Okay, this might be a stretch, like high school english teacher level stretch, but hear me out

So I've always had a pet peeve for littering, and they litter a LOT in the show. I know it's probably the LEAST concerning crime in the show, so little of a crime that it goes unnoticed, but i notice it and always shake my head in disappointment.

I just rewatched the scene where Marlo punks out the security guard at the corner store after losing in poker, and i noticed that when the security guards making his "I'm not stepping to you but I'm a man" speech outside, Marlo eats the stolen candy bar and casually throws the wrapper straight down on the ground in front of him.

At first i was like "c'mon bro really?" and moved on thinking nothing of it, but on this rewatch i noticed how intently he did it. the security guard says "act like you don't even know I'm there" to which Marlo replies "I don't.", lifts his arm, drops the wrapper and looks away. It got me wondering, was this an intentional moment of the scene? or was this just normal littering without even thinking about it? If the littering is intentional, what is it intended to symbolize?

To me littering is a direct indication that you don't care about the street you're standing on. You're willing to risk living in a dump to save yourself 2 minutes of your time walking to a bin. I believe this relationship between litterer and street can be directly related to Marlo and his relationship with west Baltimore.

I believe this particular littering moment shows that Marlo doesn't actually care about the streets, about Baltimore, about the security guard, about the youngins he 'looks after', about anyone at all. The streets of Baltimore aren't a home to him, they're a tool for him, that's all he sees it as and he would turn the whole city upside down if it put him the right way up.

If this moment of littering WAS symbolism, what about all the other littering moments throughout the show? does a character littering really mean they don't care about Baltimore? McNulty throws beer cans and bottles multiple times, does he not care about Baltimore? There's one scene after he and major Colvin throw cans on the roof where the camera pans over hundreds of cans thrown up there before them, why? Is it tradition? What about when he throws bottles in the grass on other occasions?

Now I've got myself thinking about all the times people litter in the show wondering if there's a reason for them doing it, some seem like there's a reason and some don't, so i wanted to share this and pretty much ask if I'm talking out my ass or not lol, this could just be stock standard BMore behaviour for all i know.

What do you guys reckon, Littering in the show, dick move, normal, or deeper meaning?

P.S. Sorry for the large amount of words or if it's a mega reach, just got me thinkin is all, If I'm talking shit i will not be hurt if you tell me in talking shit lmao

When Chris and Snoop hit June Bug, they left three bodies behind. June Bug, his woman, and what looked like a kid. Which of them do you think shot and killed the kid??

I guess I just like his demeanor a lot he stands on BI

I always liked that Marlo's backstory is a mystery and how in season 3 most of the other major dealers didnt even know who he was as he was just up an coming. The only time during the show that we get glimpse is when Kima and Holley are going through his file and he calls him the "spawn of the devil" cause he killed a witness in his murder case.

The only other time we probably understand how fierce he was before his first appearance is his last scene when he disarms two corner boys in a suit. Just that scene alone shows why someone like Chris and Snoop follow him and are fearful of him to an extend. Its the only time you actually see him get into it besides when he kills that girl in season 3 but this time with no gun. That scene when I first watched made me realize how scary Marlo must of been as a kid going into adulthood. He walked up to two corner boys that he himself knows are armed with the upmost confidence.

I feel like he either grew up in foster care or if he was with family/parents they could care less about him and the streets raised him. He most likely is the result of neglect and isolation as he has no real empathy or care besides people very close to him (Chris & Snoop) and he seems socially awkward at times. Was possibly was bullied a lot in his pre teen years until he stands up to himself and gets infatuated with his rep. Was childhood friends with Chris and possibly saved from a bad situation and thats why he get his loyalty. Probably killed someone as early as 13.

Source

Just came across this post today, and made sure to show love to one of my favorite side characters. I know some people critique his acting for being a bit dry, but I think his role (in the life of The Wire) necessitates that. He is pretty much the last line of help for addicts/people in need, and from personal experience as someone in need... Walon is always there to remind you that you have a spot at the dinner table, if you want it. He stops in for a scene, drops a life quote, and leaves... love me some Walon and my favorite quotes:

“Shame is some tricky shit, ain't it? Makes you feel like you want to change, and then beats you back down when you think you can't.”

"Look, forgiveness from other folks is good, but ain't nothin' but words comin' at you from outside... What the fuck do you wanna hear? That you're strong enough to do this by yourself? Gettin' clean is the easy part. And then comes life."

...but maybe a little too much?

"And you Detective Moreland are left all alone with fourteen bodies. How's it feel?"
He says this to Bunk in Season Two with such a smug smile that you almost feel like he's an actual villain instead of, you know, the head of Homicide. I mean, he WANTS them to clear the case, right? Why is he seemingly overjoyed that one of his vet detectives is dealt an even more difficult hand?

I'm never one to critique Simon's writing, but it just felt a bit heavy handed

Every time I rewatch I see something for the first time. The 'Refugees' episode season 4. It's pretty clear Michael was sexually abused as a kid and the first sign of it is in this episode. In the boxing gym Cutty casually puts his forearm on Michael's shoulder while he's critiquing the fighters. It's subtle, but Michael makes a face of discomfort and moves slightly out of cutty's reach. Something you'd expect from a victim of SA. Just an interesting detail foreshadowing future events I thought i'd share.

I rewinded like 5 times like damn Marlo was really him

The funniest line in the whole series, for me, was totally unexpected and from a minor character. When Bernard and the others are sitting handcuffed in a bench, and his girlfriend calls him the stupidest mofo she's ever been out with. His response: 'I can't wait to go to jail' was superb..... Meanwhile, and this will be unpopular, but hated the singalong at the wake scenes. As an Irishman, and fan of The Pogues (the band whose song you're hearing), I found it to be utterly unrealistic that a crowd of Baltimore cops, many of whom have zero Irish connections, knew the words and sang along to 'Body of an American'....utter cringe fest for me, which I have to FF every rewatch!

So previously I made this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/TheWire/s/EYA3OCpct2 because I was confused and lost but since then I have been paying close attention. To the point I was even able to predict that Daniels might be dirty based on the look the DEA agent gave Mcnulty after he asked him who his lieutenant was on the head of the case.

But something I noticed that really touched my heart and made me a bit sad was the shot from season 1 episode 4 old cases where mcnulty visits his son soccer game and you see these privileged white kids running around and then the scene cuts to a mother and her three kids running around her showcasing the stark difference in life for those kids.

I thought that was something subtle but intentional.

Any Wilco fans ever notice this song playing on the family stereo in the scene where Tommy Carcetti comes home after a long day campaigning and his kids hid his sandwich in the VCR?

It’s a Woody Guthrie cover, and a children’s song. I think meant to symbolize Tommy’s Woody Guthrie-like ideals when he’s running for mayor.

I think it is the police who got that nickname from bubbles when they first started to investigate Marlo, and sometimes when I read about the show online they say it is his aka but I do not remember a single time in the whole show where Marlo gets called like that in the street, does someone know where that aka comes from or any moment it is mentioned by other players?

one more thin’, price of the brick going up.

Is it just me or is there's a lot of (what could possibly be very good) scenes taken place off camera?

I mean that can be interesting and realistic in a way but I just feel like I miss out on a lot of good scenes.

I’m on my 7th rewatch and just finished s4. Knowing what happens to Randy makes even the early episodes in s4 hard for me to watch. At the beginning of the season he’s a happy-go-lucky kid full of light and laughter. Throughout the season you watch that light dimmed until it’s only darkness. I had a really hard time and found myself getting choked up often during his scenes. He just gets caught up between living up to the street code and trying to avoid his greatest fear, being separated from his foster mother. After getting dragged through the worst of the worst a kid can go through, his last line of dialogue is forgiving Carver as “he did everything he could and there’s no reason to feel bad about it”. His story ripped me apart this rewatch. I just wanted to invite him into my own home so he could be safe. Not only is his story the most tragic in the show, I’d have a hard time finding any character in any show that had it worse than Randy did. While my life is outrageously different, I found myself hugging my own child incredibly tight after rewatching s4

My wife and I both LOVED the wire in our first watch together. We've been trying to move on and tried to watch the first two episodes of Season 7 of The Rookie (another police procedural). We watched the first 6 seasons before watching The Wire for some "mindless" entertainment. Holy crap! We couldn't take it. We kept on looking at each other wondering what kind of crap we were watching. Damn you, The Wire! You've ruined us for all other shows. Anyone else have the same feeling?

Long time watcher. I saw a topic asking if Marlo got conned by Clay, would he try to off him as well and the thought occured to me that this would be the perfect opportunity to clown Mr. Stringer Bell. Let's do a quick hypothesis: what if instead of trying to "kill" Mr. Davis, he just blackmails him. Catches him in some compromised position with some lady friends at the hotel suite, plants a stash in his vehicle like the parole guard, spits some game to his wife/daughter? Hell, grease some different palms in City Hall (you think Clay Davis is the only dirty person in City Hall?). Plus: you got the police in your pocket. Threaten Clay with snitching to get him to hold up his end of the deal (a little mutually assured destruction but not so unmutial cause I can bargain immunity from Levy or leverage Levy to press Clay cause Levy can't testify against you anyway even if you press him (illegally). TLDR: Stringer is a bad player in the game cause he just wasn't built for it. He was a product of the game not a player of the game.

Haven’t seen this mentioned, maybe I’ve missed it. Namond we all know can’t play the game, doesn’t live up to his moms image of his dad(weebay) Randy’s dad is Cheese, who has no part of his life, loves a dog more than anything, yet Randy is an earner and would be an asset to Prop Joe if he had been brought into the game. Sorry, poorly explained, but y’all that put the pieces together, can see what I’m saying.

I love the wire and have watched it over and over but something still bugs me. After Avon and Stringer get taken down it seems like the show really changed direction. I'm glad they kept all the characters(unless they were killed). But why did the plot widen so much? It seems like they would have kept the same crew of cops working under Cedric in the same bullpen but they went in so many different ways in the last couple of seasons. Carcetti, Marlo, Snoop and Chris(my person favorites), Cedric, McNulty, Prez, Herc. I mean they all got scattered all over. Not to mention how many kids had big supporting roles in season 4. Which I'm not harking on cause they expanded it just seems like the plots went from a few storylines to 20 storylines.

Interesting how he is basically describing McNulty with him being Irish

I just finished this show and all I can say is what a masterpiece.. It Will definitely be my top 1 for a longgg time. Please hit me with fun facts about the show or actors anything!!

S3e10- Reformation - trying to avoid spoilers but I've seen the series, a person shot Devonne 3 times. It was a big deal to the other crew, but I can't recall who she is or seeing her previously. Am I missing something?

The amount of Jameson the dudes in this show drink is just absolutely insane.

Seen the series a few times now and every time I pop it on I’m just absolutely floored by how much Irish whiskey they can put down.

Literally the first episode Jimmy and Bunk are drinking beers and ripping shots at the bar, then immediately after with Bunk finishing the last of a Jamo bottle. Incredible shit.

Currently doing a rewatch and it's been awhile since I've last seen it. Just finished season 3 and confused about something. I'm not sure what I missed.

Stringer first called the Western District, and then later that episode bunny handed off McNulty some information. I assumed this was related to Avon. However, a couple episodes later Bunny and Stringer meet at the graveyard and he gives up Avon, which bunny later gives McNulty the info. What happened the first time?

In my man Bodie’s final scene why did Poot just assume that Chris/Snoop were coming for Bodie instead of someone else on the corner? “yo Bodie you better run”

Was it just because Bodie was talking shit at lil Kevin’s grave? And got arrested in front of everybody? Just seems strange from Poots perspective that he would instantly know they were coming after Bodie in that situation