The Dickensian Aspect
Encyclopedia
"The Dickensian Aspect" is the sixth episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series, The Wire
. The episode was written by Ed Burns
from a story by David Simon
& Ed Burns and was directed by Seith Mann
. It aired on February 10, 2008.
, Seth Gilliam
, Domenick Lombardozzi
, Jermaine Crawford
, Tristan Wilds
, Michael Kostroff
, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
do not appear in this episode.
Aubrey Deeker is mistakenly credited as Aubrey Daniels.
The storyline of Season 5 is understood to be a larger commentary on news and reporting, with the phrase "the Dickensian aspect" becoming adopted as a popular reference to a style of reporting and as a cynical inference that a writer has taken great liberties with their sources.
. Later, Carcetti gives a press conference to a national media audience about the serial killer (which he complains is better-attended than the earlier, upbeat ceremony was). He gives a rousing speech, vowing to protect the homeless and stop the killer. Daniels promises the journalists present that more resources will be allocated to pursuing the suspect.
Steintorf and Norman suggest that running on defending the homeless may be Carcetti's key to getting elected Governor.
Pearlman is given the stolen indictments found in Prop Joe's desk by Daniels. She later shows them to State's Attorney Bond and declares that there is a leak in the courthouse.
Freamon reveals the illegal wiretap to Sydnor, who reluctantly agrees to help with the illicit investigation. Lester determines that Marlo is sending photos, but a new wiretap authorization is needed to see what is being sent. McNulty says they need to fake another murder. However, with police now arriving on the scene immediately whenever a homeless person turns up dead, McNulty finds he can no longer tamper with the evidence. Instead, he develops a plan when he comes across a mentally ill homeless man named Larry. McNulty and Freamon plot to photograph Larry with the "killer"'s trademark ribbon around his wrist, after which Larry will never be seen again; the killer, according to the cover story, will now only send photos of his victims to the press, and their bodies will not be found. McNulty gives Larry $100 and drives him down to a homeless shelter in Richmond, Virginia
, giving him a stolen identity card. As he leaves, he feels a pang of guilt over what he has done to the man.
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 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...
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...
& Ed Burns and was directed by Seith Mann
Seith Mann
Seith Mann is an American Film and Television Director. He directed the award-winning Five Deep Breaths and has gone on to direct for The Wire, Grey's Anatomy, and Fringe.-Biography:...
. It aired on February 10, 2008.
Epigraph
After explaining to Sydnor his plan to begin an illegal wiretap on Marlo Stanfield, Freamon makes it clear that the younger detective is under no obligation to help him. The quote echoes through the episode as the homeless man's abduction gives Freamon and McNulty, and by extension the audience, their most serious doubts yet about the justifiability of their actions.Starring cast
Although credited Andre RoyoAndre Royo
Andre Royo is an American actor. He is best known for his role as "Bubbles" in The Wire , and has had guest starring appearances in Fringe, Party Down, and How To Make It In America.-Career:...
, Seth Gilliam
Seth Gilliam
Seth Gilliam is an American actor. He is known for his HBO television roles, first as corrections officer-turned-prisoner Clayton Hughes on Oz, and later as Baltimore police detective promoted to sergeant Ellis Carver on The Wire. On both of these series, he co-starred with Lance Reddick and J.D....
, Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi is an American actor best known for his role as Thomas "Herc" Hauk on The Wire. Lombardozzi was inspired to act by the film State of Grace.-Filmography:...
, Jermaine Crawford
Jermaine Crawford
Jermaine Crawford is an actor best known for appearing on the HBO original series The Wire as Duquan "Dukie" Weems. He is a cousin to fellow Wire castmember and actor Tristan Wilds....
, Tristan Wilds
Tristan Wilds
Tristan Paul Mack Wilds is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series The Wire and as Dixon Wilson on the CW drama series 90210.-Life and career:...
, Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program The Wire as defense attorney Maurice Levy. Kostroff starred in the fifth season of the series and appeared in all four earlier seasons as a guest star.- Biography :...
, and Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is an American actor.He is most famous for his role on the HBO television series, The Wire as corrupt state senator Clay Davis. He also is notable for appearing in Spike Lee films She Hate Me and 25th Hour as Agent Amos Flood...
do not appear in this episode.
Guest stars
- Peter GeretyPeter GeretyPeter Gerety is an American actor.Gerety began acting while a student at Boston University, participating in productions at the Charles Playhouse. In 1965, he joined the Trinity Square Repertory Company, a resident theater company in Providence, Rhode Island where he appeared in over 125...
as Judge Daniel Phelan - Pablo SchreiberPablo SchreiberPablo Tell Schreiber is an American actor known for his dramatic stage work and for his portrayal of the Polish-American character Nick Sobotka on HBO's Baltimore drug-related crime drama The Wire. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in Awake and Sing! on Broadway...
as Nick SobotkaNick SobotkaNickolas Andrew "Nick" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Pablo Schreiber. the character of Nick is cousin to, Ziggy Sobotka, the wayward and rebellious son to his uncle Frank Sobotka... - Maestro HarrellMaestro HarrellMaestro Harrell is an American actor who starred on the HBO original series The Wire as Randy Wagstaff. He was also on the NBC drama ER on April 26, 2007....
as Randy WagstaffRandy WagstaffRandy Wagstaff is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Maestro Harrell. Randy is an enterprising student who is dependent on social services. During season 4, he was an 8th grade pupil at Edward Tilghman Middle School and is friends with Namond Brice, Michael Lee and Duquan... - 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 - Anwan GloverAnwan GloverRalph Anwan Glover is an American actor and musician. He is one of the founding members of the Backyard Band, a go-go band, as well as appearing as gang member Slim Charles in the HBO series The Wire. He has also appeared in music videos, such as Boyz n da Hood's "Dem Boyz" among others, and has a...
as Slim Charles - Method ManMethod ManClifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
as Cheese - 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... - William Joseph Brookes as Lawrence Butler
- Shamika CottonShamika CottonShamika Cotton is an American actor from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is perhaps best known to television viewers as Michael Lee's drug-addicted mother Raylene Lee in the acclaimed HBO series The Wire.-Career:...
as Raylene Lee - 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 - Michael WillisMichael WillisMichael Willis, born October 4, 1949, is an American television and movie character actor. Willis' credits include movie roles in Pushing Tin and Men in Black, and several episodes of Law & Order....
as Andy Krawczyk - 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 - Nancy GraceNancy GraceNancy Ann Grace is an American legal commentator, television host, television journalist, and former prosecutor. She frequently discusses issues from what she describes as a victims' rights standpoint, with an outspoken style that has won her both praise and condemnation...
as Herself - Dion Graham as Rupert Bond
- Sho "Swordsman" Brown as Phil Boy
- Christopher J. Clanton as Savino Bratton
- Kwame Patterson as "Monk" Metcalf
- Troj Marquis Strickland as Fat-Face Rick
- Robert Poletick as Steven Luxenberg
- Scott Shane as Scott Shane
- Brandon Young as Mike Fletcher
- 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 - Luray Cooper as Nat Coxson
- Aubrey Deeker as Terry Hanning
- Roscoe OrmanRoscoe OrmanRoscoe Hunter Orman is an American actor who plays Gordon Robinson on the television program Sesame Street. Orman joined the show in 1973, taking over as the third actor to play Gordon on the show...
as Oscar Requer - Richard Pelzman as Little Big Roy
- Dionne Audain as Social Worker
- Dave Ettlin as Dave Ettlin
- Crissandra Spencer as Crissandra Spencer
- Ken Ullman as Reporter
- Ross Widdall as Ron Lowenthal
- Rashiela Daniels as Unknown
- Reginald Gilmer as Unknown
- Carlos J. Gonzalez as Unknown
- Neerja Sharma as Woman Monk interviews
- Jeffrey Wendell Moffatt as Stanfield muscle
Aubrey Deeker is mistakenly credited as Aubrey Daniels.
Uncredited appearances
- Mike D. Anderson as Ghost
- Megan Anderson as Jen Carcetti
- Donald Neal as Jay Spry
- Ed NorrisEd NorrisEdward T. Norris is an American radio host and former law enforcement officer in Maryland. His talk show, the Ed Norris Show, airs on WJZ-FM in Baltimore, Maryland. Norris, a 20-year veteran of the New York Police Department, served as police commissioner for Baltimore from 2000 to late 2002...
as Ed Norris
Cultural References
The 5th season of "The Wire" explores the complicated relationship between a city and a newspaper, within the context of ongoing plots within "The Wire." In a meeting between editors and reporters at The Baltimore Sun, the character "Templeton" is assigned to capture "the Dickensian aspect" of homelessness in the city. Templeton, having faked sources and quotes on a previous news story about the city's homeless and being unwilling to do the hard work of reporting, continues to submit fictional reportage to his editors.The storyline of Season 5 is understood to be a larger commentary on news and reporting, with the phrase "the Dickensian aspect" becoming adopted as a popular reference to a style of reporting and as a cynical inference that a writer has taken great liberties with their sources.
Stanfield Organization
Marlo's crew searches in vain for Omar Little, who seems to have vanished after leaping off the condo balcony.New Day Co-op
At the New Day Co-Op's first meeting since Prop Joe's murder, Marlo claims Omar killed Joe and heightens the bounty on Omar's head. He further announces that he now controls the incoming drug connection, that all future Co-Op meetings are cancelled, and that the wholesale drug price will be increased. Stanfield offers Slim Charles control of the Baltimore County territories but Slim Charles declines clearly wary of Stanfield. Cheese is then offered the position and readily accepts.Omar
Omar, his leg badly injured, had hidden himself in a utility closet, limping out on a makeshift crutch. He threatens Fat Face Rick and takes his gun, telling Rick to spread the word that Marlo is too cowardly to face Omar directly. Rick asks Omar if he, like Marlo said, was responsible for the deaths of Prop Joe and Hungry Man. Omar chuckles at the comment which reassures Rick about his original suspicions about Marlo's story. Later, with Rick's gun, Omar wounds a Stanfield soldier, steals a cash pickup, and sets it on fire inside an SUV to show he is motivated by vengeance rather than greed.Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun Editors Whiting and Klebanow encourage Scott, who is receiving national media attention for his part in the serial killer story, to write a follow-up article. Scott suggests spending a night among the homeless, though Gus thinks this is a weak basis for a story. Scott passes the night under an overpass and interviews Terry, a homeless Iraq War veteran with PTSD. Gus is surprised with the quality of Scott's writing, but remains skeptical of his reporting overall, asking Scott to pursue a lead on a new development in the case of the woman who died from bad seafood. Scott later claims to have investigated the matter and that the lead was false, but his explanation only makes Gus more suspicious.Homicide
McNulty comments to Bunk about how the serial killer story is now big news, and notes that Scott made up a few details of his own. Bunk, thoroughly disgusted with McNulty's phony killer, dives back into the old murder cases tied to Marlo's crew. Kima tells Bunk that an informer blamed the Stanfield Organization for her triple homicide as well. Bunk and Kima then are frustrated to learn from the medical examiner that the evidence from the row houses has become irrevocably jumbled due to human error. Bunk goes to Randy Wagstaff's group home, but Randy has been hardened by life there and refuses to cooperate with police on Lex's murder. Bunk then investigates the killing of Devar, Bug's father, and interviews Michael's mother Raylene. She says that Michael, Chris, and Snoop are responsible. Det. Holley also gives Bunk a folder of sealed grand jury indictments found in a desk in Prop Joe's shop.Politics
Mayor Carcetti hosts a ribbon-cutting ceremony for portside condos where he is heckled by ex-dockworkers, including Nick SobotkaNick Sobotka
Nickolas Andrew "Nick" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Pablo Schreiber. the character of Nick is cousin to, Ziggy Sobotka, the wayward and rebellious son to his uncle Frank Sobotka...
. Later, Carcetti gives a press conference to a national media audience about the serial killer (which he complains is better-attended than the earlier, upbeat ceremony was). He gives a rousing speech, vowing to protect the homeless and stop the killer. Daniels promises the journalists present that more resources will be allocated to pursuing the suspect.
Steintorf and Norman suggest that running on defending the homeless may be Carcetti's key to getting elected Governor.
Pearlman is given the stolen indictments found in Prop Joe's desk by Daniels. She later shows them to State's Attorney Bond and declares that there is a leak in the courthouse.
McNulty's Serial Killer
McNulty and Pearlman go to Judge Phelan to obtain wiretap authorization for the Suns phones, which Phelan denies, not wanting the press to go after him.Freamon reveals the illegal wiretap to Sydnor, who reluctantly agrees to help with the illicit investigation. Lester determines that Marlo is sending photos, but a new wiretap authorization is needed to see what is being sent. McNulty says they need to fake another murder. However, with police now arriving on the scene immediately whenever a homeless person turns up dead, McNulty finds he can no longer tamper with the evidence. Instead, he develops a plan when he comes across a mentally ill homeless man named Larry. McNulty and Freamon plot to photograph Larry with the "killer"'s trademark ribbon around his wrist, after which Larry will never be seen again; the killer, according to the cover story, will now only send photos of his victims to the press, and their bodies will not be found. McNulty gives Larry $100 and drives him down to a homeless shelter in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, giving him a stolen identity card. As he leaves, he feels a pang of guilt over what he has done to the man.