The Wire “Took”

Hey, look, it’s Richard Beltzer’s Detective Munch hanging out in a bar!

So, what we’re seeing here is McNulty’s lies getting out of control.  He’s not the only one lying, but his are affecting the city the most.  They seem to be affecting him as well, but first, let’s clear out the plots I don’t care so much about.

Clay Davis got out of his corruption charges with showboating on the witness stand.

Gus is suspicious of Templeton over at the Sun, but is more concerned not so much that Templeton is obviously lying about a lot of stories that don’t add up, but that he isn’t owning up to it.

And as much as I usually dig Bubbles, he’s here just to show a more dedicated reporter what homelessness is really like.

So, what’s going on with McNulty’s fake serial killer?

Well, first Lester sets up a relay to allow McNulty to call Templeton on the phone and issue some fake threats in a funny voice.  Syndor is at least partially in on it since the whole point is to catch Marlo.  Once Marlo’s caught, McNulty can crack the serial killer case that isn’t real.  Syndor is nearby when the cops show up looking for the killer at a popular waterfront spot and watches as the cops seem to arrest every man in the area.  There’s also a helicopter and some boats.

This thing is clearly getting out of hand.  Bunk hates it since he knows the truth and he’s not getting any headway on his own cases.  Even when Carver finds and bring Michael in for questioning, Bunk can’t get anything done, and he’s the angriest he’s ever been on the show.

Kima, meanwhile, was sent to interview the families of victims, and it hits her hard enough to offer to watch her ex’s kid for the night.  She gets some bonding after failing to assemble some Ikea furniture like McNulty once did ages ago.

McNulty, meanwhile, is also having an attack of conscience.  He’s using all the city’s resources for the serial killer that doesn’t exist to help other cops crack their own cases with fake overtime requests.  It looks like everyone knows he’s doing it too.  But he also knows the longer this goes on, the worse it will be if and when the truth comes out.

Carcetti is getting the same idea since he wants to run for governor and while his fundraising skills are topnotch, if that killer is still loose in a month, it doesn’t help him out at all.

Lester seems to be fine.  McNulty’s fake case gets some warrants and special computers that can intercept text pictures.  Marlo is sending stuff that way.  But it’s always pictures of clocks, and they don’t indicate meeting times.

But Marlo, well, he has his own problems.  Omar hit a stash house, killing one guy, tying up another, and flushing some expensive drugs down the toilet.  He also killed a bit of Marlo’s muscle.  Then he threatened Michael’s crew to tell Marlo to come down to see Omar and settle things on the street.

Too bad that makeshift crutch isn’t exactly striking fear in the hearts of some of Michael’s younger crew members…