Jordan Baker

My feelings exactly. Prez was a lousy street cop (and I really disliked him in his first appearance), but I came to like and even admire him. He loved what he was doing and he was good at it. (He even stood up to his evil FIL in S2.) But he clearly belonged on the inside only. Without a gun.

I thought this was the best episode (so far) of Season 3. So much goodness overall, but even if the rest of the episode had been sub-par, the scene between Stringer and Avon made it incredible. I think I was holding my breath, waiting to see whether Stringer would really admit to what he'd done to D'Angelo. And then he did. Yikes. That scene reminded me of wondering if/when Walter White would tell Jesse what happened to Jane. I also loved Jimmy and Kima bunking together, drinking their Jameson (NOT the Protestant Bushmill's!).

Just how far did that poor woman have to walk to get to the stage?

When Savannah said that Bill Murray was a double nominee, my first thought was "better than double amputee," and then Bill Murray said "Better than a double amputee." Freaky.

It's been a few months since I watched Season 2, but, off-hand, I'd have nominated: Dominic West, just because I think he can do no wrong Lance Riddick, because his physical acting (if that's such a thing) is worth an award on its own and because he's just such an interesting actor Amy Ryan, for her subtle, lovely performance Chris Bauer, who needs to have a great career because he was incredible as Frank The actor who played Ziggy, because he simultaneously infuriated me and broke my heart. I'm probably forgetting a few people, but these are the ones who stood out for me. Oh, I'd add the actor who played D'Angelo, even though he's not in many episodes. He has the most soulful eyes. And Idris Elba, because he lights up the screen whenever he's in a scene.

I've started watching The Wire again after a two-month absence. This episode was interesting to me for several reasons: I always love the cops-in-a-bar scenes in this show, and the Kima/Jimmy one was no exception. These two actors have great chemistry, just as DW has great chemistry with the actor who plays Bunk. I laughed when Kima shook her head when Jimmy motioned to the blonde woman at the bar, but I think I misinterpreted the scene. I thought Kima meant that the blonde was out of Jimmy's league, but after reading Sepinwall's review, in which he mentions that they were at a lesbian bar (which I completely missed), I'm wondering if Kima was saying she wasn't interested, that the blonde was out of her league, or whether it was still that nothing was going to happen between the woman and Jimmy. Bunk's scene with Omar, particularly his speech about how things used to be, was amazing. And heartbreaking. When Avon's soldier (ACK, I can't remember his name . . . the one who tried to go straight and was working on the lawn crew for a while) tells Avon that he couldn't kill the guy and that he was leaving the game, I was certain he was a dead man. Maybe that will come in the future, but I was so sure he wouldn't make it down the hall before being shot. I like it when this show surprises me . . . and it surprises me often.

I didn't watch Dmitri's season, and so this is my first exposure to him. He's probably the only reason I'm still watching. I find his reactions to things to be worth the price of admission of this show. For example, I loved his reaction to having to roll the dice. And it made me laugh to see how he rolled it. As far as gambling goes, though, I'd have lost a whole lot of money if I'd had to predict who was in the top, middle, and bottom. I was certain Helen was in trouble for that mess. And Sam's outfit was really heinous. I've often wondered if the producers assign one of the contestants to be the timekeeper each week. Helen did all the "5 more minutes," "10 more minutes," "Time!" announcements this week. Has Dmitri ever been the announcer? That could be fun.

Seeing Beadie driving that car through the dock made me sad. She really flourished while working with the team. And here she was, back to the solitary existence and unexciting task of checking containers (or whatever it was she was checking). I see your point, though. She probably would have an easier time in her personal life. And, yes, she's better off without McNulty. She probably would have had some fun along with the heartbreak, though. :) I think the saddest moment of all for me in this episode was the very brief scene of Ziggy, shuffling along with the other prisoners. Heartbreaking.

It's been a few weeks since I watched this episode, but I remember how tense it made me feel (for example, when Beadie tails the bad guys through the hotel). I also remember yelling at my TV more than once--when the car was missed in the parking garage, for example--but especially when I realized that the grand plan, which seemed to hold out hope for Frank and Ziggy, was never going to materialize. And I felt this way even though I was spoiled and knew Frank's fate. (I looked up the actor's name while writing a different post and saw the description. I'm trying to avoid reading any more spoilers!) Truly a great episode.

This episode was definitely in the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction category. If this were the plot of a movie, it would be called far-fetched. But if there ever is a movie made about this case, Robert Downey, Jr. HAS to play the leader of the Heehaw Gang! Every time Billy Earl (was that his name?) spoke, I pictured RD.

I'm not sure why he bought the diamond necklace, but I thought taking a duck to a bar was just another outrageous Ziggy moment. I think that's how he proved his worth at the bar--by doing outrageous things for the entertainment of the crowd. Ziggy isn't as tough or as strong as the other guys, and, as you said, he's full of bad ideas. I think the only way he has any success at all is to be the class clown.

I am watching this show years after it aired, and, yet, I am still flummoxed as to how it wasn't awarded multiple Emmys every year. This episode, particularly the moments before, during, and after Ziggy loses it, is just unbelievably good. You feel Ziggy's uncontrollable rage, the lifetime of being humiliated and thought less-than, even as you are yelling at him to stop. And the aftermath, with Ziggy in the car, is as close to perfect a moment on a TV show as I can remember. What a bravura performance.

I've moved ahead to Season 3, but I wanted to come back and comment on some of the memorable moments (of which there were many) in Season 2. Ziggy annoyed me, got on my nerves, caused me to shout at the TV more than once . . . and yet, I found the duck thing somewhat endearing, even as I recoiled at the thought of what serving alcohol to a duck was doing to the poor duck. I couldn't decide, though, whether the question Ziggy asks about the birds ("Why don't they fly away?") was a bit heavy-handed. Ziggy and Nick are also incapable of flying away, as are Bodie and Poot and so many others. So is the metaphor on point or a bit much? Actually, it doesn't matter that much to me. This show owns me.

Thanks, Misstify. I'll admit that I miss some key points here and there because there's always so much going on! Stringer is definitely going rogue. And Idris Elba is so perfect in playing him. I've seen him in only one other role--as the boss in one of the later The Office seasons. I don't recall much about the performance, but here? As Stringer? Man, he's just cold. And brilliant. And so memorable.

I agree that the concept was both complicated and nonsensical. For me, though, nothing will ever top off-the-grid Angela from Season 3 and her description of a hideous, tasteless outfit as being for an art school teacher.

I have a question about this episode (or, maybe, the one that preceded it). Did D'Angelo's mother know what was going to happen to him? DH thought she did, but I didn't think so. Granted, she was hardly Mother of the Year, and she did persuade D to take the fall. Still, she seemed truly heartbroken in this episode. For that matter, did Avon know what was going to happen? Or was this Stringer making one of his executive decisions?

I didn't know about the rewatch. I'm watching the series for the first time. (I have a bad habit of thinking I'm not going to like a series and then forging ahead and finding that I love it. See Breaking Bad.) When I watched this episode, I hoped that D might have survived, but I didn't really believe it was possible.

I loved that scene, too. Prez is such an interesting character. After his disastrous incident in Season 1, shooting the young man and just generally acting like a jerk, I dismissed him as one of the lightweights that had been dumped on the team. I didn't expect that impression to change. I was surprised when he cracked the phone code. Yes, he was shown to like puzzles, but I had dismissed even that trait, because it seemed to me he was doing the easiest of all puzzles (the word search). (Although, of course, the word search does force you to look up and down diagonally, and so I guess it does make sense that he'd figure out the scheme.) Anyway, I did a complete turnaround on Prez and was so happy for him to have his moment of glory. I thought the actor who played Prez looked a bit familiar but couldn't place him. I happened to be channel-surfing and came upon a Law & Order: Criminal Intent in which the actor played the villain. He was good, but he didn't make the same impression that he makes here as Prez. I find that to be true of many of the actors on this show. I'll see them on reruns of other shows and think "Oh, there's Burrell or there's Kima." But here, the actors are unforgettable. One more aside . . . I did recognize Lance Riddick (although I didn't know his name) from his other roles. I recently saw him on a light bulb commercial, though, and was surprised to see how different he looks. He's put on some weight, and his face looks much less . . . hmmm, I'm not sure what the word is. Scary? Intense? Skeletal?

I have really enjoyed both versions of the song. I'm at the end of Season 2 now and am actually looking forward to seeing which version of the song awaits me in Season 3. I agree that it's a perfect song for the show.

Maybe Tim is the one who's been calling in every week to vote for Alexander!

I read Alan Sepinwall's blog after I watch each episode. I really appreciate the blog because it often helps me with things I missed and also (sometimes) it just helps me straighten out who's who. I agree that Frank is one of the most selfless of the characters. And, BTW, the actor who plays Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer) is exceptional in the role. He was born to play this part.

Omar testifying in court has to be one of my favorite moments in this series. It was both amusing and SO satisfying (to hear the defense attorney taken down a peg). But, oh my, the death of another favorite character was hard to take. I knew it was coming (especially after the conversation in Stringer's car), but I was heartbroken by D's murder. And coming in the same episode as the amazing discussion of The Great Gatsby . . . argh. This show knows how to get under your skin.

I saw about 15 minutes of the show. There did seem to be some first-day jitters, but it was still light years ahead of what the show's been for so long now. I know Nicolle Wallace (and, yes, I always think of Goren's nemesis, too, when I hear that name) from "Morning Joe," where she was nicknamed "Cackles" by one of the astute posters. She seemed much more subdued here. I think she'll find her voice and be fine. Anyone would be better than Bits. I was not surprised that Whoopi again explained that child abuse was A-OK with her. She seemed perfectly fine with what AP did to his child until Rosie mentioned the scrotum. SMH. I was surprised to hear Rosie say that she still liked Chris Brown as an artist (in spite of his proven domestic abuse) but that she wouldn't see a Woody Allen film (because of unproven charges). I'm exactly the opposite. (OK, I'd probably never be a CB fan in any case.) But I did applaud her for shutting Whoppi down during the child abuse discussion. I missed the tribute to Joan Rivers. Which song did Kristen Chenowith sing?

I wonder if Fade misunderstood the challenge and thought he had to incorporate the TV into the design. He's the only one who did that, right? And he seems to have been the only one who didn't somehow tie in the rain. I'm really sad to see him go. I loved the shot in the guys' hotel room where he's sitting on the dresser. He looked like a little statue to me (in a good way!). I do laugh each week when, once again, Alexander is fan favorite.

I was very confused by the conversation between Otto and Elizabeth. I thought she was asking him to perform an abortion, but no one else has mentioned this. Did I misinterpret what was being said about doing something "tonight"?