S01E04 · EP 4
season 1 · 2002-06-23
Old Cases
written by David Simon · directed by Clement Virgo · 2.91M viewers · image The Wire Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

23 scenes · 3 threads
tense 24%investigation 22%triumphant 9%awkward 9%coincidence 8%seduction 5%tender 4%angry 3%misunderstanding 3%obsession 3%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Barksdale Drug Operation
B · Homicide Investigation
C · Personal Relationships and Conflicts
01

Every scene

23 scenes · our breakdown
1 · courtroom · setupCourtroom Tension

Detectives Kima Greggs and McNulty attend a court hearing for Marvin Browning, trying to get him to cooperate.

00:19–00:50investigation · negotiation
2 · hospital · setupDesk Removal

Herc and Carver struggle to remove a desk from the office.

00:50–01:03avoidance · coincidence
3 · Bodie's home · complicationBodie's Escape and Interrogation

Herc and Carver go to Bodie's home but find only his grandmother.

01:03–04:15interrogation · coincidence
4 · Homicide office · setupHomicide Case Review

Bunk and McNulty review old homicide cases and find a connection to Barksdale.

04:15–05:40investigation · coincidence
5 · Kresson's apartment · revealMahone's Retirement

Mahone discusses his early retirement and pension with a colleague.

05:40–06:45investigation · coincidence
6 · Major's office · complicationLandsman's Concerns

Landsman visits Major Rawls and expresses concerns about McNulty.

06:45–07:30obsession · deal
7 · Kima's home · setupCourtroom Pressure

McNulty and Kima pressure Marvin Browning to give up Barksdale.

07:30–08:51misunderstanding · coincidence
9 · Kima's home · setupCar Ride to Detail

Two detectives drive to a new detail and discuss the case.

09:09–10:47misunderstanding · investigation
10 · · Car Ride Banter

Herc and Carver drive to a new detail, discussing tactics.

10:47–12:25
11 · Detail office · revealKresson Case Review

Landsman pushes McNulty and Bunk to review the Kresson murder.

12:25–15:27investigation · coincidence
12 ▸ 15:27
12 · Kima's apartment · payoffBotched Investigation

McNulty and Bunk discover the Kresson investigation was mishandled.

15:27–16:49seduction · coincidence
13 · Bodie's home · revealOmar Discussion

Bubbles tells Kima about Omar Little and the stash rip.

16:49–18:48investigation · coincidence
14 ▸ 18:48
14 · car · complicationOmar's Aftermath

Omar reassures his crew and gives a fix to an addict.

18:48–19:26breakup · obsession
15 · Bodie's home · escalationBounty on Omar

Avon Barksdale puts a contract out on Omar's crew.

19:26–21:08investigation · coincidence
16 · soccer field · complicationStash Rip Discussion

Barksdale soldiers discuss the stash rip and Omar.

21:08–23:23breakup · obsession
17 · Bodie's home · revealBodie's Return

Bodie returns to the low rises after escaping Boy's Village.

23:23–24:06investigation · coincidence
18 · Kima's home · setupBodie's Story

Bodie tells a story about a woman his uncle was seeing.

24:06–27:58misunderstanding · investigation
19 · Bodie's home · escalationKresson Murder Details

Bodie describes how Kresson was shot through the window.

27:58–29:33investigation · coincidence
20 · Kima's apartment · payoffPolice Raid

Police raid a house looking for Bodie.

29:33–31:45seduction · coincidence
21 · Bodie's home · escalationApology to Grandmother

Herc apologizes to Bodie's grandmother for the raid.

31:45–32:25investigation · coincidence
22 · Kima's apartment · payoffLandsman's Complaint

Landsman complains to Rawls about McNulty's ego.

32:25–32:52seduction · coincidence
23 · Bodie's home · escalationLandsman's Analysis

Landsman continues explaining McNulty's addiction to himself.

32:52–36:30investigation · coincidence
24 · Various locations · resolutionPhelan and Burrell Meeting

Judge Phelan is disappointed with Burrell's lack of progress.

36:30–58:21investigation · coincidence
03

Same DNA

nearest episodes by gene profile

Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2002-06-23
Overall
#4
Writers
David Simon
Director
Clement Virgo
Viewers
2.91M (US)
Pace
95 words/min · 231 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

JM
Jimmy McNulty38 episodes · drives 119 scenes
MB
Marvin BrowningJeorge Watson3 episodes
BW
Brandon WrightMichael Kevin Darnall8 episodes
AB
Avon Barksdale41 episodes · drives 44 scenes
W
Wallace14 episodes · drives 11 scenes
EB
Ervin BurrellFrankie Faison49 episodes · drives 9 scenes
C
CherylMelanie Nicholls-King17 episodes · drives 1 scenes
AA
Anton ArtisBrandon Price9 episodes