The Wire Virgin Diary – You don’t find Omar; Omar finds you

Two weeks and four episodes into the second season of my Virgin Diary of The Wire, and I’m not nearly as impressed now as I was with the first season. The story is just a little too disconnected for my taste; the things that made the first season so great have been completely missing. Considering the high esteem that The Wire is held in internet circles of nerdiness, the problem is either just my imagination or just a quick stumble that will be quickly corrected.

Season Two, Episode Three: “Hot Shots”

“Spread the word, darlin’s: Omar back.”

A smart man once said (I can barely keep a straight face when I say that, but I owed Bob Degon one) that he didn’t like the second season of The Wire until it was over. As I am still in the middle of watching, I can say I agree with the first half of what he said. I’ve found these first three episodes listless and boring. I’ve been given little reason to care about the new characters, and the “connective tissue” that hypothetically joins the stories together is a little too hard to find.

One of the few bright spots of this season has been the introduction of Vondas and the Greek. “Collateral Damage” proved the Greek to be a considerably more intimidating antagonist that Avon Barksdale has ever been. More of these two rather than less, as they were both a little too absent in these two episodes.

Maybe it’s because McNulty is so disconnected from everyone else. His visit to Homicide popped off the screen. Bunk and Freamon stealing all of McNulty’s thunder was one of the funniest moments of season, and harkened back to the camaraderie the detail showed last year.

I can’t even seem to get excited about Omar finally reasserting himself. Perhaps it is because he doesn’t have anyone to hate yet, I’m not sure. And don’t get me started on Stringer Bell’s actions in this episode; it’s just sad.

Episode Four: “Hard Cases”

Instead of consistently whining about the new characters, I should just embrace them, and so I do so by whining about Ziggy. I might be beginning to come around on his (literal) partner-in-crime Nick, but Ziggy is the kind of guy you just want to give a Leroy Jethro Gibbs style smack to the back of the head. I know that he’s family, but if Nick is seriously thinking about of life of crime, he’s going to need to leave his cousin behind sooner rather than later, or that life won’t last long.

The relationship between D’Angelo and Avon that I – incorrectly – predicted would fall apart at the end of the first season might finally be coming to an end. If a real separation comes to pass, will D keep quiet? Or will his Avon move to shut his cousin’s mouth permanently?

The band is — proverbially — back together … almost. When you look at a leader like Rawls, you’ve just got to wonder how he was promoted up the ranks in the first place. Despite Rawls’ grudge against McNulty, it looks like Daniels has most of the (important) season one detail members back on the team. It is not a major reach to guess that the container murders will get folded into Valchek’s witch-hunt. At that point, the detail will truly be back in action.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Aug 02, 2012 @ 09:00 EST5EDT