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.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniels have been in-name-onlying it for some time so that she could run for city council with a dress-blues husband on her arm. Cedric feels like he owes her... I thought they had that convo in season 2. Well, maybe it's still coming up, then. I think the Job takes its toll on marriages, and besides, fidelity, while admirable as fuck in real life, would probably make for boring TV.(Also, David Simon's all "Third time's the charm," with Lippman so I'm guessing he writes what he knows. Just one woman's terminally-single opinion, though.) Maybe I'm corrupted, but I don't hold the running around against them that much. It was sad about Kima and Cheryl for sure, but if it hadn't happened, I think Kima would be Kima Sue, maybe without the singing voice and talking to animals and shit.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniels have been in-name-onlying it for some time so that she could run for city council with a dress-blues husband on her arm. Cedric feels like he owes her...I thought they had that convo in season 2.

No, that was the first episode this season. And I did get the impression that their relationship was a little troubled, but I thought it was just a natural thing.

I think Kima would be Kima Sue, maybe without the singing voice and talking to animals and shit.

Kima hasn't been Kima Sue for me since she beat the shit out of that one kid during the raid on the Pit. So far, the only character on the show that is relatively untainted and clean is Lester. I will be sad when that inevitably changes.

Personally, nothing could taint Lester for me.(Although, yeah, some of his choices do become less clearly righteous.) And I couldn't imagine Prez cheating on Mrs. Prez(although maybe he fooled me with that choirboy face.) But maybe, as a shameless McNutty apologist, I'm the wrong woman to have that conversation. "Yes...no. Maybe," cracked me up.(I'm not sure why. In real life, I think I'd want Elena to kick his ass.But there's something about the way DW can say something lame, and make it seem that he knows it's lame, that gets my sympathy every time. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the smirk.)

We haven't even seen Mrs. Prez, have we? And I have to keep disassociating Prez from his earlier fuck-up days because he's a good kid now, even though he still doesn't get much respect.

Marriage is an Institution, right? Well, this is the Wire...institutions chew up good people and spit 'em out. Well, that's my take on the show's sinking 'ship rate.

Each season is supposed to be about a different sort of institution, right? How does it break down, exactly?

Season 1 - The Drug Trade
Season 2 - Unions? Shipyards?
Season 3 - The City?
Season 4 - Education
Season 5 - Media

I think you've got it, generally. I might say:

Season 2 - The Working Class
Season 3 - City Government

that one kid during the raid on the Pit

Bodie, man.

Season 3's theme is Reform. But, yeah... Yeah, that's right. Bodie's cool. (Not especially *hard* but that's why I like him. I'd forgotten that Kima roughed him up.)

Bodie, man.

Oh, yeah, that was before I really knew him.

Season 2 - The Working Class
Season 3 - City Government

Ah, yeah, that sounds about right.

Season 3's theme is Reform.

That's what the mayor says! But there's definitely a lot more City Government this season, which includes a deeper investigation into the Numbers Game that is the police department.