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Dead Soldiers (The Wire episode)
Encyclopedia
"Dead Soldiers" is the third episode of the third season of the HBO original series, The Wire
. The episode was written by Dennis Lehane
from a story by David Simon
& Dennis Lehane and was directed by Rob Bailey
. It originally aired on October 3, 2004.
meeting as a means of telling the commanders that their performance is to meet specific demands regardless of the realities of their district.
, who played Cole and died after the second season. Landsman makes reference to Cole working "after hours" and being involved in "the Mississippi extradition" (Colesberry produced After Hours
and Mississippi Burning
). The Irish song the police sing along to is "The Body of an American" by The Pogues
.
continues to disparage Taylor. Acting Commissioner Burrell
intercedes to demote Taylor and replace him with his Deputy Major, Creswich.
Councilmen Tommy Carcetti
and Tony Gray play liar's poker
in their offices, Carcetti always seems to win. Carcetti has a reporter meet him to discuss the delayed police academy training off the record. Carcetti tells the reporter that Mayor Clarence Royce
is delaying the classes as a money-saving exercise despite problems in the police department and rising crime rates. Carcetti calls Burrell to give him advance warning of the story so that he can alert the mayor to it before it breaks. Burrell is outraged that Carcetti has gone to the press and believes the mayor will blame him.
Burrell meets with Mayor Royce and his Chief of Staff Coleman Parker. The Mayor asks Burrell to take the hit over the story by saying the delay is due to internal problems. Burrell agrees and the Mayor tells him he is grateful for his loyalty.
Burrell later meets with Royce, Parker, State Delegate Odell Watkins and the State's Attorney Steven Demper to discuss crime figures. While Burrell has delivered his promise to reduce felony rates the murder rate continues to rise. Burrell blames the State's Attorney's case work. As everyone argues, Royce claims they should at least pretend to be on the same side due to their elected and appointed positions. Parker jokingly then remarks that they may have to get "real jobs" if they cannot find it in themselves to get along. After Burrell and Demper leave Watkins urges the Mayor to sack Burrell. The Mayor mentions Watkins' plans to install Marla Daniels in Eunetta Perkins city council seat and tells him that he always rewards loyalty in his people, and will continue to support both Burrell and Perkins despite their lackluster performances.
Carcetti attends a first district fundraiser with his wife and children. Ervin Burrell
is in attendance (as one of the few African Americans) for hopes of improving his relationship with the first district politicians that he and Mayor Royce are not on great terms with. After Carcetti's wife and children go home early, Carcetti is seen committing adultery with a woman he noticed in the crowd.
's crew scope out a Barksdale stash house. Omar notices their increased defenses but assures his team it will be easier to take in the morning. Kimmy questions Omar's vendetta against the Barksdale organization and he refuses to give his reasons.
The next day they make their move against the heavily guarded stash house. Tosha poses as a mother looking for a lost child and gets close enough to disarm Gerard, the guard at the front door. Once inside Omar's team subdue the two guards downstairs, longtime Barksdale bodyguard Perry and a soldier named Rico, then check that the upstairs door is locked. They have Gerard show them the stash, which is hidden behind a plaster board that is screwed in place. As he begins to unscrew it the noise alerts Tank, the Barksdale enforcer on the back door. He spots Omar's team through the window and signals Slim Charles upstairs by throwing clothespins at the boarded-up, upstairs window. Tank then moves around the side of the building with a young enforcer named Sapper. As Omar makes his exit, he hears the upstairs door unlock. Omar shoots at the door and hurries his crew outside. They get pinned down behind a parked car and when they make a dash to their own vehicle, Dante accidentally shoots Tosha in the head, killing her instantly. Kimmy stops in the middle of the street and shoots Tank. Omar grabs Kimmy and bundles her into the car and they make their escape.
Stringer Bell
is called to meet Proposition Joe
downtown on a rainy night. Joe tells Stringer about the major case unit tipping their hand by bringing in Cheese and telling him about the wire, all over the shooting of Cheese's pet dog. Joe warns Stringer to keep things boring to keep police attention away from them.
After the robbery, Slim Charles brings his soldiers to meet with Stringer to report what happened. Stringer is disappointed in them and his business lately. During the meeting Donette phones Shamrock, trying to get in touch with Stringer and he refuses to talk to her. Stringer orders his enforcers to cover Tosha's funeral and wake in case Omar shows up. Donette continues to try to get in touch with Stringer through Shamrock.
Meanwhile Omar's crew mourn their loss at their hideout. Omar, tormented, takes responsibility for Tosha's death and Kimmy sullenly tells him his apology does nothing for her. Slim Charles and the other Barksdale soldiers do as told and await for Omar and his crew at Tosha's funeral home. Across that street, Omar is seen smoking a cigarette in the shadows.
takes the D'Angelo Barksdale
file to Bunk Moreland
to ask for his opinion. McNulty notices a beaten suspect in the interrogation room and Bunk tells him that he's the drug dealer who confessed to shooting Officer Dozerman. When McNulty asks if the confession came before or after the beatdown, Bunk replies that he arrested the dealer in East Baltimore and had the police car make an unscheduled "tune up" stop at the Western District where the Western Officers had their chance for revenge. Dozerman's weapon however was sold on to a street kid named Peanut. Colonel Raymond Foerster interrupts to tell Bunk that his work on the Dozerman shooting is not over and that he needs to locate the weapon.
Bunk checks the name Peanut and finds 89 matches, all Number 1 Males (BPD's numerical description of black men) in West Baltimore. Detective Holley laughs at Bunk's misfortune. Holley then gets a call himself - the shooting of Tank and Tosha. Holley manages to convince Bunk to be the primary as he already has another case. Holley accompanies Bunk to the crime scene as the assisting detective, while there Bunk considers Holley's opinion that Tosha was caught in the crossfire. Bunk notices children nearby pretending to be Omar and acting out the shooting. One of the children is Kenard. As Bunk ties up his case notes at the office Sergeant Jay Landsman
confronts him and orders him to get back to work on finding Dozerman's gun.
convenes a meeting to discuss moving his team on to the Northwestern district to pursue a new target, Kintell "Prince K" Williamson, who has control of several drug corners and is implicated in some homicide investigations. Daniels notes McNulty's absence. Kima Greggs
is skeptical of their reasons for ceasing the Barksdale/Proposition Joe investigation and decries the value of their new target. When the meeting is adjourned Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski says that Greggs embodied the spirit of McNulty.
McNulty is away visiting the prison to review the evidence in D'Angelo's file. He mocks up the murder scene and shows that the belt is likely too long for D'Angelo to have killed himself using it, as two state police officers glare at him in silence. Later McNulty explains his absence to Rhonda Pearlman
, Lester Freamon
and Greggs over drinks. McNulty is angry about their change in direction and Freamon tells him that Daniels has earned their loyalty. McNulty also visibly reacts when Pearlman refers to Daniels, whom she slept with in the previous episode, as "Cedric." McNulty and Greggs continue to drink after the bar closes and she raises her relationship problems. They decide to cruise the Western to see what has changed since the towers fell instead of focusing on Kintell.
Out on patrol the next day McNulty is unfamiliar with Fruit's crew but recognizes some faces from Bodie's
. They remark on the quietness of the territory. McNulty learns that Ray Cole has died while exercising at the gym.
to mark his passing.
At ComStat, Deputy Commissioner William Rawls
predictably singles out Colvin for being the only commander whose felony rate has risen (up 2%). Colvin refuses to make excuses beyond saying that what they are doing is not having an impact. Rawls cites Daniels as an example of the kind of commander he wants for solving the shootings in the Eastern district. As Rawls berates Colvin, Commissioner Ervin Burrell
arrives and tells Major Reed about his meeting with the mayor, saying that there is no loyalty. Burrell tells Colvin that he does not care about his veteran status, and that Colvin will lose his post if his figures do not improve. Burrell closes by telling the district commanders "The Gods will not save you" as a warning on the importance of meeting their numerical targets.
After the meeting Major Stan Valchek
congratulates Daniels on the reputation he is building. Daniels admits that he is disappointed to have lost his wire tap, but Colvin commends Daniels for stopping the drug war. The Northwestern commander remarks that he is pleased to have Daniels building a case against Kintell Williamson. The commanders discuss their plans to meet Rawls' demands (Valchek notably states he will cheat stats if he needs to in order to improve figures in the Southeastern district). Colvin says that he is considering legalizing drugs and the other commanders laugh, oblivious to the fact that Colvin was not joking.
Ellis Carver
and Thomas "Herc" Hauk discuss Burrell's statement in the newspaper taking responsibility for the delayed academy class. McNulty and Greggs visit them for information and they have nothing to tell them; Greggs is disappointed that Herc has disregarded her advice about informants. Carver is called away to the roll call briefing and jokes about the downtown detectives being lost and confused. Colvin unveils his plans to move drug trade into three specific areas and instructs his initially dismayed and skeptical men in how to achieve this.
Later McNulty and Greggs track down Bubbles
and Johnny to offer them work. Johnny is reluctant to help but Bubbles says that he is always willing to go for easy money, particularly for Greggs and McNulty.
calls Fruit to meet with him and asks him why his profits are down. Fruit blames the Barksdale crews encroaching on his turf. Marlo tells him he wants them moved on and gives him some enforcers to take with him. The following day Fruit brings his entire team plus some muscle to Puddin and the rest of Bodie's crew and delivers a swift beating. Bodie reports the beating to Stringer at the funeral home, bringing some of his injured crew with him to illustrate his point.
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. The episode was written by Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane is an American author. He has written several award-winning novels, including A Drink Before the War and the New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was later made into an Academy Award-winning film. Another novel, Gone, Baby, Gone, was also adapted into an Academy...
from a story by David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
& Dennis Lehane and was directed by Rob Bailey
Rob Bailey (director)
Rob Bailey is an English television director. He has directed episodes of The Wire, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Without a Trace. He is a producer and regular director for CSI: NY. For The Wire he directed the tenth episode of the second season, "Storm Warnings", in 2003...
. It originally aired on October 3, 2004.
Title reference
The title describes the used vials of drugs that litter the streets of Baltimore and also the deaths of Tosha Mitchell, Tank, and Ray Cole.Epigraph
Burrell makes this statement to his district commanders at a ComStatCompStat
CompStat—or COMPSTAT— is the name given to the New York City Police Department's accountability process and has since been replicated in many other departments...
meeting as a means of telling the commanders that their performance is to meet specific demands regardless of the realities of their district.
Symbolism
According to David Simon's commentary on the DVD of this episode, the blinds in the room where the ComStat meeting is held are open when someone is trying to bring some truth into the room—in this episode, Colvin is honest about his district's increasing crime stats and the blinds are partially open.Tribute to producer
The police wake for Ray Cole is a tribute to producer Robert F. ColesberryRobert F. Colesberry
Robert F. "Bob" Colesberry, Jr. was an American film and television producer and first assistant director notable for his work as a producer on the Emmy Award winning miniseries The Corner, the Peabody Award winning television series The Wire for HBO, and the Oscar-nominated movie Mississippi...
, who played Cole and died after the second season. Landsman makes reference to Cole working "after hours" and being involved in "the Mississippi extradition" (Colesberry produced After Hours
After Hours (film)
After Hours is a 1985 American black comedy film, written by Joseph Minion and directed by Martin Scorsese. Paul Hackett , a New Yorker, experiences a series of adventures and perils in trying to make his way home from SoHo.-Plot:...
and Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders...
). The Irish song the police sing along to is "The Body of an American" by The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
.
Guest stars
- Glynn TurmanGlynn TurmanGlynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
as Mayor Clarence RoyceClarence RoyceClarence V. Royce is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Glynn Turman-Biography:Mayor of Baltimore Clarence V. Royce is a deft political figure and is fixated on remaining in power. Royce is the incumbent Mayor of Baltimore who was elected into office in 1998 and is in the... - Chad L. Coleman as Dennis "Cutty" Wise
- Jamie HectorJamie HectorJamie Hector is an Haitian-American actor who is known for his portrayal of Marlo Stanfield on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire.- Biography :...
as Marlo StanfieldMarlo StanfieldMarlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of West Baltimore and is the head of his own drug crew.-Character background and plot... - Al Brown as Major Stanislaus ValchekStanislaus ValchekStanislaus "Stan" Valchek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Al Brown.-Biography:Valchek is the Polish-American commander of the Southeastern district, home to many of the remaining white ethnic neighborhoods in Baltimore...
- Leo FitzpatrickLeo FitzpatrickLeonardo Aurellio Randy "Leo" Fitzpatrick is an American actor.-Biography:Leo Fitzpatrick was born in West Orange, New Jersey. He was discovered at age 14 by director Larry Clark at Washington Square Park in New York City, skateboarding. Fitzpatrick was trying to perform certain skating tricks,...
as Johnny - Delaney WilliamsDelaney WilliamsDelaney Williams is an American actor from Washington, D.C. He appears on the HBO drama The Wire as a recurring guest star playing homicide sergeant Jay Landsman. He also had a small role on HBO's mini-series The Corner which brought him to the attention of the producers, who worked on The prior to...
as Sergeant Jay LandsmanJay Landsman (The Wire)Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work... - Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
as Shaun "Shamrock" McGinty - Robert F. ChewRobert F. ChewRobert F. Chew is an American actor from Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in the HBO television drama series The Wire as manipulative drug kingpin Proposition Joe on all five seasons of the show...
as Proposition JoeProposition JoeJoseph "Proposition Joe" Stewart is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug kingpin who preferred a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible... - Jay LandsmanJay LandsmanThe book was later developed into the television series Homicide: Life on the Street. He was the inspiration for the fictional character John Munch on that show and a character named Jay Landsman on the television series The Wire, created by Simon. Landsman portrayed himself in a brief appearance...
as Lieutenant Dennis Mello - Kelli R. Brown as Kimmy
- Edwina Findley as Tosha Mitchell
- Ernest WaddellErnest WaddellErnest Waddell is a New York City-based actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring roles on two television series : Fin Tutuola's son Ken Randall on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Omar Little's boyfriend Dante on The Wire...
as Dante - Shamyl Brown as Donette
- Richard DeAngelis as Colonel Raymond Foerster
- Dravon James as Grace Sampson / Queenie
- Brian Anthony WilsonBrian Anthony WilsonBrian Anthony Wilson is an American film and television actor. He first appeared in the 1997 film The Postman as Woody....
as Detective Vernon Holley - Benjamin BuschBenjamin BuschBenjamin B. Busch is an American actor, writer, film maker, photographer, and former United States Marine Corps officer. He is best known for his portrayal of Anthony Colicchio on the HBO original series The Wire.-Biography:...
as Officer Anthony Colicchio - Joilet F. Harris as Officer Caroline Massey
- Barnett Lloyd as Major Marvin Taylor
- Ed NorrisEd NorrisEdward T. Norris is an American radio host and former law enforcement officer in Maryland. His talk show, the Ed Norris Show, airs on WJZ-FM in Baltimore, Maryland. Norris, a 20-year veteran of the New York Police Department, served as police commissioner for Baltimore from 2000 to late 2002...
as Detective Ed Norris - Megan Anderson as Jen Carcetti
- R. Emery Bright as Community Relations Sergeant
- Anwan GloverAnwan GloverRalph Anwan Glover is an American actor and musician. He is one of the founding members of the Backyard Band, a go-go band, as well as appearing as gang member Slim Charles in the HBO series The Wire. He has also appeared in music videos, such as Boyz n da Hood's "Dem Boyz" among others, and has a...
as Slim Charles - Jonathan D. Wray as Tank
- De'Rodd Hearns as Puddin
- Christopher Mann as Councilman Tony Gray
- Cleo Reginald Pizana as Chief of Staff Coleman Parker
- Frederick Strother as State Delegate Odell Watkins
Uncredited appearances
- Mayo Best as Gerard
- Perry Blackmon as Perry
- Justin Burley as Justin
- Thuliso DingwallThuliso DingwallThuliso Dingwall is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Kenard on the television series The Wire. Dingwall is from Clinton, Maryland.-External links:...
as Kenard - Brandon FobbsBrandon FobbsBrandon Fobbs is an American actor.He had a recurring role on HBO television series The Wire as Fruit. He also appeared in Pride and This Christmas and The Devil's Tomb.-External links:...
as Fruit - Tony D Head as Major Bobby Reed
- Robert Neal MarshallRobert Neal Marshall-Personal life:Robert Neal Marshall was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but grew up in New York City and Englewood, New Jersey. His mother is Broadway and television actress turned photographer Bette Marshall and his father by adoption in 1977 is Entertainment Law attorney Paul G. Marshall. His...
as Comstat Police Major - Doug RobertsDoug Roberts (Actor)Doug Roberts is a film and television actor from the Baltimore, Maryland, area. He has worked with some of Baltimore's best known directors, including John Waters and Barry Levinson....
as State's Attorney Steven Demper - Melvin T Russell as Jamal
- Todd Scofield as Jeff Price
- Brandan T. Tate as Sapper
- Rico Whelchel as Rico
- Unknown as Major Creswich
- Unknown as Tote
Politics
Major Colvin and Lieutenant Mello attend the weekly COMSTAT meeting. Colvin cannot bring himself to go in. He is not the only one who is nervous: Major Taylor is vomiting in the bathroom. Colvin tries to reassure him but he remains afraid. In the meeting Deputy Commissioner RawlsWilliam Rawls
William A. "Bill" Rawls is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor John Doman. Over the course of the series he ascends to the rank of Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.-Season 1:...
continues to disparage Taylor. Acting Commissioner Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
intercedes to demote Taylor and replace him with his Deputy Major, Creswich.
Councilmen Tommy Carcetti
Tommy Carcetti
Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Irish actor Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious Baltimore politician who rises from a seat on the city council to the office of the Mayor of Baltimore, and to the office of the Governor of Maryland by the...
and Tony Gray play liar's poker
Liar's poker
Liar's poker is a bar game that combines statistical reasoning with bluffing, and is played with the eight-digit serial number on a U.S. dollar bill. Normally the game is played with a stack of random bills obtained from the cash register. The objective is to make the highest bid of a number that...
in their offices, Carcetti always seems to win. Carcetti has a reporter meet him to discuss the delayed police academy training off the record. Carcetti tells the reporter that Mayor Clarence Royce
Clarence Royce
Clarence V. Royce is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Glynn Turman-Biography:Mayor of Baltimore Clarence V. Royce is a deft political figure and is fixated on remaining in power. Royce is the incumbent Mayor of Baltimore who was elected into office in 1998 and is in the...
is delaying the classes as a money-saving exercise despite problems in the police department and rising crime rates. Carcetti calls Burrell to give him advance warning of the story so that he can alert the mayor to it before it breaks. Burrell is outraged that Carcetti has gone to the press and believes the mayor will blame him.
Burrell meets with Mayor Royce and his Chief of Staff Coleman Parker. The Mayor asks Burrell to take the hit over the story by saying the delay is due to internal problems. Burrell agrees and the Mayor tells him he is grateful for his loyalty.
Burrell later meets with Royce, Parker, State Delegate Odell Watkins and the State's Attorney Steven Demper to discuss crime figures. While Burrell has delivered his promise to reduce felony rates the murder rate continues to rise. Burrell blames the State's Attorney's case work. As everyone argues, Royce claims they should at least pretend to be on the same side due to their elected and appointed positions. Parker jokingly then remarks that they may have to get "real jobs" if they cannot find it in themselves to get along. After Burrell and Demper leave Watkins urges the Mayor to sack Burrell. The Mayor mentions Watkins' plans to install Marla Daniels in Eunetta Perkins city council seat and tells him that he always rewards loyalty in his people, and will continue to support both Burrell and Perkins despite their lackluster performances.
Carcetti attends a first district fundraiser with his wife and children. Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
is in attendance (as one of the few African Americans) for hopes of improving his relationship with the first district politicians that he and Mayor Royce are not on great terms with. After Carcetti's wife and children go home early, Carcetti is seen committing adultery with a woman he noticed in the crowd.
Barksdale organization
Omar LittleOmar Little
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
's crew scope out a Barksdale stash house. Omar notices their increased defenses but assures his team it will be easier to take in the morning. Kimmy questions Omar's vendetta against the Barksdale organization and he refuses to give his reasons.
The next day they make their move against the heavily guarded stash house. Tosha poses as a mother looking for a lost child and gets close enough to disarm Gerard, the guard at the front door. Once inside Omar's team subdue the two guards downstairs, longtime Barksdale bodyguard Perry and a soldier named Rico, then check that the upstairs door is locked. They have Gerard show them the stash, which is hidden behind a plaster board that is screwed in place. As he begins to unscrew it the noise alerts Tank, the Barksdale enforcer on the back door. He spots Omar's team through the window and signals Slim Charles upstairs by throwing clothespins at the boarded-up, upstairs window. Tank then moves around the side of the building with a young enforcer named Sapper. As Omar makes his exit, he hears the upstairs door unlock. Omar shoots at the door and hurries his crew outside. They get pinned down behind a parked car and when they make a dash to their own vehicle, Dante accidentally shoots Tosha in the head, killing her instantly. Kimmy stops in the middle of the street and shoots Tank. Omar grabs Kimmy and bundles her into the car and they make their escape.
Stringer Bell
Stringer Bell
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by English actor Idris Elba. Bell served as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command, assuming direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment...
is called to meet Proposition Joe
Proposition Joe
Joseph "Proposition Joe" Stewart is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug kingpin who preferred a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible...
downtown on a rainy night. Joe tells Stringer about the major case unit tipping their hand by bringing in Cheese and telling him about the wire, all over the shooting of Cheese's pet dog. Joe warns Stringer to keep things boring to keep police attention away from them.
After the robbery, Slim Charles brings his soldiers to meet with Stringer to report what happened. Stringer is disappointed in them and his business lately. During the meeting Donette phones Shamrock, trying to get in touch with Stringer and he refuses to talk to her. Stringer orders his enforcers to cover Tosha's funeral and wake in case Omar shows up. Donette continues to try to get in touch with Stringer through Shamrock.
Meanwhile Omar's crew mourn their loss at their hideout. Omar, tormented, takes responsibility for Tosha's death and Kimmy sullenly tells him his apology does nothing for her. Slim Charles and the other Barksdale soldiers do as told and await for Omar and his crew at Tosha's funeral home. Across that street, Omar is seen smoking a cigarette in the shadows.
Homicide
Jimmy McNultyJimmy McNulty
Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by British actor Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish American detective in the Baltimore Police Department...
takes the D'Angelo Barksdale
D'Angelo Barksdale
D'Angelo "D" Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Larry Gilliard Jr. D'Angelo is the nephew of Avon Barksdale and a lieutenant in his drug dealing organization which controls most of the trade in West Baltimore...
file to Bunk Moreland
Bunk Moreland
William "Bunk" Moreland is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Wendell Pierce. Bunk's character is based on a retired Baltimore City Police Detective named Rick Requer and nicknamed "the Bunk", an officer who joined the force in 1964 as a Western District patrolman who...
to ask for his opinion. McNulty notices a beaten suspect in the interrogation room and Bunk tells him that he's the drug dealer who confessed to shooting Officer Dozerman. When McNulty asks if the confession came before or after the beatdown, Bunk replies that he arrested the dealer in East Baltimore and had the police car make an unscheduled "tune up" stop at the Western District where the Western Officers had their chance for revenge. Dozerman's weapon however was sold on to a street kid named Peanut. Colonel Raymond Foerster interrupts to tell Bunk that his work on the Dozerman shooting is not over and that he needs to locate the weapon.
Bunk checks the name Peanut and finds 89 matches, all Number 1 Males (BPD's numerical description of black men) in West Baltimore. Detective Holley laughs at Bunk's misfortune. Holley then gets a call himself - the shooting of Tank and Tosha. Holley manages to convince Bunk to be the primary as he already has another case. Holley accompanies Bunk to the crime scene as the assisting detective, while there Bunk considers Holley's opinion that Tosha was caught in the crossfire. Bunk notices children nearby pretending to be Omar and acting out the shooting. One of the children is Kenard. As Bunk ties up his case notes at the office Sergeant Jay Landsman
Jay Landsman (The Wire)
Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work...
confronts him and orders him to get back to work on finding Dozerman's gun.
Major case unit
Lieutenant Cedric DanielsCedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Lance Reddick. He is a well regarded officer in the department whose focus is on good police work and quality arrests...
convenes a meeting to discuss moving his team on to the Northwestern district to pursue a new target, Kintell "Prince K" Williamson, who has control of several drug corners and is implicated in some homicide investigations. Daniels notes McNulty's absence. Kima Greggs
Kima Greggs
Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Sonja Sohn. Greggs is a police detective in the Baltimore Police Department who is a dedicated officer and capable detective with some off-the-job issues. Openly lesbian, she has had problems...
is skeptical of their reasons for ceasing the Barksdale/Proposition Joe investigation and decries the value of their new target. When the meeting is adjourned Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski says that Greggs embodied the spirit of McNulty.
McNulty is away visiting the prison to review the evidence in D'Angelo's file. He mocks up the murder scene and shows that the belt is likely too long for D'Angelo to have killed himself using it, as two state police officers glare at him in silence. Later McNulty explains his absence to Rhonda Pearlman
Rhonda Pearlman
Rhonda Pearlman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Deirdre Lovejoy. Pearlman has been the legal system liaison for all of Lieutenant Cedric Daniels' investigations on the show...
, Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Clarke Peters. Freamon is a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Major Crimes Unit...
and Greggs over drinks. McNulty is angry about their change in direction and Freamon tells him that Daniels has earned their loyalty. McNulty also visibly reacts when Pearlman refers to Daniels, whom she slept with in the previous episode, as "Cedric." McNulty and Greggs continue to drink after the bar closes and she raises her relationship problems. They decide to cruise the Western to see what has changed since the towers fell instead of focusing on Kintell.
Out on patrol the next day McNulty is unfamiliar with Fruit's crew but recognizes some faces from Bodie's
Bodie Broadus
Preston "Bodie" Broadus is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor J. D. Williams. Bodie is initially a Barksdale organization drug dealer in "The Pit" who slowly rises through the ranks...
. They remark on the quietness of the territory. McNulty learns that Ray Cole has died while exercising at the gym.
Cole's wake
At Cole's wake Landsman delivers a eulogy with Cole's body laid out on a pool table at the bar. McNulty, Freamon, Bunk, Holley, Michael Santangelo, Ilene Nathan and Ed Norris are in attendance along with many other detectives. They all join in singing "Body of an American" by The PoguesThe Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
to mark his passing.
Western District
Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin and Lieutenant Dennis Mello survey quiet territory in their district. Colvin is looking for somewhere away from schools and residences to push drug activity into. Mello seems worried about Colvin's plans and asks if it's wise to conceal this plan from their superiors. Later as he goes through his felony statistics with Mello and his community relations sergeant he orders them to stop reclassifying things and give the statistics straight. Mello worries about the ComStat meeting.At ComStat, Deputy Commissioner William Rawls
William Rawls
William A. "Bill" Rawls is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor John Doman. Over the course of the series he ascends to the rank of Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.-Season 1:...
predictably singles out Colvin for being the only commander whose felony rate has risen (up 2%). Colvin refuses to make excuses beyond saying that what they are doing is not having an impact. Rawls cites Daniels as an example of the kind of commander he wants for solving the shootings in the Eastern district. As Rawls berates Colvin, Commissioner Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
arrives and tells Major Reed about his meeting with the mayor, saying that there is no loyalty. Burrell tells Colvin that he does not care about his veteran status, and that Colvin will lose his post if his figures do not improve. Burrell closes by telling the district commanders "The Gods will not save you" as a warning on the importance of meeting their numerical targets.
After the meeting Major Stan Valchek
Stanislaus Valchek
Stanislaus "Stan" Valchek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Al Brown.-Biography:Valchek is the Polish-American commander of the Southeastern district, home to many of the remaining white ethnic neighborhoods in Baltimore...
congratulates Daniels on the reputation he is building. Daniels admits that he is disappointed to have lost his wire tap, but Colvin commends Daniels for stopping the drug war. The Northwestern commander remarks that he is pleased to have Daniels building a case against Kintell Williamson. The commanders discuss their plans to meet Rawls' demands (Valchek notably states he will cheat stats if he needs to in order to improve figures in the Southeastern district). Colvin says that he is considering legalizing drugs and the other commanders laugh, oblivious to the fact that Colvin was not joking.
Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is an African American lieutenant and formerly in command of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit...
and Thomas "Herc" Hauk discuss Burrell's statement in the newspaper taking responsibility for the delayed academy class. McNulty and Greggs visit them for information and they have nothing to tell them; Greggs is disappointed that Herc has disregarded her advice about informants. Carver is called away to the roll call briefing and jokes about the downtown detectives being lost and confused. Colvin unveils his plans to move drug trade into three specific areas and instructs his initially dismayed and skeptical men in how to achieve this.
Later McNulty and Greggs track down Bubbles
Bubbles (The Wire)
Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Andre Royo. Bubbles is a recovering heroin addict. His real name is not revealed until a fourth-season episode when he is called "Mr. Cousins" and in the fifth-season premiere when he is called "Reginald"...
and Johnny to offer them work. Johnny is reluctant to help but Bubbles says that he is always willing to go for easy money, particularly for Greggs and McNulty.
Stanfield organization
Marlo StanfieldMarlo Stanfield
Marlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of West Baltimore and is the head of his own drug crew.-Character background and plot...
calls Fruit to meet with him and asks him why his profits are down. Fruit blames the Barksdale crews encroaching on his turf. Marlo tells him he wants them moved on and gives him some enforcers to take with him. The following day Fruit brings his entire team plus some muscle to Puddin and the rest of Bodie's crew and delivers a swift beating. Bodie reports the beating to Stringer at the funeral home, bringing some of his injured crew with him to illustrate his point.
Cutty
Dennis "Cutty" Wise meets with the sister of his old flame Grace to try to find out where she is living now. He eventually gets the information he is looking for. Cutty tracks Grace down at the school where she is now working and watches her leave. He dresses in a suit and tie and says goodbye to his grandmother before going to meet Grace. Grace is polite and distant with Cutty but seems impressed that he is out of the game. She gives him a number for a job opportunity and drives away after rebuffing his attempt to start an intimate conversation with her about their past relationship.First appearances
- Gerard and Sapper: Young and idiotic Barksdale enforcers involved in the gunfight following Omar LittleOmar LittleOmar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
's heist attempt. - Kenard: A young boy who idolizes Omar.
- Jen Carcetti: Tommy CarcettiTommy CarcettiThomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Irish actor Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious Baltimore politician who rises from a seat on the city council to the office of the Mayor of Baltimore, and to the office of the Governor of Maryland by the...
's loyal wife. - Jeff Price: A city council reporter for the city desk at The Baltimore SunThe Baltimore SunThe Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
. The character would not be seen again until Season 5, which focuses heavily on the Sun and its staff. - Grace Sampson: A school teacher and Cutty's old flame.
Deceased
- Tank: Shot by Kimmy defending a Barksdale stash house.
- Tosha Mitchell: Accidentally shot by Dante during a heist on a Barksdale stash house.
- Ray Cole: Died exercising on a StairMasterStairmasterStairMaster is the name of a line of exercise machines, which includes stepping machines and revolving stairs.StairMaster was founded by Lanny Potts and Jim Walker and introduced by Tri-Tech, Inc. of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1983 at the National Sporting Goods Association trade show...
. (This occurs off-screen; the role was played by series producer Robert Colesberry, who died shortly after the second season.)