2008 Television Episodes

“Late Editions” is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series, The Wire, the penultimate episode of the series. The episode was written by George Pelecanos from a story by David Simon and George Pelecanos and was directed by Joe Chappelle. It aired on 2 March 2008.

Production

Title reference

Epigraph

As the series winds down, many of its principal players will be fired, honored, arrested, acquitted, or killed. A central tenet of the series is that the ethics of the characters dictate these fates much less than the uncontrollable machinations of the 21st century city.

Credits

Starring cast

Although credited, Michael Kenneth Williams does not appear in this episode.

Guest stars

1. Robert Wisdom as Howard “Bunny” Colvin
2. Julito McCullum as Namond Brice
3. Felicia Pearson as Felicia “Snoop” Pearson
4. Steve Earle as Walon
5. Method Man as Melvin “Cheese” Wagstaff
6. Delaney Williams as Jay Landsman
7. Marlyne Afflack as Nerese Campbell
8. David Costabile as Thomas Klebanow
9. Same Freed as James Whiting
10. Darrell Britt-Gibson as O-Dog
11. Edward Green as Spider
12. Kwame Patterson as “Monk” Metcalf
13. Tom McCarthy as Tim Phelps
14. Robert Poletick as Steven Luxenberg
15. William F. Zorzi as Bill Zorzi
16. Michael Mosely as Raymond Wiley
17. Donald Neal as Jay Spry
18. Stephen Schnetzer as Robert Ruby
19. Brandon Young as Mike Fletcher
20. Keenon Brice as Aaron “Bug” Manigault
21. Eisa Davis as Rae – Bubbles’ sister
22. Dawn Ursula as Lolita Colvin
23. Melvin Williams as The Deacon
24. Nat Benchley as Augustus Polk
25. Bobby Brown as Bobby Brown
26. Rick Otto as Kenneth Dozerman
27. Ryan Sands as Officer Lloyd “Truck” Garrick
28. Bryan Anderson as Marino
29. Reggie A. Green as Arabber
30. Kathy Lally as Kathy Lally
31. Pam Spilliadis as Pam Spiliadis
32. Dennis Hill as Detective Christeson
33. Ayanna Fleming as unknown
34. Jason Moffett as Tony
35. Mary Beth Wise as Karen
36. Kim Bogues as unknown
37. Jon Jolles as Sun librarian
38. D.L. Hopkins as hack driver
39. Charlie Limber as unknown
40. Dimitros “Jimmy” Stakias as Greek deliveryman

Uncredited appearances

• Todd Scofield as Jeff Price
• Brian E. McLarney as Brian McLarney
• Marcus Hamm as Marcus

Plot

The cold opening shows Lester Freamon still slightly flummoxed by Marlo’s clock codes. He does figure something out, however, and calls Sydnor, who is tailing Monk, to peel off and head out to Broening Highway. “This is a fresh one,” he tells Sydnor. Freamon then calls McNulty and delivers words they both had been waiting for. “It’s on.”

Freamon meets with Sydnor. Sydnor reports what he had seen, telling him about Partlow’s actions. Freamon tells Brown to let Partlow go and go for the big kill. “The case is in the phones,” he says, but admits that a Title III would be needed to look at them. Right before leaving, Freamon tells Sydnor that it is “Time to ‘fess up.”

Snoop sits in Levy’s office with O-Dog, who is still recovering from the shot he took from Omar during the ambush at Monk’s apartment. O-Dog is reluctantly taking the blame for the gun charge that Snoop and Chris got hit with the previous year. Levy tells O-Dog he might have to do a short bid, but assures him that he’ll be “well compensated.” After the two leave, Herc recalls how different things are when police officers take “one in the line” as opposed to street soldiers. “Marlo runs a tighter ship,” Levy explains.

Chris arrives at the dock to inspect the shipment. He is satisfied with what he sees and gives the go-ahead. Officers Garrick and Dozerman are watching from the weeds.

Haynes continues his investigation regarding Templeton’s suspected lies. He enlists an old colleague, Robert Ruby, to do some background checking on Scott saying he needs “fresh eyes on the fellow.”

Dukie continues to work with the arabber.

Back at the warehouse Cheese and his crew roll up. The officers watching report the white van that pulled up. Sydnor tells them to “stay on the gate.”

Rawls and Daniels express their frustration to Steintorf, who tells them to continue manipulating the crime statistics. “Be creative,” he tells them as he leaves. Freamon arrives at the station and tells Daniels about the sting on Marlo. Sydnor calls Freamon in the middle of this conversation, telling him they caught Monk “riding dirty.” Freamon hangs up and tells Daniels who he needs arrested. Taken back, Daniels calls Pearlman, asking, “Are you sitting down?”

The raid begins. Heavily armored police vehicles crash through the gates of the warehouse. Sydnor busts Cheese Wagstaff himself. Freamon arrives at the warehouse, and uncovers even more narcotics. Bunk, complete with cigar, has finally served his warrant on Chris, and looks elated at having the man in cuffs. Freamon, at Marlo’s hangout spot, shows disgust when he finds the infamous clock that Marlo, who is in flex cuffs along with several of his soldiers, had been using. Snoop shows up at Michael’s home, and they watch the bad news on the television “Do I still have to take that charge?” O-Dog chimes in. Mayor Carcetti gives another rousing speech about the raid, while being mocked by Bill Zorzi. Alma attempts to interview Daniels, who after being prompted to give more than “It’s a good day for the good guys,” freezes her out and says he’s upset because of the false and unflattering remarks they attributed to him regarding Burrell.

Marlo sits in jail with Monk, Cheese, and Chris. They speculate on how they got busted, but the conversation is momentarily halted when Monk lets Omar’s rants regarding Marlo slip, prompting Marlo to get extremely angry. “My name was in the streets?” He vows to rectify the situation. The conversation goes back to the bust, and eventually, but not without doubts, they decide Michael Lee must be the snitch, and if not, it’s better not to risk everything on doubts.

Landsman berates McNulty on his lack of progress on the serial killer investigation. McNulty looks very depressed and Kima makes it even worse for him with her snide comments. McNulty tries to rationalize it by saying how Marlo is locked up, but Kima still isn’t impressed.

Scott Templeton continues to get praise for his fabricated stories. He finds out that his stories might have a shot at the Pulitzer. The newsroom men debate on how to portray the “Dickensian aspect.” Haynes scratches the quote Alma received from Daniels and continues giving Templeton cold looks.

Still depressed, McNulty refuses to partake in Freamon’s celebratory drink. McNulty expresses his regret over his and Freamon’s fake case.

Michael and Spider sit on a stoop and debate Omar’s death. Michael reports it as it happened, but Spider tells a different, more sensational story. Snoop arrives and chats with Michael. She tells him that with everyone locked up, she needs him for some “serious business.” Michael’s suspicions are raised when she tells him that there is no need for him to bring a gun.

“Bunny” Colvin and his wife proudly watch Namond deliver an informative speech about AIDS at an Urban Debate function. Colvin spots Carcetti walking in and shakes his head in disgust. Carcetti later attempts to apologize for the shut down of Colvin’s special class program, but is frozen out by the bitter Colvin. Colvin then only “slightly” accepts things for turning out as they did.

McNulty continues sending men out for the serial killer case, but doesn’t look anywhere near as enthusiastic as he once did. Landsman orders McNulty to go to the scene of another homeless man’s death. McNulty attempts to play it off like he didn’t think there was a connection, but Landsman turns his back on him. McNulty, looking extremely frustrated, receives yet another verbal punch from Kima. “Wasting your time, huh?” she says coldly.

Haynes questions Templeton briefly, then tries to get admission into Walter Reed Army Medical Center so he can investigate Templeton’s writing regarding Terry Hanning, the homeless Iraq War veteran. At the hospital Gus watches as Hanning’s military buddy shows off his state-of-the-art prosthetic limbs. The vet verifies Hanning’s story. He reiterates that while many bad things happened in Iraq, nothing in the way of a firefight happened on that particular day.

Bubbles continues talking with Mike Fletcher who is interested in his story. Fletcher looks on as Bubbles’ sister appears uninterested in celebrating Bubbles’ anniversary for staying clean.

Freamon meets with Senator Davis, trying to get more information out of him, and after more threats, gets info on the corrupt dealings of Maurice Levy.

Marlo talks with Levy, who gives him even more reason to believe someone is snitching.

Michael Lee sits in a cab, watching Snoop from a distance. He views her talking to the very guy he was supposed to kill, realizing that his suspicions were valid. He is being set up for a hit.

Bubbles brings Fletcher to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. After receiving rousing applause for staying clean, Bubbles finally opens up about Sherrod’s death.

Daniels and Pearlman visit evidence control and confirm what Kima had told him earlier. The serial killer story case is bogus. The phone that was supposed to be the serial killer’s actually belonged to Marlo.

Snoop picks Michael up to go to the spot where his hit will take place. Michael looks a bit nervous, but continues his tradition of questioning the task at hand. After Snoop brushes him off, Michael draws her into a alley, under the pretense of having to urinate. Once there, he pulls a gun on Snoop, who explains why the hit was out on him. Staring down the barrel of Mike’s gun, Snoop also tells him that he was “never one of them” and never could be. Mike cocks his gun. Snoop, accepting her fate, checks herself out in the vehicle’s side mirror and casually asks how her hair looks. Michael replies with “You look good girl” before pulling the trigger.

He returns to his home and rushes Dukie and Bug to gather their things and leave the house. He then drives them to his aunt’s suburban Howard County home, where she is awaiting Bug’s arrival. Michael walks Bug to the door, fighting back tears as he says goodbye to his little brother. Michael, forced to abandon Dukie, drops him off in the squalid area where the arabber lives among other homeless people and junkies. Dukie reminisces about humorous events that happened the year before, asking “You remember that one day summer past…?” but after a long pause Michael, now so hardened and changed by his involvement with Marlo, replies simply: “I don’t.” They say goodbye and part.

Deceased

• Felicia “Snoop” Pearson: Shot by Michael Lee