The Wire: Margin of Error

(S04E06) "Don't try this shit at home." -- Norman Wilson

The Sunday before the all-decisive primary, and the candidates are in the pews, not to mention working the congregations after the service. Meanwhile, Bodie's crew, now under Marlo's thumb, works the corner. There's no day of rest for politicians or corner boys. This is not a good week for the cops -- the Major Crimes Unit is a joke under Sgt. Hauk and the commander installed by Rawls a couple weeks back.

It's almost sad watching Marlo Stansfield run circles around them. For a brief moment, Kima and her partner threaten to get something going and embarrass both campaigns, but Rawls is way ahead of them. You've got to admire his cunning, if nothing else. Looks like he is trying to position himself no matter who takes over, but I can't imagine why either administration would trust him. He's quite the survivor though, and always seems to wriggle upward out of every tight spot.

Brianna, the matriarch of the broken Barksdale clan, drops a bombshell on the Brice family. Namond's mother (now running a close second only to Brianna as worst all-time mother on The Wire) puts the burden on Namond -- finally exacting the price for spoiling him so long. This seems the most heartbreaking thing in the episode: his mother disregards how ill-equipped he is to survive on the street. "You see," she tells him, "there's a lot about this world you just don't know." She's right, but she doesn't seem to care. In one way, Namond's home life is no better than that of the other kids -- with or without his Xbox.

In an eleventh-hour smear, Mayor Royce's camp swift-boats Carcetti with a (badly) photoshopped picture of him supposedly defending a notorious slumlord. Carcetti's more frustrated than ever now, knowing he might just lose by a razor's edge after coming so close. Like most viewers, I expected Carcetti to win, but you can never tell with The Wire.

Speaking of expectations, I didn't expect Omar to be captured so quickly. He was impossible to find last season, and now this? Crooked Officer Walker now has the ring that's been stolen by thief after thief; I wonder where it will go next? Omar's made a lot of enemies, and a very few well-placed friends along the way. McNulty saved his life, just by allowing him his one phone call.

Prez also goes beyond the expected in caring -- finding a solution for Dukie, whose family steal whatever clothing he isn't wearing. I'm so glad that Prez is turning out the be a good teacher. My favorite scene was where he goes to see his old police Captain Daniels to try and protect Randy from the system.

In another good story parallel, a Carcetti campaign worker makes a better deal when he pays Randy up front to deliver flyers, than Carcetti and Norman Wilson do when they pay the duplicitous Clay Davis the twenty grand he demands. Sheee-it!, as Davis says. Wilson figures they got of easy. Paying off Wilson is just part of governing or doing business in Baltimore. I wonder if the subpoena Freamon had Sydnor serve on Davis earlier this season for money laundering will amount to anything?

Seems like Baltimore has a new mayor -- the general election would be a walk, unless maybe Royce pulls a Lieberman and decides to run as an independent -- or perhaps a Republican. In a two-way race, he might still give Carcetti quite a battle. I don't think that's likely to happen, but it's possible. Carcetti has kept it in his pants since beginning his run for mayor, and he does so tonight. "Maybe you have learned something," says Theresa. Dennis (Cutty) the boxing coach, seems to have a similar problem, his personal behavior getting in the way of his goals for the kids. Something that's a little unfair to him -- but that's the way it is.

No episode next week; we'll have to wait to see what he does about it.