I watched the final episode again last night. It still lacks the punch of the penultimate one, but man, both of the montages remain moments of unspeakable beauty and power.

yes, it was a beautiful thing.

Nice interview with Idris Elba. [link]

Just finished the second season.

2.10: Man, Ziggy's arc culminated in going nuts and killing someone?? Shit, dude. That was fucked up. Also, I love how the show is all, "LOOK AT THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY CALLED TEXT MESSAGING." Oh, 2003.

Brother Wossname (I will not try to spell it) is somewhat of a badass in his own bowtie way, but he feels kind of unreal and comical. When he talks, he doesn't sound like a real person like every other person on the show does.

Sweet Jesus, Valchek is a fucking ass, and Prez is awesome for clocking him.

God, the FBI screws up everything! While helping.

2.11: Raids!! And oh my God, Beadie sure has come a long way. Tailing a suspect! GETTING IN THE ELEVATOR WITH HIM HA HA HA. Adorable. And, as I do, I totally threw my hands in the air when The Greek WALKED RIGHT BY KIMA.

(Unrelatedly: Nick fucking cheated on his girlfriend with that random girl! (I know she wasn't a random girl, but I don't remember when we'd seen her before.) What the hell? Why does everyone cheat? And the show doesn't even care, either; it's not like it's this big plot point. It's just there, like it's something he did, whatever. Gah.)

Omar! Stringer totally played Omar! And Omar won't stand for that shit.

Man, I was really feeling for Frank Sobotka. I mean, I never loved him like I loved D'Angelo, but he was a good guy doing some bad shit. Like he said to Beadie, he was doing wrong things for what he thought were the right reasons.

And then FUCKING KUTRIS had to get him killed. Gaaaaaah. STUPID CONFIDENTIAL COMPUTER ALERT THING.

2.12: Man, Bubbles didn't get shit to do this season, did he? I mean, good thing he was around, but this right here was basically the only important scene for him.

I can't believe no one called Herc and Carver about Nick Sobotka. That was kind of shitty. Granted, they were doing a shitty job of detail this whole fucking season (they might have actually CAUGHT Spiros if they'd been paying some fucking attention rather than fighting over fries), but still. Sometimes they were being too whiny, but sometimes their complaints were valid. And I'm surprised they didn't steal any money this time.

Holy shit, Lance Reddick has a hot body.

While the case didn't end up closing as awesomely as it could have, as Daniels noted, I think it had a somewhat more victorious ending than the Barksdale case. They cleared their 14 goddamn murders, and they got the people they had on the charges they actually wanted. Spiros and The Greek got away, but hey. Also: The Greek isn't even Greek??? That's some J.J. Abrams shit right there.

I loved the foreshadowing for next season!! McNulty has a case for Daniels's new unit! Stringer and Prop Joe, West Side and East Side, cats and dogs! And Beadie looks forlornly at the detail trailer! Please bring her on the team!

Overall, it was a good season. I think my preconceptions may have clouded my judgment since I was looking for reasons why so many people have said it's the worst season, but I really can't judge until I see the other three seasons to compare. Obviously, with the first season focusing so much on the Barksdale crew, getting us so familiar with those characters, it's a little disappointing to have them pushed into the background in their own little tangential plotline, barely even evident to Our Heroes. And while I eventually cared about Frank and Nick Sobotka (fuck you, Zig), I never really cared about the GREAT AND WONDERFUL UNION and their GLORIOUS SHIPYARDS, Frank's constant flowery speeches notwithstanding. (One exception: I did like his bit about the fact that America used to build stuff, and now it just sticks its hand in someone else's pocket.) I never really understood all the union politics, so I wasn't drawn into that aspect. Although I was pleased to see that Frank got his Grainary thing, whatever the hell that was.

There was also the part where we had to wait and wait for the detail to get put together. It was certainly realistic, and it was interesting in its own way, but it's also a little frustrating to watch (continued...)

( continues...) because you know they have to get the characters working together again and you want them to do it sooner rather than later. Thankfully, it looks like the writers anticipated this and gave Daniels his own unit so we don't have to deal with that in the future.

I'm excited about season 3. I hear it is excellent.

I know she wasn't a random girl

She was the girl from the fake paternity suit Zig got in the bar. "She's Having My Baby," remember?

Glad you dug the season. I think Frank Sobatka is one of the great dramatic tragic figures, myself.

Makes me cry every time. But then again, Sobatkas are my heritage, essentially(not to get all Jungian and shit) but in a strange way neither the tragic figure thing nor the "collective unconscious" thing ever made much sense to me until Frank...is that just unbearably pretentious? Well, whether it is or not, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.Chris Bauer, invisible Emmy...let me give you it. And I can't think about season 2 without thinking of my tragic fucking letters and phone calls:

Dear HBO:

Hi, it's me again. My life sucks, "we" lost the election and my dog died. Please, oh, please, don't take my show, too.

Maybe it sounded better in my Educated Whitegirl Voice, which I use so seldom, and which, in a small way, reminds me of HRC, just because, in my EWV, I say things I don't say, like" Thank you so much." Even as a begging ass bitch, I come with a plan. I made up some BS netflix figures and everything. Jimmy would have been proud. It could not have been easy for Prez at home after that Valchek-clocking; that was his FIL. OTOH, my dad is a total ass and I could imagine that my spouse would often have the urge to punch him in the face, so maybe Mrs. Prez wouldn't fault him too much.

She was the girl from the fake paternity suit Zig got in the bar. "She's Having My Baby," remember?

Oooh, right. We never saw her, right? But I think I recognize the name now.

I think Frank Sobatka is one of the great dramatic tragic figures, myself.

He does have that about him.

Watched the first two episodes of S3 tonight.

Man, there are so many fucking new characters I can't keep track of them all. And Cheese isn't new, but I still can't recognize him.

I love that the one dude is reading Robert's Rules of Order. Ha ha. And Stringer's running his meetings like...actual meetings.

It's interesting how the series began with Avon Barksdale as the supposed Major Villain/Target, but it's actually become more about Stringer.

They're shaking up the narrative structure here, throwing us in way after they've already had the wire running. Wonder what this means for the rest of the season.

I don't understand the new territory wars. I know the towers are down, but weren't they sharing that with the East Side before? And now the East Side won't share their territory with the Barksdale crew? Asses.

I knew that out-of-jail dude was going to get ripped off. Come on now, man. You've been out of the game, but seriously.

The scene with Omar disguising himself as a paraplegic veteran was AWESOME. Unrelatedly, also awesome: the scene at the movie theatre.

I can't keep track of all the bodies! We're not even seeing them all! Who killed that one dude? He was wearing a hoodie. I thought it was the out-of-jail dude getting revenge, but he didn't seem like he'd just killed someone in his later scenes. Plus, "Woof" made no sense. And then I thought it was Cheese, but the facial hair doesn't match. Even though if it was about the dogfight, then the "Woof" would make sense. Although I didn't get what happened with the dogfight, either. There was a handkerchief on the floor? Did they cover the other dog in chloroform or something? And, if so, why would Cheese kill his own dog because he thought he punked him? Also, that whole deal was kind of hilarious, if completely fucking sad and stupid that they blew the wire.

LT. DANIELS AND RONNIE PEARLMAN WTF?? Where the fuck did that come from? Also, YOU HAVE A WIFE AND HAVE GENERALLY DISPLAYED INTEGRITY WTF. Why the hell are all the men on this show cheaters, seriously? Sometimes I want to punch this show in the face.

And why the hell did he have his own apartment? Did I miss an episode in between where he left his wife or something?

Kima too! EVEN THE WOMEN CAN'T STAY FAITHFUL. Although at least that one is not unexpected and has been a long time coming. She hasn't been happy in that relationship for yonks; I keep waiting for them to just break up. Her girlfriend is such a wet blanket.

And why the hell did he have his own apartment? Did I miss an episode in between where he left his wife or something?

You didn't catch that he's been sleeping in the spare room since the Coldest Dinner On Film?

Cheese isn't new, but I still can't recognize him.

Cheese is pretty new. He's played by Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan, which always helped me to be aware of him.

The scene with Omar disguising himself as a paraplegic veteran was AWESOME.

But the important question is whether you can give us directions to the Poe Home.

Even though if it was about the dogfight, then the "Woof" would make sense.

It was Cheese's buddy from the dogfight who shot the other guy. The guy he shot was doping his dog (handkerchief on the floor), which led to Cheese shooting his own dog because the general thought is that a dog that loses has lost his ability to win. You should watch the great Warren Oates film Cockfighter sometime. It'll not only clear up the subtleties of competitive animal fights, but it's a brilliantly minimalist movie that rises far above its reprehensible subject matter.