S02E05 · EP 18
season 2 · 2003-06-29
Undertow
written by Ed Burns · directed by Steve Shill · 3.62M viewers · image The Wire Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

35 scenes · 9 threads
tense 26%investigation 16%scheme 12%angry 6%social rule violation 5%menacing 5%sad 4%threat 4%awkward 3%tender 3%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Jane Does case
B · McNulty investigation
C · Sobotka detail
E · Jane Does
F · Jane Doe case
G · Ziggy's troubles
H · McNulty's investigation
I · Sobotka's union
01

Every scene

35 scenes · our breakdown
1 ▸ 00:13
1 · Eastside · act1Ziggy vs Frog

Ziggy confronts Frog over missing money

00:13–05:36escalation · threat
2 · Detail office · act1Daniels recruits Carver

Daniels offers Carver a position in the detail

05:36–07:39scheme · deal
3 · Marine unit · act1McNulty at marine unit

McNulty is called back to shore

07:39–08:08pursuit · investigation
4 ▸ 08:08
4 · Marine Unit · act1McNulty Meets Bubs

McNulty and Bubs discuss Omar

08:08–10:14investigation · pursuit
5 · Homicide · act1Rawls Questions Freamon

Rawls questions Freamon about the case

10:14–11:11investigation · scheme
6 ▸ 11:11
6 · House · act1Nick and Aimee House Hunt

Nick and Aimee look at a house

11:11–12:22social_rule_violation · misunderstanding
7 ▸ 12:22
7 · Detail Office · act1Daniels Briefs the Team

Daniels briefs the team on the case

12:22–12:30investigation · scheme
8 ▸ 12:30
8 · Detail Office · act1Herc and Carver Discuss

Herc and Carver discuss the case

12:30–12:42investigation · scheme
9 · Bar · act2Donette and Stringer Discuss Plans

Donette and Stringer discuss plans for Dee after his release

12:42–16:08social_rule_violation · misunderstanding
10 · The Pit · act1Bodie Reports Pit Trouble

Bodie reports to Stringer about a fight in the Pit over bad product

16:08–16:43scheme · social_rule_violation
11 · Eastside · act1Nick Finds Ziggy Beaten

Nick finds Ziggy after he has been beaten and robbed by Cheese

16:43–17:04violence · threat
12 · Delores' bar · act1Nick and Ziggy

Nick refuses to help

17:04–19:18scheme · misunderstanding
13 · Delores' bar · act1Nick's decision

Nick still refuses

19:18–19:53scheme · social_rule_violation
14 · Police station · act2Herc and Carver Discuss Detail

Herc and Carver discuss their new detail and Sobotka

19:53–20:00scheme · misunderstanding
15 · Dockworkers' union · act2Stringer's Economics Lesson

Stringer discusses market strategy with a student

20:00–21:45scheme · social_rule_violation
17 · Union office · act1Omar Testifies About Weapon

Omar describes how he knew the weapon used in a murder

22:10–24:49investigation
19 · Police station · act1Prosecutor Worries About Omar

Prosecutor expresses concern about putting Omar on the stand

26:07–26:43
20 · Police station · act2Stringer Confronts Dirt

Stringer confronts Dirt about not being on post

26:43–28:44investigation
21 · Union office · act2Bunk Asks Russell About Informants

Bunk asks Russell if she has any informants on the dock

28:44–29:29
22 · Unknown location · act2Vondas Refuses Meeting

Vondas tells Nick that the Greek will not meet with Sobotka

29:29–30:11scheme · escalation
23 · Federal building · act2McNulty and Cleary

McNulty asks for help

30:11–33:34investigation
25 · Unknown location · act2Donette and Stringer Discuss Dee

Donette tells Stringer about Dee's cold behavior

34:12–35:28escalation · petty_grievance
26 ▸ 35:28
26 · Unknown location · act2Cheese and Ziggy

Cheese confronts Ziggy

35:28–37:13threat · violence
27 · Unknown location · act3Beadie Persuades Maui

Beadie asks Maui to become an informant

37:13–39:32deal · investigation
29 · police station · act1Stringer and Avon Discuss Business

Stringer and Avon discuss the grand jury and Sobotka

40:07–41:15investigation
30 · office · act2Greek and Vondas Discuss Sobotka

The Greek and Vondas discuss Sobotka's request for a meeting

41:15–41:34scheme · social_rule_violation
31 · unknown · act2Stringer and Avon discuss business

Stringer and Avon discuss their business

41:34–42:21scheme
32 · bar · act2Stringer and Avon Discuss Product

Stringer and Avon discuss the poor quality of their product

42:21–43:54scheme · social_rule_violation
33 ▸ 43:54
33 · office · act3Frank Confronts Vondas

Frank tells Vondas he is done working with the Greek

43:54–46:05scheme · investigation
34 · Port administration office · act2Maui Suggests Computer Records

Maui suggests using the union computer to track containers

46:05–48:36investigation · scheme
35 · Federal building · act2McNulty and Cleary

Discuss foreign-national vice suspects

48:36–48:49investigation · pursuit
36 · Eastside streets · act2Stringer Suggests Rebranding

Stringer suggests rebranding towers to compete with better product

48:49–50:11threat · violence
37 · House for sale · act2Nick Asks About Chemicals

Nick asks Vondas what the chemicals are for

50:11–51:23social_rule_violation · petty_grievance
38 · Courtroom · act3McNulty Learns of Dead Girls

McNulty learns the girls he is looking for are dead

51:23–52:54investigation · confession
39 · Detail office · act3Daniels Rejects Murder Case

Daniels refuses to bring the Jane Doe murders into his detail

52:54–55:46investigation · scheme
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2003-06-29
Overall
#18
Writers
Ed Burns
Director
Steve Shill
Viewers
3.62M (US)
Pace
104 words/min · 221 questions

Where to watch

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In this episode

F
FrogGary 'D. Reign' Senkus5 episodes
CD
Claude DigginsJeffrey Fugitt7 episodes
A
AimeeKristin Proctor7 episodes
EM
Elena McNultyCallie Thorne15 episodes
D
DonetteShamyl Brown15 episodes · drives 2 scenes
OD
Omar Devon LittleMichael K. Williams4 episodes · drives 49 scenes
RB
Russell BellIdris Elba38 episodes
M
MauiLance Irwin5 episodes · drives 1 scenes