It’s been a little while since the last episode (only a week for most viewers, but two weeks for those who watch the show in advance via HBO On Demand), and I almost forgot all of what was going down in David Simon’s world of “The Wire.” Last we saw, Carcetti had won the primary election, Omar was sent to prison on an aggravated murder charge he didn’t commit, and Prez was finally getting a hang of the new school system. Now it seems that Prez has discovered an even better system: trick the kids into learning by teaching them mathematical tips to their favorite games (poker, dice). He’s also discovered new editions of his textbook (along with an unopened computer) down in an old supply closet, but did he ask if he could take them? That most certainly might come back to bite him in the ass if he isn’t careful…
Omar’s still in prison, but he’s got the protection he needs to stay alive: two big, black guys with an undying loyalty for Mr. Little. They’re also some smart dudes, too, strapping Omar with phone books and atlases so that prisoners can’t cash in on the bounty by killing him with a shiv. The blade doesn’t even penetrate his body during the first attempt on his life, allowing Omar to send a message to all the other inmates: fuck with me and get a shiv up the ass. No, seriously.
He must still be feeling a little vulnerable, however, or he wouldn’t have called up Bunk to help in cashing in the Get out of Jail Free card he received while testifying against Bird a few years back. I was a little more than surprised by this move, as I thought that Omar would go to McNulty for help before any one else. Then again, I guess Bunk does sort of owe Omar for finding that lost department-issued weapon last season. At first, Bunk even is a little more than hesitant to help, stating that while Omar may not have done this one, he’s done plenty others. That doesn’t, of course, stop Omar from convincing him otherwise, and while Bunk would love to see the stick-up man go to prison for his dues, he also doesn’t want to see the real killer walk away unscathed. The best that Bunk can do, however, is a low-security detention center, but I can imagine that Omar would gladly take that over the shithole he’s in right now.
Meanwhile, after a meeting with Royce in the mayor’s office, Carcetti sits down to discuss his new cabinet. He’s obviously eyeing Rawls to take over the role of Commissioner from Burrell (a move he made quite clear by choosing to sit next to the former during a visit to police headquarters), but his constituents warn him otherwise. A newly elected white mayor cannot fire a black Commissioner, especially considering he won over a lot of the black voters with his promise for reform. So, instead of sticking with Burrell, Carcetti goes a-looking for a replacement, and might have quite possibly found one in Major Daniels. This guy has really been lucky with promotions over the last two seasons, but because he’s the only other major black police character on the show (Bunny Colvin would have been a much better choice pre-retirement), there really isn’t any other choice. I can’t wait to see Burrell’s breakdown over this, since Carcetti does kind of owe him for all the insider information he delivered throughout season three.
In fact, Carcetti’s very own victory is going to start being questioned over the next couple weeks, especially now that the murdered key eye witness case (that he used as the basis for his attack against Royce) has been solved by Greggs. It seems like it wasn’t even a planned hit after all, but rather a stray bullet that just happened to miss a bleach bottle (being used as a target) and kill the guy. Sometimes, even the most difficult cases are the easiest. Greggs is officially 1-for-1. How much longer do you think she’ll stay before bouncing back to Major Crimes? Here’s hoping for a big reunion in the final season…
