This Evening's "The Wire" on HBO

[The_Shootist]

For you fans of HBO's "The Wire", I won't give anything away if you hadn't caught the episode yet this week.

I'll only say that the opening sequence in the alley brought a smile to my face in the confrontation between Omar (Baltimore's resident rip and rob specialist) and Brother Mazoune (a New York hit man).

Sample:

Brother Mazoune : "I see you favour a .45?" (Omar had a nice SS 1911 in his belt).

Omar: "I do tonight...and whats that show pistol you have?"

Brother Mazoune: "Walter PPK .380 double action."

Omar: "Thats not going to do enough damage to make me drop this(1911)"

Brother Mazoune: "You might miss."

Omar: "With a .45? Even if I miss I can't miss."


This is a hard-edged crime drama, honest in its portrayal of the violence surrounding the drug trade.

But the streetfighting and the guns shown off are interesting

Too bad there's only one epsiode left this season (which has been pretty good.

 

[Lt. G]

Thanks for not giving away tonights episode, I'll watch it at midnight.

It is one of the better shows on HBO. I've been following it since the beginning. Great characters, great actors. Well worth the watch.

 

[Smurfslayer]

Indeed.

<trying my best not to give away too much>

I knew this ending would come when the deal was struck with Prop. Joe.

 

[The_Shootist]

Re: The Wire

Also, do you notice the scarcity of "mouse guns" among the criminals. Seems like for serious street work its usually a 9mm or .40? Season one had one of the gangsta's with a "favorite .380" but he used it mainly for ...ummm...close in work.

The streetfights/shootouts all seem to favour heavier Glocks/S&W's (or shotguns!). Kinda makes me wonder about being lazy and just going out and about with my P-32 or Bersa Thunder.

Then again I'm just going to get some food or run other errands....not to make a drug deal

 

[Ky Larry]

Omar wasn't carrying Condition 1 (Cocked and Locked) and he didn't cock the .45 during the encounter.

 

[Remander]

I think it was on Wired a season or two back that a guy went in a crack house and pulled a Glock to cap a dude.

A junkie girl started screaming: "He got a 9! He got a 9!" and everyone ran like hell to get out of there.

I was impressed that she was able to discern the caliber of the weapon in the dim light of the crack house.

And I wondered if the crackheads would have run any faster or slower if she yelled: "He got a .32!" or "He got a forty!"

TV folks seem to think the 9 mm is the new 44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world that will blow your head clean off.

 

[spacemanspiff]

Omar wasn't carrying Condition 1 (Cocked and Locked) and he didn't cock the .45 during the encounter

yeah, but he said it was chambered. as much as that omar character is supposed to know about weapons, you'd think he'd know better than to lower the hammer on a loaded chamber.

though the writers may have wanted to hint at the fact that omar didnt feel 100% threatened by brother mouzon. even when he was told his boy 'gave him up', he didnt go off the deep end. he kept his cool.

what i found more in that scene was mouzon not leveling his weapon at omar. the distance looked about 25 yards. i doubt i could hit a man-sized silhouette at 25 yards aiming from the hip.

while were on the 'wire', did anyone else notice the face the camera panned on in that gay bar? with only one episode of the season, i wonder if they'll push that tidbit to the next season entirely. i cant see how they will wrap up all the storylines next episode anyways. unless its a 2 hour episode, i really hope they give us season 4.

 

[stevelyn]

There was an interesting shoot out scene in an episode a few weeks ago. When a robbery gang went in to rip off a rival drug dealer. The invasion was repelled but in the scene where the group is making a getaway on of the invadees drops to one knee and start shooting at a woman gangta style. He misses. The woman responds by turning around assumes a two-hand hold, weaver stance and center punches the gangsta with a double tap.

 

[Fed168]

Yup, that's an interesting plot twist with that individual in the bar.

Omar really hasn't ever lost his cool under fire. If I remember it right he rallied his folks to escape the shoot out. And then there was the planning of the hit on Marlo's crew- you don't see that on shows too much.

 

[The_Shootist]

Re: The Wire

Another interesting point was when one of Avon's "soldiers" got out of the joint after a long stretch and was going on his...ahem...first altercation. He was handed for the "proceedings" what looked to be a S & W 9mm. His words:
"When I was around in the game, I always used .38's. Revolvers don't jam."

Not exactly true, but an intersting comment from a veteran streetfighter.

To which one of the younger gangsta's shrugged and replied:" Games the same - just got a lot fiercer!"

Just wonder if the younger gangsta was thinking about multiple opponents and modern weaponry or just a "spray and pray" routine that had become commonplace.

 

[bigjoegood1]

"Just wonder if the younger gangsta was thinking about multiple opponents and modern weaponry or just a "spray and pray" routine that had become commonplace."

IIRC, more of the former as Slim Charles (the younger gansta) told the hitmen to choose their shots carefully.

 

[greyhound]

!~!

I'm kinda addicted to the first season (being from MD and formerly working in downtown B'more) but didn't Wee-Bey favor a Colt Commander and Bird a .380?

Now I seem to recall Omar loading up with a .45 and some big-bleep revolver in addition to the double barrell shotgun (and I had to laugh - I have some experience with theater/TV **at least two of The Wire actors lived in our "theater housing**) but Omar's DB shotgun was ruined by "racking sounds" in EP 3.

But, as a big "Homicide" fan (book and movie) this is great!

 

[Bandit01]

Here's my take on the whole street thang. First off, I'm grew up in Crown Heights Brooklyn, NY. Although I never got personally involved in the street politics, I know a lot of shaddy individuals. Alot of people that I know that carry, love carrying 9MM's. Like someone said earlier, kids think that 9MM's is comparable to .44 Magnum's. Even in most hip hop, people love talking about the 9. Over the Summer, a child hood friend (and a 1 time, wanna be gangsta) come to visit me down here in Charlotte, N.C. I took him to the range to let him play with a full range of pistols. After seeing what a .45 and .357 can do, he stopped even dealing with the great 9MM. Isn't it interesting that now a days, even police officers have up graded to .40 calibers over the 9MM.
And lets not even talk about the .380 "the baby 9". Going back to the Wire, in that dark alley, a fight between a .380 and a .45, at that distance, even if the .380 would have hit Omar, it would not have done extreme fatal damage, unless he was hit in the face or center chest.
Shoot, give me a .45; .357; .44 or 10MM but please never a 9MM or a baby 9.

 

[The_Shootist]

Re: 9mm?

I agree with bandit's post above that it looked like Brother Mazoune (sp?) would have been seriously undergunned in that alley with his .380. Particularly since I'm willing to bet Omar was likely close to or at his level in streetfighting ability....and would have been using a .45 to boot.

But I wouldn't dismiss the 9mm casually just because of the gangsta's thinking its "cool" or trendy. Maybe the real reason its close to being the streetfighting gun of choice is: a) plentiful, cheap and variety of ammo
b) comes in a variety of pistols chambered for
it that are hi-cap, "idiot-proof" and rugged
c) comparitively mild recoil.

Oops! Sounds like the reasons a law-abiding CCW individual would use to make in deciding on his carry piece