all season...but his nods and shit came off so fucking cold, like he was the grim reaper himself

I'm getting carried away, but that is one of my top ten moments of the entire series

--------

mine too

Going back over my S1 list, I feel like that may still be the strongest, though, as I wrote in my org. post, the political storylines were handled better here. That being said, it's definitely stronger than S2, maybe even purchase worthy (especially with sales going on).

>the best closing musical montage of the four seasons

I don't know. The Jesse Winchester Step By Step track--which I'm still looking for by the way--that covered everything from McNulty on the docks to Santangelo back on a foot beat to random drug sales everywhere to Omar's return is pretty unbeatable. Maybe that also has something to do with the fact that I wasn't expecting such a "wrap-up" either.

>>20.A LIFE (EPISODE 9: SLAPSTICK)
>>Lester to McNulty: "The job will not save you."
>
>I loved this scene...to me it's the best summation of Jimmy
>McNulty and the flaws that make him great/ruin him

Right . . . McNulty tried to crack on Lester's dollhouses, but that was really more than Jimmy had.

>great list, although any list on S3 has has to include Chris
>Partlow's drive-by on Avon (unless I missed it)

That whole transaction--all three scenes total--were great.

First, I think it was Bernard's (cell phone buyer) girl that was with Devonne at the bar. That was a smart little clue to the audience that shit was a fix from the start. From there, you see how cautious Marlo was, as he hooked up with Devonne but only in the back of a SUV with his man lurking just feet away.

Then, as you say, you had little dude playing spy at the restaurant spot as Avon's cover is blown. (Surprising that Avon accompanied them on the would-be set-up.)

Finally, Devonne's gunned down, as Marlo leaves a bullet in each breast, then finished with one in her mouth. I guess that was the most shocking and visually interesting scene to me, particularly with the smoke from the gunshot rising up, so I chose it to represent all the related action.

>I think Partlow had ten lines all season...but his nods and
>shit came off so fucking cold, like he was the grim reaper
>himself

Yeah, and I don't know if the actor couldn't grow a proper beard, but those patches he had on his face added character.

GOLD CLUB (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)

"You know I don't want my fucking name and face on no damn wall...how much money you talking about?"

"10 thousand."

...

"See him go through all that for 10 thousand? Slim, go get him $15,000 cash."

--------

too many classic moments for me

TIME OUT (EPISODE 1: TIME AFTER TIME)

"Joint mighta broke him."

"Boss, you talking bout homie walked up and shot Elijah Davis, broad daylight, at Pennsie and Gold -- then picked up the phone, dialed 911, told the police 'I just shot a n/gga, come get him.' That dude ain't breakin. Nah."

--------

I like the show way to much to do a list like this, and in general I'm not much of a list guy because my subjective choices are too guided by my moods and temperments. Props for making this list though.

And the bias that I have for Lester being my favorite character makes me want to say the moment you have listed at 20 should be higher, but I don't know which of the prior ones listed should be moved in its place. Wish I had season three fresh in my head to add more to this post.

Brother Muzone is my mf'er. Like if I was in the life, I'd be that mf'er.

Omar - His code is so interesting.

Slim Charles- totally agree. The part where he blames himself cause Cutty ain't shoot ol boy...

one
k. orr

when an angry, humiliated String goes to Slim to put a hit on Clay Davis, and Avon's hanging back in the doorway listening to the whole thing. As Mr. "I think before I take a life" lets his emotions get the best of him enough to order some shit waaay above his head.

i love just about every line in that exchange

"The Clay Davis? DownTOWN Clay Davis"

"I think Slim gonnna have to sit this one out boss"

"Naah you a fuckin' business man, you wanna handle it like that. You don't wanna get all gangsta wild with it and shit"

"Basically you need a day of the jackal type muthafucka for some shit like that, not a rough and tumble n*gga like Slim"

"What'd I tell you about playin' them fuckin' away games?"

"They saw your ghetto ass comin' from miles away n*gga"

>when an angry, humiliated String goes to Slim to put a hit on
>Clay Davis, and Avon's hanging back in the doorway listening
>to the whole thing. As Mr. "I think before I take a life" lets
>his emotions get the best of him enough to order some shit
>waaay above his head.

No, that, and all the worthy ones I might have missed, were plenty good, it's just that as far as Stringer vs. Avon clashes were concerned, as it was the lone scene where they actually physically fought*, where Avon challenged Stringer for not being hard enough, and where Stringer confessed to Avon about D's murder, I went with the blow-up in Episode 8. I didn't intentionally disallow any other similar scenes to be considered, but I guess that one was so strong that anything that came after was already towered over.

"Know what I see when I look at you nowdays?
I see a man without a country.
Not hard enough for this right here and maybe,
just maybe, not smart enough for them out there."


*I half expected Avon to take the final shot later, not Omar and Muzone, but I guess he had to keep his hand cleans extra for this assignment.

They had like 4 great ones that all tie together and you chose the most explosive. He picked the funniest, and I took the subtle one. The only one missing is where avon openly questions string's "businessman" thing. The chump brothers.

The irony is that all these scenes in hindsight the delayed fistbump while avon was in jail at the end of season 2 a more telling scene.

----------------------------
"The Mets had a chance last year to go to the World Series. They made it to the playoffs. They won the division. Congratulations, but last year is over."

especilly the first time around. I really like this one because it's the moment String, who believes he's moved up in class (so to speak) and is above all this 'corner bullshit', runs right back to it when his back is against the wall. not that that in itself is all that surprising, but the fact that he thinks he could get away with killing a state senator shows just how delusional this 'thinking man's gangster' had become.

that and i was sorta taking avon's side most of the time lol.

>"They saw your ghetto ass comin' from miles away n*gga"

Watching bits and pieces of the third season, the scenes with Clay Davis playing game with Stringer are hilarious if only because Bell is so smart in everything else he does, but is reduced to a little child in how badly Clay Davis played him out.

I don't think it should really be included in the top 25, but the scene where Clay Davis tells Stringer 5 thousand of the 25K he gave him was for bribing the downtown suits priceless to me. Davis is screwing with Stringer and letting him know it right then and there.

and he could get him to do anything.

he really played on his insecurities

I had 5 off the top of my head that I loved that were missing. Myno and Will picked two of them. Here are the other three…

Us! (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)
The Balcony scene w String and Avon.

Poot’s Question (EPISODE 1: TIME AFTER TIME)
The Roberts rules of order scene…”Do the chair recognize that we gon look like some punk ass bitches?”

A personal fave

Cutty looking up Grace (EPISODE 3: DEAD SOLDIERS)
One of those soulful conversations between two people that make the show so enjoyable. “She trying to teach the kids to talk like condoleeza”


----------------------------
"The Mets had a chance last year to go to the World Series. They made it to the playoffs. They won the division. Congratulations, but last year is over."

>Us! (EPISODE 11: MIDDLE GROUND)
>The Balcony scene w String and Avon.

That was an interesting scene for a couple reasons:

1) You got some humor (no matter if it was coated in something more dramatic) in a season where their relationship was terribly strained.

2) As I have said before, some storyline (like a prequel) about how Stringer and Avon rose to power, from snatching treats at a candy store to first gaining control of The Towers, would surely be great.

3) When you think about it, Avon had already given Muzone the go-ahead to get Stringer. He knew his man, his friend before they even sold a single ounce, had less than a day to live--and his death was essentially by his command. He even asks Stringer when's he meeting with the contractor (or whoever that white guy was), so he has a time and place for the set-up. That's rough.

The manner in which the Stringer / Avon relationship fell apart and led to murder reminded me strongly of Michael / Fredo in Godfather II.

Also, as you mentioned, the jailhouse confrontation in S2 is when it all most obviously started to fall apart. That's why I included it in the number three spot for that season's list.

>3) When you think about it, Avon had already given Muzone the
>go-ahead to get Stringer. He knew his man, his friend before
>they even sold a single ounce, had less than a day to
>live--and his death was essentially by his command. He even
>asks Stringer when's he meeting with the contractor (or
>whoever that white guy was), so he has a time and place for
>the set-up. That's rough.

Awesome scene. What put it over the top for me--and I love the little things in this show--was the extra bump/hug that Avon gives Stringer after "Us, motherfucker." Even Stringer could detect something unusual about that gesture; to us viewers, of course, it was like a final goodbye.

>Poot’s Question (EPISODE 1: TIME AFTER TIME)
>The Roberts rules of order scene…”Do the chair recognize that
>we gon look like some punk ass bitches?”

Yeah, all of those 'meeting' scenes, whether with the co-op or at the funeral home were gems. I especially liked the "how hard are you looking for Marlo" scene where Bodie gets sonned for attending the meeting Stringer called rather than looking for Marlo on the street.

Kind of a parallel to "Vincent Street at Dark," but there's a scene in the first or second episode where Colvin rides the Western and the camera just records the view as he drives by. You just see people out on the street, bottles breaking, people yelling Five-Oh. Come to think of it, it had a Taxi Driver type vibe to it, but I found it pretty chilling and powerful. The scene ends comically with Justin trying to sell dope to Colvin in his radio car.

>The scene ends comically with Justin trying to sell
>dope to Colvin in his radio car.

I guess in a full-circle sort of way that would be a nice touch, but, if I'm remembering the right scene (selling "spider bags"), Justin's appearance slips my mind. Good eye though.

Where Herc is fuckin with him and asks him where they find those hats with the sideways bill, and he super-seriously replies and tells Herc the hats are the same, they just turn em.

I mean, it's a damn good thing Cutty got that gym goin and Justin responded, because he's one of those kids who just wasn't quite right for the game.

------------
AC Milan: European Champions 06-07

2006-07 Zeno Memorial Cup winner: Chara SMASH

>Where Herc is fuckin with him and asks him where they find
>those hats with the sideways bill, and he super-seriously
>replies and tells Herc the hats are the same, they just turn
>em.

I laughed my ass off.

------

12 play and 12 planets are enlighten for all the Aliens to Party and free those on the Sex Planet-maxxx

XBL: trkc21
Twitter: @tyrcasey

The botched hit on marlo. (EPISODE 6: HOMECOMING)

The lost chipper, country, and almost lost gerard in shootout that only featured one side shooting. LOL


----------------------------
"The Mets had a chance last year to go to the World Series. They made it to the playoffs. They won the division. Congratulations, but last year is over."

______________________________

PSN ID: muzuabo

R.I.P. - The Curse

Let's hug it out bitch
www.lhiob.com

1918-2004

<----- Ha Ha!