Here's our introduction to the cops and corner boys: Carver, Bodie, Lex, Kevin, Reese, McNulty, and Colicchio.
Here's our introduction to mayoral candidate Tommy Carcetti.
And to remind you of what's happening in the episode so far:
•Stanfield is using his enforcers Chris and Snoop to kill whoever threatens him. The bodies are hidden in derelict West Side row houses, thanks to the nail gun Snoop purchased.
•Edward Tilghman Junior High School is hemorrhaging teachers as the school year is starting. Luckily for them Roland Pryzbylewski—"Prez" when he was police—is available, even though he has never taught before and is not yet certified.
•Herc has found himself a cushy job, doing security for Mayor Royce.
•Tommy Carcetti is realizing he has no chance to win the election in a predominantly African-American city. But he still is going through the motions that he can win.
•Former detective McNulty is quite happy being patrolman McNulty. And Carver, who used to work with McNulty, Rawls, Freamon, Greggs, and Sydnor, is quite happy making connections with the corner boys like Bodie.
•The boys—Randy, Namond, Michael, and Dukie—are wiling away the days and hours before school starts. Namond is working a corner for Bodie, who is the last of the Barksdale organization that is not is not dead, not in jail, and still in The Game. He and his small crew are on their own.
If there's more, I forgot it. That's a whole lot of moving plot pieces to introduce in thirty minutes of screen time, yet that's what happened in today's viewing. This is where the character list I gave you and the pictures on the first blog come in handy. I have no doubt many if not all of you are a little confused and/or overwhelmed with information. In about three episodes this all will be clear.
1. What strikes you about the way The Wire is presented—in the way it's filmed, or in the way it advances the story and/or plot, or in the way it presents its characters? Besides the fact that you've been dropped into a show toward the end of its run, is it difficult to follow or understand?
2. What one scene or moment has stayed with you? And why is that?
3. Which character have you found yourself drawn to more than the others? And why?
4. You got one question to ask about what you've seen so far: what is it?
This is due Sunday by 4PM. Have a good weekend.
In the first thirty minutes of screen time in the wire a great deal of information about a large cast of characters is presented. I liked the way in which we swap between characters it feels natural and gives enough breathing room to digest at least enough information to understand whats going on, the characters and their motivations. One of the more interesting points to me is that it almost feels like I have been placed at the beginning of a story rather than at the end despite the show being in one of its later seasons. One of the moments I have been thinking about despite it being rather short is the school being short staffed and accepting an unlicensed ex cop as a teacher. This to me shows a lot about the larger situation of the city as a whole and I am excited to see more about where this is going. A character that has stuck with me is the mayoral candidate and the election campaign he is running which seems to be failing despite his best efforts. My question I feel would be about what the city situation is and what the opinion largely is about the current mayor which I feel like would help me better understand the election story arc.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by how much of the plot was set up in just one episode. And we weren’t only introduced to the characters, we also saw their stories develop. For example, we met Snoop in the first few minutes of the episode. Then we saw her and Chris kill someone, not do a great job of covering their tracks, and how this might become more of a problem for them in the future. Despite dropping into the show and not knowing many characters’ names, I don’t find the show hard to follow. I think this is due to the base for the show simply being Baltimore instead of something more abstract.
ReplyDeleteOur introduction to the middle school boys has stuck with me. I enjoyed how they seemed like ‘normal’ kids at first when we just saw them trying to catch a bird. But then it was revealed that they wanted that specific bird to sell for money. Later, when Dukie told Randy that the bird they were trying to catch wasn’t what they thought it was, I realized how close these boys are. Dukie had just been yelled at by his friends but he still wanted to help them. I think that is why I find myself most drawn to Dukie. He seems innocent and like a normal child even though he and his friends are part of a pretty dangerous lifestyle.
One question I have is this: Why did Tommy Carcetti decide to run for mayor in a predominantly African American city? Most people seem to like Royce and he seems like a good mayor. So why does Carcetti think he could win?
1. I love The Wire is because of the characters. What strikes me about the show is how it tells the story of so many different types of people and still manages to portray each character in a unique, interesting, realistic, and multifaceted way. By focusing on such a wide range of individuals, The Wire tells the story of a broken American city and in a larger sense, the story of the flawed structure of American society. While having so many different perspectives can make the show a bit hard to follow, the way the show tells the stories of so many different people’s America is a crucial element of what makes the The Wire the incredible show that it is.
ReplyDelete2. Like Noah, I also found the hiring of Prez as a teacher to be an interesting moment, but it stood out to me for somewhat different reasons. When Prez first walked in and told the Principal and Vice Principle that he was still in the process of becoming certified, they were probably going to hire him anyways (even though the vice principal sees him as a “lamb to the slaughter,” which shows how hard the role of the teacher is in a school like this) due to staff shortages (like Noah touched on, this reveals the lack of resources and opportunities these kids have. A moment earlier, Prez had been trying to get in, and the door wouldn’t open, and the lady at the front desk commented, “Not a damn thing works around here.”), but when they found out he was a former police officer, they became much more enthusiastic about hiring him and stood up to shake his hand. This demonstrates how what they are trying to do in these schools is to establish order and create a safe enough environment. While I’m sure they would like for their school to be a place where every student can thrive and get the best education possible, they are really just struggling to do the bare minimum and to establish order in the classroom. Because of this, they feel that they need their teachers to be authoritative and strict rather than loving, encouraging mentors, which would make a former police officer a seemingly perfect fit for a new teacher. This moment is also representative of the school to prison pipeline.
3. I’m drawn to Namond because in previous seasons the viewer has seen his father who is now serving consecutive life sentences, and it is super interesting to see the generational effects of drug dealing and also how tied up his life is with the Barksdale organization and how this affects his behavior.
4. I’ve already seen the show, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen any of it past season 2. I’m sure I should remember this and that there is something I’m forgetting, but while watching the show, I was confused about why McNulty wanted to remain a patrolman rather than going back to detective work.
1. One of the most striking features of The Wire that I’ve seen so far is the opening title and credits. Different clips were seamlessly stitched together; there are many scenes in just a minute or so, but there are no jarring switches. For example, there is one section where the clips flip from a rotating display case, to a wheel, to a roundabout at a park, to a little boy spinning a tire, and then to another tire. Each clip only lasts a couple of seconds, but they each feature a spinning circle, and they begin to blend together in a really original and creative way. I haven’t often seen this technique used in film, so it was really interesting to experience. In terms of the episode, I’m confused at some parts but not so much at others. It’s a little difficult to follow the references to the other seasons, but some of the other plot lines specific to this season were much easier to follow. I also find it hard to know each character’s history, as some of them have been on the show for many seasons. When we watched the episode in class, I wasn’t sure if a character was returning or if they were new to this season.
ReplyDelete2. The scene between Randy and Duquan “Dukie” really stood out to me after we watched the start of the episode in class. After all of the boys had left, only Randy and Dukie were still there. I haven’t seen any of the other seasons, and I’m not even sure if they were on another season, but from the part we saw in class, they don’t seem to be especially close friends. However, Dukie still invited Randy to see the bug that he had smashed, and when Randy declined, Dukie called after him to tell him which birds are actually homers. What really stood out to me is each of their reactions after this. Randy and Dukie seem a little uncomfortable around each other, maybe even shy. This scene was so distinctive, as the actors, Jermaine Crawford and Maestro Harrell, perfectly executed these reactions.
3. I really liked the character of Detective Shakima “Kima” Greggs. Besides what we’ve watched in class, I’ve only seen her in the season recaps, so I don’t know much about her. Even so, one can already learn much about her from the short scene we’ve seen so far. She seems to have a confidence and amiable personality which aids her in her work. This is obvious in the scene where she has to get signatures from Lieutenant Asher, the man who the Assistant State’s Attorney believes won’t sign off on the papers but is said to have “a fearless heart” by Detective Lester Freamon. When Detective Greggs goes to the Lieutenant to get his signatures, he doesn’t seem to even really care about the signatures. He’s more focused on the blueprints for his beach house, and possesses neither a refusal or sense of fearlessness. Detective Greggs easily gets the signatures and a conversation in, then walks out and simply says, “cake.” Again, I’m not sure of all of the prior details from The Wire that may be beneficial to know here, but it seems as if her getting the signatures may not have been as simple as a piece of cake. If so, Greggs’ show of interest in the Lieutenant’s house in order to claim his signatures exemplifies how she intelligently uses confidence and an at-ease personality to find a way. She also doesn’t revel in her success, which I think is admirable.
4. As Sabrina has already said, I would question why Carcetti is running if no one will vote for him. He doesn’t even seem to care enough about the election to try and get sponsors or take some initiative in his own campaign, so why has he put himself on the ballot?
The thing that strikes me is the speed the show goes in. It doesn’t seem to stay on one seen for a decent amount of time, compared to other shows. The scene where Snoop goes to the hardware store and buys the nail gun. It stayed with me due to the fact that she payed so much more than she should’ve. I’m drawn more towards Snoop more because whenever she pops up in a scene, you know it’s going to be interesting. While on the other hand, I’m not drawn towards the white mayor, he doesn’t seem that interesting, plus he seems to be losing so what’s the point of watching that. My one question is, why does Stanfield have Snoop and Chris out killing people who threaten him?
ReplyDelete1. What strikes me the most about what we’ve watched so far is the amount of storylines present in the show. We’ve only watched 30 minutes, but an immense amount of information has already been presented. The show seems to be very fast paced; it jumps from one topic to the next very quickly. I do find it difficult to follow right now, however I’m sure the more we watch the clearer it will become.
ReplyDelete2. The scene that has stayed with me was the moment between Randy Wagstaff and Daquan “Dukie” Weems because it seems like more of a sweet interaction. After Dukie throws the bottle and the other boys get mad at him and leave, Randy talks to Dukie in a kind way and Dukie gives Randy advice on the bird he was trying to catch. It offers variety in the interactions between all of the boys.
3. I’ve found myself drawn to Tommy Carcetti the most out of all of the characters because there’s something about him that seems slightly childish. I’m not sure that it’s necessarily bad, but I thought it was interesting the way that he handled calling people for donations. It seems like the way he presents himself publicly is very different from how he presents himself privately.
4. Just like Emma, I’m interested why McNulty turned down the detective job and instead chose to continue to be a patrolman.
I think the show is fairly easy to follow even though it's the first season i've seen. I think the comfort and personal nature of the characters makes it easier to connect and get engaged in the show. It feels very raw and uncut and helps me as a new viewer to jump right into the plot.
ReplyDeleteOne moment that has stayed with me from the viewing was the scene in which Tommy Carcetti goes to the retirement home to try and plug his campaign. I thought it made a nice statement in the cluelessness of Carcetti. He tries to connect with this older black demographic that he know he needs to win the campaign and he doesn’t make any effort to relate to them and is shocked when they aren't receptive to him.
I think that I found Snoop the most accessible character as she seemed the genuine out of all of them. Even though we see that she is involved with murder somehow I still want to be on her side. Even just from the opening scene it is evident she is a character with depth that I hope the show goes more into.
What are all the characters backstories and reasons for ending up in all the different positions they find themselves in?
I really enjoyed the first episode of the Wire and the way that it was edited. Its composition remind me of the West Wing and its fast paced action and jump cuts. The fast pace creates the feeling that all of these events are happening simultaneously. This sets up a clear comparison between the lives of those who work in drugs and those who work in law. I really liked the scene between the dealers on the corner and the officers who were patrolling. This is almost too casual of an altercation. Clearly the officers understand that these men deal drugs but keep them on the streets because they don’t need to arrest them all. This seems backwards to us, but it must make sense given the context. I really enjoyed the detectives in the show. They seemed to do their job well, and stay upbeat in a difficult situation. I enjoyed their banter and I also liked their willingness to bend the rules a little to be able to get what they want. I very much enjoyed this episode, but a big question I have is how this will all connect? How can all of these different storylines be woven together?
ReplyDelete1. I do find it a little bit confusing to try and keep up with what’s happening. I kinda feel like there’s too much happening, but I’m interested to see how all these worlds tie together. Something that strikes me would have to be the dialogue. It feels very raw and uncensored and it’s refreshing to see. I think the show has presented its characters so the watcher can make valid assumptions on who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.
ReplyDelete2. The moment that has stayed with me is the comparison of the campaign trails between Clarence and Tommy. It strikes me because I don’t usually see black males on television being mayors, and I especially don’t see them winning against their white opponent.
3. I feel most drawn to Snoop. After writing the first blog about her I just want to know more about her character and more about her circumstances. I wonder if she’ll get caught. I also liked her character before I knew she was a killer so I also have this internal conflict with her.
4. Why does Tommy even want to be mayor in the first place? Is it just for the title or does he actually secretly care?
1. I think the reason why it is difficult to understand so far is because of how fast paced everything is. While this does create a more interesting show, it also makes it harder to keep up with. Another element that caused confusion for me was how many main characters there were. While this could be confusing on its own, we are also starting to watch at the end of the show where it is assumed you are already familiar with all of the characters.
ReplyDelete2. One scene that stuck with me was the one where the police officer came out of his car and warned the kids to leave before he came back to the corner. I found it interesting how he had no desired to try and catch them doing anything, and instead was looking out for them.
3. One character that I was drawn to was the white mayor candidate. His lack of interest for his own campaign in intrigued me.
4. The question I would ask is: why would he decide to run for mayor considering the city is largely African American? And was his attitude always like this toward the campaign or did something cause a shift?
In my opinion, the Wire so far isn't very hard to follow so far because of the way the story is structured. In the first episode, we do get a fast paced run through introducing the characters, but I feel as this pacing is necessary to the story as it makes it seem like everything is happening simultaneously between the characters. We don't get much introduction to the characters, but I feel that we will grow accustomed to them as the series continues and the characters develop.
ReplyDeleteThe scene that struck me the most was when Chris and Snoop are contracted to kill the target in the West Side Row houses. This scene struck me because the lack of hesitation and reluctance to kill the man Snoop and Chris had was almost unhumanlike. The time it took for Chris and Snoop to kill the man showed me how many times Snoop and Chris have killed and how accustomed to it they've become.
The character I've become the most drawn to so far is Dukie. Dukie's knowledge of birds really surprised me as it made him look very intelligent contradictory to his aggression towards the other boys in his neighborhood. This makes me feel bad for Dukie as I see potential in him from his intelligence, but it's often overshadowed by his aggression.
One question that I have towards The Wire is where the adults are during all of this fighting and hatred between the boys? So far I haven't seen any parental figures be presented in the series. Are no parents present or do they just not care?
1. What strikes you about the way The Wire is presented—in the way it's filmed, or in the way it advances the story and/or plot, or in the way it presents its characters? Besides the fact that you've been dropped into a show toward the end of its run, is it difficult to follow or understand?
ReplyDeleteI would find this show extremely confusing if we were not studying and going over it. There are so many different characters, and each part of the plot moves so fast that I easily get mixed up with what is going on.
2. What one scene or moment has stayed with you? And why is that?
I was really interested when the two cops came up to Bodie, and one of them knew him from high school. I thought it was most interesting because Broadie and the cop seemed to have been friends in the past, but Bodie seemed betrayed that someone, perhaps an old friend of his, became a cop. It is also surprising that since they seemed to come from the same background, that one of them could become a cop, while Bodie sells drugs on the streets.
3. Which character have you found yourself drawn to more than the others? And why?
I was most drawn to the one boy that threw the bottle and made the pigeons fly away. He seemed nice, and for some reason the boys really disliked and excluded him. He doesn’t seem like a main character, but I am curious why he is separated from the others.
4. You got one question to ask about what you've seen so far: what is it?
My biggest question is why McNulty wants to be a patrolman instead of a detective. He seems dead set on staying a patrolman but it is never explained why.
1. I think it is very interesting how the Wire not only has a lot of characters, but also has a ton of different plot lines that do not seem to be related. I am guessing, however, that they will intertwine later in the season. I have not found the show very difficult to understand. I think it will be hard to write about because I will not remember the characters names, but as far as faces and stories go I think I generally understand what is going on with each of the different characters.
ReplyDelete2. One moment that really stuck with me was when Sergeant Elvis Carver went to talk to Bodie and the other guys standing on the street. He went up to the boys and talked to them, but he was only trying to socialize. He was not trying to bust them for drugs. There was one line from that scene that made the entire scene stand out to me. It was when Bodie’s partner asked Bodie why they were not busting the boys, and Bodie told him (something along the lines of) “if we busted everyone, we would have no one to talk to when something serious happens.” This line captured my attention because it showed Bodie’s intelligence, as well as the effort and intricate strategy that he uses in his police work.
3. One character who I thought was very interesting was Dukie Williams. You can tell that he is very smart, and there is more to him than you would think. When we first see him, he is blowing up bugs. Before the scene is over, however, he reveals that he actually knows more about the pigeons than any of the boys who were trying to catch these pigeons.
4. Is there a reason that McNulty just wants to stay as a patrol cop and not advance to detective? Has he seen a bad experience? Is there a deeper reason? Or does he just like being a patrolman?
The Wire is very fast paced, and moves from plot line to plot line quickly. I think that the way in which the characters are shown is interesting, and I think the show does not attempt to sugarcoat these characters at all. The characters are all shown honestly, with no unrealistic “hero” type figures. I like the fast pace, it helps to not be bored while watching, but it is important to pay close attention when watching the show.
ReplyDeleteThe last scene with Tommy Carcetti stuck with me. His actions behind closed doors make him seem immature and like a poor candidate for mayor.
Right now, I find the children most interesting. I think their lives are much less sheltered than what I’m used to. Seeing such young children in the dangerous environment, especially when these scenes are next to scenes of murder, is interesting and somewhat difficult to watch.
How do all of these storylines tie together? I understand they are all pretty separate, but will any of them come together or overlap at some point?
I found it slightly difficult to keep up with the fast paced story line of The Wire. The scenes were, for the most part, very short. It was also difficult because we were watching season four and this was my first time being introduced to these characters while writers would assume we wouldn’t need any sort of introduction for any of the them. It is a lot to take because there are so many characters because of how many story lines there were. It seemed no characters could be in two scenes in a row. The scene and characters that stuck with me the most were carver and the scene where he shows up on Bodie’s block. I really enjoy comedies and while this is obviously a drama, scenes like that do a lot for the show in my eyes. If a show can’t make me laugh I usually won’t watch it. The biggest question I have about the rest of the season is if all of the stories will connect at some point. Usually in tv shows all of the main characters of an episode will have something to do with each other, but in The Wire, I’m not sure if or how they all will connect.
ReplyDeleteIn the first thirty minutes, I found myself somewhat overwhelmed. While this is largely due to the fact that I am unfamiliar with many of the characters, I also found that just as I was beginning to get an understanding of a scene, it would change to a seemingly unrelated scene with new characters. By the end of the section that we watched, I had somewhat of an understanding, but I found myself scrambling until then. One moment that stayed with me was when Snoop and Chris killed whoever it was that they killed. The reason is because we saw him begging for his life and then throwing up in fear, which is something that is very real but rarely portrayed. I am drawn to Chris and Snoop because their scenes are action packed, and the middle school boys because their storyline is the most lighthearted. I would like to know why there are so many scene changes. I feel like it would be easier to set everything up if they could further develop scenes. Maybe I would feel differently if I would have seen the previous seasons and was more familiar with the characters so it felt more natural to watch, but with my limited knowledge of the characters this was a lot to take in.
ReplyDelete