Please note I have had to trim out huge chunks of this video after a copyright claim. You can see the full version of this video on my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/posts/darkest-scene-in-110702074?Link&
The darkest scene to me is watching Dukie's descent into drug addiction. It just hits because you know it's a common real life occurrence that's happening everyday.
To me - it was Dukie coming to Michael's place when he's sleeping with that girl, and recognizing that life is moving ahead so much faster than he's able to. That's the point we know it won't work out for him.
Slim was such a slow burner. You hardly notice as he steadily rises from a rent-a-thug nobody to New Day Co-Op chairman. The best part of Wire deep dives after all this time was thinking about Charles a lot deeper and almost feeling like watching it for the first time again as once unremarkable & unmemorable contributions now suddenly look like solid chess moves (or simple survival Sun Tzu style). And the quotables worthy of being up there near Omar's.👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
@@vdotme definitely a soldier. kept things direct and to the point. not really hungry for the crown, which made him a much more valuable player for which ever side he ended up on.
I found Butchies torture and murder to be the most bleak scene in the show. We’ve seen him be nothing but a good friend to one of our most beloved characters and suffers the worst death in the show because of it. For me it’s the only scene that borders on being hard to watch.
Absolutely because Butchie was an OG, and everyone let him be and flourish. He was pretty much just an information channel and bank. Even Avon and Stringer parlayed with him. So for Marlo to attack him was really outta bounds
I guarantee Butchie did his shit in his day. The show is trying to convey that no matter how stand-up one is, their past ALWAYS comes back and walks them down. For Butchie to even be in the position he was in he had to have been into some shit and I'm sure he's been on the other side a few times.
Chris was by far the scariest character in the Wire. Something about his promises quick and clean boss i promise was just crazy. Of course we only see him loss his temper once.
Ain't nothing dark about that scene. Dude was in the game, it happens. The security guard was much darker. That man didn't deserve what they did to him
Are you implying that Andre deserved what happened to him? Just because he was in the game? He didn't choose to get involved and squeezed between Marlo's muscle and the murder police, and he wouldn't have flipped either. His murder is just as fucked up as the guard's or the delivery lady....
The security guard really turned myself (the viewer) against Marlo's people. I knew it wasn't going to work out for Marlo after that. The security guard was Marlo's Gant.
Andre's death did have one of the most creepiest circumstances. When bad people are after you, It's expected of them to come and GET YOU!!! and If they get you, ALL you can do Is Fight, Beg, Negotiate, Run, or Accept Defeat. but Let's think for a second. Thinking you ACTUALLY escaped Dangerous people with your life, just to get dropped off on their Backyard UNARMED Is crazy. one minute you're Home free, the next minute you're walking with Chris & Snoop to a Vacant Home.
Should have handed the store over to Marlo the second he got robbed. Failing that he should have just skipped when Marlo asked him to incriminate Omar instead of flip flopping. Selling out to Prop Joe was his third and final mistake. It's not like Omar would have looked kindly on Joe funding his exit. Everybody played him and he couldn't see it.
A lotta people that didn't come up in the streets don't realize how realistic this scene is. The sad reality is life is cheap and the us vs them mentality is strong in the streets so it's possible to be cold asl about it all in order to survive. It's pretty well documented that people will adopt antisocial personality traits as a coping mechanism to survive in their environment. Some sociopaths are born, others are made. I had to relearn my humanity in a lotta ways after I got outta the streets and put some distance between it all. If ya felt everything ya had to do to scrape by it'd be too much so shutting it out and/or compartmentalization is key to mental stability. Killers are just doing their job more or less and that's exactly how it's handled, half the time people don't even care about the one pulling the trigger and want the one who gave word or set it up. Arguing with Chris and Snoop about dying was pointless, they were just cogs in the machine and didn't make any decisions. Ya look like a clown arguing anything but specs. And Andre never expected to live as long as he did, trust me. When I was 14 seeing 16 wasn't a given, by 16 seeing 18 actually looked unlikely, by 18 21 was something I was pretty sure I wouldn't see, at 21 I was almost positive I'd never see 25 and if I did it would only be cause I caught a serious case, by 25 it's felt like "any day now" for a long time - every day since has basically felt like bonus time. Ya also just pick up how to handle that kinda situation. Ya maybe heard about somebody that had it coming and stood tall so they respected em even in death, or the guy who peed himself and begged til the last second that still gets mocked, it's a lotta ways ya pick it up. But he was waiting to die so freaking out about the fact was pointless, the details on the flip side had some give potentially. But yeah, even years later it's hard to shake a lotta this stuff and ways of thinking. That environment makes you, not the other way around. Getting out is a process that unfortunately most people don't get to try their hand at. I'm finally to the point where some of it seems wild to me, but I still say stuff to people like it's normal while they're freaking out over it cause for them it most definitely ain't normal.
Well said! It is like the Serengeti but worse because usually the Impala may fight and kill his own over mating and territory, (if at all because one of them usually concedes and walks away) but not simply to make a point which sometimes, many times happens among humans in this game as noted by the series. And then they are high in the food chain of most predators outside of their tribe.
I remember watching it for the first time on television and thinking it was sad and creepy and also how docile Andre was like he knew death was inevitable so there was no sense in resisting and Cheese doing the exact same thing Prop Joe did to Andre was karma going full circle.
Yeah I really hate Prop Joe (as a person not the character). He's such a slippery little bastard and then has the nerve to act all wise and reasonable. Two of my favorite scenes: 1) when Omar sticks that cannon in his face and hands his sweaty ass a pawn ticket 2) When he tries to act all high and mighty to Cheese about "you youngins just don't understand blah blah" (whose fault is that?) and then gets blasted at his own dining table.
Being from Baltimore the idea of running to another side of town to escape is actually realistic. Plenty of people in the city are only really familiar with their side of town and to them going to another side of town or Baltimore county is like moving to Ohio. This is all despite the fact that you can easily traverse the city in about an hour and can get to the county in about 15 to 20 minutes
Philly has that feel to it as well. I think its the east coast "little" big city feel. Parochialism, for a lack of a better term. Philadelphia, Baltimore, NYC, parts of North Jersey and Boston all seem to have that feel to them.
Being from Baltimore I never understood that. LMBO I am so happy I got a chance to grow from W Baltimore to see the world. Not via the Military, but college. Met folks from all over the world and opened my eyes.
I stayed in Baltimore one summer as a kid. My pops lived on the East side and one of my aunts lived on the West side. It was definitely two different vibes between the two areas. When I was on the West side, that lyric from Mos Def comes to mind, "I can feel the city breathing... and chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening." It's literally like an entity or community of spirits just humming along.
@archipiratta I don't live there but I do frequently visit. There's a lot of great things about Baltimore, I've always thought everyone had chill vibes. It also has a pretty solid metal and punk scene, which is where I tend to hang, so that's definitely a plus. It's got a charm to it that most other cities I've been to don't have, I can't describe it but it's there
Once his life was upended, it almost seemed like he was ready to die. But yeah, that scene haunted me. Chris's demeanor very much reminded me of a friend of mine. Though, my friend is far from a killer. It was like he was telling a nervous friend that this was an ok place to smoke a joint or pee on a tree. "Here is good"
Many cold blooded and chilling scenes in the wire. When Bodie and Poot kill Wallace, for a minute there I thought maybe just maybe they might let him live. The killing of the many civilians: the project and store guards, the delivery woman. It's what sets The Wire apart form other crime drama series in that we are made to feel every one of them, unlike another famous series where we always just shrug off the murder of innocents: a pregnant woman is killed, she was a hoowah, so what?
@@80teg rmr: remember? Soprano kills do make an impact and are memorable, not the point here. Point being there isn't any sympathy for the victims, we as viewers are more concerned with the wellbeing of the thugs. Which may be the point as we are seeing their viewpoint as murderous scumbags who don't care.
I didn’t like the whole storyline of Old Face Andre, because it came across to me to be more about bullying as opposed to it just simply being a part of the game and I despise bullies. I think the writers as well illustrated this by adding in the whole ring scene, which I think was their way of establishing a dynamic (between bully and victim) amongst those two characters. I don’t think Old face Andre was “stupid” as you often described him to be in your video, more so he was just a guy in a terrible situation who didn’t have many options, which is the case a lot of times in inner city communities. Him hiding out in East Baltimore isn’t so much of a terrible idea considering that Marlo is from West Baltimore and through out the show those two turf’s were independent of each other with their own leadership set in place and knowing that Marlo doesn’t control that side of town maybe it could’ve been a safe haven for him if he managed to keep a low profile. The only wrench that was thrown into that plan was the fact that Prop Joe was trying to recruit Marlo into his co-opt at the time and that prompted him to turn over Andre to Marlo. Overall it was a very dark scene, with Andre’s child like voice making it seem even more draconian and nefarious in my eyes.
I think that was part of the whole message... we all like to watch shows like this mostly because they are shown from the idealistic thought of good vs bad, and honor and glory. But the truth is there are many bad people in "The Game" who just don't care and just like to push others around. Any life but their own means nothing to them.
At the time I watched it I thought it was meant to be an illustration of just how pointless "being in the game" was for most. Arrangements, deals, "traditions," vague expectations, all mean nothing. He hasn't even really a pawn, he was a bystander ti be milked and used.
Joe was in a tough spot on this, too. He was going to take ownership of Andre's store, but with that being done, he would have no other choice but to give up Andre. Otherwise, he'd have no way to explain to Marlo or the Co-op how he came in possession of it. Even if he played as closed to the vest as he could and didn't let anyone know he was the owner, if word ever got out it would be immediately known that Joe had an interaction with Andre that he had hidden.
He only asked for the deed to the store because he planned on giving him up once he found out he was working for Marlo. The store was a consolation prize. It wasn't like "Oh well now that I have his store I guess I have to serve him up to Marlo so I don't have to explain how I got it or where Andre is"
Yeah but crucially he doesn't actually rat out Marlo or his crew, he's just too dumb to see what's happening, and in his attempts to squirm out of his predicament, he seals his doom
You missed one other element of how COLD Prop Joe was in this whole subterfuge. When Andre comes pleading to Prop Joe's repair shop front, Joe basically TELLS Andre he's going to sell him to Marlo, with the "analogy" of just throwing away a useless item, and getting another disposal good. It goes right over Andre's head, and Joe seems to enjoy playing with his food. Now THAT sh*t was COLD, yo.
exactly. I could feel the metaphor as Joe was saying it. The Wire does a lot of metaphors just like that, they don't draw attention to it (but the camera does)
This kinda reminds me of Davey from the Soprano's. Hes a likable enough guy who gets wrapped up in the game in the worst way, deliberately almost, and loses everything to people who are only looking to clean him out no matter what.
@@wilheim007Not even. On the surface he seemed to steer him away but he was using reverse psychology. Saying things he know would entice him. These guys play for BIG MONEY. (These guys play deep) Nah you don't want in this game. Come on Davey. And Daveys like fuck that I want in! Tony is a reptile. Plus letting him know the game is dangerous let's tony off the hook guilt free. Like bro I warned you. It's your own fault. Now give me everything I'll start with your soul 😈
@@gioluvs1893 that might well be true knowing tony though is daveys situation similar to andres. the shit storm brought on old face was from others but davey brought it all on himself
I'd guess they likely ran into each other in the care system. There's an element of familial reliability about their relationship - closest thing to trust (& a weird form of affection) they ever display. I don't get the feeling there is any fear of betrayal between Snoop, Chris & Marlo in the way family will always expect family to never cross certain lines. A grown up Chris or Snoop would be a worrying threat to a Marlo if they met up as strangers or business associates. Chris would NEVER have Marlo picking him up at his house like he did with his kid there so comfortably in that one scene that showed the only glimpse of a healthy life on Chris's part. The parallel of Mike as a potential young Chris highlights this when we see Mike get the drop on Snoop. Mike was able to pierce Chris's familial barriers through a shared experience but to Snoop he was just a worker in the game. Perhaps even an intrusion on that we-all-we-got security they supposedly had (though they never outwardly showed such emotional attachment).
Slipped up thinking he could trust anyone. If I was to be in that situation I would of slipped out on a bus in the dead of night and head south or south west
And Prop Joe of all people. Like what the fuck was he thinking? 😂 Even without the co-op, Joe is the type of guy who might sell you out to Marlo for a quick buck.
Say what you want about Joe. But he'd never do family like that. He stood tall for Cheese and refused to give him up to Marlo. Only for Cheese to give him up to him. I'd expect dudes on the game to get ova on each other. When convenient and there's something to gain. But neva at the expense of family.
I don't think the blanket of "being in the game" can be casted on everyone touched by it. Many end up in it through deception, intimidation and so on. This might have been a long line of him "repaying a favor" that's principle is always tantalizing. Most aren't "in the game" even if they're groomed to believe they are, or are in course to be a kingpin.
He didn’t need $2000 to get his ass on a Greyhound and go to the other side of the country. If self-preservation isn’t an instinct you possess, this is how you end up.
Great video and analysis. I remember seeing this for the first time and rewinding it to see if I was really understanding what was happening. I just couldn't believe it.
Man I love these! I ain't gonna comment cause everyone hated me for saying that DeAngelo was the opposite of slim which I think is pretty damn rational considering position, closeness and big time the decisions that they made but this was good. Season 4 when they find the first New York guy and Chris smiles and laughs then snoop goes on snoop mode but Chris just ends it like that. GANGSTER AS IT GETS. Jiggle it wiggle it yo
The scene was truly realistic because when I hear killers in interviews they talk about it like it’s normal. Alpo Martinez once said “We dragged his body to a nice cool spot. Trees and bushes it was cool. But I guess an electrician was doing work in the area the next day and they found him..🤦♂️”
I agree with you. I think this was a very dark scene. It makes me think that Andre doesn't have the capacity to understand what's happening to him. Which makes everything so much worse.
Darkest scene was when Chris and Snoop had the guy with dreadlocks on his knees at gunpoint and he vomited before being shot in the head. Then Snoop jokingly asks if he’d like some Chinese food afterwards lol
Agreed: Prop Joe's and Slim's delivery of Andre to Marlo's crowd is a low point, even though I have a low opinion of Andre. While Joe and Slim are two of my favorite characters in this show, my view of them took a dive when they placated Marlo by giving Andre up to him (I know they had their strategic reasons for doing so, but they didn't have to).
from prop joe's standpoint it made perfect sense. it wasnt clear at this point to the co-op just how unhinged marlo was and joe wanted him to become a member. as for slim he was just a soldier like he always was, not asking any questions
Joe was so in love with the thought of having Marlo in the group. Please join! I'll even give you a blueprint on how to kill me after you milk me for all my game knowledge. As a bonus I'll even introduce you to my sacred supplu
This is why idk how people look at Prop Joe as some upstanding innocent man who didn’t deserve to be back ended by his own nephew when he did this to Andre just to get on Marlo’s good side whereas Cheese actually had a reason to want Prop Joe dead uncle or not smh
I agree with your video . I think The Marlo chapter was very cold blooded . Representing new / younger generation’s views and positions on the previous generations. I’m thinking Soylent Green … Think on that reference. Keep your videos coming
I’ll never accept that Andre didn’t arm himself when he knew his life was in danger. When he saw Chris, the first person he should have shot at was Chris and then Slim. Andre might ultimately die, but someone should have gone with him.
Oi govna! I really enjoy your content and I'm always waiting for you to upload! Any chance you would like to do a video on the HBO Gotti film from 1996? Many of the actors from The Sopranos are in the movie and i think you would like it alot. All the best bro.
agree great explanation it is by far the darkest scene in the series. another mention is the schoolboy who gets killed by a stray bullet in his home, and Tasha getting killed by friendly fire Dante who had bad aim.
Showing how desensitized all of these people are to the horrors of the streets is what makes this show such a fantastic watch. It's believable because it pulls no punches and sugar coats nothing. Death is part of 'the game' and everyone accepts it... however it comes.
Wallace getting smoked by his own homeboys and Dukies situation from beginning to end was F’ing heartbreaking. Too many youngsters going through that BS
Such a good breakdown of the demise of Old Face Andre. End the end, when the police found all the bodies in the vacant. Andre, when his body is identified, will get that home going.
Old Face Andre, was "slow" more than dumb imo. He aware of what's going on, but very slow to catching on. The more I watched these analysis, it becoming clear to me, that Stansfield Organization wasn't that smart. Chris might have been smarter than Marlo, but was scared of Marlo cause he knew Marlo wouldn't hesitate to kill women and kids. Marlo should have known that plan wouldn't have worked. Omar a legend in the streets, so they should known old schools follow codes. Old Face Andre was "slow" cause he believe every single word, everyone said. Butchie death to me, was the darkest to me. Even though Butchie was in the game, the man was blind. Another mistake Marlo made, was not killing Randy. Stringer would have killed Randy, have Little Kevin do it and then have Little Kevin killed. I guess Marlo wasn't that cold. A new subscriber here.
Marlo didn't kill Randy because he knew Michael was close to Randy and didn't want Michael to jump ship from his crew because Marlo saw potential in Michael.
Andre's problem with Marlo stemmed from how Omar negotiated the criminal justice system. That brought suspicion upon Andre, when Omar hid in jail and then subsequently got released. Marlo thought that was the result of Andre backing out of his account of how that delivery lady was killed, when in actuality Omar got out due to his previous assistance to the prosecution team that convicted Bird for the murder of Gant, It was very unfortunate. But the game is the game.
You're totally right. I hated whenever this evil trio were on screen..... the nail guns and everything else. Their vapid, unfeeling manners. Mortifying.
The look marlo gets on his face after he kills prop joe is so chilling, like he is savoring the moment. Him and his crew enjoyed the violence, while everyone else only used it for enforcement.
Old face Andre was the poster Child for Just Say No. Don't get in the game unless youre ready to play. The little money he could make from it was tempting and he let it tempt him without knowing what he was dealing with and what he was getting into.
If youre wondering why people just resign themselves to death with a Chris and Snoop, David Simon explains that they had a scene where they said “it’s either you come with us and resign yourself to your death, or we kill your entire family and all your friends. You choose to play the game”. I wish they would have kept it in, it explains why so few people fought back.
good choice... the beauty of The Wire is that there are dozens of moments that you can cite with equal validity... i think you are right about the desensitization... cold. as a scene, I can' think of a better one but Randy's arc is the grimmest - the best example of how nurture can over-ride nature... particularly if the person in question is intelligent. It's something that is not mentioned often but i think one of the great things about the Wire is it shows that kids growing up in that environment, regardless of parenting, if they have some brains and independent thought will usually conclude that The Game is best played from the criminal side.
The not escaping Baltimore thing is also really life like, I do not live in a big city quite the opposite a tiny island and everyone moans about it and it's lack of things to do but those that do escape to somewhere else, I would say a good 80% come back to what they know in the end.
Criminals very much see the world as Strong vs week/Predator vs prey. If you are weak you will be preyed upon. Something I wish our clueless justice systems seem to not understand. Being nice to criminals doesn't earn respect or admiration, it just seems weak. Maybe the JS does understand it just doesn't care. Again, the JS is strong, and you are weak...what did you think your fate would be? Why should the JS care what happens to the weak?
About as dark and non chalant as one nod from Marlo, and kevin is whistle away to meet his death. Him using body language to plead with Marlo for mercy, is hard to forget. When monk walked behind him and said 'get going', he knew his time was up. Why didn't he fight? At least go down swinging.
Fucking Andre?! I thought this was gonna be about Wallace. Man, that scene just sticks with me. A system that forces 2 young men to kill their childhood friend is terrifying.
Please note I have had to trim out huge chunks of this video after a copyright claim. You can see the full version of this video on my Patreon here:
www.patreon.com/posts/darkest-scene-in-110702074?Link&
Yeah I was about to say at 3:55 there was a massive jump cut for some reason but you already explained it. That's ruined some of my videos too.
The darkest scene to me is watching Dukie's descent into drug addiction. It just hits because you know it's a common real life occurrence that's happening everyday.
When Mike dropped him off at the stable. Man. That was rough.
That was hard to see... he was very smart and couldn't get out of his conditions
@@briandavey1139when Duke looked back and Mike was gone forever
@@rybread1727 that hurt. He was a good kid
To me - it was Dukie coming to Michael's place when he's sleeping with that girl, and recognizing that life is moving ahead so much faster than he's able to. That's the point we know it won't work out for him.
the coldest line was from Slim Charles.
Andre: "You said you'd get me out of here."
Slim: "Manner of speaking, that be true."
Slim was such a slow burner. You hardly notice as he steadily rises from a rent-a-thug nobody to New Day Co-Op chairman. The best part of Wire deep dives after all this time was thinking about Charles a lot deeper and almost feeling like watching it for the first time again as once unremarkable & unmemorable contributions now suddenly look like solid chess moves (or simple survival Sun Tzu style). And the quotables worthy of being up there near Omar's.👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
😂😂😂
Man he just went with a Chris and Snoop on that walk once Slim handed him off he knew there was nothing left to do.
Came to say the same.
@@vdotme definitely a soldier. kept things direct and to the point. not really hungry for the crown, which made him a much more valuable player for which ever side he ended up on.
The off screen death of the security guard was tough and very dark for me. Dude was not in the game and died for just doing his job.
yea i didn't like marlo after that
Especially since the trial was over with to
He saw it one way
...
yeah. that was shitty
He talked back
I found Butchies torture and murder to be the most bleak scene in the show. We’ve seen him be nothing but a good friend to one of our most beloved characters and suffers the worst death in the show because of it. For me it’s the only scene that borders on being hard to watch.
100% agree
Absolutely because Butchie was an OG, and everyone let him be and flourish. He was pretty much just an information channel and bank. Even Avon and Stringer parlayed with him. So for Marlo to attack him was really outta bounds
I guarantee Butchie did his shit in his day. The show is trying to convey that no matter how stand-up one is, their past ALWAYS comes back and walks them down. For Butchie to even be in the position he was in he had to have been into some shit and I'm sure he's been on the other side a few times.
Brandon got the worst death on the show
Yeah that scene rough as hell, and of course he dies at the hands of the two biggest apes in the show...damn
Chris was by far the scariest character in the Wire. Something about his promises quick and clean boss i promise was just crazy. Of course we only see him loss his temper once.
It's scary because you know he means it. Like Omar, Chris is a man of his word.
And ironically the one time he loses his temper ends up being his downfall because of his DNA left at the scene.
Chris was scary but showed a fear/respect of Omar.
yeah but that one time was enough to confirm the suspicions anyone had of how far he’s willing to take that darkness
Him losing his temper was the darkest scene.
There were definitely a lot of dark moments. I always thought Lil Kevin getting into the back of the SUV was scary.
He was stupid as hell..
I think the exact same thing! For me that was the darkest coz it was carried out in such an...everyday sort of way.
Hey...I'm fat and slow but I'm running. F all that.
@@bhillboy37 🤣 I hear that!
The hit at Junebug’s house, with one child running out the back and another hiding in the closet, was pretty rough.
Ain't nothing dark about that scene. Dude was in the game, it happens. The security guard was much darker. That man didn't deserve what they did to him
Facts and the vendor chris killed in the fake robbery.
Are you implying that Andre deserved what happened to him? Just because he was in the game? He didn't choose to get involved and squeezed between Marlo's muscle and the murder police, and he wouldn't have flipped either. His murder is just as fucked up as the guard's or the delivery lady....
Or the convenience store security guard with Marlo 😢
Andre scene was dark. But the security guard Murder was even darker. That could have been me or anybody calling out a wrong doing
The security guard really turned myself (the viewer) against Marlo's people. I knew it wasn't going to work out for Marlo after that. The security guard was Marlo's Gant.
Andre's death did have one of the most creepiest circumstances. When bad people are after you, It's expected of them to come and GET YOU!!! and If they get you, ALL you can do Is Fight, Beg, Negotiate, Run, or Accept Defeat. but Let's think for a second. Thinking you ACTUALLY escaped Dangerous people with your life, just to get dropped off on their Backyard UNARMED Is crazy. one minute you're Home free, the next minute you're walking with Chris & Snoop to a Vacant Home.
Right that was eerie 🥶
Should have handed the store over to Marlo the second he got robbed. Failing that he should have just skipped when Marlo asked him to incriminate Omar instead of flip flopping. Selling out to Prop Joe was his third and final mistake. It's not like Omar would have looked kindly on Joe funding his exit. Everybody played him and he couldn't see it.
Wheres Wallace String?
String WHERE THE FUCK IS WALLACE?
Who the fuck is Wallace String
Shut your mouth D'Angelo
He became Killmonger lol
D’Angelo shut your mouth.
A lotta people that didn't come up in the streets don't realize how realistic this scene is. The sad reality is life is cheap and the us vs them mentality is strong in the streets so it's possible to be cold asl about it all in order to survive.
It's pretty well documented that people will adopt antisocial personality traits as a coping mechanism to survive in their environment. Some sociopaths are born, others are made. I had to relearn my humanity in a lotta ways after I got outta the streets and put some distance between it all. If ya felt everything ya had to do to scrape by it'd be too much so shutting it out and/or compartmentalization is key to mental stability.
Killers are just doing their job more or less and that's exactly how it's handled, half the time people don't even care about the one pulling the trigger and want the one who gave word or set it up. Arguing with Chris and Snoop about dying was pointless, they were just cogs in the machine and didn't make any decisions. Ya look like a clown arguing anything but specs.
And Andre never expected to live as long as he did, trust me. When I was 14 seeing 16 wasn't a given, by 16 seeing 18 actually looked unlikely, by 18 21 was something I was pretty sure I wouldn't see, at 21 I was almost positive I'd never see 25 and if I did it would only be cause I caught a serious case, by 25 it's felt like "any day now" for a long time - every day since has basically felt like bonus time. Ya also just pick up how to handle that kinda situation. Ya maybe heard about somebody that had it coming and stood tall so they respected em even in death, or the guy who peed himself and begged til the last second that still gets mocked, it's a lotta ways ya pick it up. But he was waiting to die so freaking out about the fact was pointless, the details on the flip side had some give potentially.
But yeah, even years later it's hard to shake a lotta this stuff and ways of thinking. That environment makes you, not the other way around. Getting out is a process that unfortunately most people don't get to try their hand at. I'm finally to the point where some of it seems wild to me, but I still say stuff to people like it's normal while they're freaking out over it cause for them it most definitely ain't normal.
Well said! It is like the Serengeti but worse because usually the Impala may fight and kill his own over mating and territory, (if at all because one of them usually concedes and walks away) but not simply to make a point which sometimes, many times happens among humans in this game as noted by the series. And then they are high in the food chain of most predators outside of their tribe.
I remember watching it for the first time on television and thinking it was sad and creepy and also how docile Andre was like he knew death was inevitable so there was no sense in resisting and Cheese doing the exact same thing Prop Joe did to Andre was karma going full circle.
Yeah I really hate Prop Joe (as a person not the character). He's such a slippery little bastard and then has the nerve to act all wise and reasonable.
Two of my favorite scenes:
1) when Omar sticks that cannon in his face and hands his sweaty ass a pawn ticket
2) When he tries to act all high and mighty to Cheese about "you youngins just don't understand blah blah" (whose fault is that?) and then gets blasted at his own dining table.
Being from Baltimore the idea of running to another side of town to escape is actually realistic. Plenty of people in the city are only really familiar with their side of town and to them going to another side of town or Baltimore county is like moving to Ohio. This is all despite the fact that you can easily traverse the city in about an hour and can get to the county in about 15 to 20 minutes
Philly has that feel to it as well. I think its the east coast "little" big city feel. Parochialism, for a lack of a better term. Philadelphia, Baltimore, NYC, parts of North Jersey and Boston all seem to have that feel to them.
Being from Baltimore I never understood that. LMBO I am so happy I got a chance to grow from W Baltimore to see the world. Not via the Military, but college. Met folks from all over the world and opened my eyes.
I stayed in Baltimore one summer as a kid. My pops lived on the East side and one of my aunts lived on the West side. It was definitely two different vibes between the two areas. When I was on the West side, that lyric from Mos Def comes to mind, "I can feel the city breathing... and chest heaving, against the flesh of the evening." It's literally like an entity or community of spirits just humming along.
@@LarryStevenson-b2qwhat is Baltimore like tbh? It feels like a hard place to live. Is there anything good about it?
@archipiratta I don't live there but I do frequently visit. There's a lot of great things about Baltimore, I've always thought everyone had chill vibes. It also has a pretty solid metal and punk scene, which is where I tend to hang, so that's definitely a plus. It's got a charm to it that most other cities I've been to don't have, I can't describe it but it's there
When Partlow beat Michael's step-dad to death, I found that pretty dark and disturbing. Dude may have deserved it but damn, Partlow destroyed him.
Nah, Duke deserved it! Think about it, those whom may have been traumatized by such abuse suffer having to live with such an experience!
@@daniellucas6573 Yes, if you re-read my original comment I stated "Dude may have deserved it."
That dude plays deadbeat dad in every flick lmao.
It was darker when he was alive
Once his life was upended, it almost seemed like he was ready to die. But yeah, that scene haunted me. Chris's demeanor very much reminded me of a friend of mine. Though, my friend is far from a killer. It was like he was telling a nervous friend that this was an ok place to smoke a joint or pee on a tree. "Here is good"
Many cold blooded and chilling scenes in the wire. When Bodie and Poot kill Wallace, for a minute there I thought maybe just maybe they might let him live. The killing of the many civilians: the project and store guards, the delivery woman. It's what sets The Wire apart form other crime drama series in that we are made to feel every one of them, unlike another famous series where we always just shrug off the murder of innocents: a pregnant woman is killed, she was a hoowah, so what?
Remember when Paulie killed Waiter in Sopranos
@@bjrnthebootybandit . yeah, Paulie and Chris decided to end their feud and forgot all about the waiter. Typical Sopranos moment.
Breaking Bad gets very dark too
@@ndogg20 If Sopranos kills didnt make an impact, you wouldnt rmr them
@@80teg rmr: remember? Soprano kills do make an impact and are memorable, not the point here. Point being there isn't any sympathy for the victims, we as viewers are more concerned with the wellbeing of the thugs. Which may be the point as we are seeing their viewpoint as murderous scumbags who don't care.
The torture & murder of Butchie is Cold as Fuck, hard to watch
I didn’t like the whole storyline of Old Face Andre, because it came across to me to be more about bullying as opposed to it just simply being a part of the game and I despise bullies. I think the writers as well illustrated this by adding in the whole ring scene, which I think was their way of establishing a dynamic (between bully and victim) amongst those two characters. I don’t think Old face Andre was “stupid” as you often described him to be in your video, more so he was just a guy in a terrible situation who didn’t have many options, which is the case a lot of times in inner city communities. Him hiding out in East Baltimore isn’t so much of a terrible idea considering that Marlo is from West Baltimore and through out the show those two turf’s were independent of each other with their own leadership set in place and knowing that Marlo doesn’t control that side of town maybe it could’ve been a safe haven for him if he managed to keep a low profile. The only wrench that was thrown into that plan was the fact that Prop Joe was trying to recruit Marlo into his co-opt at the time and that prompted him to turn over Andre to Marlo. Overall it was a very dark scene, with Andre’s child like voice making it seem even more draconian and nefarious in my eyes.
I think that was part of the whole message... we all like to watch shows like this mostly because they are shown from the idealistic thought of good vs bad, and honor and glory. But the truth is there are many bad people in "The Game" who just don't care and just like to push others around. Any life but their own means nothing to them.
At the time I watched it I thought it was meant to be an illustration of just how pointless "being in the game" was for most.
Arrangements, deals, "traditions," vague expectations, all mean nothing. He hasn't even really a pawn, he was a bystander ti be milked and used.
Joe was in a tough spot on this, too. He was going to take ownership of Andre's store, but with that being done, he would have no other choice but to give up Andre. Otherwise, he'd have no way to explain to Marlo or the Co-op how he came in possession of it. Even if he played as closed to the vest as he could and didn't let anyone know he was the owner, if word ever got out it would be immediately known that Joe had an interaction with Andre that he had hidden.
He only asked for the deed to the store because he planned on giving him up once he found out he was working for Marlo. The store was a consolation prize. It wasn't like "Oh well now that I have his store I guess I have to serve him up to Marlo so I don't have to explain how I got it or where Andre is"
Even the dock workers kept their mouth shut when they got grand jurried. Andre talked like a gossip queen lol
Yeah, because they were all part of a socialist cabal which aims to protect workers rights. Maybe Andre just needed a union
Yeah but crucially he doesn't actually rat out Marlo or his crew, he's just too dumb to see what's happening, and in his attempts to squirm out of his predicament, he seals his doom
You missed one other element of how COLD Prop Joe was in this whole subterfuge. When Andre comes pleading to Prop Joe's repair shop front, Joe basically TELLS Andre he's going to sell him to Marlo, with the "analogy" of just throwing away a useless item, and getting another disposal good. It goes right over Andre's head, and Joe seems to enjoy playing with his food. Now THAT sh*t was COLD, yo.
exactly. I could feel the metaphor as Joe was saying it. The Wire does a lot of metaphors just like that, they don't draw attention to it (but the camera does)
This kinda reminds me of Davey from the Soprano's. Hes a likable enough guy who gets wrapped up in the game in the worst way, deliberately almost, and loses everything to people who are only looking to clean him out no matter what.
well tony tried few times to keep davey out that game
@@wilheim007Not even. On the surface he seemed to steer him away but he was using reverse psychology. Saying things he know would entice him. These guys play for BIG MONEY. (These guys play deep) Nah you don't want in this game. Come on Davey. And Daveys like fuck that I want in! Tony is a reptile. Plus letting him know the game is dangerous let's tony off the hook guilt free. Like bro I warned you. It's your own fault. Now give me everything I'll start with your soul 😈
@@gioluvs1893 that might well be true knowing tony though is daveys situation similar to andres. the shit storm brought on old face was from others but davey brought it all on himself
@@wilheim007 Yeah. Thats all accurate. I love both of these shows equally. Other shows even at their best cant touch these two.
@@gioluvs1893 yes both on another level
Darkest scene is when Wallace closest 2 friends kill him on some just in case shit
I wish we knew how Marlo and Chris connected! Like are they so loyal and respectful to each other?!
I'd guess they likely ran into each other in the care system. There's an element of familial reliability about their relationship - closest thing to trust (& a weird form of affection) they ever display.
I don't get the feeling there is any fear of betrayal between Snoop, Chris & Marlo in the way family will always expect family to never cross certain lines.
A grown up Chris or Snoop would be a worrying threat to a Marlo if they met up as strangers or business associates. Chris would NEVER have Marlo picking him up at his house like he did with his kid there so comfortably in that one scene that showed the only glimpse of a healthy life on Chris's part.
The parallel of Mike as a potential young Chris highlights this when we see Mike get the drop on Snoop. Mike was able to pierce Chris's familial barriers through a shared experience but to Snoop he was just a worker in the game. Perhaps even an intrusion on that we-all-we-got security they supposedly had (though they never outwardly showed such emotional attachment).
Look at the way Marlo and Chris killed Devonne then look at the way Bodie and Poot kill Wallace
The wire is such an amazing show. Probably the best police/criminal show ever. And I’ve been in love with those types of shows since the 80s
Probably the best show ever haha
Slipped up thinking he could trust anyone. If I was to be in that situation I would of slipped out on a bus in the dead of night and head south or south west
And Prop Joe of all people. Like what the fuck was he thinking? 😂 Even without the co-op, Joe is the type of guy who might sell you out to Marlo for a quick buck.
@prolifik5 I mean he a hustler he could of sold off them cheezits and snacks on the run and got money to keep running
Chris helping the delivery lady into the store with her load then shooting her after her heartfelt "Aw Thank you, Baby"
Prop Joe was definitely a snake.
As charming as i found him to be, he was just as ruthless as Marlo..
Dude could have gotten a Motel in Westminister or Hagerstown Md.
I was sad for Prop Joe, until realizing this situation.
Prop Joe got what he deserved.
On god he did prop joe manipulated a lot of folks dying and going to prison
Amen!!
Absolutely he did
Say what you want about Joe. But he'd never do family like that. He stood tall for Cheese and refused to give him up to Marlo. Only for Cheese to give him up to him.
I'd expect dudes on the game to get ova on each other. When convenient and there's something to gain. But neva at the expense of family.
“Buy it for a dollar, sell it for tuuu” 😂😂
The British accent mixed with the Baltimore accent on tuuuu…. Hilarious 😂 😂 😂!!!!!
The killing of Wallace was the darkest scene.
5:39 I was NOT ready for your Snoop impression! 😂😂😂😂 Another great video about the greatest show of all time!
I don't think the blanket of "being in the game" can be casted on everyone touched by it. Many end up in it through deception, intimidation and so on. This might have been a long line of him "repaying a favor" that's principle is always tantalizing. Most aren't "in the game" even if they're groomed to believe they are, or are in course to be a kingpin.
Chris killing the potato chip lady to frame Omar was the worst scene in The Wire history 🤦🤦
He didn’t need $2000 to get his ass on a Greyhound and go to the other side of the country. If self-preservation isn’t an instinct you possess, this is how you end up.
Great video and analysis. I remember seeing this for the first time and rewinding it to see if I was really understanding what was happening. I just couldn't believe it.
Show with some of the best writing ever.
Man I love these! I ain't gonna comment cause everyone hated me for saying that DeAngelo was the opposite of slim which I think is pretty damn rational considering position, closeness and big time the decisions that they made but this was good. Season 4 when they find the first New York guy and Chris smiles and laughs then snoop goes on snoop mode but Chris just ends it like that. GANGSTER AS IT GETS. Jiggle it wiggle it yo
The scene was truly realistic because when I hear killers in interviews they talk about it like it’s normal. Alpo Martinez once said “We dragged his body to a nice cool spot. Trees and bushes it was cool. But I guess an electrician was doing work in the area the next day and they found him..🤦♂️”
Alpo also said after the first time you kill someone it's no big deal.
I agree with you. I think this was a very dark scene. It makes me think that Andre doesn't have the capacity to understand what's happening to him. Which makes everything so much worse.
Darkest scene was when Chris and Snoop had the guy with dreadlocks on his knees at gunpoint and he vomited before being shot in the head. Then Snoop jokingly asks if he’d like some Chinese food afterwards lol
Yeah, that was some traumatic shit. Most memorable scene with Snoop and Chris.
Butchie being tortured and murdered was pretty rough
The Game, is the Game...- Marlo......No doubt! - Avon Barksdale
Then Omar caused Andre's death by stealing Marlo's paackage...💯💯💯
All Andre had to do was take some money and go to DC
Agreed: Prop Joe's and Slim's delivery of Andre to Marlo's crowd is a low point, even though I have a low opinion of Andre. While Joe and Slim are two of my favorite characters in this show, my view of them took a dive when they placated Marlo by giving Andre up to him (I know they had their strategic reasons for doing so, but they didn't have to).
All for Marlo to just kill Joe for no real reason at all other than greed.
from prop joe's standpoint it made perfect sense. it wasnt clear at this point to the co-op just how unhinged marlo was and joe wanted him to become a member. as for slim he was just a soldier like he always was, not asking any questions
nvm i forgot marlo was already in the co-op at this point. joe would have wanted to earn his trust though, which he sought to do with andre
That shit they did was unseemly
Joe was so in love with the thought of having Marlo in the group. Please join! I'll even give you a blueprint on how to kill me after you milk me for all my game knowledge. As a bonus I'll even introduce you to my sacred supplu
Sherods death scene or Dukies last few scenes have entered the chat
Nahhh darkest moment was when Duke was dropped off at the opium den and he looked back for Mike and Mike was gone forever
This is why idk how people look at Prop Joe as some upstanding innocent man who didn’t deserve to be back ended by his own nephew when he did this to Andre just to get on Marlo’s good side whereas Cheese actually had a reason to want Prop Joe dead uncle or not smh
Joe was a 🐍 100%
Agreed 100%
I feel like Omar wouldn’t have killed Andre he shoulda just told Omar what Marlo made him do 🤷🏽♂️
I agree with your video .
I think The Marlo chapter was very cold blooded .
Representing new / younger generation’s views and positions on the previous generations. I’m thinking Soylent Green …
Think on that reference.
Keep your videos coming
I’ll never accept that Andre didn’t arm himself when he knew his life was in danger. When he saw Chris, the first person he should have shot at was Chris and then Slim. Andre might ultimately die, but someone should have gone with him.
"I thought you was my escort out?"
"In a manner of speaking, that be true."
So, so cold
Wow! So true so sad. Excellent and brilliant analysis
Oi govna! I really enjoy your content and I'm always waiting for you to upload! Any chance you would like to do a video on the HBO Gotti film from 1996? Many of the actors from The Sopranos are in the movie and i think you would like it alot. All the best bro.
Andre: Here??
Chris: Here's good....
🥶
Yeah, that was some cold blooded ish! Lol
@@champmorgan7166 Facts! Lol
The night bubbles walked thru hamsterdam and then a few episodes later when they found Johnny…pretty dark for me.
agree great explanation it is by far the darkest scene in the series. another mention is the schoolboy who gets killed by a stray bullet in his home, and Tasha getting killed by friendly fire Dante who had bad aim.
5:29 a real gunman would know you don’t move the slide back into place after racking it, you let it go. Takes me out of a story any time I see it.
Grade? Is that you?
Showing how desensitized all of these people are to the horrors of the streets is what makes this show such a fantastic watch. It's believable because it pulls no punches and sugar coats nothing. Death is part of 'the game' and everyone accepts it... however it comes.
When Marlo shot the witness and put another one in her mouth was quite disturbing
*Even the scene of Chris scaring his wife was real and dark*
Old face Andre had the most realistic nickname
Wallace getting smoked by his own homeboys and Dukies situation from beginning to end was F’ing heartbreaking.
Too many youngsters going through that BS
Donut getting his fingers broken wasn't dark at all to me. If anything, it was satisfying. Serves him right for stealing people's hard earned rides.
Such a good breakdown of the demise of Old Face Andre. End the end, when the police found all the bodies in the vacant. Andre, when his body is identified, will get that home going.
Old Face Andre, was "slow" more than dumb imo. He aware of what's going on, but very slow to catching on. The more I watched these analysis, it becoming clear to me, that Stansfield Organization wasn't that smart. Chris might have been smarter than Marlo, but was scared of Marlo cause he knew Marlo wouldn't hesitate to kill women and kids. Marlo should have known that plan wouldn't have worked. Omar a legend in the streets, so they should known old schools follow codes. Old Face Andre was "slow" cause he believe every single word, everyone said. Butchie death to me, was the darkest to me. Even though Butchie was in the game, the man was blind. Another mistake Marlo made, was not killing Randy. Stringer would have killed Randy, have Little Kevin do it and then have Little Kevin killed. I guess Marlo wasn't that cold. A new subscriber here.
Marlo didn't kill Randy because he knew Michael was close to Randy and didn't want Michael to jump ship from his crew because Marlo saw potential in Michael.
Andre's problem with Marlo stemmed from how Omar negotiated the criminal justice system. That brought suspicion upon Andre, when Omar hid in jail and then subsequently got released. Marlo thought that was the result of Andre backing out of his account of how that delivery lady was killed, when in actuality Omar got out due to his previous assistance to the prosecution team that convicted Bird for the murder of Gant, It was very unfortunate. But the game is the game.
Love the analysis. I hope this guy does one for the show “SnowFall.”
My favorite is when Slim Charles says “in a manner of speaking, that be true.”
Great video
Cheese did the same to him
You're totally right. I hated whenever this evil trio were on screen..... the nail guns and everything else. Their vapid, unfeeling manners. Mortifying.
when i read the title, this was the exact scene that came to mind
The look marlo gets on his face after he kills prop joe is so chilling, like he is savoring the moment. Him and his crew enjoyed the violence, while everyone else only used it for enforcement.
The parallels between Andre and Randy in Season 4 was something that I didn't catch my first time watching the show
"Not in the vacant.... they gon be looking for me!"
"Ain't nobody gon be looking for you..."
shit killed me man
Old face Andre was the poster Child for Just Say No. Don't get in the game unless youre ready to play. The little money he could make from it was tempting and he let it tempt him without knowing what he was dealing with and what he was getting into.
If youre wondering why people just resign themselves to death with a Chris and Snoop, David Simon explains that they had a scene where they said “it’s either you come with us and resign yourself to your death, or we kill your entire family and all your friends. You choose to play the game”. I wish they would have kept it in, it explains why so few people fought back.
Hungry Man being handed over to Cheese has to at least be in contention.
good choice... the beauty of The Wire is that there are dozens of moments that you can cite with equal validity... i think you are right about the desensitization... cold.
as a scene, I can' think of a better one but Randy's arc is the grimmest - the best example of how nurture can over-ride nature... particularly if the person in question is intelligent. It's something that is not mentioned often but i think one of the great things about the Wire is it shows that kids growing up in that environment, regardless of parenting, if they have some brains and independent thought will usually conclude that The Game is best played from the criminal side.
The not escaping Baltimore thing is also really life like, I do not live in a big city quite the opposite a tiny island and everyone moans about it and it's lack of things to do but those that do escape to somewhere else, I would say a good 80% come back to what they know in the end.
Agreed! I’ve always felt a little bad for Old Face Andre. “The Game”was above him.
Criminals very much see the world as Strong vs week/Predator vs prey. If you are weak you will be preyed upon. Something I wish our clueless justice systems seem to not understand. Being nice to criminals doesn't earn respect or admiration, it just seems weak. Maybe the JS does understand it just doesn't care. Again, the JS is strong, and you are weak...what did you think your fate would be? Why should the JS care what happens to the weak?
Why is nobody talking about HAmsterdam scene where bubbles walks through at night?
Don't forget Bunk shot a mouse trespassing in his wife's closet. Left him there as a warning for the others too 😂
That was an unsettling scene (Killing of Oldface Andre). Why Joe's killing was justified? I also hated Marlo and his crew. They were bloodthirsty.
Being stupid doesn't necessarily make you a tragic victim.
good call. that was a dark moment for sure. Not sure if it's the worst but it's up there. A lot to choose from in this show.
Chris chambering nothing in the barrel
Randy sitting there after his house gets burned up when Carver comes takes the cake for me.
I thought it was gonna be Chris beating Michael's step dad to death.
That was BEYOND brutal, even though he deserved it.
@Ronnie B was chilling how it was obvious something had happened in Chris's childhood without anything being said as well.
About as dark and non chalant as one nod from Marlo, and kevin is whistle away to meet his death. Him using body language to plead with Marlo for mercy, is hard to forget. When monk walked behind him and said 'get going', he knew his time was up. Why didn't he fight? At least go down swinging.
“Here’s good, like they’ve found a nice spot for a bit of camping.”
😂😂😂
Nothing tops the murder in the vacant.
"Chris please"
"I got you. Quick and clean. I promise"
Fucking Andre?! I thought this was gonna be about Wallace. Man, that scene just sticks with me. A system that forces 2 young men to kill their childhood friend is terrifying.