S03.E01: Time After Time

[Rinaldo]

Story by David Simon & Ed Burns. Teleplay by David Simon. Directed by Ed Bianchi.

 

The Barksdale crew takes to the streets of West Baltimore. The detail starts to go after Stringer Bell.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Wow.  I can't remember a show where I saw a season begin with so much of a "...and life went on..." attitude, instead of coming back with a dramatic bang.  This show sure takes its time.

 

The flip side is that I didn't find any of the episode very exciting.  That's ok, I've learned to wait.  But, I am surprised at myself, because at the beginning of Season 2, I was dying to see the detail back together again.  Now they're onscreen and I was focusing mostly on everyone else.

 

The distance between the Lieutenant and his wife (who is thinking about running for public office) made me sad.  Here they are, a power couple of sorts, taking turns supporting each other's careers - it should be a modern day ideal, but instead it was tense, and emphasized the sacrifices that are made.  Kind of a downer.

 

ETA:  On the brighter side, I do desperately want to say, "Adjourn your asses" sometime soon.

Edited November 18, 2014 by ToxicUnicorn

[Rinaldo]

As always, the season starts with an opening scene epitomizing the season to come  -- “reform” presented to the public in terms of the demolition of the old towers, and we can see that it’s all show (there’s a real demolition expert to push the button behind the scenes, while the politicians pretend to be setting off dynamite).

 

This is the first season where we start with the special detail in place from the start. Meanwhile, we see Herc and Carver on their new posting in the Western District, getting outsmarted by street kids at every turn.

 

Oh, just about my favorite scene in the whole series, Stringer Bell’s properly run meeting. “Do the chair know we gonna be lookin’ like some punk-ass bitches out there?”

 

Another gut-busting humorous moment when Colvin asks his two new recruits to point North: one at least points East, but the other points Up!

 

Some faces who are going to be important make their first appearance: Marlo Stanfield and his crew, just glimpsed as Bubbs & Johnny’s cart gets away from them. And Cutty, finishing his 14 years inside and wondering about what his life is going to be like now. I’ll say no more about them now.

 

The detail’s dilemma in this episode (with no development in the Bell case, most want to just charge what they can and move on, but McNulty protests) is a good example of how McNulty makes a case all about him, even when one can see that he’s theoretically right. He rants that HE put in too much work on the lieutenants in the Barksdale organization to let them slide, and Freamon mutters, “You against the world, huh?” (The setup for another perfect “What the fuck did I do?”)

 

For those who didn’t notice in the credits, Colvin’s second in command, Lt. Mello, is played by the real Jay Landsman (who, yes, gave his name to one of the fictional characters). He sports one of the genuine wonderful Baltimore accents heard on the show.

[Gloworm]

"Adjourn your asses." Awesome. I'm starting Season 3 now.

The cold open of the tower's debris spreading through the streets was great and of course, symbomlic. I didn't pick up on the mayor and the real technician note but that's a great point as well.