"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Sunday, March 2, 2008

The Wire Season 5 Episode 9: Cold, Killer Sweetheart

And now there's just one - one episode left in this fine, fine finale season of what in many many ways is the finest series ever to be on television. One of the brightest parts of our new golden age of television.

This was Michael's show. He has heart, but he's also learned a lot about the way of killing. He had good instructors in the bloody craft. Chris Partlow and Snoop. You wouldn't want to run into them angry at you, or on some business concerning you, in any alley. For that matter, you wouldn't want to run into them if they were looking for you on any grand boulevard in broad daylight.

I don't know who has been more deadly- yeah, I do, it would be Snoop. She had no fear, no connection to anyone or anything except her deadly job. (Chris at least has a family.) These two, Marlo's muscle, were somehow more deadly than the worst that the Barksdale crew could muster.

But they weren't enough to get Omar - for the first time in their story, they faltered. It took a boy to kill Omar, as we saw last week.

And this week ...

Michael knows he's in danger. Marlo doesn't know about the new, improved wire, and he thinks that someone on the inside is ratting him out. It could be Snoop, who escaped the police roundup (Chris is behind bars with Marlo). It could be Michael, who was called in for questioning a few weeks back. We know he didn't say a thing. Marlo doesn't know that.

Who knows who put a hit on whom. Snoop was certainly on the way to killing Michael. He just got there first. A little ahead of her. You always taught to me be "early," he tells Snoop, as he gets the drop on her.

She knows there's no talking her way out of this. She asks Michael how her hair looks. The actress said everyone thinks Snoop's a cold killer, but she (the actress) is really a sweetheart. At this last moment, facing her death, a little of the sweetheart finally comes through. She cares about her hair. She's a killer, but also a woman.

And Michael kills Snoop. I think she will go down as one of the best, most fascinating, colorful, chilling killers in television and movie history. Great job, Felicia Pearson (the name of the actress, and real name of the character - I love it).

And so we're left with just one show. And even as the good guys are smashing the drug business, due to McNulty's ingenious charade about the serial killer, these same good guys are closing in on McNulty.

I'll tell you one thing - they won't look to good to me if they punish McNulty for his charade. But it's hard to see how McNulty's going to bend his way out of this...

See also The Wire's Back! Review of Season 5 Episode 1 and Episode 2: The Great, Dangling Conversation ... 3. McNulty and Marlo ... 4. One Down ... 5. Media Chasing Their Own Tales and Tails ... 6. Superman Omar and Tall Stories ... 7. King of Diamonds ... 8. Two Down ... 10. The Wire Bows out Gracefully






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2 comments:

dawn said...

abso;utely the best episode ever, I don't see how the finale can top this. My heart broke for Dukie and Michael may beome the new Omar who knows right. I can't wait for the finale maybe they will put all the blame on the reporter for the homeless serial killer,

Paul Levinson said...

That's a good idea, Dawn (making it seem as if the reporter fed McNulty a a false serial killer story)...

I'd certainly rather see the reporter take the Fall (he, after all, was in it for his own benefit) than McMulty (who at least was trying to do some good)...

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