The Wire

Season 1, Episode 6, Aired 7/7/02

Episode Summary

"..and all the pieces matter." - Freamon

Brandon's bloodied body is discovered in a lot that coincidentally is located next to Poot and Wallace's home. Wallace in turn, reports this to D'Angelo, and tells him about how seeing Brandon's boy has started to bother him. D'Angelo tells Wallace that he needs to get over it, but Wallace is still unsure about all he is involved in. Wallace gets even more unsettled about the situation after Avon rewards D'Angelo and him with extra cash for their parts in getting Brandon taken care of in the first place.moreless

9.2

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Cast & Crew

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Wendell Pierce

Det. William "Bunk" Moreland
Wood Harris

Avon Barksdale
John Doman

Maj. William A. Rawls

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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It cost you?

10

"Perfect"

By The-A-Man, Aug 24, 2011 Report Abuse

"It cost you?" indeed. But more on that later.

The opening scene was full of contrast and meaning. The children being woken up for school, the little one not having enough for lunch, and then the dead body a result of actions from the night before. "Torture fest" is a kind way to put it.

D continues to show humanity when no others do. He pushes off some thieving people from his "unit" instead of handing them up for the same fate as the poor kid suffered.

"Cool. Whatever. Your honour." Sums up the Juvenile system pretty well messed up as it is.

Bubbles is back, but selling fruits. Johnny really does lack luck, but his copper scam complete with onion soup was very clever.

And all the while, Freamon is building the case, taking the young Turk under his wing. "... all the pieces matter."

Daniels comes over all white-knight once again, by refusing to dump the failing officer that was dumped on him. However, some people simply cannot be helped, and there is one less drag on the department.

"Omar don't scare." Darn right. And neither does he do stupid things. His co-operation with the police was a demonstration of his incredible maturity, when most men would have gone medieval (albeit with a sawn-off shotgun). His sub-human wail when he saw the body was deeply moving.

The departmental biatch-slapping gets fiercer. A reluctant Daniels is dragged into a mudslinging competition with his superior to keep the case alive and bring in the perpetrators with a fighting chance to convict. In the process he very openly makes some powerful enemies none so more than Major Rawls.

And that brings us back to the opening and closing salvo. When he tells McNulty of the extension, Freamon pertinently asks him "It cost you?". But the real point is heart-wrenchingly driven home with the opening shot of the tortures and mangled dead boy. As is the very last thing we see his photo. Stabs you in the heart, and gently yet firmly twists. It costs these men nothing, whilst others are tortured to death in the projects over some packets of white powder.moreless

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In 6 episodes, I've gone from mildly interested to intrigued to excited anticipation of the next episode. That folks, is the mark of an excellent series.

9.1

"Superb"

By rockin01, Aug 24, 2011 Report Abuse

I think I'm finally starting to see what all the hype surrounding The Wire is about- this is a really engrossing drama. Yes, it started slowly, but this is not a series that is interested in blowing the viewer away with its jump-cut action scenes. Not that there is no action, but this is clearly not a shoot-em-up, and any violence or action is served up in the service of the narrative- not to tittilate viewers (although there is some nudity, just to remind you it's HBO). What really is starting to hook me is the rich cast of well-drawn characters. I am really interested in the lives of these people, and I can't wait to see what happens to them next.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- When you see Brandon's corpse on the hood of the car during the beginning of the episode, it can clearly be seen that he is breathing. Edit
Notes
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- Although credited, Deirdre Lovejoy does not appear in this episode. Edit
Quotes
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- Kima: You saw the murder? Omar: Yeah. Kima: You can ID this man Bird as the shooter of Wiliam Gant? And you ain't afraid to go into court downtown and testify against one of Barksdale's people? Omar: Omar don't scare. Edit
- McNulty: On this case, we're never where we need to be. Edit
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