React Quotes
Encyclopedia
"React Quotes" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series, The Wire
. The episode was written by David Mills from a story by David Simon
& David Mills and was directed by Agnieszka Holland
. It first aired on February 3, 2008.
, Neal Huff
, and Corey Parker Robinson
do not appear in this episode.
Brendan Walsh's name is misspelled in the credits as Brandon Walsh. Tony Small is miscredited as Tony Smalls. Guest stars Denise Francine Boyd, known as Fran Boyd, and Larry Andrews, known as Donnie Andrews, married in August 2007. Andrews is a convicted murderer who now works for a gang outreach program at the AME Bethel Church. His criminal past is part of the inspiration for the Omar Little
character and the two share several scenes in this episode. Fran Boyd, a recovering drug addict who works for an AIDS prevention clinic, appears in the episode as a nurse taking blood from Bubbles for an AIDS test. Boyd was one of the subjects of the non-fiction book The Corner
written by series creator David Simon
and writer Ed Burns
.
Former state legislator Larry Young, who was expelled from the Senate in 1998, appears as a talk-show host interviewing Senator Clay Davis on WOLB-AM
, the Baltimore station where Young now works as a host.
assumes Proposition Joe
's position as The Greek
's narcotics distributor in Baltimore. Stanfield is given a phone and is shown how to communicate with The Greeks without speaking by Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
. Stanfield continues to use Maurice Levy
to launder money and gives Levy his new cell phone number. Levy is optimistic, seeing Stanfields use of cell phones as an indicator of future wiretap cases, which Levy would profit from defending. Defense investigator Thomas "Herc" Hauk copies the number after hours.
Chris Partlow
tells his family he is going away and then prepares an ambush in "Monk" Metcalf's apartment for Omar Little
.
takes him to Dennis "Cutty" Wise's gym to learn how to defend himself. Cutty tries to explain to Dukie that his intelligence gives him some prospects and that even if he learns how to fight it won't necessarily stop him from being attacked. Michael also tries to teach Dukie how to shoot but recommends that his friend avoid using guns.
corruption charges. Nerese Campbell convinces Davis to take the weight of the charges himself and Davis begins a publicity campaign trying to discredit the charges as being based on his race.
is concerned about serving food at Viva House and takes an AIDS test. He is disbelieving when he gets the all clear and Walon tells him to let go of his shame over Sherrod's death.
. Carver delivers the number to Lester Freamon
, but Freamon is unsuccessful in convincing Cedric Daniels
to approach the Mayor and request a new investigation into Stanfield.
Jimmy McNulty
invents more details about his fake serial killer and leaks the story to Alma Gutierrez
who involves Scott Templeton
. The resulting story draws some attention to the case and Daniels appeals to Mayor Tommy Carcetti
for resources. Carcetti is reluctant to spend money on it and only Kima Greggs
is assigned to assist McNulty. McNulty tells Greggs to keep working her own cases. Freamon approaches McNulty with Stanfield's cell phone number and the two decide to stage a phone call from the killer to give them probable cause for a wiretap. When Templeton fakes a call from the serial killer to his cell phone McNulty seizes on the opportunity to get the wiretap and the story takes the front page. Freamon sets up a disconnected wiretap in the homicide unit that they believe is monitoring the fake killer's cell phone while Freamon uses the court paperwork to set up his own wiretap on Stanfield's phone. Templeton is assigned to canvass the homeless but has little success and invents a family of four using one man's name.
while Russell seeks advice from Bunk Moreland
as she is not quite ready to give up on McNulty.
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
. The episode was written by David Mills from a story by David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
& David Mills and was directed by Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland
Agnieszka Holland is a Polish film and TV director and screenwriter. Best recognized for her highly political contributions to Polish cinema, Holland is one of Poland's most prominent filmmakers.-Personal life:...
. It first aired on February 3, 2008.
Epigraph
Starring cast
Although credited, John DomanJohn Doman
John Doman is an American actor best known for playing Deputy Police Commissioner William Rawls on HBO series The Wire from 2002 to 2008 and Colonel Edward Galson on Oz in 2001....
, Neal Huff
Neal Huff
Neal Huff is an American actor. He received his MFA from the Graduate Acting Program at New York University. He has appeared on Broadway in revivals of The Tempest and The Lion in Winter and the Tony Award-winning Take Me Out...
, and Corey Parker Robinson
Corey Parker Robinson
Corey Parker Robinson is an American actor. He may be best known for appearing on the HBO program The Wire as Detective Leander Sydnor. He also appeared in Wire creator David Simon's earlier The Corner as R.C., a young drug dealer and in ER in episode 19 of Season 5 as student Antoine Bell...
do not appear in this episode.
Guest stars
- Paul Ben-VictorPaul Ben-VictorPaul Ben-Victor is an American actor.Ben-Victor was born Paul Friedman, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Leah Kornfeld, a playwright, and Victor Friedman. Ben-Victor debuted on the small screen in 1987 in the made-for-TV movie Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife and on an episode of Cagney &...
as Spiros "Vondas" VondopoulosSpiros VondasSpiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Paul Ben-Victor.-Biography:... - Amy RyanAmy RyanAmy Ryan is an American actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and is also known for her roles in the HBO series The Wire, playing Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell; In Treatment, playing psychiatrist Adele Brousse; and The...
as Beatrice "Beadie" RussellBeadie RussellBeatrice "Beadie" Russell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Amy Ryan. She was featured prominently in the second season, after she discovered thirteen corpses in a container on the Baltimore docks.... - Callie ThorneCallie ThorneCalliope "Callie" Thorne is an American actress known for her current role as Dr. Dani Santino on the USA Network series Necessary Roughness...
as Elena McNulty - Chad L. Coleman as Dennis "Cutty" Wise
- Glynn TurmanGlynn TurmanGlynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
as Clarence RoyceClarence RoyceClarence V. Royce is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Glynn Turman-Biography:Mayor of Baltimore Clarence V. Royce is a deft political figure and is fixated on remaining in power. Royce is the incumbent Mayor of Baltimore who was elected into office in 1998 and is in the... - Steve EarleSteve EarleStephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
as Walon - Felicia PearsonFelicia PearsonFelicia Pearson is an American actress, author, and rapper. She is best known for playing a character of the same name, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, on The Wire. She wrote a memoir titled Grace After Midnight.-Biography:Pearson was born to two incarcerated drug addicts and raised in an East Baltimore...
as Snoop - Marlyne AfflackMarlyne AfflackMarlyne Nayokah Afflack is an American actress best known her role as Nerese Campbell on The Wire. She also played an attorney in the FX drama Damages and Thomasina, the efficient palace secretary and aide-de-camp, on the NBC series Kings...
as Nerese Campbell - Dion Graham as Rupert Bond
- Delaney WilliamsDelaney WilliamsDelaney Williams is an American actor from Washington, D.C. He appears on the HBO drama The Wire as a recurring guest star playing homicide sergeant Jay Landsman. He also had a small role on HBO's mini-series The Corner which brought him to the attention of the producers, who worked on The prior to...
as Jay LandsmanJay Landsman (The Wire)Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work... - David CostabileDavid CostabileDavid Costabile is an American actor. Born in Washington, D.C. He is best known for his recurring television roles on The Wire , Flight of the Conchords , Damages , and Breaking Bad...
as Thomas Klebanow - Sam FreedSam FreedSam Freed is an American actor who has performed on Broadway, television and in movies. His first major regular role on television was as Bob Barsky in the last three seasons of Kate & Allie. In the short-lived series Ferris Bueller, he played Bill Bueller, the father of the title character. He...
as James Whiting - Robert Poletick as Steven Luxenberg
- William F. ZorziWilliam F. ZorziWilliam F. Zorzi is an American journalist and screenwriter. He worked at The Baltimore Sun for almost twenty years and covered politics for the majority of his career. He has also written for the HBO television series The Wire.-Journalism:...
as Bill Zorzi - Larry Andrews as Donnie
- Darrell Britt-Gibson as O-Dog
- Norris Davis as Vinson
- Kwame Patterson as Monk
- Thomas J. McCarthy as Tim Phelps
- Scott Shane as Scott Shane
- Brian Anthony WilsonBrian Anthony WilsonBrian Anthony Wilson is an American film and television actor. He first appeared in the 1997 film The Postman as Woody....
as Vernon Holley - Brandon Young as Mike Fletcher
- Denise Boyd as AIDS clinic nurse
- Keenon Brice as Bug
- Thuliso DingwallThuliso DingwallThuliso Dingwall is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Kenard on the television series The Wire. Dingwall is from Clinton, Maryland.-External links:...
as Kenard - Brendan WalshBrendan WalshBrendan Walsh is an American chef best known for his endorsement of southwestern cuisine. He was the original chef of Arizona 206 in New York City and won international recognition in the prestigious James Beard “Who’s Who of Cooking in America”.-Early life:Brendan Walsh grew up in the Bronx,...
as Brendan Walsh - Larry YoungLarry Young (politician)Larry Young was a member of the Maryland Senate from 1988 to 1998, representing Baltimore's 44th district...
as Larry Young - Tony Cordova as Michael McNulty
- Arthur Laupus as Appointment Homeless Guy
- Eric Ryan as Sean McNulty
- Ptolemy Slocum as Business Card Homeless Guy
- Tony Small as Singer
- John E. Fairley as Unknown
- Joe Hansard as Nathan Levi Boston
- Theodore M. Snead as Sports Desk Editor
- Tony Tsendeas as Homeless Man #2
- Alexandra TydingsAlexandra TydingsAlexandra Tydings Luzzatto is an American actress, best known for her role as the Greek goddess Aphrodite on the popular TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and on its spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess.-Early life:She first began her career at the age of 11 at the Royal Ballet's production of...
as Arts Desk Editor
Brendan Walsh's name is misspelled in the credits as Brandon Walsh. Tony Small is miscredited as Tony Smalls. Guest stars Denise Francine Boyd, known as Fran Boyd, and Larry Andrews, known as Donnie Andrews, married in August 2007. Andrews is a convicted murderer who now works for a gang outreach program at the AME Bethel Church. His criminal past is part of the inspiration for the Omar Little
Omar Little
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
character and the two share several scenes in this episode. Fran Boyd, a recovering drug addict who works for an AIDS prevention clinic, appears in the episode as a nurse taking blood from Bubbles for an AIDS test. Boyd was one of the subjects of the non-fiction book The Corner
The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood
The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood is a book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon and former Baltimore homicide detective Ed Burns. It was named a Notable Book of the Year by The New York Times.-Origins:...
written by series creator David Simon
David Simon
David Simon is an American author, journalist, and a writer/producer of television series. He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years. He wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets and co-wrote The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood with Ed Burns...
and writer Ed Burns
Ed Burns
Ed Burns is a producer, screenwriter, and novelist. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. They have collaborated on The Corner and The Wire . Burns is a former Baltimore police detective for the Homicide and Narcotics divisions, and a public school teacher...
.
Former state legislator Larry Young, who was expelled from the Senate in 1998, appears as a talk-show host interviewing Senator Clay Davis on WOLB-AM
WOLB
WOLB is an Urban Talk radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. Broadcasting on 1010 AM, it is owned by Radio One.-External links:*...
, the Baltimore station where Young now works as a host.
Uncredited appearances
- Edward Green as Spider
Stanfield Organization
Marlo StanfieldMarlo Stanfield
Marlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of West Baltimore and is the head of his own drug crew.-Character background and plot...
assumes Proposition Joe
Proposition Joe
Joseph "Proposition Joe" Stewart is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug kingpin who preferred a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible...
's position as The Greek
The Greeks of The Wire
On the fictional TV series The Wire, a man known only as The Greek leads a criminal organization only known as The Greeks. The organization is introduced in Season Two as a mysterious and powerful criminal syndicate. Based in Highlandtown in Southeastern Baltimore, a predominantly Greek...
's narcotics distributor in Baltimore. Stanfield is given a phone and is shown how to communicate with The Greeks without speaking by Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos
Spiros Vondas
Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Paul Ben-Victor.-Biography:...
. Stanfield continues to use Maurice Levy
Maurice Levy (The Wire)
Maurice "Maury" Levy is a fictional lawyer on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Michael Kostroff. He is a skilled defense attorney and was kept on retainer by the drug-trafficking Barksdale Organization, representing the organization's members at trials and advising Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell...
to launder money and gives Levy his new cell phone number. Levy is optimistic, seeing Stanfields use of cell phones as an indicator of future wiretap cases, which Levy would profit from defending. Defense investigator Thomas "Herc" Hauk copies the number after hours.
Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Gbenga Akinnagbe. Partlow is Marlo Stanfield's best friend, bodyguard, and second-in-command in his drug dealing operation. Despite his quiet demeanor, Partlow commits more on- and off-screen murders than any other...
tells his family he is going away and then prepares an ambush in "Monk" Metcalf's apartment for Omar Little
Omar Little
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
.
Dukie
Duquan "Dukie" Weems gets beaten up by Spider. Michael LeeMichael Lee (The Wire)
Michael Lee is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Tristan Wilds. He is a middle school pupil and is friends with Namond Brice, Randy Wagstaff and Duquan "Dukie" Weems. He is more soft-spoken than his friends, and appears to have a leadership role among his peers...
takes him to Dennis "Cutty" Wise's gym to learn how to defend himself. Cutty tries to explain to Dukie that his intelligence gives him some prospects and that even if he learns how to fight it won't necessarily stop him from being attacked. Michael also tries to teach Dukie how to shoot but recommends that his friend avoid using guns.
Clay Davis
Rupert Bond holds a press conference to announce the Clay DavisClay Davis
State Senator R. Clayton "Clay" Davis is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Davis is a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes...
corruption charges. Nerese Campbell convinces Davis to take the weight of the charges himself and Davis begins a publicity campaign trying to discredit the charges as being based on his race.
Bubbles
BubblesBubbles (The Wire)
Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Andre Royo. Bubbles is a recovering heroin addict. His real name is not revealed until a fourth-season episode when he is called "Mr. Cousins" and in the fifth-season premiere when he is called "Reginald"...
is concerned about serving food at Viva House and takes an AIDS test. He is disbelieving when he gets the all clear and Walon tells him to let go of his shame over Sherrod's death.
McNulty's serial killer case
Herc gives Marlo's cell phone number to his friend and old partner in the police department Ellis CarverEllis Carver
Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is an African American lieutenant and formerly in command of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit...
. Carver delivers the number to Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Clarke Peters. Freamon is a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Major Crimes Unit...
, but Freamon is unsuccessful in convincing Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Lance Reddick. He is a well regarded officer in the department whose focus is on good police work and quality arrests...
to approach the Mayor and request a new investigation into Stanfield.
Jimmy McNulty
Jimmy McNulty
Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by British actor Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish American detective in the Baltimore Police Department...
invents more details about his fake serial killer and leaks the story to Alma Gutierrez
Alma Gutierrez
Alma M. Gutierrez is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Michelle Paress. Gutierrez is a dedicated and idealistic young reporter on the city desk of The Baltimore Sun.-Biography:...
who involves Scott Templeton
Scott Templeton
M. Scott Templeton is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Thomas McCarthy. The actor joined the starring cast as the series' fifth season began.-Biography:...
. The resulting story draws some attention to the case and Daniels appeals to Mayor Tommy Carcetti
Tommy Carcetti
Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Irish actor Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious Baltimore politician who rises from a seat on the city council to the office of the Mayor of Baltimore, and to the office of the Governor of Maryland by the...
for resources. Carcetti is reluctant to spend money on it and only Kima Greggs
Kima Greggs
Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Sonja Sohn. Greggs is a police detective in the Baltimore Police Department who is a dedicated officer and capable detective with some off-the-job issues. Openly lesbian, she has had problems...
is assigned to assist McNulty. McNulty tells Greggs to keep working her own cases. Freamon approaches McNulty with Stanfield's cell phone number and the two decide to stage a phone call from the killer to give them probable cause for a wiretap. When Templeton fakes a call from the serial killer to his cell phone McNulty seizes on the opportunity to get the wiretap and the story takes the front page. Freamon sets up a disconnected wiretap in the homicide unit that they believe is monitoring the fake killer's cell phone while Freamon uses the court paperwork to set up his own wiretap on Stanfield's phone. Templeton is assigned to canvass the homeless but has little success and invents a family of four using one man's name.
McNulty
Elena confronts McNulty about his failing relationship with Beadie RussellBeadie Russell
Beatrice "Beadie" Russell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Amy Ryan. She was featured prominently in the second season, after she discovered thirteen corpses in a container on the Baltimore docks....
while Russell seeks advice from Bunk Moreland
Bunk Moreland
William "Bunk" Moreland is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Wendell Pierce. Bunk's character is based on a retired Baltimore City Police Detective named Rick Requer and nicknamed "the Bunk", an officer who joined the force in 1964 as a Western District patrolman who...
as she is not quite ready to give up on McNulty.