Soft Eyes. Story by Ed Burns and David Mills. Teleplay by David Mills.
Directed by Christine Moore.
First aired 17 September 2006.
Mayor Clarence Royce and Councilman Tommy Carcetti.
"I still wake up white in a city that ain't," says Carcetti as he confronts the racial politics of Baltimore, of America, really. It's not quite clear why he wants the position (though it's hard not to imagine one reason—power), nor is it quite clear yet what he really believes about what needs to be done about Baltimore. What we do know is what Mayor Clayton Royce believes. When asked by Carcetti for two debates in episode one, he replies, "Two debates. Shit. That lost-ball-in-the-high-grass motherfucker Carcetti. He needs to get used to life in the wilderness." Carcetti's reasons may not be transparent, but Royce's are; and we see what Baltimore has been like under his administration, and, implicitly, how it will stay the same should he be reelected.
But for this entry. First, just for laughs (and to illustrate where real power lies in the Baltimore of the series), Senator Clay Davis:
Second: Marlo and Michael (please watch).
1. My first question: in the scene above, knowing what a ruthless murderous man Marlo is, why would he let Michael go so easily? Why not punish Michael the way he has punished nearly everyone who crosses him (such as Lex)?
2. A couple of you talked about how much you liked—or were drawn—to Chris (and even Snoop). No one disagreed with this observation. Chris Partlow is a cold-blooded killer, a murderer. So how do we—or are able—to find something likeable about him—or worth respecting—given his sociopathic behavior. What makes him different from any number of the "good guys" we see? Or if you disagree, why?
3. Who would you vote for in the election we're seeing in the show? Why? And what makes your choice better than the other choice?
4. Finally: I want you to read what your classmates have written. Agree or disagree with or ask a question about one of the comments a classmate of yours has made on this post. DO THIS AS A REPLY TO THE CLASSMATE'S POST.
That's enough. Look back at the previous blog. The length of Hunter's response is a good length to make your answer. Shorter and you may not get full credit.
We'll finish episode three tomorrow, talk, and start episode four. The ending of episode three will disturb you. It takes place in Prez's classroom. Something to look forward to. See you then.
I think that Marlowe is a more dynamic character than he first appears and is very layered and complex. It is clear that he does not want violence and he does not want to kill people in order to maintain power despite the fact he is willing to do so. I think he lets people go and seems lenient in some cases due to the fact that he wants to be able to function by having the local people like him and be on his side not the side of the police.
ReplyDeleteI was not that drawn to Chris or Snoop but I can understand why other people were as their characters are more than just enforcers for Marlowe and they are made to seem like people. They do have some mystery around them as we don't know much about them but get to see them act as seemingly regular people especially at the beginning of the first episode.
If I were able to vote in the election between Royce and Carcetti for mayor I think that I would personally vote for Carcetti as it's clear to me that he genuinely cares about the city and wants to help. This is due to the fact that he knows that if he loses he will likely get his political career destroyed by Royce for crossing him but despite that and not having the best odds he is still fighting for mayor. He also has a clear message and isn't visibly in anybodies pocket, he wants to help stop crime and has a good relationship with the police as seen when information is leaked and he meets with the high ranking police officers. This to me shows that he has a chance to deliver on his promise or at least do better than Royce when it comes to corruption and crime
But do you think that Carcetti's meeting with a higher-up in the police department denotes some sort of corruption of the system? He used the information he got as a weapon in a debate, but is he willing to take action himself?
DeleteI find it interesting that you didn’t like Snoop and Chris at first. I do agree that they have something mysterious about them, but for me a big reason I like them is because they are the only two characters who I know their motives.
DeleteI agree with what you said as his reason for why he would vote for Carcetti. The fact that Carcetti is risking his whole career just so he can change the city is kind of inspiring and is certainly a quality I look for in a mayor. There were a few scenes in the first episode where Carcetti was frustrated with the poles and was certain that he couldn’t win. But I think that attitude changed by the debate and he felt like he had a real chance at winning.
DeleteI think that Marlo sees some of himself in Michael. Clearly Marlo has no problem questioning authority because of his career in drug dealing, and Michael does some of the same. He looks Marlo dead in the eye and refuses to take his money. I think that Marlo respects his will power. I also feel like Michael has a healthy respect for the consequences of getting involved with the dealers in Baltimore. Marlo’s money comes at a price. He is not handing money out for no reason.
ReplyDeleteI don’t find Chris or Snoop to be particularly attractive characters. In the beginning I liked the dynamic they had between them, but when they killed the man behind the sheet they fell out of favor with me. They kill for a living and it is hard for me to see myself invested in them. I think that at points, although violently, they add some comic relief (such as Snoop’s hardware store encounter). All in all I haven’t grown attached to them.
In the upcoming Baltimore mayoral election I think I would vote for Carcetti. Although misguided and depressing at points, he seems to have the best interests of the city in mind and has been a loyal public servant for a while. His mention of the letter he wrote to Royce shows me that even before he was running for mayor he was concerned with the city and didn’t just relish in his election to city representative.
I like and agree with what you wrote about Marlow respecting Micheals will power and strength. If I were to ask you a question in a discussion, I would ask you to elaborate on your point about Marlow’s career in drug dealing signifying that he has no problem questioning authority.
DeleteIf you didn't know t (murderous) day job you would like them or do you think you still couldn't be attatched?
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ReplyDeleteI think that Marlo let's Michael go because he sees potential in him. Michael acts tough and isn't scared of Marlo and I think Marlo thinks that he could be useful on his side in the future. Even his sense of loyalty and stubbornness against taking the money while against Marlo in this situation could be advantageous if they were to get him on their side in the future. The comment they make about his build makes me think this as well as they are sizing him up for potential work.
Chris is calm, cool, collected and good at his job which are all virtues that reflect positively on a person. His job in this case, the way I see it, just happens to be murder. We see him in a scene promising a target a short and relatively painless death right before he shoots him. Its moments like these that make me feel like he is a good guy that happened to grow up into a pretty intense day job. They also have more laid back attitudes than many contrasting characters which adds to their likeability.
I would vote for Carcetti if I was to vote in the election going on in the show. We are introduced to Tommy in a fairly negative light as he is portrayed throwing temper tantrums and being very unprofessional. As we dig dipper and see a more holistic portrayal of his character we see he actually has a very caring and motivated side to him as well. We see his endearing connection with his kids and we see him spending all day in poor neighborhoods trying to help. Especially after the points made in the debate it became evident that Carcetti is the candidate carried the most about the city and would try to do the most good.
I agree with your stance on Carcetti. It was cool to see how different he was as a character in the first and second episodes. I found that his ability to be serious when he needed to be serious made him a suitable candidate, even though he is more childish in private.
Delete1) Maybe this is because he thinks it doesn’t affect him. Maybe he thinks that if Michael is the type of person to not take the money because of moral reasons, he wouldn’t be a good drug dealer, and if Michael is not someone who is needed, then there is no need to cause trouble. Or maybe Marlo let's Michael go because he doesn’t want to push Micheal away. Maybe Marlow understands Michael’s reasons for not wanting to take the money, but still sees that he has potential as a dealer and therefore, doesn’t want to push him away.
ReplyDelete2. I definitely find myself feeling for characters such as Snoop and Chris even though they do really horrible things (there are many likable characters who do really bad things in The Wire. One example that comes to mind is Omar). I think this comes from seeing the environment they are coming from and living in. They are just trying to survive in a messed up world, and because they live in a world in which they are surrounded by drugs and violence, they take part in that world. This does not justify what they do, but it makes you see them as more than just “cold blooded killers.” When you see the way they talk and interact, you get to know their characters, and when you get to know their character, it makes you have compassion for them (at least it does for me). I think it is possible to have compassion for a character and recognize that they have good traits, such as recognizing that Snoop is smart and charismatic and a good shot, while still not necessarily liking them and still recognizing that what they do is wrong and has a horrible affect on the world. I definitely think it is possible to feel more than one thing about a character all at once. You can like and dislike someone at the same time. You can see things from more than one side. It is possible to both have compassion for Chris and Snoop, the killers, as well as the man they killed.
3. I think I would vote for Carcetti because it is clear to me that whatever Royce is doing is not working. While I highly doubt that Carcetti is capable of fixing all of Baltimore’s problems and even question whether he would truly be any better than Royce, something needs to change, or at the very least, there needs to be an attempt at creating change, and it is clear to me that whether or not he is truly capable of creating that change and improving the lives of the citizens of Baltimore, Carcetti does genuinely want change (even though I am sure he also wants power as well, at least to a certain extent), while I feel that Royce only cares about maintaining power.
I agree with both your assessment of Carcetti and Royce. But do you think thee are any admirable qualities of Royce. Is it possible to build a case in support of him, could you do it?
DeleteI really like how you approached the question about Snoop and Chris. I'm quite interested in your statement, "I think it is possible to have compassion for a character... while still not necessarily liking them and still recognizing that what they do is wrong and has a horrible affect on the world." Instead of merely labeling Snoop and Chris as either a "good" person or "bad" person, I agree with how you reasoned their good attributes and not so good attributes (like murdering people). I also really like how you included, "It is possible to both have compassion for Chris and Snoop, the killers, as well as the man they killed." I am curious what your views are on Marlo's role in these murders. He decides who will be murdered, yet he distances himself from the killings.
DeleteI think Marlo let Michael because he respects Michael’s courage and ability to stand up for himself. As we know, Marlo doesn’t let anyone cross him, and when they do he isn’t afraid to defend what is his. He has his morals, and he sticks by them. In Michael’s continuous refusal of the money, Marlo sees a little bit of himself in Michael. And, like he says later, Michael would be pretty good in the business if he stuck with it.
ReplyDeleteI think a few of Chris’ behaviors that make him likable are his efficiency, lack of cruelty, and humbleness. Chris is really good at what he does, killing. For a victim, it’s over relatively quickly. Chris doesn’t torture people, or let them sit in fear for long. You cross his boss, and you pay the consequences, simple. In other words, he’s fair. We also see,during the shooting range seen, how talented Chris is. However, even though he and Snoop are by far the best shops there, they don’t brag and put the others down. They’re not assholes necessarily, just killers, and they go about their job much the same as any other respectable person in a respectable job.
I would vote for Carcetti. I think the one thing Carcetti does better than Royce is his ability to mingle amongst the people, not just the rich business folk, and firsthand see the problems of the city. Carcetti also pays attention to facts, and realizes how fixing the city should go. He also hasn’t been corrupted by power as much as Royce yet,and his fresh mind and insight would change the way the city was run. After all, we essentially are told that things haven’t gotten much better for the common people in Baltimore since Royce was elected. And yes, you could argue that Carcetti is corrupt, as he accepts the information from the major, but compared to Royce, his one example of corruption is minimal. Thus, I think that for one to complain about Carcetti’s corruption and attempt to disqualify him for this reason, they have to also discard the idea of Royce being mayor, in order to follow consistent ideas and rules. Furthermore, it’s politics, of course there will be corruption. Also, as a final thought on Carcetti, he’s pretty funny.
I would disagree with your statement about Carcetti being corrupt. I don’t think anything about that situation with the high ranking policeman was in any way immoral. All he did was get tipped off about something that should’ve been public record and then expose Royce for it.
DeleteI agree with the first part. I agree with the fact that Marlo didn’t kill Michael due to the fact that he sees a part of himself in Michael
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Delete1. I’m not sure Marlo wants to murder people. We discussed this in class a little, and someone mentioned when Marlo is learning about who Lex is. Marlo proclaims, “That what you think? Just do them all? ...And why I need to be stacking bodies when there ain’t no one trying to war with us?” He doesn’t want to murder everyone on the corner, just Lex. Lex killed Fruit, so Marlo has Lex killed. Eye for an eye. Michael isn’t a part of this war, and I believe Marlo sees this. If Marlo were to kill Michael just for refusing the money, this would go against his previous refusal to “[stack] bodies.” Or maybe if he did consider punishing Michael, he decides not to because he sees a boy not that much younger than himself. Or maybe he’s interested in the fact that Michael isn’t afraid of him, as Jack said. But overall, I believe Marlo has qualms about who he kills, and as Michael didn’t get involved in his deals, he does not need to be punished.
ReplyDelete2. To understand Chris’ actions, I think one must also evaluate how death and murder is portrayed in The Wire. Each of the characters we have seen kill another person- Chris, Snoop, and Lex- all seem to do so without hesitation or guilt. The scenes open, the death occurs, the murderers clean up or walk away, and then there is a scene change. Even when the topic of death is brought up, none of the characters seem that affected by the tragedy of what they are saying or have done. However, I believe that the claim I have made only goes to show the fortune I have had. I have never had to experience the pain of homicide and violence that some of the characters in The Wire experience when they are only 13 years old. I wouldn’t know how the threat of death affects someone’s ability to feel guilt and grief. But I have to believe that Chris and Snoop aren’t actually “bad” people, killing whoever they want “just because.” I believe that they must feel the pain of death, in the way that “good characters” must. But I think that when Chris and Snoop are killing people and disposing of the bodies, they must stop these feelings from preventing them from doing their job. Snoop even called these hired killings jobs when in the hardware store. Someone said this in class (sorry! I forgot who) a couple of days ago, and I agree. I don’t believe that Chris doesn’t have emotions. But you can’t be a hitman if you are too upset to actually fire a gun- it just doesn’t work that way. I feel a similar situation can occur with a surgeon. When a patient dies on the table, doctors can’t break down in the operating room and cry over that person’s death. They may be upset- and they should be- but they tell the patient’s family, say their condolences, and then go on with their day. Life and death is merely a part of their job, as life and death is merely a part of Chris’ job. And Chris may not allow himself to feel empathy with the person he kills, but I believe he does bring some respect to the murder table. In the first episode, Chris doesn’t torture Lex. He tells Lex that he and Snoop are going to kill him, and then he does so- before Lex can even finish saying Chris’ name. Though the viewer has yet to see a side of Chris that is not a murderer, I don’t believe that Chris and Snoop have no empathy. They can’t have empathy when acting as hitmen, and that comes with the job territory. But they are human, and I don’t believe that his job should label him as a sociopath.
I think the way that you approach the answer is extremely impressive. Your ability to appreciate that your point of view could potentially be biased due to how you were raised caused me to change the way I think about the murder that happens in the show. However, I don’t fully agree that Snoop and Chris aren’t bad people. I think that to be able to kill as ruthlessly as they do, they have to be somewhat bad possess slighly worrisome characteristics.
DeleteSorry I meant to put an and in between bad and possess
Delete3. I would vote for Royce, I suppose. I can’t say I like the candidates, so I have resigned to decide who I don’t like, and then I would vote for the other person. We have seen more of Carcetti’s campaign, which allows us more information on his political views, but also gives us a view of the “fits” he throws every few minutes. I obviously wouldn’t want the deaths and violence to continue in the city, so I’d hope that Royce would dedicate his power to this. Carcetti may be more concerned for people’s safety, but his lack of incentive honestly just really annoys me. I understand that he gave up trying because he thought that he was losing, but if he were to be elected, every time something doesn’t go his way he wouldn’t be allowed to just storm off cursing about how much he hates his responsibilities. It’s devastating how the violence has persisted under Royce’s term, but maybe he would actively try to help the citizens of Baltimore if he were reelected. If people showed allegiance to him, maybe he would help them more.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Carcetti's fits would not make him a great mayor but wouldn't the fact that he has stayed in the race show that he isn't giving up and why would Royce have any incentive to change and help people?
DeleteI also agree that the fits can seem like a bad characteristic for the mayor, but I think that they are just his way of coping with losing so badly. The fact that he only throws them around his friends shows that he can be professional when he needs to be.
Delete1. Marlo probably believes that Micheal would be of good use to him in the future. I think Micheal showed him bravery and potential loyalty which are essential qualities to have in this world. Marlo might see a little of himself in Micheal which probably makes him even more like able.
ReplyDelete2. I think I’m drawn to Chris and Snoop because they are open about being bad. I think since I already know that they’re murders, my image of them only improves when I see them living as almost normal people. I like not having to figure out who they are as characters, and it’s refreshing to just know exactly what people are about in this show.
3. I surprising think that I would vote for Carcetti. If you had asked me that question an episode ago I probably would have said no just because he seemed so unmotivated and angry about the election before it even happened. However, as I continue to watch I could see that he cares about the people in the community more than I thought. I just think he mentally gave up too early even though he has the potential to be a great mayor. Initially I probably would have voted for Royce and a big reason would be because he is black and I would think he would understand the community more but I guess that’s not always the case.
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ReplyDelete1. I think there are a few reasons as to why Marlo doesn’t hurt/kill Michael. First, Marlo said in the first episode that he didn’t want to kill just to kill. Lex killed one of the guys that worked for him, so he ordered Chris and Snoop to kill Lex. Michael, on the other hand, only rejected his money, and while it challenged Marlo’s authority, it wasn’t nearly as bad as killing one of his men. Second, Marlo gave all of the boys money with the expectation that they would owe him back. Michael didn't take the money because he didn’t want to owe Marlo back, and I don’t think Marlo would force Michael to owe him back; he doesn’t take the money, so he doesn’t get the potential benefits of being part of Marlo’s crew. Yet, he also doesn’t get severe punishment for not taking the money. The final reason I think Marlo didn’t hurt/kill Michael is because Michael is just a kid. I’m not quite familiar with who Marlo has killed and his killing capabilities, but I don’t think he would be able to murder a thirteen year old simply because he didn’t take money he was being offered.
ReplyDelete2. Similarly to Jack, I don’t find Chris or Snoop to be particularly interesting. Chris seems to be one of Marlo’s main men, and he and Snoop are both very good at what they do, but I’m not drawn to them any more than the next character. Even though Chris promised a quick death to one man, he and Snoop still killed him and disposed of his body without blinking an eye. They stood out to me at first because they were the first people to commit murder, but after I realized that that murder is a common occurrence in the show, they blended in with the rest of the characters.
3. Just like almost everyone has said thus far, I would vote for Carcetti. In my opinion, Carcetti is the lesser of two evils. Almost everyone in the show seems corrupt - and Carcetti, Royce, and the other man running are no exception - but between Royce and Carcetti, Carcetti seems lesser so. He takes small amounts of money and raises it all on his own, as opposed to Royce who gets large sums of money ($300,000) from unknown sources. It’s clear during the debate that Carcetti puts a lot more effort into working on Baltimore’s safety; he describes the note that he wrote to Royce on witness protection and how Royce ignored him. Additionally, immediately following the debate, Royce begins to attempt to destroy Carcetti in every way possible, whereas Carcetti seems pleased with the outcome and isn’t looking to interfere with Royce’s campaign a whole lot.
I agree with your #3 that Carcetti is the lesser of two evils. I think both candidates, similar to what we’ve seen of Baltimore as a whole, have different aspects of corruption.
DeleteI believe that he didn’t take him out like Lex due to the fact that he is a kid that doesn’t seem to get scared, so he sees some part of him in Michael.
ReplyDeleteI also think that we like Chris and Snoops so much because of the fact that you can see how smart they are. Each scene, you can see how smart they are which makes them so like able
I would vote for Carcetti just because of the recent argument acknowledging the war on drugs and crime while no one else would think of speaking the truth about it all
ReplyDeleteMicheal didn’t directly cross Marlo but he definitely disrespected him in front of his people. He makes him feel guilty about where his money comes from. Because of how upfront Micheal is about not taking the money, I think Marlo has some respect for his grit and the fact that he wasn’t afraid even to his face.
We are made to assume that Chris and Snoop didn’t really have a choice in their profession because of where they come from, because it’s the most viable option is to get involved with the game. Chris and Snoop are obviously smart about what they do and do it professionally. They both seem like kind people and Snoop even makes us laugh when she leaves the Home Depot worker speechless.
Baltimore is a extremely impoverished city and has more problems than the average city that need fixing. Even though it is a majority black city I think Carcetti is the better man for the office. He shows that he doesn’t just want the title when he asks the other candidate if he will work with him either way, win or lose. His interest is the people’s interest, while Royce’s is in power and pleasing the powerful.
I was very surprised by the way that Marlo treated Micheal in this situation. It seemed to me that he was disrespected, and I expected him to make an example out of Michael to show the children where disrespecting him would get them. I think that the way this situation was handled proves that Marlo is a more complex character than I had previously thought. I think this specific action tells us a lot about him as a person, and it is a conflicting view to what we were lead to think before.
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand people being drawn to Chris and Snoop, and maybe even liking them, I would have to disagree. What the show gives us of these two characters is limited, and often overshadowed by Marlo. Because there isn’t much detail given to these characters, I haven’t been drowned to them like I was after the very first scene. For me, the most I notice about Chris and Snoop is that they murder people. This is hard for me to see past, so I can’t say I like these characters at all.
I don’t think that I personally have the best knowledge of the two candidates, and that has to do with my understanding of the whole show. However, with the understanding that I have, I would vote for Carcetti. To me, both of the candidates seem corrupt in their own ways. Even though the show is typically unbiased, we see a lot from the point of view of the Carcetti campaign. So even though Tommy Carcetti isn’t a perfect character or candidate by any means, I think he cares about the city and winning this election. What we see of Mayor Royce’s campaign is much more corruption than redeeming qualities.
1. I agree with Jack. I think that Marlo sees a bit of himself in Michael, and so he does not want to punish Michael. I also think that Marlo respects Michael. Maybe he likes how Michael stood up for what he believed in, and he didn’t want to hurt him for having his own beliefs. I do believe, however, that if Michael were to stand up to Marlo again, or be any more disrespectful, Marlo would respond more aggressively.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with Marie in that I think Chris is so likable because of how professional he is with his job. He dissociates work from pleasure, more than most other characters in the show, and does not take or act like anything is personal. He also shows mercy to a lot of people that he is sent to kill, like in the first episode when he killed that guy and said he would “make it quick” to put the man out of his misery faster. This shows that he does not enjoy hurting people, but instead that killing people is just part of his job.
3. I would vote for Carcetti. In everything we’ve seen, the current mayor is corrupt and lies about how Baltimore is faring. I agree with what Hannah said in class that Carcetti can be childish, but I don’t think that shows he is too immature to run the city. Rather, it shows that he is human. I also think it is interesting how much the show seems to support Carcetti (portraying him in a much more positive light than his opposition), when the rest of the show seems to try and stay as neutral as possible.
I definitely agree with #1, and I think that since Micheal is a good worker, Marlo does not want hurt him. I think Marlo gave the boys the money so they would feel in debt to him, and maybe come work for them. Marlo dislikes Micheal standing up to him, but it showed how brave Micheal is and how valuable he would be to have on his team, not on Bodie’s team.
DeleteI don’t think Marlo punished Michael for not taking the money because he respected that Michael was trying to make his own money. We know Marlo and all the people around him are very smart. Even their murders are organized and well planned. So I think Marlo saw Michael trying to be his own person and was able to honor that.
ReplyDeleteI think we are all so drawn to Chris because, like some people said in class, he is very smart and thoughtful when doing his job. But these qualities don’t make him different from any other character in the show. So, I think his quietness makes him likeable. He doesn’t boast about how many people he has killed, how easily he has evaded the police, or how well he has covered his tracks. He is very much an introvert, which is what I think makes it possible for us to like him.
I would vote for Carcetti. Before this episode, I would have said that I would vote for Royce but the debate is what really convinced me that Royce isn’t a good mayor. Carcetti proved what we already knew about the state of the city. We don’t know what Royce’s goals were when he first became mayor, but I think it is safe to say that he hasn’t done a very good job of keeping citizens safe or decreasing the amount of crime in the city.
I agree with your response about Carcetti. Previous to this episode I might have said something else, but after getting to know his character better I would vote for him over Royce. Especially after the debate where we find out Royce hasn’t been doing as good a job as he likes to portray.
Delete1. My first question: in the scene above, knowing what a ruthless murderous man Marlo is, why would he let Michael go so easily? Why not punish Michael the way he has punished nearly everyone who crosses him (such as Lex)?
ReplyDeleteI think because Michael is just a kid, Marlo knows that the consequences of hurting him are not worth it.
2. A couple of you talked about how much you liked—or were drawn—to Chris (and even Snoop). No one disagreed with this observation. Chris Partlow is a cold-blooded killer, a murderer. So how do we—or are able—to find something likeable about him—or worth respecting—given his sociopathic behavior. What makes him different from any number of the "good guys" we see? Or if you disagree, why?
Although Chris and Snoop kill people for a living, it seems like they separate their life
and work. I know they are killers, but because I have seen them in their day to day life, I separate their murders from who they are as people. I am able to respect him because I know killing people is his job. Some of the “good guys” also kill people for their jobs, like Namond’s dad. Namond’s dad seemed funny and nice, because although he is a murder, I didn’t focus on that while meeting him. Chris and Snoop are not mean or rude, and their job is awful, but business is business I guess.
3. Who would you vote for in the election we're seeing in the show? Why? And what makes your choice better than the other choice?
At first I thought I would vote for Anthony Gray, because Roace is corrupt, and has not taken enough action. This was before we started to see more of Carcetti, and now that I have gotten to know him, I would vote for Carcetti. I decided this after watching the debate, because Carcetti really seemed to know what he was doing. Unfortunately, I believe that voting for Anthony Gray would be a waste of a vote, because he is too behind in the polls to have any chance to win. Carcetti did not seem like the right choice at the beginning, but that was because he was honest, it was obvious he wasn’t exactly a saint, but he did not hide who he really is. Also, after seeing Carcetti stay late that one night and talk to the people to see how he could help. The other situation which showed Carcetti as a good man was when he was playing battleship with his daughter. We now see Carcetti as human, honest, and loyal, however, Roace is sneaky, dishonest, power-hungry, and selfish. Carcetti honesty shows he is the lesser of two evils, because he is looking out for the people, and Roace is looking out for himself.
1. I think that the reason that Marlo lets Michael go is because he reminds him of himself. Michael realizes from a young age that he can't get too far in life simply from taking other people's handouts, and Marlo seems to respect this. Marlo almost certainly knows that Michael saw this as a trap, something that he would one day owe to Marlo if he accepted it, and Marlo respects his intelligence. Marlo made a name for himself by working hard for what he wanted, and Michael appears to be doing the same.
ReplyDelete2. I found Chris and Snoop to be so likable because of their knowledge. Simon definitley plays with the audience with these characters, using people's assumptions and stereotypes about these characters against them, which makes them all the more interesting. While they are hitmen, a cold-blooded, unforgiving job, the are able to maintain a sense of respect for whoever they are killing, as we saw in episode one.
3. Personally, I would vote for Carcetti in this election. I think that the debate really illustrated his intelligence of, and also his determination to his city. While his fits may damage his credibility in the eye of those near him, he obviously is not the only politician in the election with secrets and flaws.
1. I think Marlo doesn’t kill Michael because sees that he doesn’t back down and is loyal, which are both good characteristics that could make him useful to Marlo in the future. Marlo was also clearly trying to gain something from giving the boys money, possibly a favor in the future or loyalty. However he knows that he won't get the boys to trust him by killing Michael.
ReplyDelete2. I think a lot of people are drawn to Chris and Snoop because there is a lot of mystery surrounding them. Although as viewers we don’t know much about Chris and Snoop, they seem to have a reputation. One scene that represented this well was where Randy realized he sent Lex to his death. This was after the man who asked Randy to talk Lex told him Chris and Snoop were waiting in the park for Lex. Even though Randy is not involved, he knows who Chris and Snoop are and what they do. One redeeming thing about Chris is his professionalism and that at least he murders as a job not a hobby. We are also made to believe that most people involved have no other choice for a career.
3. I would vote for Tommy Carcetti based off of what we have seen so far in the election. Although at first he was portrayed negatively he has definitely redeemed himself since then. He seems to care about the city’s best interests and actually wants to change things. Royce seems corrupt and doesn’t see what’s wrong in how he’s running the city (or at least doesn’t care). While Carcetti isn’t a perfect candidate, he seems to be the better one compared to Royce.
I believe that the reason Malow didn’t kill Micheal was because he didn’t want too ruin his stance/reputation with the kids in the neighborhood. Killing Micheal would result in a big backlash from the kids and adults in the neighborhood, making Marlow and his group the “Bad Guys”.
ReplyDeleteI think we were abl to take a liking to Chris and Snoop because of their respect to others and how calm and composed they are. So far, you never see Chris or Snoop being disrespectful to their targets, they always carry an amount of respect for people with them. Ex: Snoop and the depot store employee.
I think right now I would vote for Royce because of his experience being the mayor of Baltimore and his connections around city hall. I feel like Carcetti is a great candidate because of his acknowledgment of the drug war, but he still has room to grow to become a full mayor rather than a councilman or politician.