So this is the episode where Carcetti finally manages to rid himself of Burrell. I guess we all kinda saw that coming. It"s also the episode where Marlo rids himself of Proposition Joe -- and in a much more definitive manner than Burrell"s departure, too. Yeah, didn"t see that one coming, but I live a solitary life, where spoilers bounce off my Cone of Silence like pigeons off glass windows.
First, Burrell: Carcetti carries through on last episode"s threat to shit-can the police commissioner, after securing the compliance of the all-powerful ministers through favors, promises, and outright kickbacks. Burrell does not take news of his impending turfing well, threatening to take down the fast-tracked-for-promotion Daniels with him (something about Daniels"s old unit in the Eastern District skimming money off drug investigations, much to Daniels"s personal profit). But after Nerese Campbell gives him a talking-to -- Carcetti bought her off as well -- and tells him there"s probably a cushy corner office job in D.C. waiting for him if he doesn"t kick up a fuss, Burrell goes quietly. Daniels ascends to the deputy of operations post. And your new police commissioner is Bill Rawls. Tremble in fear, evil-doers of Baltimore.
Actually, the evil-doers are probably trembling because of two other developments: Omar"s return and Marlo"s attempt to consolidate power. The former is back in Charm City to avenge last episode"s murder of Butchie, and -- after knocking Slim Charles over the head -- he quickly determines that this was a Marlo-planned operation. Vengeance is sworn, with Omar deciding to pick off Marlo"s lieutenants one by one until Marlo shows himself. Nice knowing you, Monk, Snoop, Chris, et al. As for Marlo, he insinuates himself with Spiros and The Greek, whispers sweet nothings into Cheese"s ear, and -- having lined himself up both a supplier and an indebted insider -- shows up at Prop Joe"s house to usher him into early retirement. Yeah, Prop Joe"s dead and the witty repartee at the New Day Co-op will be the lesser for it.
In other news, that fuck-knuckle of a cop Colicchio blows his stack when Michael"s crew makes him look foolish, and he takes it out on a civilian who happens to be a schoolteacher. Carver tries to give him an out, but when Colicchio refuses to even fake remorse, Carver writes him up for using excessive force and conduct unbecoming an officer. Why? Because, as he explains to a strangely receptive Herc at the end of the episode, that business with Randy in Season Four convinced Carver that everything they do as police officers matters.
As if to offer a stark counterpoint, McNulty and Freamon continue in their ill-advised scheme to fake the existence of a serial killer in order to free up more money/manpower for the department. Yeah, someone"s out of control here, but it isn"t a made-up serial killer. Beadie finally calls McNulty on his crap -- "I"ve been nominated for an Academy Award, motherfucker! You show me some respect!" -- but it isn"t long before he and Freamon are out faking up a crime scene involving another homeless dude who passed away under less-than-suspicious circumstances.
Meanwhile, at the Baltimore Sun, things happen that I am nearly too bored to chronicle. But hey -- we"re all professionals here, so here goes: Templeton interviews for a job at the Washington Post, but since they"re not in the market for a fabulist, they pass, and he"s stuck in Baltimore for the foreseeable future. Lucky them. Lucky us. Oh, and the Sun staff tries to cover both the Burrell sacking and Clay Davis"s surprise appearance before the grand jury with a diminished staff, which provides Gus another chance to sermonize about the state of newspaperin" and gives Klebanow a chance to be act all weasely. You know...I"m starting to get the impression that David Simon"s time at the Baltimore Sun did not end happily. Anybody read anything on that? Anything at all?
So, to sum up: Proposition Joe, shot in the head at the order of Marlo. I find myself far more melancholy about this turn of events than I really ought to be.