S01E12 · EP 12
season 1 · 2002-09-01
Cleaning Up
written by George Pelecanos · directed by Clement Virgo · 3.66M viewers · image The Wire Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

35 scenes · 11 threads
tense 31%investigation 21%scheme 13%menacing 8%sad 4%pursuit 4%cheerful 3%violence 2%avoidance 2%awkward 2%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
B · Wallace's Return
C · Police Politics
D · Wiretap Surveillance
E · Campaign Finance Probe
F · Barksdale Cleanup
G · Investigation Continues
H · Wallace in Danger
I · Wallace's Whereabouts
J · Police Surveillance
K · Wallace's Fate
01

Every scene

35 scenes · our breakdown
1 · Hospital · act1McNulty's Guilt

McNulty feels guilty about Kima's shooting

00:14–03:51investigation
2 · Low-rise projects · act1Stringer's Cleanup

Stringer collects pagers from his crew

03:51–04:06scheme
3 · Detail office · act1Stringer's Instructions

Stringer gives phones and instructions

04:06–05:49investigation
4 · Detail office · act1Barksdale's Money Trail

Freamon sends Prez to Annapolis

05:49–05:55investigation · scheme
5 · Avon's office · act2Levy's Advice

Levy advises Avon to clean up

05:55–06:33scheme
6 · The pit · act2Avon's Weakness

Avon asks where he is weak

06:33–07:40
7 ▸ 07:40
7 · Low-rise projects · act1Meeting with Levy

Stringer and Avon meet with Levy

07:40–09:35scheme · investigation
8 ▸ 09:35
8 · Police headquarters · act1Daniels' Meeting

Daniels discusses investigation with Burrell

09:35–10:47investigation · negotiation
9 · State's Attorney's office · act1Pearlman's Warning

Pearlman discusses campaign finance probe

10:47–11:05investigation · scheme
10 · Avon's office · act1Stringer's Plan

Stringer discusses plan with Avon

11:05–12:57scheme · investigation
11 · The pit · act2Campaign Finance Records

Pearlman receives campaign finance records

12:57–14:02pursuit · avoidance
12 · Avon's club · act2Shardene's Infiltration

Shardene tries to infiltrate Avon's club

14:02–14:52investigation · scheme
13 · Avon's club · act1Shardene's Wire

Shardene tries to infiltrate Avon's club

14:52–16:51investigation · scheme
14 · The pit · act1Wallace Returns

Wallace returns to the pit

16:51–17:26pursuit · avoidance
15 · The pit · act1D'Angelo's Advice

D'Angelo advises Wallace

17:26–18:29scheme
16 · The pit · act2Nakeesha's Murder

Nakeesha is murdered

18:29–20:00violence · investigation
17 ▸ 20:00
17 · Detail office · act2Daniels' Investigation

Daniels investigates Nakeesha's murder

20:00–20:51investigation
18 · City Hall · act3Senator Davis' Warning

Senator Davis warns Daniels

20:51–24:01scheme
19 · Police Headquarters · act2Burrell Meets Daniels

Burrell discusses Daniels' investigation

24:01–24:41scheme · escalation
20 · Police Headquarters · act2Herc Celebrates Promotion

Herc celebrates his promotion

24:41–25:17petty_grievance · rivalry
21 · Police Headquarters · act2Daniels Discusses Wallace

Daniels discusses Wallace's whereabouts

25:17–25:34investigation · pursuit
22 · Low-Rise Projects · act2Bodie Discusses Wallace

Bodie discusses Wallace's return

25:34–25:58scheme · escalation
23 · Low-Rise Projects · act2Stringer Searches for Wallace

Stringer searches for Wallace

25:58–27:40pursuit · avoidance
24 · Detail Office · act2Freamon Discusses Plan

Freamon discusses plan to catch Avon

27:40–31:58scheme · investigation
25 · street · act2D'Angelo's Past

D'Angelo talks about his mom

31:58–32:55scheme · social_rule_violation
26 · detail office · act2Surveillance Planning

Freamon plans surveillance

32:55–33:37investigation · scheme
27 · taxi · act2Taxi Ride

Freamon and Shardene in a taxi

33:37–33:41social_rule_violation · humiliation
29 · the pit · act3Confrontation

Bodie confronts Wallace

34:05–38:20humiliation · violence
30 · Wallace's home · act3Wallace's Mother

Police visit Wallace's mother

38:20–39:39investigation · avoidance
32 · Police station · act2Wallace's Demise

Wallace's fate is discussed

39:44–41:21investigation · violence
33 · Police station · act2Surveillance Setup

Police plan surveillance

41:21–42:18investigation · scheme
34 · Police station · act2Barksdale's Lawyer

Barksdale's lawyer is introduced

42:18–43:21investigation · lie
35 · Police station · act2Police Confrontation

Police confront Barksdale

43:21–44:23investigation · escalation
36 · Police station · act2Lawyer's Warning

Lawyer warns Barksdale

44:23–46:39investigation · threat
37 · Police Headquarters · act3Daniels Meets Burrell

Daniels resists Burrell's order to end the case

46:39–54:28investigation
03

Same DNA

nearest episodes by gene profile

Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2002-09-01
Overall
#12
Writers
George Pelecanos
Director
Clement Virgo
Viewers
3.66M (US)
Pace
106 words/min · 231 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

DB
D'Angelo BarksdaleLarry Gilliard, Jr.27 episodes · drives 18 scenes
AB
Avon Barksdale41 episodes · drives 44 scenes
ML
Maurice LevyMichael Kostroff28 episodes · drives 7 scenes
CD
Cedric DanielsLance Reddick60 episodes · drives 36 scenes
RP
Rhonda PearlmanDeirdre Lovejoy60 episodes · drives 8 scenes
SI
Shardene InnesWendy Grantham12 episodes · drives 5 scenes
W
Wallace14 episodes · drives 11 scenes
LF
Lester FreamonClarke Peters59 episodes · drives 80 scenes