HBO: The Wire: Episode Guide: Summary: Season 5: Episode 57
Topic: TV
8:15 pm EST, Dec 17, 2008
Have you seen "The Wire"?
"They don't teach it in law school." - (Assistant State's Attorney) Pearlman
Detective Lester Freamon and Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty huddle in the utility closet of the homicide unit. Freamon has rigged a phone wire to mask as Marlo's cell number and orders McNulty to stick to the script as he dials a number. When Scott Templeton answers his cell phone at the Baltimore Sun, McNulty reads from a scripted serial killer rant, accusing Templeton of making things up about him in his newspaper reports. A panicked Templeton, shocked to get an actual call, rushes to alert the other reporters and editors to what's going on and to get Det. McNulty on the phone.
Ignoring his buzzing cell phone, McNulty starts to enjoy his performance and, playing up a heavy Baltimore accent, he begins to ad lib. Meanwhile, in the wire tap listening room, Vernon Holley springs into action to trace the first call he's ever picked up on the serial killer tap.
In a tourist-heavy area of the Baltimore Harbor, Detective Leander Sydnor waits with a cell phone in one hand (the cell that the phone company paperwork has linked to the serial killer wire tap) and a police radio in the other. McNulty's serial killer warns Templeton that they won't even be able to find his victims any more, as Freamon sends two photos of McNulty's homeless foil, "Mr. Bobbles," over the re-routed phone line. When Sydnor hears over the police radio that the call has been traced to the Inner Harbor, he switches off the cell, wraps it in foil, and pockets it. As the police swarm the area he shows his badge and pretends to help search for the serial killer's cell phone.
Back at the Baltimore Sun, Managing Editor Thomas Klebanow and Executive Editor James C. Whiting III gather around Templeton as he relays what the killer said. Just as they ask if the guy threatened him, Templeton receives an alert on his cell phone: the photo of a new apparent victim -- the homeless man that McNulty dumped in Richmond.
The co-creator and executive producer of hit TV series 24 has quit the show. Joel Surnow's contract with 20th Century Fox TV, the program's production company, was due to expire on April 30 but it was announced on Wednesday the studio had granted his request for an early release to pursue new projects. He says, "I did some soul-searching. I took it as an opportunity to write on my own and do other things. After doing 24, I don't know if I want to do a mainstream show again. I like what's going on in cable; there is an opportunity to stretch dramatically there, which is something I'm trying to do."
From the archive:
“24,” by suggesting that the US government perpetrates myriad forms of torture, hurts the country’s image internationally. Finnegan, who is a lawyer, has for a number of years taught a course on the laws of war to West Point seniors —— cadets who would soon be commanders in the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. He always tries, he said, to get his students to sort out not just what is legal but what is right. However, it had become increasingly hard to convince some cadets that America had to respect the rule of law and human rights, even when terrorists did not. One reason for the growing resistance, he suggested, was misperceptions spread by “24,” which was exceptionally popular with his students. As he told me, “The kids see it, and say, ‘If torture is wrong, what about “24”?’”
[The Simpsons attend a convention of scientists. Lisa is to present her findings about bullies. She and Marge are a little intimidated by the crowd, which includes the inventor of the walkie-talkie (and someone who isn't his wife).
Frink calls the crowd to order.]
Frink: Scientists -- scientists, please. Looking for some order. Some order, please, with the eyes forward and the hands neatly folded and the paying attention ... [shouts] Pi is exactly 3! [the audience gasps and falls silent] Very sorry it had to come to that, but now that I have your attention, we have some exciting new research from young Lisa Simpson. Let's bring her out and pay attention.
[the audience applauds as Lisa walks onstage. The crowd sees that she's a little girl, and doubts that she has anything useful to say]
Lisa: [clears throat] My study is called, "Airborne Pheromones and Aggression in Bullies."
[the crowd gasps. Someone says, "I'm afraid"]
For as long as there has been smart people, there have been bullies to prey on them. From Galileo [shows a slide of the astronomer getting beaten up] to Sir Isaac Newton, [another slide] and even in the animal kingdom. [shows a slide of a large dog victimizing a smaller one]
But why do the brawny prey on the brainy. Is it jealousy?
[Meanwhile, Marge and Lisa are gazing dreamily into a window filled with glamorous shoes.]
Lisa: Look at all those beautiful shoes! I know they're made from animals but WOW! Marge: Mmmm, If only I didn't already have a pair of shoes. Bart: Speaking of shoes, I don't care about shoes. I'll meet you ladies back here in half an hour.
Oh, how I love this skit. It's like a scene from a Michael Haneke film, only funny instead of frightening. Also, it seems newsworthy.
Dad: [ craving attention ] I had a.. funny thing happen today at work. When I left the office, I had trouble unlocking my car. Then I realized I had the wrong set of keys.
Mom: Did somebody take your keys?
Dad: [ annoyed ] Can I finish the story? [ pauses in stern silence ] It turns out that I had accidentally taken Jeff Peabody's keys, and.. he had taken mine. We.. really had a long laugh.
Mom: Mmm, I thought that's who took them.
...
Dad: I am a Division Manager!! That is very important!! That is very important!! You don't talk to me like that!! People are scared of me!!
Daughter: Why would anybody be scared of you! I hate you, you big fat terd!
[ stunned, they continue to eat in awkward, confined silence ]
...
Dad: Did you pick up my dry cleaning?
Mom: Hmm, it's not ready until Thursday.
Dad: I thought you said it'd be ready today?
Mom: No, it's going to be ready Thursday.
Dad: You know, I have that big meeting tomorrow.
Mom: Well, I'm sorry.
Dad: I wish you weren't a liar!
Mom: I didn't lie, Ted.
Dad: I wish you weren't a liar!
Mom: I wish you wouldn't call me a liar!
Dad: Don't raise your voice at me!
Mom: I am not raising my voice!
Dad: You do not talk to me like that!! I work too hard to deal with this stuff!! I work too hard!! I'm a Division Manager in charge of 49 people!! I drive a Dodge Stratus!!
[ their screaming comes to an end, as the agonizing silence returns ]
"What this season is about is just how far you can go on a lie," Simon says. The lie Simon is referring to is what deteriorating cities tell themselves: Everything is going to be all right.
The third season is now available. Add it to your Netflix queue today!
A remake of the hit 2001 BBC TV series The Office (2001), this is a mockumentary that documents the exploits of a paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Made up of head chief Michael Scott, a harmlessly deluded and ignorantly insensitive boss who cares about the welfare of his employees while trying to put his own spin on company policy. With an office including the likes of various peers who have their own hangups, The Office (2005) takes a look at the lives of its co-workers: bored but talented salesman Jim, his mildly sociopathic, butt kissing enemy Dwight, mildly righteous receptionist Pam, and indifferent temp Ryan.
Do you know, or are you guessing? Do you know, or are you guessing? You're guessing, aren't you..? No points! 0! You don't get any points for guessing!
Simon, Burns and Wright wrote the screenplays for all seven hours. Burns and Simon will also serve as co-executive producers. Other producers will include Nina Noble (a producer of The Wire and The Corner, another Burns-Wright miniseries) and Andrea Calderwood (The Last King of Scotland). The film will be shot over six months in South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique.
