Collateral Damage (The Wire episode)
Encyclopedia
"Collateral Damage" is the second episode of the second season of the HBO original series, The Wire
. The episode was written by David Simon
from a story by Simon and Ed Burns
and was directed by Ed Bianchi
. It originally aired on June 8, 2003.
:
McNulty uses this common phrase in conversation with Bunk and Freamon in reference to his punishment of being sent to the docks, meaning that eventually it has to come to an end.
and Sonja Sohn do not appear in this episode.
deals with various agencies trying to decide who has to take responsibility for investigating the deaths of the thirteen girls in a cargo container. Coroner Randall Frazier establishes the cause of death as suffocation because of a crushed air pipe on the top of the container. The damage to the air supply is deemed accidental due to cargo moving. The case is handed back to Beadie because the deaths are considered accidental.
Detective Bunk Moreland
and Officer Jimmy McNulty
enjoy some crabs, a perk of McNulty's new assignment. McNulty insists the door stay shut, as he is avoiding Colonel Rawls
. Bunk learns that McNulty spent three hours working out where a floating body was dumped in order to establish that it fell under Rawls' jurisdiction. Bunk chastises him for dumping the case on Detective Ray Cole, but McNulty dismisses Cole's troubles as collateral damage. McNulty leaves his shift on the boat early, leaving his partner Claude Diggins to tie the knots. He visits the container and discusses the case with Beadie Russell. He thinks there may be a link between the girls in the container and his floater, and Beadie tells him about an extra bedroll in the container. McNulty checks the crushed air pipe and notes that it appears to have been crushed deliberately. Beadie and McNulty meet with the coroner, who agrees that this is grounds to consider the girls murdered.
Rawls meets with Ronnie, the commander of the port police, and resists an attempt to hand off the thirteen murders. Landsman
's homicide squad, now including Lester Freamon
, watches Rawls with palpable anticipation as he leaves the meeting; he announces his success with a raised fist as he returns to his office. Meanwhile, McNulty convinces the coroner to estimate time of death based on the amount of air in the container to see if it matches when the other girl was dumped in the water. Rawls later meets with the commanders of all the other jurisdictions involved with the bodies. Despite his protestations, they insist that the murders occurred in his jurisdiction. The cases are assigned to Landsman's squad, who can only look on crestfallen as they are written up on the board.
Freamon, Bunk, and McNulty drink themselves into a state at their regular bar. The homicide detectives have bought fourteen shots for McNulty to mark the cases he brought to them. They have several laughs at Burrell, Rawls, Landsman, and Cole's expense. When they return to the detail, Landsman tells them Cole is working their cases while they are assigned the Jane Does from the port. Landsman tells them he needs the cases solved and they are his best detectives, so they get the case. Cole delights in handing over his work so far. Freamon and Bunk later travel to the Port Authority police department and meet with Beadie. When she asks if they know McNulty, Bunk's reply is a deadpan "He's dead to us." They begin to interrogate the crew of the ship.
and McNulty continue their casual relationship despite his drunken stupor. She questions their relationship's direction and tells him not to come to her house again. He admits he still hopes to reconcile with his wife for his children's sake, which prompts her to walk away from him.
Lieutenant Cedric Daniels
walks with his wife Marla after a restaurant meal and she apologizes for bringing up his career. Lt. Daniels tells Marla that he will hand in his walking papers.
has an angry meeting with his smuggling contact Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
in The Greek's cafe regarding the dead girls on the docks. His nephew Nick Sobotka
tries to talk him down before the meeting, but Frank will not be swayed. Frank is concerned that the deaths were deliberate and that he could have prevented them if he had known there were girls in the container. Vondas reassures him that the deaths were accidental and explains that their driver Sergei "Serge" Malatov was waiting for a contact to come off the ship and signal him that it was safe to take the container. Frank asks to be informed next time human cargo moves through the docks despite Vondas's assurance that he does not want to know. After the meeting, Vondas speaks to another man in the cafe, who happens to be The Greek
himself.
Back at the union house, Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa complains to Frank that the port police are hassling him over some missing cases of vodka. He admits taking four cases, but denies breaking the seal; Frank is unconcerned. Ott then comes in complaining that the police are ticketing their cars. Frank approaches an officer who turns out to be Sergeant Ellis Carver
, back in uniform. Frank sees they are being ticketed on frivolous charges ("License plate not entirely visible") and complains accordingly. Carver reveals that the ticketing is not his idea, he has been ordered to ticket the dock workers' vehicles twice a day from his shift lieutenant who passed the orders down from their district Major Stan Valchek, whom Frank knows and refers to as a "gaping asshole." Carver then states that he personally disagrees with ticketing their cars but is doing so because the chain of command in his district (in particular Major Valchek) see matters differently. As Frank states the union is going to city hall to fight the ticketing, Carver does not disagree with their decision and pleads for the union to only go after Valchek as he is the one who ordered the ticketing.
The next day, Valchek comes to the union hall where he angrily accuses Frank of illegally funding the stained glass window that is present in their church. Frank dismisses Valchek's threats and reminds him that they came from the same neighborhood and people still talk about Valchek's shortcomings. After his disappointing confrontation, Valchek visits a property developer friend, Andy Krawczyk, to discuss trying to reclaim his donation from the church. He learns that Frank Sobotka's union have been making political contributions, hired a lobbyist, and generally show a lot of cash for a failing industrial organization. Krawcyzk then comments about Burrell's nomination for commissioner in which Valchek claims "I've seen worse." Valchek then meets with Deputy Commissioner Burrell
and talks about his nomination for police commissioner. Valchek has noticed that Burrell has a political nomination from the mayor and almost every city council district except for those in the first district (Valchek's base), a district populated by white ethnics who have a history for not supporting the city's African American
political and police figures such as Burrell. Valchek then suggests he can use his political influence to get the first district to vote Burrell in and realizing Valchek's nature, Burrell then asks what Valchek wants in return. Feigning surprise, Valchek then requests a detail for the investigation of Frank Sobotka's union. Valchek claims that their union is probably involved in thieving or smuggling at the port and then states his personal dislike for Sobotka. Burrell agrees to have Rawls organize a squad of six men for six weeks.
Nick, Ziggy Sobotka
and the other Stevedores drink at Delores's bar at breakfast time. Ziggy discusses a connection named "White Mike" who can supply them with drugs. He wants Nick to partner with him in buying the package and selling it off, but Nick refuses his offer. Ott announces that a ship is in and gives Nick a ride. The dock workers are stopped on the way by patrol officers led by Carver who have established a D.W.I. checkpoint courtesy of Valchek. As they step out of the car, Ott claims that a breathalyzer
at 8 in the morning is unheard of. Ziggy meets White Mike alone and asks him to give him the package with payment to follow. Ziggy has messed up his last two attempts, so Mike refuses to trust him again. After being released from Central Booking on D.U.I. charges, the Stevedores, particularly Ott, complain to Frank about the police activity. Frank admits to his rivalry with Valchek. They insist he deal with the problem and Frank tells Nick that if Valchek wants a war he will have one. Horseface later infiltrates Valchek's district's parking lot and steals a surveillance van filled with equipment. He drives it to the docks and La La, Frank, and Nick help him load it into a container. They laugh as the container is then loaded onto a ship.
in prison and pleads with him to look out for her son D'Angelo, as he took a 20 year sentence for their family. They also discuss the loss of their New York connection, Roberto. Brianna tells him their money has been returned and that Stringer Bell
had to deal with the Dominicans' lawyer because they fear it is unsafe to deal with the Barksdale organization with Avon imprisoned. Avon recommends a contact named Vargas, who owns a wheel rim shop in Atlanta. Brianna also tells Avon that D'Angelo's girlfriend Donette has been out of touch, and Avon has also noticed that she has not visited D'Angelo.
Wee-Bey Brice
's cell is later searched by a guard named Tilghman who is physically aggressive toward him, takes his magazines, upends his fish tank (filled with plastic fish), and tears down his posters. Wee-Bey complains to Avon that the guard, Tilghman, is deliberately targeting him because he is the cousin of one of the victims he was convicted of murdering. Avon agrees to meet with Tilghman, but is almost instantly rebuffed when he approaches him.
Stringer later visits Avon at the prison and tells him that the Atlanta contact has been put into play. Avon tells Stringer he needs to help him deal with Tilghman and also find Donette and ensure she visits D'Angelo regularly. Stringer checks with Avon about D'Angelo's loyalty and Avon insists that D can be trusted to handle his burden, as he is family.
Avon finds D'Angelo is sniffing a powdery substance in his cell with another inmate. He asks D'Angelo how he is getting on and tells him they need to talk.
in Season 1; Burrell has sent Valchek the most incompetent officers in the department who are dead weight in their respective units. This is proven by the alcoholic Detective Polk whose only concern is who signs off on their overtime.
Sergei and his associate violently interrogate the now naked crewman, Sam, and ask him why he fled the Atlantic Light. The Greek
and Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
arrive and The Greek initially appears to have a more generous disposition. He notices Sam's tattoos and identifies him as Turkish. Sam admits that he let his crew have sex with the girls in exchange for money after he let them out of the container. One of his men killed the girl who was dumped overboard and the other girls saw, so he had them all killed. Once Sam's tale is finished, Spiros slowly cuts his throat. The Greek orders Sergei to ensure that there are no finger prints or face on the corpse.
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. The episode was written by David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
from a story by Simon and Ed Burns
Ed Burns
Ed Burns is a producer, screenwriter, and novelist. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. They have collaborated on The Corner and The Wire . Burns is a former Baltimore police detective for the Homicide and Narcotics divisions, and a public school teacher...
and was directed by Ed Bianchi
Ed Bianchi
Edward Bianchi is an American television director and producer. Bianchi was a producer on the HBO original series, Deadwood.-Career:...
. It originally aired on June 8, 2003.
Title and epigraph
The title is a quote from McNulty in reference to hapless detective Ray Cole being assigned the murder that he worked to have handed to Rawls division. It can also be considered to refer to the girls killed as part of the Greek's smuggling operation and the problems created for the dock workers as part of Sobotka and Valchek's rivalry. The episode is preceded by the epigraphEpigraph (literature)
In literature, an epigraph is a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component. The epigraph may serve as a preface, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional...
:
McNulty uses this common phrase in conversation with Bunk and Freamon in reference to his punishment of being sent to the docks, meaning that eventually it has to come to an end.
Starring cast
Although credited, Andre RoyoAndre Royo
Andre Royo is an American actor. He is best known for his role as "Bubbles" in The Wire , and has had guest starring appearances in Fringe, Party Down, and How To Make It In America.-Career:...
and Sonja Sohn do not appear in this episode.
Guest stars
- Seth GilliamSeth GilliamSeth Gilliam is an American actor. He is known for his HBO television roles, first as corrections officer-turned-prisoner Clayton Hughes on Oz, and later as Baltimore police detective promoted to sergeant Ellis Carver on The Wire. On both of these series, he co-starred with Lance Reddick and J.D....
as Detective Ellis CarverEllis CarverEllis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is an African American lieutenant and formerly in command of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit... - Domenick LombardozziDomenick LombardozziDomenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi is an American actor best known for his role as Thomas "Herc" Hauk on The Wire. Lombardozzi was inspired to act by the film State of Grace.-Filmography:...
as Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk - Jim True-FrostJim True-FrostJim True-Frost, born Jim True, is an American stage, television and screen actor. He is most known for his portrayal of Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski on all five seasons of the HBO program The Wire.-Biography:...
as Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski - James RansoneJames RansoneJames Ransone is an American actor and former musician from Baltimore, Maryland. He is best known for his roles as Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of HBO's The Wire, and Corporal Josh Ray Person in the Iraq War-based mini-series Generation Kill...
as Ziggy SobotkaZiggy SobotkaChester Karol "Ziggy" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor James Ransone. Though his father Frank Sobotka was a well-respected stevedore union leader, Ziggy's often reckless and juvenile behavior gained him little respect among other members of the union and... - Pablo SchreiberPablo SchreiberPablo Tell Schreiber is an American actor known for his dramatic stage work and for his portrayal of the Polish-American character Nick Sobotka on HBO's Baltimore drug-related crime drama The Wire. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Awake and Sing! on Broadway...
as Nick SobotkaNick SobotkaNickolas Andrew "Nick" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Pablo Schreiber. the character of Nick is cousin to, Ziggy Sobotka, the wayward and rebellious son to his uncle Frank Sobotka... - Michael HyattMichael HyattMichael Hyatt is a British-born film and television actress. Before Hyatt's work in film and television, she enjoyed memorable performances on stages throughout the country, particularly in Ragtime on Broadway.-Early life:...
as Brianna Barksdale - Bill RaymondBill RaymondBill Raymond is an actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre since the 1960s.-Life and career:He featured in the second and fifth seasons of the HBO drama The Wire as "The Greek", the mysterious head of an international criminal organization. Other TV appearances include Miami Vice,...
as The GreekThe Greek (The Wire)The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking.... - Al Brown as Major Stan ValchekStanislaus ValchekStanislaus "Stan" Valchek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Al Brown.-Biography:Valchek is the Polish-American commander of the Southeastern district, home to many of the remaining white ethnic neighborhoods in Baltimore...
- Hassan JohnsonHassan JohnsonHassan 'Iniko' Johnson is an American actor/producer from Staten Island, NY, born November 19, 1976. His most noted performance was appearing on the HBO program The Wire as Roland Wee-Bey Brice. His first acting role was in the 1995 Spike Lee film Clockers. He also had a significant role in the...
as Roland "Wee-Bey" BriceWee-Bey BriceRoland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey was the Barksdale Organization's most trusted soldier before being sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicides.... - Delaney WilliamsDelaney WilliamsDelaney Williams is an American actor from Washington, D.C. He appears on the HBO drama The Wire as a recurring guest star playing homicide sergeant Jay Landsman. He also had a small role on HBO's mini-series The Corner which brought him to the attention of the producers, who worked on The prior to...
as Sergeant Jay LandsmanJay Landsman (The Wire)Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work... - Maria Broom as Marla Daniels
- Luray Cooper as Nat Coxson
- Erik Todd Dellums as Randall Frazier
- Charley ScaliesCharley ScaliesCharlie Scalies is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa, one of the stevedores and union members on the second season of HBO's The Wire. He has also appeared in TV shows Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order, and The Sopranos.- External links :...
as Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa - Chris AshworthChris AshworthChristopher Michael Ashworth , better known as simply Chris Ashworth, is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Sergei Malatov on The Wire...
as Sergei "Serge" Malatov - Gerard Ender as Sam
- Jeffrey Fugitt as Claude Diggins
- Brook Yeaton as "White" Mike McArdle
Uncredited appearances
- Jill Redding as Delores
- Kelvin Davis as La La
- Jeffrey Pratt Gordon as Johnny "Fifty" Spamanato
- Bus Howard as Ott
- Robert F. ColesberryRobert F. ColesberryRobert F. "Bob" Colesberry, Jr. was an American film and television producer and first assistant director notable for his work as a producer on the Emmy Award winning miniseries The Corner, the Peabody Award winning television series The Wire for HBO, and the Oscar-nominated movie Mississippi...
as Detective Ray Cole - Antonio Charity as CO Dwight Tilghman
- Leslie Elliard as Officer Kevin Reynolds
- Michael WillisMichael WillisMichael Willis, born October 4, 1949, is an American television and movie character actor. Willis' credits include movie roles in Pushing Tin and Men in Black, and several episodes of Law & Order....
as Andy Krawczyk - Jeremy Nichols as Atlantic Light First Mate
- Unknown as Lieutenant Grayson
- Nat BenchleyNat BenchleyNathaniel Robert "Nat" Benchley is a writer and actor who has performed on stage, television, and film. He is the grandson of humorist Robert Benchley, the son of author Nathaniel G...
as Detective Augustus Polk
The Jane Does
Officer Beadie RussellBeadie Russell
Beatrice "Beadie" Russell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Amy Ryan. She was featured prominently in the second season, after she discovered thirteen corpses in a container on the Baltimore docks....
deals with various agencies trying to decide who has to take responsibility for investigating the deaths of the thirteen girls in a cargo container. Coroner Randall Frazier establishes the cause of death as suffocation because of a crushed air pipe on the top of the container. The damage to the air supply is deemed accidental due to cargo moving. The case is handed back to Beadie because the deaths are considered accidental.
Detective Bunk Moreland
Bunk Moreland
William "Bunk" Moreland is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Wendell Pierce. Bunk's character is based on a retired Baltimore City Police Detective named Rick Requer and nicknamed "the Bunk", an officer who joined the force in 1964 as a Western District patrolman who...
and Officer Jimmy McNulty
Jimmy McNulty
Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by British actor Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish American detective in the Baltimore Police Department...
enjoy some crabs, a perk of McNulty's new assignment. McNulty insists the door stay shut, as he is avoiding Colonel Rawls
William Rawls
William A. "Bill" Rawls is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor John Doman. Over the course of the series he ascends to the rank of Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.-Season 1:...
. Bunk learns that McNulty spent three hours working out where a floating body was dumped in order to establish that it fell under Rawls' jurisdiction. Bunk chastises him for dumping the case on Detective Ray Cole, but McNulty dismisses Cole's troubles as collateral damage. McNulty leaves his shift on the boat early, leaving his partner Claude Diggins to tie the knots. He visits the container and discusses the case with Beadie Russell. He thinks there may be a link between the girls in the container and his floater, and Beadie tells him about an extra bedroll in the container. McNulty checks the crushed air pipe and notes that it appears to have been crushed deliberately. Beadie and McNulty meet with the coroner, who agrees that this is grounds to consider the girls murdered.
Rawls meets with Ronnie, the commander of the port police, and resists an attempt to hand off the thirteen murders. Landsman
Jay Landsman (The Wire)
Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work...
's homicide squad, now including Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Clarke Peters. Freamon is a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Major Crimes Unit...
, watches Rawls with palpable anticipation as he leaves the meeting; he announces his success with a raised fist as he returns to his office. Meanwhile, McNulty convinces the coroner to estimate time of death based on the amount of air in the container to see if it matches when the other girl was dumped in the water. Rawls later meets with the commanders of all the other jurisdictions involved with the bodies. Despite his protestations, they insist that the murders occurred in his jurisdiction. The cases are assigned to Landsman's squad, who can only look on crestfallen as they are written up on the board.
Freamon, Bunk, and McNulty drink themselves into a state at their regular bar. The homicide detectives have bought fourteen shots for McNulty to mark the cases he brought to them. They have several laughs at Burrell, Rawls, Landsman, and Cole's expense. When they return to the detail, Landsman tells them Cole is working their cases while they are assigned the Jane Does from the port. Landsman tells them he needs the cases solved and they are his best detectives, so they get the case. Cole delights in handing over his work so far. Freamon and Bunk later travel to the Port Authority police department and meet with Beadie. When she asks if they know McNulty, Bunk's reply is a deadpan "He's dead to us." They begin to interrogate the crew of the ship.
Soured relationships
Rhonda PearlmanRhonda Pearlman
Rhonda Pearlman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Deirdre Lovejoy. Pearlman has been the legal system liaison for all of Lieutenant Cedric Daniels' investigations on the show...
and McNulty continue their casual relationship despite his drunken stupor. She questions their relationship's direction and tells him not to come to her house again. He admits he still hopes to reconcile with his wife for his children's sake, which prompts her to walk away from him.
Lieutenant Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Lance Reddick. He is a well regarded officer in the department whose focus is on good police work and quality arrests...
walks with his wife Marla after a restaurant meal and she apologizes for bringing up his career. Lt. Daniels tells Marla that he will hand in his walking papers.
Polish war
Stevedore union leader Frank SobotkaFrank Sobotka
Francis "Frank" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Chris Bauer.-Biography:Frank is a respected Polish-American secretary treasurer for the International Brotherhood of Stevedores at the Baltimore docks...
has an angry meeting with his smuggling contact Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
Spiros Vondas
Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Paul Ben-Victor.-Biography:...
in The Greek's cafe regarding the dead girls on the docks. His nephew Nick Sobotka
Nick Sobotka
Nickolas Andrew "Nick" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Pablo Schreiber. the character of Nick is cousin to, Ziggy Sobotka, the wayward and rebellious son to his uncle Frank Sobotka...
tries to talk him down before the meeting, but Frank will not be swayed. Frank is concerned that the deaths were deliberate and that he could have prevented them if he had known there were girls in the container. Vondas reassures him that the deaths were accidental and explains that their driver Sergei "Serge" Malatov was waiting for a contact to come off the ship and signal him that it was safe to take the container. Frank asks to be informed next time human cargo moves through the docks despite Vondas's assurance that he does not want to know. After the meeting, Vondas speaks to another man in the cafe, who happens to be The Greek
The Greek (The Wire)
The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking....
himself.
Back at the union house, Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa complains to Frank that the port police are hassling him over some missing cases of vodka. He admits taking four cases, but denies breaking the seal; Frank is unconcerned. Ott then comes in complaining that the police are ticketing their cars. Frank approaches an officer who turns out to be Sergeant Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is an African American lieutenant and formerly in command of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit...
, back in uniform. Frank sees they are being ticketed on frivolous charges ("License plate not entirely visible") and complains accordingly. Carver reveals that the ticketing is not his idea, he has been ordered to ticket the dock workers' vehicles twice a day from his shift lieutenant who passed the orders down from their district Major Stan Valchek, whom Frank knows and refers to as a "gaping asshole." Carver then states that he personally disagrees with ticketing their cars but is doing so because the chain of command in his district (in particular Major Valchek) see matters differently. As Frank states the union is going to city hall to fight the ticketing, Carver does not disagree with their decision and pleads for the union to only go after Valchek as he is the one who ordered the ticketing.
The next day, Valchek comes to the union hall where he angrily accuses Frank of illegally funding the stained glass window that is present in their church. Frank dismisses Valchek's threats and reminds him that they came from the same neighborhood and people still talk about Valchek's shortcomings. After his disappointing confrontation, Valchek visits a property developer friend, Andy Krawczyk, to discuss trying to reclaim his donation from the church. He learns that Frank Sobotka's union have been making political contributions, hired a lobbyist, and generally show a lot of cash for a failing industrial organization. Krawcyzk then comments about Burrell's nomination for commissioner in which Valchek claims "I've seen worse." Valchek then meets with Deputy Commissioner Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
and talks about his nomination for police commissioner. Valchek has noticed that Burrell has a political nomination from the mayor and almost every city council district except for those in the first district (Valchek's base), a district populated by white ethnics who have a history for not supporting the city's African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
political and police figures such as Burrell. Valchek then suggests he can use his political influence to get the first district to vote Burrell in and realizing Valchek's nature, Burrell then asks what Valchek wants in return. Feigning surprise, Valchek then requests a detail for the investigation of Frank Sobotka's union. Valchek claims that their union is probably involved in thieving or smuggling at the port and then states his personal dislike for Sobotka. Burrell agrees to have Rawls organize a squad of six men for six weeks.
Nick, Ziggy Sobotka
Ziggy Sobotka
Chester Karol "Ziggy" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor James Ransone. Though his father Frank Sobotka was a well-respected stevedore union leader, Ziggy's often reckless and juvenile behavior gained him little respect among other members of the union and...
and the other Stevedores drink at Delores's bar at breakfast time. Ziggy discusses a connection named "White Mike" who can supply them with drugs. He wants Nick to partner with him in buying the package and selling it off, but Nick refuses his offer. Ott announces that a ship is in and gives Nick a ride. The dock workers are stopped on the way by patrol officers led by Carver who have established a D.W.I. checkpoint courtesy of Valchek. As they step out of the car, Ott claims that a breathalyzer
Breathalyzer
A breathalyzer or breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample...
at 8 in the morning is unheard of. Ziggy meets White Mike alone and asks him to give him the package with payment to follow. Ziggy has messed up his last two attempts, so Mike refuses to trust him again. After being released from Central Booking on D.U.I. charges, the Stevedores, particularly Ott, complain to Frank about the police activity. Frank admits to his rivalry with Valchek. They insist he deal with the problem and Frank tells Nick that if Valchek wants a war he will have one. Horseface later infiltrates Valchek's district's parking lot and steals a surveillance van filled with equipment. He drives it to the docks and La La, Frank, and Nick help him load it into a container. They laugh as the container is then loaded onto a ship.
Prison blues
Brianna Barksdale visits her brother AvonAvon Barksdale
Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire portrayed by actor Wood Harris. Avon is the dominant drug dealer of Baltimore's West Side, running the Barksdale Organization...
in prison and pleads with him to look out for her son D'Angelo, as he took a 20 year sentence for their family. They also discuss the loss of their New York connection, Roberto. Brianna tells him their money has been returned and that Stringer Bell
Stringer Bell
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by English actor Idris Elba. Bell served as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command, assuming direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment...
had to deal with the Dominicans' lawyer because they fear it is unsafe to deal with the Barksdale organization with Avon imprisoned. Avon recommends a contact named Vargas, who owns a wheel rim shop in Atlanta. Brianna also tells Avon that D'Angelo's girlfriend Donette has been out of touch, and Avon has also noticed that she has not visited D'Angelo.
Wee-Bey Brice
Wee-Bey Brice
Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey was the Barksdale Organization's most trusted soldier before being sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicides....
's cell is later searched by a guard named Tilghman who is physically aggressive toward him, takes his magazines, upends his fish tank (filled with plastic fish), and tears down his posters. Wee-Bey complains to Avon that the guard, Tilghman, is deliberately targeting him because he is the cousin of one of the victims he was convicted of murdering. Avon agrees to meet with Tilghman, but is almost instantly rebuffed when he approaches him.
Stringer later visits Avon at the prison and tells him that the Atlanta contact has been put into play. Avon tells Stringer he needs to help him deal with Tilghman and also find Donette and ensure she visits D'Angelo regularly. Stringer checks with Avon about D'Angelo's loyalty and Avon insists that D can be trusted to handle his burden, as he is family.
Avon finds D'Angelo is sniffing a powdery substance in his cell with another inmate. He asks D'Angelo how he is getting on and tells him they need to talk.
Sobotka detail
Valchek assembles and briefs his new detail in their port side offices. He tells them that Lieutenant Grayson will command the detail and that his son-in-law Prez is a prodigy of his and lead investigator. Valchek does not realize that Burrell has pulled the same stunt as he had with Lieutenant DanielsCedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Lance Reddick. He is a well regarded officer in the department whose focus is on good police work and quality arrests...
in Season 1; Burrell has sent Valchek the most incompetent officers in the department who are dead weight in their respective units. This is proven by the alcoholic Detective Polk whose only concern is who signs off on their overtime.
Loose ends for the Greek
Sergei "Serge" Malatov travels out of town with a taciturn associate and they infiltrate another port in Philadelphia using fake Coast Guard IDs. He orders the ship held in port, which prompts one of the crew to come ashore. They chase a crewman down with their car, beat him up, and bundle him into the backseat.Sergei and his associate violently interrogate the now naked crewman, Sam, and ask him why he fled the Atlantic Light. The Greek
The Greek (The Wire)
The Greek is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Bill Raymond. The Greek is the head of an international criminal organization involved in narcotics and human trafficking....
and Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
Spiros Vondas
Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Paul Ben-Victor.-Biography:...
arrive and The Greek initially appears to have a more generous disposition. He notices Sam's tattoos and identifies him as Turkish. Sam admits that he let his crew have sex with the girls in exchange for money after he let them out of the container. One of his men killed the girl who was dumped overboard and the other girls saw, so he had them all killed. Once Sam's tale is finished, Spiros slowly cuts his throat. The Greek orders Sergei to ensure that there are no finger prints or face on the corpse.
First appearances
- "White" Mike McArdle: East side drug dealer who has supplied Ziggy SobotkaZiggy SobotkaChester Karol "Ziggy" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor James Ransone. Though his father Frank Sobotka was a well-respected stevedore union leader, Ziggy's often reckless and juvenile behavior gained him little respect among other members of the union and...
with a package in the past. - CO Dwight Tilghman: Embittered correctional officer whose cousin was killed by Wee-Bey BriceWee-Bey BriceRoland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey was the Barksdale Organization's most trusted soldier before being sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicides....
. - Andy Krawczyk: Property developer and political fundraiser.
- This is the first episode that deals with Ervin BurrellErvin BurrellErvin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
being promoted to Acting Commissioner.
Deceased
- Sam: The crewman from the Atlantic Light responsible for the murder of the 14 girls found in the Baltimore Port. Killed by Vondas after his capture by Sergei and interrogation by "The Greek" himself.