So we are now into the season. The epigram above--"Lambs to the slaughter here"--is Assistant Principal Donnelly talking about new teacher Prez, but it could apply just as easily to many others in the show, principally, of course, the four boys we meet: Randy, who comes up with the idea of the urine filled balloons; Namond, who has money to pass around (and who hides during the beat down of his friends); Dukie, with his hygene problems; and Michael, who is willing to protect Dukie. Remember how young they look in this episode: by the end of the season, they will not look the same.
Just to remind you of part of what we saw today:
It's a great, funny scene, which, like so much of the show, goes against our expectations. Carver is friendly and respectful of corner boy Bodie; he makes it clear he knows all of Bodie's crew, and jokes with them. McNulty, the uniformed officer, is also friendly and respectful to Bodie. Both he and Carver comment--honestly--on Bodie's intelligence. And Bodie shows his intelligence by making a joke at the expense of Carver's hard-ass partner Colichio, which gets poor doomed Lex to smile even. And, to further emphasize the education theme of the season, this acts as a "teachable moment" for Colichio, as Carver explains why they're not busting the street dealers.
The tone of this show rarely stays even: there's the comedy of the above, the easy camaraderie of the boys, the funny scenes where they are trying to catch the birds, followed by the terrifying moments when we see Snoop and Chris put another unlucky player away--and where we get to see what that 700 dollar nail gun is for.
So, with this introduction:
1. Name one part of the episode that confuses you or leaves you asking a question. Others in class feel free to answer this question or clarify what might be clear to someone else in the class.
2. Name one part of the episode that really jumped out at you, stuck with you. Maybe it is a particular scene, or a particular character, or a particular image. But name it and say what made it so memorable for you.
3. As one of you said at the end of class, it was hard reconciling the plot about Tommy Carcetti and the mayoral race with the other two main plots--how it fit with the school and boys and new teacher Prez as well as the cops taking down Stanfield. That's one reason why this show was never a ratings hit--it's complicated, it doesn't give you the answers, and you have to pay close attention to every part of it. Maybe it is too early to ask this, but what the heck. How does the Carcetti plot fit in or mirror or connect with the other two plots?
4. Finally: what do you think of the show so far?
Folks, you cannot answer all these questions in 2 minutes. To get credit for this entry, you have to answer all these questions. At the same time, I don't expect you to spend an hour on this either. This is indeed short term: but this is also an academic class. Just reminding you that I have expectations of you here. REMEMBER to answer this the comment space which follows. Don't create a new blog entry, as both Anna and Andrew inadvertently did. Write a couple hundred words answering these questions. Be sure they are done by 8:30AM tomorrow.
My main question about this episode is about the portion of the episode in which Lex killed one of Marlo's men? What was his purpose in doing so?
ReplyDeleteThe one part of the episode that stuck with me was actually the moment in the video that John posted. It was such a surprise in the middle of such turmoil to have three cops act in such a familiar way with a group of known drug dealers even if you know their relationship. The comedy involved in the scene was also slightly shocking as the episode and even series as a whole is extremely serious all in all.
I can't say that I know exactly how the plots manage to mix together, but I would say that the mayoral race relates to the rest of the season in that, all though it may not seem like it, the mayor affects the entire city. If a different mayor, who was less corrupt or more competent was elected it could affect the ease with which the drug dealers run their business.
Although this is not my first time watching the show, the in depth nature of each episode still manages to surprise me. Although I don't know how each of the stories will fit together I do know that they will in the end. This mystery keeps me interested in how the story will progress and at the same time introduces many subtle points that I might miss without discussion.
The one thing I really trying to figure out is how the election plot ties in to the other two plots, right now it seems completely seperate and that the conclusion will have no effect on the other two story lines. The scene that stuck with me was when Chris and Snoop finished hiding Lex's body and it was revealed to us that they had done this a great manny times. It dawned on me that this is why the police can not find any bodies. As I said earlier I can't form a connection between the mayor plot and the other two. Maybe it's easier to understand after seeing the first three seasons, but as of right now I can't find any connection between the mayor plot and the other two. I think this show is very deep and takes a great deal of thinking to understand. This show has a lot of characters and can get very confusing, but it is very interesting and easy to pay attention to.
ReplyDeleteI was confused/curious about Snoop and Chris'(?) relationship. As partners in crime, they clearly have some sort of bond but I am unsure what to make of it. Are they friends? It almost seems like a brother-sister relationship.
ReplyDeleteThe character of the boy in the green shirt who broke the bottle stuck out to me. I wish I could remember his name. It was obvious that he came from a very poor family, as the other boys joked about it. The two gangs of boys had an interesting rivalry. It was hard to see them all getting in trouble since they were so young. The poor boy seemed like he wanted to be friends with them, but was an outcast. I wanted to know more about him and hear his story.
The mayor's race really seemed to represent the struggle between race and class in the city of Baltimore. Money was a constant issue. And race seemed to play a huge role in the elections. As the older man meeting with Carcetti said "the time of white mayors is ending" or something along those lines.
So far, I am really enjoying the show. It is thought provoking. I can't say that I purely enjoy it, because it is more complicated. It is hilarious, dark, mysterious, and so much more. I am greatly looking forward to seeing more of it.
Evan Gold
ReplyDeleteOne part of the episode that confuses me is why that Carcetti continues to run for mayor if it just makes him so frustrated. He seems to hate everything about it, and he acts like a little kid every time things do not go his way.
One scene that really stuck out for me is when we see the fight between the two groups of kids. After the fight, one of the kids in the white shirts says, “Nah man, he got hit by a brick, he is in the hospital getting stitches.” I find it so hard to imagine being in their position at that age. You can see the resemblance to their fight and the adult gang war. One kid gets attacked by a kid from the other group and then they have a full on war.
I think that Carcetti is in the show because it shows the racial struggle in West Baltimore. In the show he is the only white candidate for mayor and everyone seems to think that is a major deciding factor in who will win the election. This might be a stretch, but I think he is also an advocate for cleaning up the poor parts of the city. I think this because he went and listened to the poor people’s issues that were not addressed by the former mayor.
I really enjoy this show so far. It is very intriguing and I like trying to guess what happens next. As I said in my former post I think most shows are predictable and boring, but this show surprises me every time.
I wasn't really confused about anything that has happened so far. Everything seems to be quite clear to me. The part that jumped out at me most was the scene where Snoop and Chris killed Lex. The murder itself didn't surprise me; but as they stapled the door shut and began to walk down the street, and the camera zoomed out, it revealed that ENTIRE block, all with wooden doors stapled shut. I knew that they killed for a living, but that was just amazing. They do it so professionally too. As far as Carcetti goes, I think he could play a role in joining the fight against the violence of the city? Maybe as the season progresses, he gets some money from the drug-trade and gets involved with them perhaps? Just a guess. Overall, I'm enjoying the show so far. There's nothing fake about this show. It captures what goes on in rough cities like West Baltimore so accurately. Nothing is sugar coated, and I definitely can't guess what's going to happen next. Great show.
ReplyDeleteOne part of the show which leaves me asking was the part of the episode when the one large guy (don't remember his name) told the kid who was selling candy to basically set up his friend to die. Then later, the big guy tells him what happened to Lex. This leaves me wondering why that big guy would put a kid through all that for no good reason, where the kid feels partly responsible. The scene, which relates a lot to the last comment i made, was when the kid was sitting outside his doorstep, thinking about what had happened at the end of the episode. It made me relate a lot to the character and put myself in his shoes. The feeling one would get from this would be an absolutely awful one. Tommy, the mayor, it seems to me is a way that the director is showing the similarities. between how "rich" people get power and how "poor" people get power. I put them in quotes because while snoop has a lot of money, as you said, she is not "rich." So the way people get power is through money, regardless of social class. Overall i enjoyed the show, it was funny and very interesting, however it left me feeling melancholy. The very depressing things that happen in the show make it this way, even if they throw in humor to lessen the feeling. It's like taking medicine with a bit of sugar, it's still nasty, but it's less nasty.
ReplyDelete1. My biggest question after watching this episode is related to the school. I am curious if Prez will end up teaching the kids. Their age and the level at which the school teaches seems to match up so it’s the most logical conclusion I could come up with. I wonder and suspect that Prez will become almost a mentor to these kids and help them grow and mature, but as we’ve quickly learned, this show is not very predictable.
ReplyDelete2. The scene the jumped out at me the most was the first killing scene you watch Snoop and Chris complete. They have the sheet help up in between themselves and a man. Chris then proceeds to shoot the guy in the head through the sheet. Beyond watching a man being shoot in the head the scene intrigued me because Snoop sprinkled something over the body that looked almost like dirt or gravel, and then they simple left the body and removed themselves from the room. It was irregular and that is what made it stand out.
3. The mayoral race being portrayed in the show has serious racial ties to it. Carcetti is the only white person in the race and that fact is very prominent. The color of his skin compared to the other candidates has a large affect on the standings and most people involved, know that. I’m not sure as of now, but I would surmise that this election is supposed to be highlighting the racism that is so prominent in Baltimore.
4. The show is much different then I expected. Yes I had been warned that the show was not your typical “cop show” and you, John, had told us of all the complexity the show brings, but I didn’t really quite understand what that meant until today. The number of characters and stories going at one time is overwhelming. One would think that it would be a turn off to be so confused after only the first episode, but alas, it is just the opposite. I can’t wait to watch more and really get to know these characters and understand their stories.
1. After watching this episode I was left wondering and wanting to know more about the ragtag group of young boys. They intrigue me, and I look forward to a deeper character analysis of the 4 main ones. Yet, there was no deep confusion/misunderstanding present with this first episode.
ReplyDelete2. One part of the episode that jumped out at me was the scene when Snoop and Chris kill the first man. Scenes where a man is begging for his life always stick out for me, because that is the most helpless position to be in. Also, the way that Chris and Snoop handled the situation with no emotion or talking allows me to get a deeper understanding of whom they are as characters, which also stuck out to me. I learned that Snoop and Chris are there to get their job done, and not really think or second-guess their actions. They do what they need to do, with no moral issues or debate about it.
3. The Carcetti plot seems to connect with the two other plots, because the issue of race is apparent which is a large part of both of the storylines. Also, Carcetti mirrors with the two plots because in his mayoral race, he has to hustle to keep going, and with both education and the cops they have to hustle as well to get any type of product out.
4. I really do enjoy this series; I mean it is hard to not be constantly intrigued by all the plots, storylines, and characters. I respect what this show does by continually being raw about all the issues present in American society. I really enjoy this show, because it allows me to think about things in a different light, and in a different way then how I would have. I really look forward to the upcoming episodes.
One part of the episode that I wasn’t clear on was why the young man who bought the skittles had Randy basically lure the man to his death by Snoop and Chris.
ReplyDeleteA part of the episode that stuck with me was what happened after the urine filled balloon plan failed. The boys were getting beat up and chased down the streets, and when one of Namond’s friends was getting pummeled, he didn’t help; he hid in the bushes, watched the beat down, and then fled. In the moment, Namond was frozen with fear and didn’t step in. It seemed like Namond felt guilty for observing his friend getting beat up without helping. This was evident when he was buying everyone ice cream and his friend mentioned how Namond had gotten away from the fight. I think at this point, Namond suspects that his friend knows he had been there and could have helped him. The scene shows a conflict with loyalty or maybe a lack of courage.
The Carcetti plot fits in with the other two plots because they share the theme of a flawed system. Carcetti has to raise money for his campaign by calling people and trying to get as much money from them as possible. If he doesn’t get the money, he is out of the race even if he is the most qualified. The school and the new teacher Prez are part of a flawed system because the students seem out of control and the school has a shortage of teachers. They hired Prez in a hurry when they found out he had been a police officer, indicating that they might need more authority and control within the school. The cops taking down Stanfield are part of a corrupt system because in the beginning of the episode it seemed like the cops tried to take advantage of the chief in the office. Also, during the information session for the cops, none of them were taking it seriously or paying attention.
I really like the show so far. The combination of serious and funny scenes is a nice balance. Also, I love how there are many story lines but they all share characteristics. The social commentary on the American Dream also is interesting to me. It seems to be a very honest show.
My biggest question when watching this episode was what affiliation the kids had to the drug lords. It looked like some were part of the drug trade, while others just hung around it. It looks like no matter what people are doing, they all seem to be associated and around the drug trade.The thing that really jumped out at me was when Snoop and Chris walked away from killing Lex they nailed shut the door. This part wasn't messed up, the messed up part was that the whole block had nailed wood boards on the buildings. The fact that they could do such a thing is mind blowing to me. As far as Carcetti goes, I think he will finally turn the neighborhood around. I base this off the foreshadowing of the tour around West Baltimore. After one episode I think the show is very interesting. It all makes sense to me so far, but I feel we are just starting up for an even bigger, more complex, drama.
ReplyDeleteA moment in that episode that really stuck with me was the part when the kid ran when he saw his friend getting jumped. I mean he was acting all tough when he was with his boys and they was talking bout how they was going to kick they ass or whatever, but when push came to shove he left his boy hanging and that was messed up. I figured he wouldn't have been scared because he works for drug dealers so he should have been ready to fight.
ReplyDeleteThe Carcetti plot doesn't really fit with the other two plots yet, but i'm guessing he will get elected and that will effect the other two plots down the road.
I think this is a really interesting show. From the opening scene with Snoop in the hardware store all the way through the whole episode it kept you focused on what was going on because you wanted to find out what was going to happen next. Snoop and her partner showed how ruthless they where and how easy it was for them to take a life. I think characters in this show are very diverse in the way act and carry themselves, but they all fit in nice together.
The Wire if anything is fast paced. The kind of editing implemented and the quick transitions from plot to plot and the subtle and not so subtle connections between them overall make the show hard to follow at times for me. What confused me most was the social hierarchical methods of the kids we were introduced to. They all seem to have that childish curiosity, playfulness, and sense of adventure, but there is a sort of unspoken code beneath all of that. Something that was partially illuminated when the guy who ran away from the fight felt obliged to hand over the money to the kid who got beat. Furthermore, these children have to deal with the reality of some of their decisions. Just by passing information one of the guys assisted in the murder of lex. How do you deal with getting blood money for a chore you though was innocuous?
ReplyDeleteGetting past the brutal murder of their victims, Chris and Snoop's relationship to their job is shocking. Firstly Snoop's age is not mentioned so far, but i presume it to be under twenty. How is she so comfortable doing what she does. She hasn't said that she doesn't like it explicitly or implicitly but she hasn't said the opposite either. When Chris was killing the first person of the episode, the victim in a way didn't seem human, simply a reluctant lamb for slaughter. Chris was reassuring, kind, and patient with the man he shoots there was no anger, simply the calm trained reaction of a professional. It's shocking to me the serenity that both enforcers bring to their job. They murder with what seems to be sympathy perhaps love not the expected rage and devilishness. Were they always like this or did they go through some sort of evolution and end up in their current emotional state? Killing for them seems to have turned into something as commonplace as the Mayor cursing. How did this come to be a reality?
As a candidate for mayor Carcetti represents the government side of the show, not the product of bureaucratic success with the police of the neglect and failure of the city of baltimore in the form of the killings and drug trade. What does he want to do with power, what could he actually change and does he want power for legitimate purposes? As Mayor Carcetti would have the opportunity to induce major that would affect the protagonist/antagonists in the slums of Baltimore. If Carcetti is to be used as any sort of stereotype for the politicians that make the decisions for Baltimore are Baltimore's politicians the reason for the condition of their streets? The Wire is exploring a relationship with the governing bodies of Maryland with its absolute worst institutions.
The show so far has proven itself to me as great filmmaking there is so much going on, so much that can be discovered which in my experience have been indicators of a fantastic show. I feel like we could spend a shortterm class on one episode. watch four minutes a day then spend the rest of the time discussing (which is kind of what we did in class). Looking forward to see more.
1.I also find Carcetti’s motivations confusing. Even having seen Season 3, I am not quite sure what he wants. Throughout Season 3, despite originally stating that he is acting out of boredom, he does seem to be concerned with the wellbeing of his community. This is evidenced in how he tries to prevent the killings of protected witnesses. However, at the end of the season, despite seeing how Bunny Colvin’s Hamsterdam is beneficial to the city, he denounces it for the sake of not losing popularity. As we enter Season 4, my confusion is only increased by the way he is acting throughout the first episode. I’m not totally sure why he wants the job of mayor anymore. I’m sure he has good intentions but after the end of Season 3, gaining power may be equally important to him.
ReplyDelete2.What was memorable to me was the interactions between the children. I think it stuck out to me because of how well the dynamics of the children were realized and portrayed. Everything from the group’s platonically antagonistic relationship with Dukie to the heartbreaking guilt suffered by Randy felt very honest and realistic to me.
3.Well on the most basic level, I think Simon is trying to create a fully realized Baltimore in his show, with everything from the politicians, stevedores, drug dealers, police, etc. touched upon and interconnected (themes of race and class run through every major group). I’d say that the most obvious connection (besides issues of race) would be that the kind of communities ravaged by the drug dealers and inhabited by kids like Randy and Dukie are the same who are calling on Carcetti for help. These neighborhoods seem to need some serious help and Carcetti is one person who could potentially provide it.
4.The Wire is definitely one of my favourite shows of all time. I love the amount of characters, the fleshed out city, the acting, everything. While I can’t speak for its accuracy (though I assume it’s fairly accurate), The Wire has definitely prompted me to think more about class and race more than I may have otherwise.
I felt like the first episode was very clearly mirroring the police station and the schools especially when showing the principals discussing teachers and immediately afterwards showing the police chiefs discussing policemen, but I am struggling to figure out the significance of the connection. I think it is similar to connecting the mayoral election to the other two plotlines, but I am struggling with what exactly the clear similarity between the school system and the policemen signifies.
ReplyDeleteOne part the especially from the episode that stuck with me was when the kids were buying ice cream right after they had fought with the others boys and Namond kept refusing to lend Dukie money until Michael arrived and convinced Namond lend Dukie the money through a look. I thought that was a powerful scene because it really showed the relationships in the group through one simple action. Another part that I thought was powerful was when Randy is tricked into leading Lex to his death and Radny’s sense of responsibility was shown just by having Randy sitting on his porch step.
` I like this show because it effectively communicates strong emotions through small actions such as the ice cream scene or the porch step scene. It allows these emotions to be understated but come through clearly. I also like that the show refuses to offer simple answers to complicated problems and asks the watcher to think about why three different stories are being presented in conjunction with one another. The show respects its audience by assuming the audience will be able to recognize the questions posed and ponder them.
I think one way the mayoral race mirrors the other plots in that it is clearly driven by money as Carcetti complains when the incumbent mayor is able to secure 300,000 dollars in funds in a matter of days whereas he struggle to raise 30,000. The drugs business is also driven by money and I think that is a clear connection between the two. Also all three plotlines include the struggle for power. The mayoral race is clearly political power, but the drug business has a clear hierarchy and as the independent dealers are clearly being driven out by the larger group because they have less power. The policemen also struggle to complete their objectives because they are only given limited power by the beauracracy and often have to resort to tricks as was shown when the policewoman distracts the lieutenant while he is signing the subpoenas.
1. At the end of the episode, I was wondering about how the story lines would fit together. The young boys and the drug dealers already interact, but I’m hoping that they won’t end up getting dragged into the drug trade and murders much more. I wondered if the teacher would end up teaching the boys. However, I don’t know how Tommy, who’s running for mayor, will fit in.
ReplyDelete2. The part that stuck out the most to me was the scene where Snoop and Chris killed the unnamed man, and then wrapped him up in plastic. It was really hard to watch, especially during the part where he begged for his life. I was also struck by Chris’ reaction. He wasn’t angry or sadistic, which is how murderers are usually portrayed. He was matter of fact, and he told the man that it was ok; he was going to make sure it was quick and painless. It seemed to me that he knew the guy he was killing. This scene was just so unimaginable to me, and scary.
3. Carcetti is an example of a hardworking man trying to get ahead. He is striving for his own version of the American dream, but he cannot attain it because he is less well known and lacks funds. He reacts to these difficulties very childishly, suggesting that he believed he could achieve this if he worked hard enough. The realization that he will fail despite his best efforts is what makes him have temper tantrums. This might connect to the plot with the kids later, when we see how they try to navigate growing up in a bad neighborhood. Despite their best efforts, like Carcetti, they might fail.
4. I really like how this show doesn’t try to stick to the typical cop show format. It makes it less predictable and more realistic. It is hard to watch, but at the same time it’s very interesting because its so though provoking.
In this episode, I was most confused by the aspiring teacher Prez. He mentioned that he had been a cop before training to be a teacher, and I was wondering what motivated him to leave the police force to pursue a career in teaching, particularly since teaching at the middle school doesn't seem to appeal to anyone else. I hope that this will become more clear as the season continues.
ReplyDeleteThe most intriguing part of this episode for me was the storyline following the boys, particularly when they get in the fight with the rival group. The boys are so young, but they are already a part of a lifestyle fueled by drugs and violence, and it doesn't really seem like they have anywhere to go. Their future, even as eighth graders, isn't hard to predict.
I think that the plot with Carcetti says a lot about power and racial dynamics in the city. The man doesn't seem like the smartest or most qualified candidate to me, but he is ambitious. Is that enough to win power? He is also the only white candidate, and he realizes his only hope of winning is to split the black vote, because as others have told him, a white mayor seems entirely unelectable. I'm not convinced yet that he's running for the right reasons, so I'm not sure if he genuinely cares about the people or only seeks to further his own career. Will he act upon the information he received in this episode about the drug culture and how it is affecting the citizens of the city, or will he become another politician who will ignore the problem, in a sense betraying the trust of the citizens who have a right to their safety? At this point I'm not sure, but his behaviors so far haven't seemed very sincere to me.
I'm not quite sure what I think about the show, but it is intriguing, which I appreciate. It isn't always easy to understand, but it does keep me thinking, and I think as I become less confused by the sheer number of characters, I will be able to enjoy the show more. The episode today was not quite what I expected, and now I look forward to seeing the rest of the season.
There were two things that confused me in the first episode. The first was the teacher who was a former officer. I couldn’t make sense of why he was coming there to be a teacher. The other is a mayor’s motive. I guess he deceives others to help himself and his campaign. One thing that jumped out at me was the scene in which I think Marlo (cant remember his name) killed the guy that was with his old girl. That was unexpected but I guess I should’ve known that was coming because he said that he would do so. I’m guessing that Carcetti has a role in changing or affecting the other two plots. I think that the show is very confusing so far, only because I didn’t see the first three seasons. Also the Wire has so many characters that it’s hard to keep track of the characters and their importance in the plot.
ReplyDeleteThe Wire, post #2
ReplyDeleteJohn DuBose
I am confused at how the people who are trying to bust Marlo manage to tap all of the phones. How do they get access to it? How do they know who is talking to who? I couldn’t understand what was going on in the scene where the authorities listened to a conversation by the drug dealers. I know that the cops are totally invested in arresting Marlo Stanfield, but as to how they get their leads and how they tap the phones is still a mystery to me.
The part of the episode that jumped out to me was when Randy found out that he unknowingly helped kill a man. Murder was obviously something that he had never been a part of, and never intended to be a part of. When he is told what happened, His face goes blank and we see him spend the rest of the episode trying to comprehend the murder. It was hard for him to deal with. This stuck out to me because he was very young to assist in a murder, and it almost seems like he had his innocence taken away.
As the mayor, Carcetti would be able to affect education and case for Stanfield. In the episode, the schools are shown to be very poor and low on supplies, and it seems as if the teachers have little or no control over their students. The boys go to that school, so I believe that Carcetti will affect them by rising the quality of their education. If he is elected mayor, he can also affect how Stanfield is being tracked. He might be able to land an investigation that puts Marlo in prison.
I am really impressed by the show. I find it entertaining, clever, and realistic. It is a little hard to follow sometimes, but that is what happens when you have so many important characters. But most importantly, the show is real. No one has super special talents, the setting is perfect, and the show does not shy away from the brutality and danger of west Baltimore. This makes it even more realistic.