Took

“Shame on ya’ll. And I mean it.” – Bunk

I had a lot of déjà vu in this episode: it reminded me so much of Season One, particularly the episode (“The Hunt”) where the cops search for those who shot Greggs. They even had the same surveillance shot from the helicopter with the date visible.

The first two seasons put a lot of emphasis on police work, how it’s done, how cases are built, and “Took” was a return to the basics of the show. I thought it was one of this season’s best with a brisk pace that didn’t get bogged down in very long scenes which has been a weakness this season.

Speaking of “The Hunt,” even Savino was back (he was the one who set up Orlando and Greggs to get ambushed by Little Man and Wee-Bey), albeit he was only around long enough to become Omar’s third Stanfield causality (speaking of which, whatever happened to O-Dog?).

The juxtaposition between Daniels and Haynes both dispatching their troops was very effective. They’re both trying to do the right thing, too bad what they’re trying to make right is just a scam. But Daniels is different than Burrell. There’s no “dope on the table” speech from him (I don’t know what the equivalent is when you hunt after a serial). It was a vintage “Wire” scene, showing how institutions react to a crisis.

Fitting that McNulty was in the opening scene since Dominic West (McNulty) directed the episode. Crime novelist Richard Price wrote the script. I was very impressed by the directing in the episode. I liked the way he shot certain scenes.

My favorite was where Landsman tells Bunk to come upstairs to join the hunt for the fictitious homeless serial killer. The whole time, the camera sits on Bunk with Landsman blurred in the background. You see how his rage building and building until he unleashes a tirade at his boss without looking at him. “Fuck your stripes and fuck McNulty!” he finally says. Landsman leaves him be.

I was disappointed that Bunk’s scene with Michael didn’t last longer. I thought they cut it short. I wanted to see if Michael was gonna break when confronted with the murder of the “baby bumping motherfucker.” You didn’t see him stonewall or anything.

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Scott, McNulty and Lester all seem to have created the same problem for themselves: they don’t have an exit strategy. They didn’t foresee things getting carried away the way they are now. Scott almost trips on his own lie when grilled by his editors. That scene with McNulty had my favorite sequence of dialogue:

“He’s just using you,” McNulty says. “He needs you.”
“I kind of resent that,” Scott says.
“I don’t know. Kind of working well for both of you.”

How true it is. Characters are just using the tools in front of them to manipulate the public for their own agenda. Scott and McNulty are the same in that way as is Clay Davis.

The courtroom scenes with Clay were great. Isiah Whitlock, Jr. plays the character so well. What’s particularly impressive is how he is able to switch emotions so easily and quickly. He can go from talking like a preacher, to showing real fear and anger without a blink.

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I do think that the producers have made some odd decisions about the Sun. Here we are, four shows from the end of the season and Fletcher is finally introduced to us as a real character. Now Fletcher is a good character, his gentleness and human touch set him up as the heir apparent to Haynes, but why did they wait till now to do this? It’s especially strange when you see that Alma – who got a lot of exposure the first three episodes – hasn’t had a worthy line in a while. But he’s to Scott what Bunk is to McNulty, the professional working patiently and honestly to find the story and do right by that.

I like the scenes with him and Bubbs. This episode was a big one for him. He’s not washing dishes any longer, he’s serving food and next we see him helping out Fletcher. Bubbs is doing for him what he did for the police: helping someone with a benevolent goal navigate a world they otherwise would not understand. He’s like a tour guide or something. Bubbs doesn’t seem calculated enough to have any alterior goal for himself, he just likes to help people out. “Write it like it feels,” he tells the cub who follows his bosses advice to “just spend a day being with people.”

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- I guess I can't finish without mentioning Omar. I don't quite get why he surprised Michael like that. He's already put the word out that Marlo is a bitch if he doesn't come after him on the street; he's already dropped three of his muscle and harmed his business. Aren't the speeches getting a little old? I'm anticipating the Chris-Snoop-Omar showdown with the greatest anticipation.

- The final scene was one of the best ever on this show. Greggs talking to her child telling her a nursery rhyme of sorts about nighttime Baltimore - saying good night to all the illegal elements in the city. You look at her with her baby and Fletcher pounding the streets like an honest man and you have hope.

And you know, I get like that too when I have to assemble Ikea stuff too (like the desk I’m currently writing on).

- Carcetti dialing for dollars. It’s so easy when you’re Mayor.
- I’m hoping to see Prez make a guest appearance next episode and break the code of the clock. I’m assuming Vondas made it up since he’s the one who gave Marlo the original phone. In that scene in the park he shows Marlo something with the phone just when the camera cuts away. I'll be damned if I know what it means.