S03E08 · EP 33
season 3 · 2004-11-14
Moral Midgetry
written by Richard Price · directed by Agnieszka Holland · 1.47M viewers · image The Wire Wiki (CC BY-SA)

Episode DNA

36 scenes · 4 threads
tense 14%scheme 11%deadpan 9%investigation 7%cheerful 6%angry 6%tender 4%sad 4%secret exposed 3%deal 3%

Story threads over runtime

click a block to open the scene
0:005:0010:0015:0020:00
A · Carcetti political maneuvering
B · Colvin Hamsterdam experiment
C · MCU phone tracking
01

Every scene

36 scenes · our breakdown
1 · Hamsterdam streets · act1Dealers sell drugs in Hamsterdam

Drug dealers hawk their wares in Hamsterdam. A man lures a dealer into a vacant building with jewelry, where he is assaulted and robbed with other victims. The dealers escape and alert police Carver and Herc.

00:08–03:38violence · scheme
2 · Major Case Unit office · act1Prez tracks cell phone trail

Prez reports tracing Bodie's burner phone from manufacturer to a store.

03:38–05:02investigation · obsession
3 · Hamsterdam and surrounding streets · act1Colvin shows Deacon Hamsterdam

Colvin tours the Deacon through cleaned-up areas and the drug market.

05:02–07:48scheme · negotiation
4 · Mondo Mart · act1MCU hits dead end at Mondo Mart

McNulty and Freamon find no usable security footage at the store.

07:48–09:10investigation · coincidence
6 · Developer's office · act1Stringer meets with developer

Stringer Bell discusses business plans and permits with a white developer.

09:18–12:17scheme · negotiation
7 · Police precinct · act1Dealers make composite sketch

Herc helps dealers use identikit computer to create suspect image.

12:17–12:22investigation
8 · Hamsterdam street · act1Colvin and Deacon argue about Hamsterdam

Colvin defends Hamsterdam while the Deacon demands basic services.

12:22–14:23social_rule_violation
9 · BaBa Jani Food Mart · act1MCU finds lead at BaBa Jani

McNulty and Freamon get a receipt for phone purchases at a convenience store.

14:23–15:16investigation · coincidence
10 · Street near church · act1Cutty talks with Deacon about purpose

Cutty tells the Deacon he needs to occupy himself to stay straight.

15:16–15:33confession · negotiation
11 · City Council meeting room · act1Carcetti grills Burrell at sub-committee

Carcetti questions Burrell about crime stats and witness protection funding.

15:33–18:15interrogation · scheme
12 · Hamsterdam street · act1Roman suggests boxing tournament

Roman proposes a tournament to keep young boys occupied in Hamsterdam.

18:15–18:20scheme · negotiation
14 · Restaurant · act1D'Agostino coaches Carcetti on likability

D'Agostino tells Carcetti he needs to inspire people, not just win arguments.

19:37–21:08social_rule_violation · humiliation
15 ▸ 21:08
15 · Sheriff's office · act1McNulty and Freamon meet sheriff

McNulty and Freamon get help from a local sheriff with surveillance tape.

21:08–23:18investigation · coincidence
16 · Stringer's office · act1Stringer plans to find Omar's family

Stringer orders his crew to dig up Omar's family records to find him.

23:18–23:45scheme · threat
17 · Sheriff's office · act1Sheriff provides parking lot tape

The sheriff offers surveillance tape from BaBa Jani's parking lot.

23:45–25:14investigation · coincidence
18 · Bar · act1Officers debate Hamsterdam over beers

Colicchio calls Hamsterdam moral midgetry while Carver defends Colvin.

25:14–25:25double_standard
19 · Motel room · act1McNulty and Freamon in motel

McNulty and Freamon stay in a motel, discussing marriage and extraditions.

25:25–27:59confession · obsession
20 · Pool hall · act1Cutty hustles Deacon at pool

Cutty wins money from the Deacon in a pool game.

27:59–28:44bet · scheme
21 · Pool hall · act1Deacon wants to discuss Hamsterdam

The Deacon insists on talking more about Hamsterdam with Colvin.

28:44–29:35negotiation · obsession
22 ▸ 29:35
22 · Street outside office · act1Stringer sees developer's success

Stringer observes a developer who became successful through Clay Davis.

29:35–31:34scheme · rivalry
23 · Sheriff's office · act1FBI agent delivers surveillance tape

Fitzhugh brings a clear surveillance tape from BaBa Jani's parking lot.

31:34–31:48investigation · coincidence
24 ▸ 31:48
24 · COMSTAT meeting room · act1Colvin defends stats at COMSTAT

Rawls questions Colvin about his crime stats at the COMSTAT meeting.

31:48–33:21interrogation · scheme
25 ▸ 33:21
25 · Stringer's office · act3McNulty confronts Stringer about D'Angelo

McNulty tells Stringer he believes D'Angelo was murdered, not suicide.

33:21–36:19investigation · secret_exposed
26 · car driving near Hamsterdam · act3Marlo's crew scouts Hamsterdam

Marlo's crew observes the open-air drug market from a car.

36:19–37:49scheme · investigation
27 · club · act3Omar meets a woman at club

Omar flirts with a woman at a club, but she declines to dance or drink.

37:49–38:50
28 · pool hall · act3Colvin pitches Hamsterdam to health official

Colvin and the Deacon try to recruit a public health official for Hamsterdam.

38:50–41:17scheme · deal
29 · club exit · act3Omar arranges date with Devonne

Omar arranges to meet Devonne at her place the next day.

41:17–41:50
31 · street near Omar's grandmother's house · act3Marlo's crew stakes out Omar's grandmother

Marlo's crew plans to ambush Omar at his grandmother's house.

42:25–43:11scheme · violence
32 · office · act3Stringer meets with Russell Bell

Stringer tries to recruit Russell Bell for a business deal.

43:11–43:48deal · scheme
34 · coaching session · act3Carcetti gets coaching on demeanor

Carcetti receives coaching to improve his public speaking demeanor.

44:35–45:10social_rule_violation
35 · phone call · act3Omar arranges motel meeting with Devonne

Omar and Devonne arrange to meet at a motel later.

45:10–46:29
37 · Stringer's office · act3Briana confronts Stringer about D'Angelo

Briana tells Stringer that McNulty said D'Angelo was murdered.

46:48–48:06secret_exposed · betrayal
40 · Hamsterdam · act3Needle exchange in Hamsterdam

Health workers distribute clean needles and condoms in Hamsterdam.

49:13–50:23deal
41 · street near carry-out · act3Marlo's crew shoots at Omar

Marlo's crew ambushes Omar with gunfire as he drives away.

50:23–51:12violence · pursuit
42 · office · act3Stringer continues meeting with Bell

Stringer tells Bell he'll be in touch after Avon is shot.

51:12–51:20betrayal · scheme
47 · hospital room · act3Stringer and Avon argue about D'Angelo

Stringer admits he killed D'Angelo to protect the organization.

52:54–56:12confession · betrayal
03

Same DNA

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Episode facts

Wikipedia · Wikidata
Aired
2004-11-14
Overall
#33
Writers
Richard Price
Director
Agnieszka Holland
Viewers
1.47M (US)
Pace
112 words/min · 245 questions

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In this episode

EC
Ellis CarverSeth Gilliam59 episodes · drives 6 scenes
AC
Aaron CastorLee Everett Cox5 episodes
AC
Anthony ColicchioBenjamin Busch20 episodes · drives 3 scenes
JM
Jimmy McNulty38 episodes · drives 119 scenes
LF
Lester FreamonClarke Peters59 episodes · drives 80 scenes
TD
The DeaconMelvin Williams11 episodes
EB
Ervin BurrellFrankie Faison49 episodes · drives 9 scenes
WR
William RawlsJohn Doman60 episodes · drives 15 scenes