Back Burners
"Back Burners" | |
---|---|
The Wire episode | |
Episode no. | Season 3 Episode 7 |
Directed by | Tim Van Patten |
Story by | David Simon Joy Lusco |
Teleplay by | Joy Lusco |
Original air date | November 7, 2004 |
Running time | 55 minutes |
"Back Burners" is the seventh episode of the third season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by Joy Lusco from a story by David Simon & Joy Lusco and was directed by Tim Van Patten. It originally aired on November 7, 2004.
Plot
In the
Herc and Colicchio refuse to help Sergeant Carver as he assists in the Hamsterdam experiment. When Carver remarks that there are too many children, Colicchio notes that many of them are now unemployed because lookouts and runners are not needed if trade is allowed. Carver tells the dealers that they have to pay one hundred dollars a week to deal in Hamsterdam, with the money going towards supporting the children. Carver uses the first of the cash to buy a basketball hoop for the children. Colvin visits Hamsterdam that night, at which point the basketball hoop has already been destroyed. Meanwhile, Marlo tells Partlow they are going to step back and wholesale their package to other dealers and let Avon take their corners. Marlo hopes to bide his time to catch Avon unaware.
At the Major Crimes Unit, Daniels reports that Bell and Marlo are the unit's new targets. He calls McNulty into his office, accurately suspecting he used Colvin to force the unit's change in direction. An unapologetic McNulty defends his actions, upon which Daniels tells him that he will be out of the unit once Bell is arrested. Freamon and Prez analyze the phone that Bubbles procured, but the information is difficult to interpret without knowing more about Marlo's organization. Freamon comments that a phone from the Barksdale organization would allow them to map out the organization with everything that they already know but it would be difficult to get a wiretap up with the phones being disposed of so quickly.
McNulty, Greggs, and Sydnor restart their surveillance work, waiting for Bodie to dump a phone. McNulty convinces them to share a drink with him, causing them to narrowly miss Avon's meeting with Bodie. When Greggs comes home drunk, an argument ensues with Cheryl, who asks her to leave. The next morning, Shamrock phones Bodie and Puddin and recommends that they relocate to Hamsterdam. On their way to the zone, their SUV is stopped by McNulty and Greggs. McNulty covertly swaps out Bodie's phone for a similar model, while Bodie and the dealers angrily mention Hamsterdam several times. After being called to assist McNulty and Greggs, Carver is forced to tell them what Hamsterdam is. Colvin arrives to explain his plan to the unit, asking them to keep it secret.
Back at the detail, Greggs asks
Greggs and McNulty meet with Herc and Carver and ask them to collect any stray burners they find. Herc tells them that he saw Avon driving around the neighborhood, which McNulty and Greggs both refuse to believe. Upon returning to the office, they check Avon's status on the computer and, along with Daniels, are outraged when they find he has been
Production
Title reference
The title refers to the disposable cell phones used by the Barksdale organization. The idiom "put on the back burner" refers to making something less of a priority, or switch focus to something else. The drug dealer Williamson is put on the back burner as Bell and Stanfield are made the new targets and arresting Bodie's crew becomes less important than the Hamsterdam cops-dealers pact. The title can also refer to the "back door" move made on Lieutenant Daniels by Detective McNulty in getting the investigative targets changed.
Epigraph
Conscience do cost. - Butchie
Butchie uses this phrase when talking to Omar about his problems with Bunk over the death of Tosha.
Credits
A dedication ran at the beginning of the closing credits:
"In memory of Geraldine Peroni; editor, colleague, friend. 1953-2004"
Guest stars
- Glynn Turman as Mayor Clarence Royce
- Chad L. Coleman as Dennis "Cutty" Wise
- Jamie Hector as Marlo Stanfield
- Brandy Burre as Theresa D'Agostino
- Melanie Nicholls King as Cheryl
- Delaney Williams as Sergeant Jay Landsman
- Johnny
- S. Robert Morgan as Butchie
- The Deacon
- Megan Anderson as Jen Carcetti
- Shamyl Brown as Donette
- Jay Landsman as Lieutenant Dennis Mello
- Richard Burton as Sean "Shamrock" McGinty
- Malik "Poot" Carr
- Anwan Glover as Slim Charles
- Benjamin Busch as Officer Anthony Colicchio
- Squeak
- Melvin Jackson Jr. as Bernard
- Ryan Sands as Officer Lloyd "Truck" Garrick
- De'Rodd Hearns as Puddin
- Michael Kostroff as Maurice Levy
- Felicia Pearson as Snoop
- Rico Whelchel as Rico
- Gbenga Akinnagbe as Chris Partlow
- R. Emery Bright as Community Relations Sergeant
- Eugene Little as landscaping crew chief
- Cleo Reginald Pizana as Coleman Parker
Uncredited appearances
- Rick Otto as Officer Kenneth Dozerman
- Joilet F. Harris as Officer Caroline Massey
- Richard DeAngelis as Colonel Raymond Foerster
- Gregory L. Williams as Detective Crutchfield
- Robert X. Golphin as Crackhead
First appearances
- Bernard: Barksdale organization member responsible for purchasing the disposable cell phones they use.
- Squeak: Bernard's nagging girlfriend.
- Detective Michael Crutchfield: Homicide Detective in Sergeant Landsman's unit who gets his tie cut, having fallen asleep after working a double shift.
References
- ^ "Episode guide - episode 32 Back Burners". HBO. 2004. Retrieved 2006-08-09.
- The Wire. Season 3. Episode 07. HBO.
External links
- "Back Burners" Archived 2011-08-25 at the Wayback Machine at HBO.com
- "Back Burners" at IMDb