The Wire 4x12 Reaction

Hello Gangster Pikachu, I'm from the future! OooOoOooooh!! Hope you're enjoying your re-watch

I had no idea I was in the company of such a politically astute group. It’s a pleasant surprise.

@39:55 , you know a show is peak when they bust out the Serbian, the tragedy of this episode is like a Russian Doll of explosive sadness and each revalation is more devastating than the last.

@29:10 , your reaction is perfect, you can see our boys being pulled apart by their environment. What's happening to Michael is so sad

Yeah, I forgot how much happened in this one episode. Goddamn.

I understand that the kid storyiines are so impactful that it makes you not care about the politics. But the show is designed to show broken systems and that would be impossible without going into politics. It shows that even well-intentioned politicians that would like to do the right thing are immediately caught in a shit storm of major budget issues and inheriting problems from unsolved issues that go back decades. It is a show about systems, as you all have said many times, and politics is a major one.

Regarding Bubbles plot in this episode, it makes me think back to season one, where he is talking with Walon from the NA meeting. Walon talks about his young nephew who is an addict: "He ain't anywhere near his bottom. Gotta see that bottom coming up at him. Hard too, cuz he's young, 24. Most people don't get tired til they're 35, 40. How old are you?" Bubbles replies: "Young at heart." I feel that conversation clearly was Walon's way of describing how he sees Bubbles without being preachy or pushy, trying to wake him up but recognizing ultimately Bubbles will need to decide that on his own.

There's loads of things I'll want to say about the final episode so in case I forget I want to give a quick shout out now to Sandi McCree who plays DeLonda (Naymond's mother). The actress killed that role and became one of the most hated characters despite not having a lot of screen time. And apparently she's a sweetheart in real life.

The scene in which Michael hits Namond is one of the saddest I have ever seen, whether on television or in film. Seeing Namond collapsing into tears is terrible, even more so if we see the context: he is trying to continue representing himself as tough in front of his friend, the one whom he respects and whom he always looks for help in those circumstances that he cannot cope with. It is at that moment that Namond loses everything. On the other hand, I don't think that this is an episode written with the worst-case scenarios in mind. I mean, they truly are the worst-case realistic scenarios, but everything that happens is a completely logical consequence of what we saw in the previous episodes, just like the girls had already predicted. The really hard thing is that everything happens in one episode, so it’s almost beyond belief. I do agree with the feeling that it is not possible to go any lower with Bubbles' story. He represents, to its ultimate consequences, the tragic idea that no matter how hard the individual tries to get ahead, if the structure is so horribly broken, it will be incredibly difficult to find a dignified way to live.

That would be amazing

L & M - would you be interested in doing a livestream Q&A of The Wire after you've finished the show? I think it'd make for an interesting discussion plus there's bonus material you could react to.

I feel almost obligated to give a little hope that not every storyline (this season or the series as a whole) will end in complete devestation. When I look back on the series there are some cool, positive arcs to latch onto

This episode is just a small piece of the true darkness that exists in places like that, what’s too far is what’s actually going on, not the small aspects of it that the show is showing. As bad as it gets watching this is a Beyond pleasant experience compared to living through it.

Ladies - The creator of The Wire - David Simon - has a lot of lectures, presentations, and interviews up on YouTube. AFTER you wrap up the show, I recommend David's presentation at Berkley titled "The Audacity of Despair" as a challenge to your assertation that this episode went too far. His interview "America as a Horror Show" also adds a lot of context. With respect of course. Love ya. PS - President Obama sitting down with David Simon to discuss The Wire is a must watch too.... maybe for the channel???? ;)

Two things: 1. I'll reiterate the point I made on the last episode that Julito McCullum, the actor playing Namond, is absolutely outstanding. Every single young boy/man involved with this season gave a 10/10 performance, but Namond still manages to stand out in particular. Every single microexpression on his face this episode makes me believe I'm watching CCTV footage of something that actually happened. And I guess that's what The Wire is at the end of the day, the greatest documentary on America that just so happens to not *actually* be a documentary in the traditional sense. 2. This is my 12th series to be watching with the girls (not including those I've dipped in and out of with a few episodes), and I do not think I've ever seen Milena so upset. Lola tends to tear up where as Milena vocalises her anger/sadness during the reaction to a show, and ofc Milena has cried her fair share in these reactions over the years, but man seeing how visibly distraught Milena was at times just killed me. It all hits everyone different this time around. I gave myself time to prepare for this reaction but I still found myself just drained by the time we got to the end. And this is the *easier* of the two episodes. This season was so much harder the second time around, between knowing how each character arc was going to eventually end, the girls' reaction and analysis, and the patrons sharing the further context to the way these issues have and continue to be prevalent in America. Jesus christ, they're kids...

Yeah, this is that episode. The one I always dread when I rewatch this season

Unlike you (& most others 😂) I actually think Vice Principal Donnelly is a pretty compassionate character in the circumstances. She just tells things straight - what she said to Prez was the truth he needed to hear. She is pretty much running the school - the Principal just seems like a figurehead who defers to her on all decisions, so she carries the weight of everything herself. I also don’t think she is as cold as people say - there are several scenes where she is really nice with the kids. Even when she has to be firm with them she is not mean about it, and the kids seem to respect her. Given the flawed education system that the school has to operate within, I think she is doing a pretty good job.

You guys still think Herc made that phone call? He did not. Carver made the call.

I agree with Milena, that scene with Michael beating up Kenard sounded so raw, oftentimes the sound design doesn't get enough praise. It's also the little details like someone commenting in the background about Kenard getting beat up is what make scenes like this so realistic

- "Go with your people. Go ahead, son." - Cutty to Michael. - "I'm sorry, son." - Carver to Randy. - Father and son interaction between Bunny and Naymond. The boys are belatedly finding men who could have been father figures in their lives.

Don't get me wrong I can see why you think the Bubbles storyline has gone too far and it's certainly grim to say the least but imo it's one of the only ways it could have gone in a show that strives for reality over fairytales. He's been failed by the system too many times and his story is a tragedy that is sadly playing out on our streets every day. Andre Royo's performance is one of my favourites in the show

Huge dramatic impact in this episode. How can one not be affected by it? That ending is a tear-jerker. You ladies really are supreme reactors. All I can say for now is stick with the story, everything happens for a reason. You may not be happy with the events of the episode but one has to admire the artistry in which the stories have been told. For the sake of the story it was important the four kids who were so close at the start of the season had to find themselves in totally different places by the end of it. Carver walking down the corridor knowing the police have completely failed Randy is one of the saddest moments in the whole show. As tragic as Frank Sobotka walking towards his death. Been a long season, looking forward to the finale, it's brilliant.

I don’t want this ride to end.. I can’t believe we are almost done with this show. While yes is not an enjoyable ride at times, I still feel this show has some of the best writing out there on TV to this day.

I have to say, usually LM are very empathetic towards characters and at least try to see POV and nuance. But I was a bit surprised by how firmly they seemed to land on Donnelly being cruel when she gave that bit of advice to Prez. It's not that they extended her zero empathy, they did talk about how she might have become cynical over the years, but I think I'm generally just not really sure her advice is coming from a place of pure cynicism or that she is telling him to give up on kids. She said the job has to be to help them while you can but also let them go when that time comes because there will be an entire crop of them coming right behind the ones leaving that are also going to need his help. This is practical and empathetic advice. No teacher is going to be able to SAVE every troubled child that comes through their doors. And it's not cruel to tell them that. Managing the mental and emotional health of the teachers tasked with helping these kids is incredibly important. No offense meant at all, but LM are on the verge of emotional breakdowns just looking at children, imagine if they were teachers in a school system like this. They would need someone to help them manage their desire to save, and basically give the little speech that Donnelly gave about helping them as much as you can but also learning when to let go, and helping the next group of kids. Without this, no teacher would ever last. Donnelly is flawed in many ways in regards to how she handled Randy (though even then, she was put in a situation where she was investigating a girl that basically said she was gang raped) but I do have a lot of empathy towards all she has on her plate, and do not believe I, or many others, would do better than what she is doing. The problems of the system are so much larger than her.

Up next, episode thirteen! The season finale. The shit is on ... come on with it !

The idea is that if Carcetti "begs" for $54 million from the Republican governor he'd betray his Democratic base and kill his own chances of becoming the governor. Nerese wants to become mayor and would 100% bring that up in a campaign. Carcetti risks losing the election for governor AND his own position as mayor in the next term if he asks for the money. In his advisor's mind, kids don't vote, which is why he shook his head.

Sherrod’s outcome always reminded me of Andrea’s in BB. Cruel and abrupt. Borderline unnecessary. With that said this ep is an all timer. I love how with so much going downhill they still highlight Bunny and Cutty trying to connect and save some of these kids.

The Bubbles/Sherrod stuff is so, so bleak. Just when you think he's hit rock bottom, there's worse coming. Was it necessary? Without getting into whether (or not) there is more story to tell next episode/in the final season, I think the show -- and Andre Royo, who gives my favourite performance in the whole series -- painted such a vivid portrait of a human, beyond his "identity" as an addict, with Bubbles that it almost circles around to romanticism. Yes, he has a hard life, but (and I don't mean this is a bad way necessarily) he is a junkie with a heart of gold. Is it honest storytelling to give that character a happy ending? What story is the show telling with that? The show punishes Bubbles this season harder than any other character in the series, I think. And the sad reality is that that's probably the most honest arc for this character.

Only three things can get Landsman to leave his office: a cop getting shot, BPD politics bullshit (Dozerman's gun), and his precious stats. 😂

it impresses me how accurate they are with predicting what's going to happen.

I took Cuttys “go with your people” line a little differently. I didn’t see that solely as him giving up on Michael, but also saying he needs to stand with the group he’s with, or he might appear weak in front of them. Also if the police appear and Michael is the only one to question he could get into trouble with the law, regardless of what Cutty says. So I saw it more as a warning/advice.

Wishing Lola much strength to edit the season finale! It's gonna be a rough one

L and M wiping tears away, distressed : "Thank God it's over. Imagine 80 minutes, we're gonna have 80 minutes next time" Sickos, like me: "Ha ha yes. Yesssss."

A fun(?) bit of trivia in this episode: the subplot where the Governor keeps Carcetti waiting and then calls him back as he's leaving is a real thing that happened to the former mayor of Baltimore who Carcetti is loosely based on. The extra who plays the security guard is the former governor who did it to him.

Usually, I find enjoyment in watching you guys get emotional, but it's not even fun watching your reaction. Nice to see my feelings reflected though.

Probably the saddest episode in the show imo. From randy to sherod to namond and Michael it is brutal to see how these kids are ending up.

I knew this was going to be rough for y’all but damn y’all made me cry 😢

This one hurt. On a lot of levels.

One of the best but bleakest episodes. Of any show.