The Gods Will Not Save You: The Wire Revisited

WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD: We have reached our final episode of "The Gods Will Not Save You: The Wire Revisited," in which we discuss every episode of the hit original HBO series, "The Wire." We want to take this opportunity to thank anybody who has engaged with us and our project along the way. Whether you've listened to us from the beginning, came along during a later part of our run, or are just now discovering us, your engagement has meant a lot to us and we couldn't be more grateful. Thank you to anybody who has left us positive reviews and ratings on podcast platforms, we truly appreciate your feedback. We would also like to give a special thank-you to all of our financial supporters on Anchor. Your helpful donations ultimately incentivized us to lend some financial support to "We Build The Block," a New York non-profit organization aimed at stopping the spread of community violence, co-founded by the late, great Michael K. Williams. We hope that our modest financial contribution helped honor this amazing actor and activist's legacy, as well as provide some relief to those communities in need.

In the series finale of "The Wire," Daniels continues to be disappointed in Carcetti's tenure as mayor, as he receives the news of the serial killer hoax and essentially orders a cover-up from the top officials in order to prevent a devastating loss in his gubernatorial bid. McNulty's guilt intensifies as he and Freamon are found out, and a "copycat" killer comes onto the scene to reign real terror on the homeless community. Freamon takes the helpful tips about the lawyers from Clay Davis to expose the courthouse leak, but the news of his illegal wiretap on Marlo starts to spread rapidly, forcing Maurice Levy and Rhonda Pearlman to play a brutal game of legal tit-for-tat, preventing the Stanfield bust from being as blockbuster of a case as it could have been. The Scott Templeton/Gus Haynes beef reaches its tipping point in the newsroom when Templeton peddles his biggest lie yet. And in perhaps what is the happiest ending of the series, Reginald, aka Bubbles, finally starts to feel some relief on his path to redemption when he reluctantly agrees to let Fletcher publish the warts-and-all article, detailing his rocky road to recovery. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Carcetti continues to do a complete 180 from what he campaigned on. He gets back into bed with Clay Davis and Nerese Campbell, in order to advance his position in the gubernatorial race. Freamon bluffs his way into blackmailing Davis and giving up the crucial nugget of information: the lawyers are part of the money trail. Marlo misses out on his opportunity to celebrate Omar getting killed by a child. by going to Atlantic City with Chris, when his clock code is cracked by the cops and him and Chris end up arrested. McNulty feels like the victory is anticlimactic and meaningless. Gus is now so fed up with Templeton's lies, that he gets his other trusted colleague, Robert Ruby, in on the snooping. 

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD! Clay Davis lies on the stand, humiliating Bond and eradicating any of his political ambitions. Carcetti okays the police to do whatever they want, leading McNulty to make requests that would have previously seemed outlandish. Gus continues to suspect that Templeton is a fraud when the Iraq war veteran that Scott interviewed, comes back to accuse the paper of printing falsehoods about his time in combat. Bunk is persuaded to hold back on following through with his murder warrant for Chris, so he can tie it in with McNulty and Freamon's efforts to bring down Marlo's empire. Omar gets killed by Kenard in a liquor store. 

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD! McNulty finally gets the serial killer story to blast off when he fakes a call to Templeton, does a soft kidnapping of a homeless man, and gets Carcetti's full support. But he soon starts to regret this when everybody in the department comes to him begging for OT and manpower to work their own cases. Freamon needs more time to figure out what the time-based codes Marlo and company are using actually means. Fletcher goes to the viva house for an on-the-ground scoop on the homeless killings but instead meets Bubs, which prompts him to go in a different journalistic direction. Omar continues to be a thorn in Marlo's side. Rupert Bond fails miserably to put Davis' head on the chopping block, as the state senator charms the jury out of convicting him for his financial crimes.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! McNulty tries to out fake Templeton, by claiming that there's fake probable cause for wiretapping the Baltimore Sun because Templeton faked a call from the "serial killer." Without even waiting for approval, Freamon sets up a wiretap on Marlo's phone. Omar plays hide-and-seek in the utility closet at the same apartment complex from which he made his "Spider-Man" jump, while Chris, Snoop, and more of Marlo's minions are left scratching their heads. Bunk channels the angry energy that he has for McNulty into trying to solve a case the old-fashioned way, but runs up against bureaucratic lab incompetence. Carcetti turns the homeless killings into a campaign opportunity. Marlo now wears the crown at the New Day Co-Op.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! With Proposition Joe out of the way, Marlo takes on the position of being Vondas and the Greeks' Baltimore drug connection, proving that loyalty never meant anything to them and that they were always primarily concerned with their bottom line. Dukie continues to be the victim of bullying even with Michael's protection and no amount of learning how to fight or shoot guns seems to change his personality. Clay Davis takes it upon himself to shape public opinion in his own favor. Bubbles thinks he is not being punished enough for his past misdeeds. McNulty and Freamon continue to concoct false details around their "serial killer" but still have to go against bureaucratic incompetence. Omar has an extremely close call with Chris, Snoop, O-Dog and Michael.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Kenard really ticks off Officer Colicchio by setting up a brown paper bag dog feces decoy, which causes him to assault a teacher and therefore forces Carver to grow as a person and as a cop. Proposition Joe tries to send out signals to Omar that he's upset about Butchie's death, but he doesn't take into consideration that Marlo, Cheese, and the Greeks are already making moves against him. McNulty and Freamon do their best to sensationalize the idea of homeless killings to get more mileage out of their police misconduct. Meanwhile, Daniels tries to do damage control with Burrell and Carcetti continues to eat bowls of shit when he realizes he has to appease every minister in town. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Michael, fresh off a new wave of PTSD after he refused to kill a kid in a home invasion, plays hooky from dealing drugs, to go to Six Flags with Dukie and Bug, where they meet girls from Virginia with sidekick phones. Bunk is still mad at McNulty for creating a fake serial killer, so he enlists the help of Freamon to talk some sense, but Freamon ends up endorsing McNulty's plan. Valchek leaks the real crime statistics to Carcetti, which throws the whole Commissioner Burrell situation into a tailspin. Clay Davis, paranoid about his legal troubles closing in on him, continues to beg for mercy from Burrell and Carcetti. Marlo, Chris, and Snoop go behind Proposition Joe's back to send a message to Omar, get the information of Butchie's whereabouts, and then torture and kill him. Alma is disappointed that her news reporting is not getting more coverage, while Templeton invents a react quote out of thin air for Twigg's piece about the police chain-of-command shake-up. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Dee-Dee makes her final appearance on the show as she tells her story in an NA meeting attended by Bubs. Bubs himself, is being pressured by Walon to tell his full story of how he got clean, thinking that it will be the only real way he could ever get true clarity. Clay Davis feels the walls closing in on him and lashes out at Burrell, who was once one of his staunchest allies. Marlo, feeling emboldened, goes on a tear and starts ordering home invasions, homicides, and the like, while also trying to get in contact with Sergei at Jessup, but he runs into the obstacle of having to talk to a now-pathetic Avon Barksdale. The tension between Gus Haynes and Scott Templeton begins to brew as we get our first taste of Templeton's untrustworthy nature concerning the "EJ" story. McNulty, spiraling back into the throes of alcoholism, decides to initiate a farcical hunt for a serial killer that doesn't exist so that he can gain some leverage to go back after Marlo. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Willy and Jacob dive right into discussing what is easily the most controversial season of "The Wire" with its' premiere episode, "More With Less." Among the many things covered are how Tom McCarthy may or may not have been shamed into making an oscar-winning movie about good journalists because he played such a bad one in "The Wire," whether or not Rhonda and Cedric would have recognized Chris Partlow, life imitating art with development and gentrification near Johns Hopkins, Carcetti finally showing his true colors as he plays politics with people's lives, Michael and Dukie's fractured home-life situation, and the real-life counterpart to the Fat-Face Rick scandal. Thank you to all of our listeners and supporters, we are looking forward to discussing a lot more interesting themes throughout this final season.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! For this episode, we also get into some spoilers for another David Simon show, "The Deuce," so proceed with caution. 

Bubs feels guilty about accidentally killing Sherrod, so he confesses to his crimes before trying to hang himself, which causes Landsman to have a rare change of heart about the clearance rate. Bodie, feeling like there's no room for advancement in his current career path, and feeling disillusioned by the fact that some of his favorite coworkers are getting murdered for seemingly no reason, decides to flip and cooperate with McNulty, only to be murdered by O-Dog, which makes McNulty feel angry enough that he decides to rejoin the Major Crimes Unit. Namond's guardianship debacle falls squarely on the shoulders of Bunny who pleads with Wee-Bey to let him take over the parenting duties, while also dropping in some geographical and history trivia in the middle of his jail visit. Randy goes back to the group home. Dukie moves in with Michael who is now killing people for Marlo. Daniels is now focused on bringing down the Stanfield organization the right way and is happy to have McNulty back on the team. Carcetti is making bad decisions that are politically convenient for him but morally repugnant for how they're leaving the Baltimore youth out in the cold. 

Donate money to Michael K. Williams' non-profit organization, "We Build The Block" at https://webuildtheblock.org/donate/

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! This might be the most depressing episode of "The Wire" ever because by the end of its running time Randy is destined to get sent back into the foster care system, Namond gets exposed for being a big softie, Dukie's family gets evicted, Michael becomes one of Marlo's henchmen, Bunny's pilot program is pretty much done for, Carcetti is finding out the hard way that he can't deliver the promises that he made to the voters because of a deficit in the city's school budget, and Sherrod takes a hotshot that was meant for Bubs' tormentor and dies. But true to the show's form, there are tiny slivers of hope: Freamon finally gets the approval to open up the vacants, even if he has to lay the groundwork for slowly climbing up the chain of command to get permission, and Omar pulls off a brilliant heist with the co-op's shipment and continues to be a thorn in Prop Joe's and Marlo's sides. Did you know this episode also has a brief cameo from real-life former Maryland Governor, Robert Ehrlich? We dig into a bit of his inconsistent legacy and his veto of the "Wal-Mart" healthcare bill. Other topics include the meaning of the name of the episode, the story behind the term "wolf tickets," and some background on the real-life "Junior Bunk." Thank you to all who have listened so far. Again you can donate at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support or https://webuildtheblock.org/donate/.  

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! The Boys of Summer decide to exact their revenge on Officer Walker by keying his car, dumping yellow paint on him, and stealing his ring, which makes Namond realize that Michael might be more involved with nefarious activities than he had previously thought. Bodie and McNulty have an awkward meetup where they both commiserate over the current brutal tactics of the BPD and begin to come to some sort of strange understanding with each other. Randy starts to learn the hard way that a lot of people know that he's a snitch, which makes Prez furious at the police for dragging his name out into the street. His fury finally leads Bunk, Carver, and Freamon to realize how much of a nincompoop Herc really is, not to mention that the whole debacle he had with the minister is beginning to have broad political consequences. Now that Daniels is made Colonel, Pearlman is the lead prosecutor with Homicide, and Carcetti is vowing to reform the tactics of citywide policing, some are optimistic about a new horizon for Baltimore, while others *cough* Jay Landsman *cough* refuse to believe anything will fundamentally change. Omar can't keep his promise to Bunk and decides to stir things up with Proposition Joe. Sherrod and Bubbles have a nice little reunion before it turns ugly again thanks to the "terminator." And Rawls realizes his quest for power might not be as easy as he thought, once Valchek gives him a cold wake-up call. 

Thank you again to all of our listeners. If you'd like to donate, you can do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support. We will be donating all of our funds to the late, great Michael K. Williams' non-profit organization "We Build The Block," which you can find out more about at https://webuildtheblock.org/.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! URGENT MESSAGE! As we stated, we were going to donate all of our Anchor funds to Michael K. Williams' non-profit organization, "Making Kids Win" but were unable to. So, instead, we donated everything to his other non-profit organization "We Build The Block." You can either donate to us at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support or https://webuildtheblock.org/donate/ and the money will end up in the same place.

In this episode, we dig into the uncomfortable and controversial theory that David Simon has about race and policing. We briefly discussed this in a prior episode, but now with Officer Walker's character becoming more villainous as the series progresses, we thought we would revisit Simon's actual quotes on the matter and try to examine it from all angles. Other topics of discussion include McNulty getting back to real police work and deciding to go after real church burglaries instead of playing the stat-juking game that Burrell is putting forth in order to stay relevant, Clay Davis' mind-boggling back-stabbing, Herc's continuous abuse of Bubs, Chris' absolutely brutal response to Michael's request, and much more.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! In this week's episode, we address the tragic loss of the great Michael K. Williams. We make the announcement that all of our donations to our podcast, which can be made at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support will now go to the incredible non-profit he co-founded to curb mass incarceration and gun violence among kids, "Making Kids Win." You can also donate directly to his non-profit at http://www.makingkidswin.com/donate.html. We also give a shout-out to another great Wire podcast, "ReWired," who we had the pleasure of talking to for a cross-over episode about the parallels between "The Wire" and "Generation Kill." You can check that episode out at https://rewired.podbean.com/e/generation-kill-with-thegodswillnotsaveyou-podcast/.

In terms of the actual episode we discuss, we also go into how advocating for either Tommy Carcetti or Nerese Campbell in their little spat is a lose-lose situation and how the business of politics is already corrupting Carcetti (i.e. his promotion of known jerk Valchek.), and also how Daniels and Pearlman might, unfortunately, be too optimistic about the upcoming regime change. Herc completes his horrible transition into being a full-fledged villain at this point when he continues the exploitation of Bubbles' labor to a frightening degree. Prez flexes his police knowledge at the middle school and hesitantly gets into a business arrangement with Randy. Proposition Joe and Marlo finally learn how to get along like best buds and mount a collaborative effort to kill Old-Faced Andre. Also, Poot comes back home to almost no fanfare and Bunk gives Omar a really tough ultimatum once he gets him out of jail.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Willy and Jacob are back to talk about how Robert Chew (R.I.P.) had a Looney Tunes-sized catalogue of vocal impressions from which to draw on when pulling a fast one on law enforcement. We also discuss Chris and Snoop's classic banter on Baltimore radio and how they find out if somebody is from New York, how Bunny is finally making some headway in reaching the kids in his pilot program, and how terrifying it is for Michael now that an abusive father figure has returned home.

Thank you to all for listening. If you'd like to donate, please do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Willy and Jacob talk about how truly messed up Chris' plan to frame Omar is, how Ronda's meeting with the new State's Attorney gives her conscience an awakening, how Namond continues to prove to all of us that he's just all talk, how Carcetti's meeting with Royce after the election is super cringe, and how the dirty politics of the days in "The Wire" seems almost quaint by today's standards and much much more.

Thank you to everybody who's been listening to us all along. If you like what you hear and would like to donate, please do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!  Willy and Jacob give their thoughts on the opening of the episode that sees the mayoral candidates at their respective church services and Carcetti and his family performing some truly atrocious dance moves. The mayoral race, by the way, has some potential last-minute game changers that keep everybody on their toes but the depiction of political smears seem downright quaint in the age of social media and mass-marketed misinformation. And Carcetti ends up winning anyway. We also talk about how Brianna Barksdale and Delonda Brice could go head-to-head in a worst-mom-ever match, now that Wee-Bey's family is getting cut off. The police also decide to play politics and intentionally throw a wrench into the Braddock murder investigation to Kima's dismay. We discuss how Cutty is teaching his students' moms more than just the basic 1 and 2 combos and how it's affecting the learning environment for some of his most promising fighters. We also keep track of Prez's evolution as a character since he's sticking his neck out for Dukie instead of engaging in police brutality like he used to. Bunny, fresh off of his failure with the Hamsterdam experiment, proves himself to be a glutton for punishment and tries out his stoop kid vs. corner kid theory at Tilghman Middle.

Thank you to everybody who's been listening to us so far. If you'd like to donate you can do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! There is internal conflict at Mayor Royce's office, which means Burrell is unceremoniously shunned, while Rawls pulls a two-faced switcheroo. Prez stumbles on his disciplinary tendencies and Bunny rocks the boat with Parenti when he suggests a strategy that could be read as "tracking." Chris and Snoop make a job offer to Michael with an advance on his salary. Dukie snaps Randy back into reality to try and get him to deal with the fact that there is no such thing as "special dead."

Thank you to everyone who has listened to us so far. Please give us positive reviews on any podcast platform and if you'd like to donate to us, you can do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Willy and Jacob talk about Cutty's stint as a "custodian" (more like a truant officer) and how we are sometimes in disbelief that people don't understand how public schools get funding. World-class dumb guy, Lieutenant Marrimow, takes over the MCU causing Greggs and Freamon to leave in disgust while Herc gladly comes back in to resume living his action-hero fantasy of kicking ass and taking names.  Bubbles has a hard time convincing Sherrod that education is the way to go when he is living a life of squalor himself. Bodie acquiesces to Marlo's ultimatum and Chris and Snoop continue to try and recruit Michael. Proposition Joe, frustrated by Marlo's refusal to join the co-op, pulls a fast one on him and gets Omar to rob his poker game. Never a stranger to experimentation, Bunny teams up with the academic, Parenti to start studying at-risk youth at Tilghman Middle.

Thank you so much to all of our listeners. We really appreciate you. If you like what you're hearing, show us a little love by giving us five stars on iTunes and liking us on all other major podcast platforms and if you'd like to donate, you can do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Omar feels strange that he can walk down the street just to buy a box of cheerios, and a crew would voluntarily give up their package out of fear.  Marlo finally gives Bodie the Stanfield ultimatum, while keeping a watchful eye on Michael. Mayor Royce uses unethical tactics to get back at Carcetti after being humiliated at the debate. Bunk is surprised to find McNulty in a domesticated lifestyle, and going full dad mode. Joe makes a Proposition to Marlo to join the Co-Op in order to offset the tension with New Yorkers encroaching on their territory. Because of the election turmoil, and political pressure, Burell and Rawls get Lieutenant Marimow to come in and put a stop to the MCU's wiretapping. Colvin is displeased at his hotel security job when he's forced to look the other way when a guest beats up a prostitute. Prez is having a hard time getting used to his job as a middle-school teacher as his day ends with one student slashing another's face with a razor blade. 

Thank you to all who have supported us and listened to all of our episodes so far. If you'd like to donate, you can do so at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! We discuss how Herc accidentally walks in on the mayor and one of his female staffers engaging in extramarital oral sex. Marlo and his friends conduct cacophonous target practice in Leakin Park, and has a phone conversation with Old-Faced Andre that bewilders the MCU. He also tries to bribe his way into a web of trust with the local middle-schoolers but gets into an intense stare-down with Michael. Pearlman worries about the forthcoming subpoenas having political consequences, being so close to the election. We learn that Wee-Bey is Namond's father in a visitation scene where he talks about how he used to rub urine on his upper lip. Carcetti feels pretty hopeless that he can win the election at this point and Bubbles is really upset that it seems like Sherrod doesn't know how to read.

Thank you to all who listen. We really appreciate you. If you'd like to help us out, you can always donate at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Jacob and Willy are back from accomplishing their mission of finishing out Season 3, to discuss the Season 4 opener, "Boys of Summer." Season 4, which is about the education system and all the people that are subservient to it and who run it, is considered by many die-hard Wire fans to be the absolute best. This season is certainly co-creator Ed Burns' baby (after all it is the most Ed-ucational), seeing as how he drew on his experience of being a middle school and high school teacher to inform Roland Pryzbylewski's storyline. Topics of discussion include: how Snoop's conversation with a Hardware Barn associate regarding nail guns sets up the major themes for the rest of the season, Marlo's brutal plan of evading police presence by disposing of his victims in vacant rowhouses, whether Freamon or Pearlman's political maneuverings regarding high-profile subpoenas are strategically viable or moral, and how the introduction of the four kid characters represent how people of older ages seen earlier in the show could have possibly gotten to where they were now. Thank you to all who have been listening and supporting us so far. If you'd like to donate, please do so at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Mission Accomplished! Well, no, not really. As anybody who lived through the days of the Iraq War in the wake of September 11, that banner that then-president George W. Bush stood victoriously in front of represented anything but a "job well done." And with the end of this season, David Simon, Ed Burns, and co. complete their War on Terror allegory in spectacular fashion. The irony of the "Mission Accomplished" slogan is not lost in the creation of this show as the story is far from being over as there are a whole two more seasons. Willy and Jacob talk about a controversial scene where BunkNulty survey the now-dead Stringer Bell's upscale apartment, how the show pulls off some serious magic by getting us to feel sorry for Avon, what it must be like for people at home watching the news of Hamsterdam's fall, and how this all fares for the rest of the story and the ensuing reign of terror at the hands of the vicious Marlo Stanfield. Take notice of the classic line reading by the great Anwan Glover as Slim Charles about "fighting on that lie" and how it reveals some of the more base impulses of people in powerful leadership positions.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Jacob and Willy go in deep on what many TV types consider to be the best TV episode. We talk about how Brother Mouzone may or may not have special levitating powers, all the mistakes Stringer made along the way to get himself shot twice in the chest, and how his swan song hangout session with Avon is really uncomfortably powerful. Other topics include how Joe Chappelle is on the VIP list of Wire directors for making cops glued to their computer screens must-see television, the influences Simon and Pelecanos got from old Sergio Leone western films, how Stringer Bell's community college must have failed him since he wasn't able to detect Clay Davis double-crossing him in a business deal, and how it becomes more apparent with repeated viewings that Carcetti is not nearly as idealistic as one might think when watching this show for the first time. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! In this episode, Willy and Jacob talk about how the MCU has to deal with the loss of Prez. There's also quite a bit of discussion about Brother Mouzone's return to Baltimore and using Lamar (the real-life Deandre McCullough) and his "visceral homophobia" to pinpoint Omar's location. The New Day Co-op leadership offers up an ultimatum to Stringer in an effort to reign in Avon and his murderously impulsive behavior. Bunny lets Carver know that he recognizes his talent, but that moving a dead body into another jurisdiction in an effort to stay out of trouble, goes against common sense. Burrell and Rawls get real ticked off when they find out about the whole Hamsterdam fiasco, but Burrell tries to spin it in a positive light while in the mayor's office. Cool Lester Smooth earns his nickname when he goes undercover and effortlessly sets a trap for Bernard and Squeak. Cutty has a soft opening for his gym, but soon faces the harsh reality of having to wrangle a lot of these kids who come from fractured domestic situations.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Prez accidentally shoots and kills a cop named Derrick Waggoner and feels really bad about it. McNulty goes out for late-night sex sessions in Washington D.C. and leaves his kids home alone, but Teresa D'Agostino eventually drops him when she finds out he is apolitical and didn't finish college. Avon is upset about his nephew's death but decides to suck it up in front of his sister. Cutty begins to break ground on his new venture, but not without going through a whole lot of bureaucratic red tape first. Omar and his grandmother almost fall victim to Stringer's violation of the Sunday truce, which convinces him he needs to finish the job with the Barksdales by himself. KimNulty enlists the help of Bubbles yet again. Carcetti learns that Gray is coming along in his mayoral candidacy and feels momentarily uncomfortable about going behind his back for his own political ambitions.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Realizing the lifecycle of a typical burner phone, Lester Freamon and Prez know they're going to have to switch up the methods of tracking calls, which sends KimNulty on an expedition across state lines and to many different convenience stores. McNulty hits on Kima despite the fact that she's a lesbian and has just moved back in with her girlfriend. Carver starts to realize the problems of not having any authority figures in Hamsterdam and so forms a brain trust with Colvin to give some of the younger residents important duties. The Deacon does not approve of Bunny's creation but does approve of making an effort to help out Cutty in his quest for stability. Carcetti is starting to realize how to play the political game and that it's not only all about facts. McNulty talks to Brianna about her dead son. Avon tries to trap Marlo, which he responds to with deadly consequences, which in turn leads to Stringer telling Avon the secret of how he was the one that had his nephew's killing arranged in jail.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!  Omar starts doubting his stances after getting chewed out by Bunk and does the magic trick of making Dozerman's gun reappear. Cutty, instead of mowing down rival gangsters, temporarily puts his heart and soul into mowing down blades of grass in an effort to leave the Barksdale mentality behind for good. Stringer tries to take advantage of the free zones and encourages Bodie to set up shop. McNulty screws over Daniels to get the case focused back on Stringer. Avon is lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that Marlo has retreated away from the war. Bubbles witnesses what a true hellscape Hamsterdam can be and quickly realizes his old friend Johnny might be beyond saving. Carcetti again is up to some shady maneuvering, playing Burell and Royce against each other as he tries to bring attention to the issue of state witnesses getting murdered. Herc, the useful idiot does a double-take when he sees that Avon is free and riding around.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Marlo makes it clear that he doesn't want to be a team player, but because of a misunderstanding, Kima and McNulty (KimNulty) believe that he is now the head honcho of the Baltimore drug market, prompting them to urge Daniels to make the case about Stringer again. Jimmy fails to convince people that D'Angelo's death was a homicide, partially out of people's willingness to lighten the workload.   Avon doesn't want any part of Stringer's new business ventures to interfere with his priority of killing people that are making him angry. But over time we learn that Stringer is kind of a dummy who is being conned by state senator Clay Davis. Carcetti proves himself to be a shady backstabber as he tells one of his best friends Tony Gray to run for mayor, knowing that it will split the black vote, giving himself a path to vicotry. With some people still not getting the message about the Hamsterdam free zones, Colvin gets some of his troops to make the message a little clearer with some casual brutality. Bunk gets fed up with Omar and gives him a stern lecture. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

The long-standing friendship between Johnny and Bubbles starts to get cracks in their foundation as they no longer see eye-to-eye on performing capers that involve robbing contractors who find themselves in unsafe situations, painting buildings on rickety ladders with no supervision. Carcetti gets a crash course in how the city treats its' state witnesses. Cutty slaps a girl in his awkward return to Avon's crew. Shamrock doesn't realize that Robert's Rules of Order doesn't apply to the New Day Co-Op's protocol, which results in him getting yelled at by Stringer. McNulty discovers that Stringer is getting into the development business. Marlo refuses the invite to join the co-op and continues to go to war with Avon's crew, while also terrifying some of the knuckleheaded cops as the Hamsterdam process continues to play out with unexpected results. McNulty has sex with Carcetti's future campaign manager, Terry D'Agostino. Bunk is assigned a wild goose chase, looking for Dozerman's gun. Avon is released from prison and Stringer welcomes him home with a waterfront condo and an arranged threesome with two women he's never met before. 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Bunny checks in on the city's attitude towards crime in the neighborhoods when he attends a local town hall, Carcetti approaches Teresa D'Agostino to court her to become his campaign manager, Cutty starts to slip back into Avon's world, and McNulty learns of Stringer's developing plans while taking the heat from Freamon. The sound is a little rough for this one, folks. Sorry about that! If you'd like to donate go to www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Another celebrated novelist, Dennis Lehane, makes his debut on the show as we witness the Comstat carnage continue. Bunny's unorthodox plan to get the statistics in his favor starts to take shape as his Lieutenant looks on in disbelief. Carcetti's Machiavellian tactics prove to be as successful as they are polarizing in the early stages of his grabs for power, making Burrell question who he can really trust. Bodie begins to realize how much of a threat Marlo is and Omar's quest for revenge hits a tragic speed bump. Thank you to all who continue to listen, if you'd like to donate, you can do so at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

On his debut episode in the writers' room, acclaimed novelist Richard Price is tasked with re-introducing Omar into the story, while also going deep into the world of dogfighting. McNulty continues to prove that he can never simply follow orders and goes off to investigate D'Angelo's "suicide." Burrell and Rawls are downright ornery in the Comstat meetings, and we get more insight into Cutty's state of mind as he tries to figure out his path. Thank you everybody for listening, if you'd like to donate, head on over to anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Willy and Jacob are excited to be back to talk about Season 3 of "The Wire." Season 3 provides commentary on the crises of the post 9/11 era, like the war on terror, through the lens of drug reform and local political infighting. We talk about some of the things in this episode that hint at future disasters for all the characters in law enforcement, drugs, real estate development, and mayoral politics. To start with, we are introduced to Mayor Clarence Royce, who preaches about being an agent of change, while preparing to demolish the troubled Franklin Terrace housing towers. But in the act of destroying public housing, he causes harm to the city's environment by releasing toxic chemicals into the air. His attempt at reform proves to be hollow and puts his political career in jeopardy. We also get introduced to some classic characters including, Cutty, Slim Charles, and one of the all-time great HBO villains: Marlo Stanfield.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD RIP Robert F. Colesberry who directed this great episode and who tragically died before the team began production on season 3. As a swan song of a person who spent decades honing his craft with incredible filmmakers, this work communicates why he was such a valuable asset to David Simon and Ed Burns and Willy and Jacob dissect some of the directorial decisions he made to benefit not only this episode, but the series as a whole. We wrap things up on the dock with "Port In A Storm" as the IBS and the detail have to deal with the catastrophic fallout of Frank Sobotka's murder. Meanwhile, Omar continues on his search to find the truth about the little setup that Stringer Bell orchestrated. We also make time for some hilarious online reviews we found about the Motel that Nick and Amy stay at after they're moved into the Witness Protection Program. 

Thank you so much to all of our listeners who have stayed with us for two seasons. We are excited to bring you more content, discussing the amazing 3rd season. Please donate anything you can to us at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and email us any questions, comments or concerns you might have at thegodswillnotsaveyou@gmail.com.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD In the Season 2 penultimate episode, WIlly and Jacob talk about how George Pelecanos' fingerprints are all over this one; from major character deaths to music selection, this is one of the classic episodes that cemented his status as a heavy-hitter in the writing room. Other things that are discussed include some info about non-actor cameos, commentary on how Omar and Brother Mouzone are an odd couple but also more alike than they may realize. We hope you enjoy it, and please don't forget to subscribe to us on any major platform, give us 5 stars and a nice review on Itunes and donate to us at www.anchor.FM/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

1:02:46-The Wire Universe

1:19:31-All The Pieces Matter

1:28:54-Geo Genius

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Double G's duplicitous back-door-appliance-store dealings become the straw that breaks the camel's back and Ziggy goes full-on postal. The detail makes some broad discoveries about tracing this new form of communication called text messaging, which seems comical, 17 years later, when most children have iPads. Valchek continues to have a singular focus on the FBI's investigation and shows just how far he is willing to go to thwart good police work in order to settle a personal pissing contest. Can it be any more obvious that Kima does not want to be a mom? We discuss these things and more on this week's episode. Please, pretty please donate anything you can at www.anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

The Wire Universe: 47:30

All The Pieces Matter: 1:01:15

Geo Genius: 1:13:15

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

In this episode, we discuss the momentous first appearances of Howard "Bunny" Colvin and the real Jay Landsman, how Bodie can't catch a break after getting in a gun battle that leaves a 9-year old dead, how the show continues to subvert our expectations by riffing on typical cops-and-robbers tropes, how Jimmy has to spin a lustful encounter into an occupational hazard, the Baltimore bar scene's flagrant disregard for animal health and safety violations, the restaurant reviews for one of the Greek's meeting places and much much more. Please give us five stars on iTunes and a nice review and donate what you can at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

51:37-The Wire Universe

1:01:23-All The Pieces Matter

1:18:20-Geo Genius

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD McNulty turns to drunken debauchery and promiscuity in a painful reaction at his failed attempts of rekindling romance with his wife, Elena. The detail makes the case to Pearlman for a wiretap citing the evidence of Nick's drug dealing. Seeing how McNulty is rapidly approaching rock bottom, Freamon and Bunk desperately plead with Daniels to get McNulty involved in the case, knowing that he isn't functional without good police work to keep him busy. Ziggy is pissed that Nick is cutting him out of the drug business, pissed at his father's continuous shunning, and pissed that his coworkers are goading him into picking fights with Maui that he's so clearly not cut out for. So naturally, he decides to double down on his status with the IBS as a clown and purchases a duck who becomes his drinking buddy. Frank's flagged phone bill makes him very suspicious and brings him to the realization that he's now a full-fledged criminal. Bodie is forced to take measures into his own hands when business becomes slow. Thank you for listening everybody. Be sure to give us nice reviews and five-star ratings on itunes. Donate if you can at anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support

The Wire Universe-56:11

All The Pieces Matter-59:17

Geo Genius-1:07:32 

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Nick, who once promised Ziggy he wouldn't succumb to selling drugs, starts selling drugs. Prez and Kima continue to look forward to being temporarily able to mix work and hedonistic pleasure. Herc and Carver learn the hard way that tennis and law enforcement don't mix.  The detail has DNRs for Sobotka and Horseface, but are shocked to find out that human trafficking does not allow for a wire tap permit but drug-dealing does.  With his inability to read the room, Proposition Joe makes an offer to Stringer during D'angelo's funeral service, who then relays it to Avon who refuses in a showing of a mixture of anger, pride, and grief. Please give us five stars and a nice review on Itunes and donate to us anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support.

The Wire Universe 47:20

All The Pieces Matter 59:00

Geo Genius 1:00:55

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Beadie Russell, once considered an outsider and an amateur, really starts to throw her weight around and helps the detail figure out that Sobotka's unexplained earnings are more likely from smuggled containers than from drugs. Bunk and Freamon struggle to convince Lieutenant Daniels that the murder investigation and the Sobotka racket are intertwined. Prez, Kima, and Sheryl take an awkward trip to a strip club off of a tip from Shardene in an effort to start looking into local Russian strippers and prostitutes. Meanwhile, Nick gets assistance from Sergei and Proposition Joe to help shut Ziggy up and settle any financial problems. Omar gives earth-shattering testimony on Bird's case in a bid for revenge for Brandon. And last but not least, D'Angelo breaks all of our hearts when he makes the naive decision to try and live a straight-laced existence.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! We have officially ended #Docktober and we are now going into #NoCrossingThePicketLineNovember. Come celebrate with us by listening to our recap of this incredible episode, which features the grand entrance of M-E-T-H-O-D MAN as Cheese (Proposition Joe's nephew)! And he shows up to shake Ziggy down for his incompetence (duh!) with handling the package that he bought off of him, setting off tension with the eastside and Prop Joe.  An apologetic Carver joins the detail and gets reunited with his BFF Herc. Herc, Carver and Greggs suspect foul play with drugs, concerning the Sobotkas, but Freamon who's already been busy with the murder investigations thinks there's more at play.  Sobotka tries to back out of his ongoing arrangement with the Greek, but Nick has different ideas. Meanwhile, Stringer tells Avon that the drugs they're getting from Atlanta are very disappointing, while he continues to have anxiety about D'Angelo's attitude about his jail sentence, which could lead to possibly deadly consequences.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Kima starts "dancing" again, causing her relationship with Sheryl to suffer. Frank chews out Nick for stealing and then flipping the cameras. In a bit of hardball with Burrell, Daniels agrees to lead the Sobotka detail, which also signifies the beginning of the end of his marriage with Marla. McNulty, who is unable to escape Rawls' unforgiving grip and is forced to stay in the marine unit, continues to go rogue and pursue the clues of the murder investigation of the dead women in the can. Stringer hems and haws about the quality of the package from Atlanta. Avon cooks up a scheme to frame Tilghman for the hotshots that he wants to include D'Angelo in, but D'Angelo's newfound conscience gets the better of him and he refuses to take part. Stringer Bell laments the quality of the package that the organization is importing from Atlanta.

1:03:30-The Wire Universe

1:29:09-All The Pieces Matter

1:35:11-Geo Genius

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD Bunk and Lester keep running into dead ends and language barriers aboard the Atlantic Light in Philadelphia on the case with the dead women in the can. Jimmy can't help but go rogue with his own unofficial investigation into the sex trafficking victims but Bunk, Lester, and Beadie all wildly outpace him.  The Sobotka detail goes nowhere,  which prompts Valchek to lash out at Burell. Avon Barksdale gets his revenge on Tilghman. Nick and Ziggy Sobotka boost a bunch of digital cameras to get back into business with the Greek.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Valchek lashes out at Sobotka for beating him to the punch with the church window, and an epic pissing contest gets off to a roaring start. Avon Barksdale operates his organization from jail while doing his version of "looking out" for his nephew. Port Cop Beatrice Russell finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation as a result of McNulty lending an unfriendly hand to the investigation.

44:13- "The Wire" Universe

46:45- All The Pieces Matter

59:55- Geo Genius

1:18:06- Things We Forgot

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! The dismantled detail leaves The Wire's viewers confused and scattered in the second season premiere. With a brand spanking, new intro montage and a different version of the opening song, David Simon and Ed Burns expand their world-building outside of Franklin Terrace and into the docks of Baltimore where stagnating wages and advances in technology are erasing the middle-class workforce. Being pushed up against a wall, financially, Frank Sobotka from the Stevedore's Union resorts to crime. With a whole new cast of characters, Season 2 continues building on its complicated web of characters all with the aim of giving its viewers into all the different facets of an American city.

50:34-The Wire Universe

1:12:00-All The Pieces Matter

1:27:12-Geo Genius

1:40:14-Stuff We Forgot

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! We wrap up talking about the incredible first season by reading bizarre online reviews of The Reptile House in Druid Hill, where Wee-Bey killed Little Man. We also discuss how depressing of an episode this is since almost nothing goes right for the detail's investigation which should have resulted in a career case, the shoddy nature of Bubs' hard-fought battle for sobriety, D'Angelo's difficult decision to flip on his uncle, and all of his friends (haha, just kidding because Mom's gonna have the last word on that one), and Kima's masochistic tendencies of making her life as a police officer consistently difficult for her, amongst many other things.

30:48- The Wire Universe

43:33- All The Pieces Matter

56:00- Geo Genius

1:15:45- Stuff We Forgot

Thank you for listening in on our first season, we are excited to talk about Season 2. Please donate at https://anchor.fm/thegodswillnotsaveyou/support and be sure to like, subscribe and give us those five-star reviews on the platform of your choice.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Well, this is the episode that we've all been anxiously waiting for since the beginning of the season. The many instances of foreshadowing of Wallace's death pays off in a major tour de force way in a scene that is both agonizing and mesmerizing. Culminating in a brilliantly, written, acted, and directed scene that you can't keep your eyes off of, this is the episode that solidifies "The Wire's" place in the conversation about the greatest TV shows of all time. Aside from talking about this traumatic event that unfolds, Willy and Jacob also break down D'Angelo's transformation, the real-life inspiration for Levy's character, George Pelecanos' specialties, and much more. And don't forget, we've also added some new segments to the show to spice things up.

50:35- "The Wire" Universe

1:10:19- All The Pieces Matter

1:38:36- Geo Genius

1:46:20- Things We Forgot

And as always, please be sure to like and subscribe to our podcast on the platform of your choice and give us a five-star review!