Port in a Storm
| "Port in a Storm" | |
|---|---|
| The Wire episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 12 |
| Directed by | Robert F. Colesberry |
| Story by | David Simon Ed Burns |
| Teleplay by | David Simon |
| Featured music | "I Feel Alright" by Steve Earle "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Joan Jett |
| Original air date | August 24, 2003 |
| Running time | 63 minutes |
"Port in a Storm" is the 12th and final episode of the second season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Robert F. Colesberry. It originally aired on August 24, 2003.
Plot
When
Freamon, Bunk, and Beadie travel to the Port of Philadelphia to investigate the murdered crewman. Using security tapes, they place Serge at the scene of the killing. Under questioning, Serge is forced to admit that he was present when Vondas killed the crewman in retaliation for his murder of the Jane Does. Elsewhere, Greggs' downbeat attitude about parenthood causes tensions with Cheryl. The FBI places Nick and his family in protective custody in a basic motel. The next day, Nick leaves the hotel and is unable to find a day's work at the docks. Under pressure from Daniels, Serge reveals a location that The Greek uses for meetings. Daniels and his team move on The Greek's hotel, unaware that Vondas and The Greek are already leaving the country. With the port case over, Greggs and McNulty convince Daniels to use his new unit to go after Stringer and Joe. Fitz tells Daniels that the leak was not from his agency, but rather likely from the FBI's counterterrorism office, who would find The Greek's vast network to be valuable for the War on Terror. Valchek opens a letter from Australia with a photo of the surveillance van that is still being transported around the globe. Valchek sadly whispers "rest in peace" in Polish.
In the closing montage, Nick mourns his uncle's death by staring over the water near the docks;
Production
Title reference
The title refers to the turmoil taking place at the port, as foreshadowed by the previous episode title
The title is also a reference to the proverb: "Any port in a storm". The proverb tries to say that in an emergency, people will take any help from any source, regardless of the unpleasantness of it. This could refer to Bubbles asking Kima for help (and vice versa), Nick talking to the Greeks for advice and then turning to the detail, Avon accepting Prop Joe's stash, Serge flipping with the police, and the special crimes unit using the resources of the FBI.
Epigraph
Business. Always business.
โ The Greek
In this quote said by him to an airport ticket booking agent, The Greek refers to the fact that everything they do is for the business they are running, from the manipulation of the ports to their own names and lives. They are twisting the world to meet their own ends but they are also an institution in themselves, connected to the other institutions such as the FBI, the shipping docks, immigration, etc. It also hints at the fact that the crime business cycle will continue.
Music
Credits
Starring cast
Reception
The Futon Critic named it the 16th best episode of television in 2003, saying the series "once again reminded us happy endings are all too rare in the 'real' world with its second season finale."[4]
References
- ^ "Episode guide - episode 25 Port in a Storm". HBO. 2004. Retrieved June 22, 2006.
- The Wire. Season 2. Episode 12. HBO.
- ^ Alvarez, Rafael (2004). The Wire: Truth Be Told. New York: Pocket Books.
- ^ Brian Ford Sullivan (January 4, 2001). "The 50 Best Episodes of 2003: #20-11". The Futon Critic. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
External links
- "Port in a Storm" at HBO.com
- "Port in a Storm" at IMDb
