The Wire “A New Day”

That dink officer that robbed Omar, robbed Bubbles, and broke that juvenile car thief’s fingers finally pushed someone too far.  Sure, it was Michael, but he manages to get some neighborhood kids to rob the cop and then douse him with paint.  McNulty and Bodie actually share a small chuckle over that.

But let’s look at this week’s show as to how people’s favors and fortunes can increase or decrease.

CARCETTI RISES

The new mayor ain’t screwin’ around.  Sure, the ministers want something done about Herc for roughing one of them up, and if Carcetti bows to them on this, he’ll bow to them for everything.  That won’t do.  He can shove it down to Daniels to take care of because Daniels is both nonpolitical and super fair.  He manages to shake up a couple offices by saying he spotted small problems but didn’t say where, forcing those departments to go out and inspect the entire city.  He’s promised the cops a raise.  He wants quality arrests over quantity.  He may actually make the city better in some way.

Too bad the school system is apparently hemorrhaging money.

Burrell also makes a move to keep his job by showing how he can help.  Maybe Daniels can find something to punish Herc with to appease the rest of the police, but it won’t appease the ministers.  As it is, Burrell knows Herc can’t be fired just for roughing up the wrong man.  But check the rule book and there’s bound to be something a six year veteran of narcotics did that can get him bounced.

Say, what happened to that camera anyway?

HERC FALLS

Herc’s problems may only just be beginning.  Randy got beat up at school pretty badly for talking to the cops even though it led to no arrests.  That led Prez to go to Carver, angry that the witness never got the necessary protection.  Carver didn’t know what happened either.  He went to Bunk, who was investigating the murder that Randy was talking about.  But Bunk never heard of the kid.  Herc never delivered him.  Carver’s mad.  Bunk’s really mad. Lester manages to get some information from Herc, but Herc’s got problems that are putting him in a bad place right now.

LESTER GOES LONG

Daniels got the go-ahead to reform Major Crimes as he sees fit, and his first move is to get Lester back.  As far as Daniels is concerned, Lester is Major Crimes.  Lester grills Herc for everything Herc knows about Marlo, the bodies, and so forth.  Herc does remember the nail gun he found with Chris and Snoop.  That helps Lester.  Lester also gets a little more information out of a furious Prez.  Then he and Bunk go down to the playground where the victim was last seen and Lester finds one of the houses boarded up with brand new nails.  That’s where the bodies are buried.

OMAR IS OMAR

Omar, meanwhile, knows the Co-Op exists and that Proposition Joe set him up.  He wants some revenge on Marlo.  And though he promised Bunk he wouldn’t be leaving any bodies, Proposition Joe sure as hell doesn’t know that.  Good for Omar.