As slimy as Levy is, you gotta hand it to him for not shitting his pants after that audio recording. He kept his cool, tried finding his leverage, and challenged a lot of good points, pointed out probable illegal wire taps, called out Pearlman on her partial bluff, etc. The guy is sharp as hell.
And what a fantastic job, the way his face changes as he's hearing that call and his body is frozen in position. It gets said often, but amazing acting.
It took me a while to realize that the Marlo case had a very good chance of falling apart in court, but Levy didn't want to run the risk of getting charged himself, so he made Marlo retire. All in the game
Quick question. Did levy know the whole situation? The illegal wire taps were funded by the diverted money from the fake homeless serial killer case on top of that the people that carcetti put in charge to run the city Rawls and what not. My question being did he know? And if he did why didn’t he challenge it? Was it purple you because of this scene and the fact he could would go to jail and not be a lawyer anymore?
Also, she has a taped phone call. If he accused her of the proffer he would have no evidence other than his own word, which is now completely tarnished. His leverage doesn't really come from any kind of threat to Pearlman herself, and she knows it. It's because he already figured out the illegal wiretap. Politically, all that matters is clearing the dozens of murders and the drug bust. It's why she doesn't care if Marlo walks even though it's a huge injustice to the viewer. I haven't seen the full episodes in awhile so I'm not sure about the order of events, but it's possible that this leads to Levy lying to Marlo about the source of information which leads to Michael getting target/killing Snoop. I can't remember which happened first.
@@DLSacks na, Marlo ordered the hit on Michael right after they got arrested. This is way after that, when Levy had already spoken to Marlo a few times in jail.
I actually admire Levy for his ability to instantly sum up the situation. He is constantly doing his homework. I don’t like his character, he is way too sleazy. But I admire him for his ability to navigate a difficult situation. The chess metaphor is alive and well.
Pearlman and Omar are the only ones on this series that ever made levy bat an eye. Its funny that it was the last two people youd think could do it. They both did it where levy was most comfortable the courtroom and his office
@40 Phil P he didn't plead it down, it was put on hold. He also has to guarantee chris does life at the minimum and both of marlos lieutenants do 20+ years. That's why she said if marlo tries to get back into the game she will turn in the dirty cops just to get the evidence admitted and take Marlo to trial.
Levy knew what he was saying to Omar was bullshit, though... he knows that he's complicit in the sham and that he profits off the drug game... he was just surprised that Omar knew that. He underestimated Omar's intelligence, but he was purposely feeding those lines to the jury in order to discredit Omar's testimony.
I don't understand. It's sooooo fucking good. It has all the drama of any other high-drama TV show, but without the far fetched premises, with a underlying moral theme, and without any one dimensional characters. I mean, it's revolutionary in any show when *any* character shows complexity, but in the wire, even the fucking extras have realistic depth. It's amazing!
well it was loaded dirt upon loaded dirt. You had Levi's dirt upon the dirt of the illegal wiretap so it's basically a compromise between two dirty situations and both parties coveting the truth. Nothing got done clean
I always interpreted Marlo's last scene as him getting caught then and there. There was a gunshot that alerted the police and he got knifed which drew blood and it fell on the floor. You can even hear the sirens in the background. Granted, that's if anybody does DNA analysis and the police department probably got cut funding again.
@@callmehanson9466 I don't think the BPD is doing DNA analysis on a small amount of blood, unless the bullet killed a bystander. Even with OK funding, I don't think police departments do DNA analyses when there's no body and no plaintiff- the slingers on the corner aren't about to file a police report claiming battery.
Crucial scene. The thing is, it's strongly suggested that Marlo *will* go back to the streets - he can't handle the legit life - which further suggests that the case would eventually go to trial. Perlman says if a few cops have to go to jail, so be it... and that means McNulty and Freamon.
Honestly tho... At the end of the day no one cares. How are any of these cops or lawyers gonna know what Marlo doing? As long as he doesn't kill too many people no one gonna know in the system.
@@geordiejones5618 Heh, well, that is possible. Certainly there was enough apathy and incompetence that it's plausible no one would ever know or care enough for anything to happen.
Marlo’s last scene already indicates that he’s headed straight back behind bars. He gets in a fight and gets shot, then stands on the corner with the gun on the ground as cops pull up. Not much way of talking yourself outta that when they know who you are.
@@Pantsinabucket marlo got stabbed/sliced in his final scene, not shot. he was shot at. and besides, i don't think that it's a crime to be stabbed and shot at, even if you started the fight. the police would have nothing to link that gun to him, because it's not his gun. nonetheless, i agree that the show clearly intends to depict that Marlo can't change his ways (just like he said to Prop Joe) and is bound to end up dead or in prison sooner or later, despite his clean break.
I think the character of Rhonda is vastly underrated and the actress played it so damn real, didn’t even feel like she was fictional. And her story arc is amazing
@@V12509she may have not been as interesting as the rest of the amazing cast and we also saw way more of her personal life than I cared to know but she was a great contrast to Levy. States Attorney vs the Criminal defense attorney. This scene is her character at her best. I just wish we got more of her doing actual work instead of her life outside the job.
anybody who's been saying that "Marlo won" needs to re-watch this scene. Yeah, he gets the money for selling the connect but he's got no more rep on the street, no "name" and he can't try to re-build anything on the street because if he does he goes down on charges that Pearlman discusses here. Basically, he gets "retired" like a race horse and put out to pasture. He gets away with murder....but that happens all the time.
This is really high level Game of Thrones politics right here. It is crazy how the full gamit of the show's pallete, from the streets, to the cops, to the lawyers to the politicians, ALL hinge and play an important role in these conversations. They are incredible. It really is all connected, and more than likely, accurate to the real world. One of the greatest pieces of American fiction of all time.
Clay Davis, Maurice Levy, Andy Krawsczyk, William Rawls, and The Greek are the top players of the game. The survive throughout the game while the pawns get replaced with other pawns.
Avon retains his place, as shown in his talk with Marlo. And Phelan was there in the beginning and retained the same place in the end too. I guess you could make an argument that he and the Greek are opposing players while others are pieces. Remember "The king stay the king"? I don't think it's a coincidence that we see Phelan at the end when the game resets.
Phelan wasn't replaced. He was there inthe beginning using McNulty like a chess piece, he was there in the end being fed information by a new pawn. That's why I think the players are likely Phelan and The Greek; both on opposite ends of the game.
Wouldn't it be funny if instead of a tape she busts out a rubber dildo and says, "Here's the paper weight you requested magpie boi"......and then Levy's rebuttal by placing Avon's new mixtape asking her to sign him to see def jam
Thank you for that contribution. There were quite a few things I had to explore. I.e stet dockets and one party concent calls within the state of Maryland. These are the types of things that move fast in the show and if you miss it you've missed the explanation of that segment and outcome of the next.
Watching this scene directly after the scene from Season 1 where McNulty and Pearlman demand Levy find Savino, it's so clear that Rhonda Pearlman, like everyone else in the show, grew a tough shell. All the things that Jimmy she wasn't about in the S1, she was about here. She wasn't concerned with "a career in the balance," she was concerned with the work. Incredible.
I was absurdly pissed with McNulty and Lester after this scene. They ragged on her as if she fucked up for letting Marlo walk, but she managed to make Levy crack and get a mass-murderer like Chris off the streets. Even though the game stays the same, there's no doubt that Slim Charles wouldn't drop bodies for no reason or cause any unnecessary violence.
@@skeith350 Slim isn't like Marlo. Slim is like a cross between Avon and Prop Joe, he'll only order hits if its absolutely necessary although there might be the occasional revenge hit.
It’s the opposite. She was done if she didn’t face off against Levy. The scandal would have buried her career and she would have been disbarred. Even if she made it out alive, Carcetti made it clear she’d be done if she didn’t get the case settled out of court.
Funny how Levy was laughing at Marlo for using a cellphone saying how he was going to get caught soon, and he ends up getting caught on a cellphone talking.
@@poodymeiner3125 She copped a murder charge before the show as well, but got released because she was a juvenile. She wasn't even acting on the show, she was playing herself 😂
First time I saw Levy shaken. But he still held the line though and got Marlo to walk. Through the sweat and all. If you walked into court with your lawyer and Levy appeared opposite him you'd shit yourself.
This was intense tbh. Pearlman threatening to burn down the entire house to get the rat and Levy was shitting bricks because he knew they were willing to take the hits.
This one scene showed the level of importance of each particular crime to the DA. Most important are the bodies lower down the trough is the drugs and even less important is the man that orchestrated all of it but never pulled the trigger nor touched any drugs. Lesson to all the kiddies when picking your position in a crime syndicate chose wisely. Bartlow and weebay most used shooters for each team were put under the jails for life. Drug handlers( lieutenants corner boys) 1-10 yrs. Bosses no time to a few years.
Only Stanfield walked, Avon got several years, who knows how much but it appears its very long (Daniels said something about max being 10 to life), and prop joe (can't forget him) was killed.
Orlando was a straight dumb ass. An the acting of his idiotic actions was gold. He had the perfect set up to make money and stay clean but he managed to fuck that up.
client walks away now, or the both of you don't walk at all. Perfect parting shot. Pearlman was a little timid in the early seasons but grew tremendously.
She finally took McNulty's advice here; maybe if people stopped caring about their careers and cared about doing there jobs something could get done. She put herself up to bring down Marlo
Rhonda was amazing and strong, despite McNulty giving her shit. She stepped up in crucial moments, risking a great deal. She could have lost her position to an attorney of Bond's choice, but Bond saw loyalty in her and promoted her. She could have lost her position over Daniels telling the truth, which he wanted, but Daniels saw her fitness to be a judge and decided to keep silent. Finally, she could have seen 6 to 8 years by bribing Levy, they both could bluff and we know Levy would have won in the end. But she walked in without a hesitation, and spoke with grace. Dam, I'd marry this woman and have her tie me up every night.
Why didn't she just do a proper case against Levy, then get the traffickers after he's in court defending himself? They would have to get a different lawyer? I thought she kind of rushed this, Levy and Marlo walk away but they get all the pawns.....
@@Kruppt808 I think it was because the wiretaps that got them most of the proof was actually illegal. So instead of returning to status quo because invalid proof, she put herself in danger (hence Levy's comment about her attemtping to bribe an officer of the court) and kamikaze'd Levy. Also throughout the series, Major Crimes Unit has always been in danger of shutdown. Time is something they're constantly short of, so sometimes they're forced to take a shot like this. Oh man, it's been a long time since I watched The Wire.
One of the most underrated powerful moments in this scene is how she didn’t stop at nothing getting justice for all those murderers in the vacant houses. Beyond brilliant.
This was easily one of the best scenes, if not the best scene, in the whole series. I wish we had a Wire reboot; Duquan the new Bubbles, Michael the new Omar (getting to see him kill Marlo) and the cops back on the case. Of course that will never happen and this show left off with a beautiful sense of finality to it, but its worth dreaming about
Naw,the wire gave up to much government information, police info too,so that why they took it off form HBO the want us to watch shows like The walking dead or Friends, FOH.
This scene is very telling to me. Funny how this very tactic is being done daily in the judicial system and kids lives are played out like a game of chess.
Agreed. If you don't watch political news the last two seasons probably won't make much sense or you'll find them boring but it's very fitting how this kind of stuff plays out in the real world.
Jerry DePasquale is/was played by Gary D'Addario the actual administrative Lieutenant when David Simon spent a year with the Homicide Department of the Baltimore Police Department in 1988.
To be fair to Levy(who is undoubtedly a sleaze), 99% of people would do the same in those conditions Pearlman definitely had the advantage and knew how to use it.
I don’t even remember this scene before I started watching. I’ve watched the show a few times and I’m glad my bad memory ass got to see this now, almost like it was new.
People in this comment section have forgotten that Pearlman herself didn't want the scandal out because she was worried that Carcetti and Bond would have her take the fall for it. On the contrary, for helping cover it up, she is rewarded with a judgeship. And she probably also didn't want to see McNulty and Freamon punished by IID, even though she would never again trust them with police work. She wasn't sticking it to Levy in spite of her career ambitions. That was the last thing she was doing.
His own neck is on the line either way. What do you think would happen to him if he sold out a bunch of high-ranking criminals? Do you think Levy wouldn't have to sleep every night with a shotgun under his pillow? This man gets rich by defending some of the biggest criminals in Baltimore. The ones who benefit aren't the 16-year-old selling drugs on a corner, but the older, established criminals. He ensures that they can operate with relative impunity and thus the pain and suffering in the city can continue. He is not a nice man, but he is also a product of the system, which is the whole point of what The Wire was trying to say.
I love how charatcters in the Wire evolve by Season 1 Rhonda woundn't even think of threatning Levy By Season 5 she's just like McNulty, willing to burn down the Department along with herself (going to prison), just to make a difference
People in these comments acting like Levy is the genius here, But really it's Rhonda. She knew the case would fall apart in court because they did so much illegal stuff to get the evidence, so she did this blackmail knowing it would work and lecvy you would play right into her hand. Marlo may not be going to jail, But that wasn't Rhonda's goal that was the detectives. Rhonda wanted to make sure this case went through and that none of the unethical activities were unearthed and shown to the world. Her plan worked wonderfully
This show was too real .. never will there be another . People are saying snowfall .. please they missed the meaning of this show . The Wire was in a league of its own .
Those of you commenting that Marlo came out of this 'winning' clearly didn't fully watch or understand the show. The case against Marlo wasn't 'dropped', it was put to one side as a threat in case he ever tried getting back in 'the game'. We see Marlo at a cocktail party a short while later, uncomfortable and frustrated in a world he doesn't understand. Then he's straight back on the street, bashing in some corner kid's head over bullshit. He can't stay out of 'the game'. It's just a matter of time before he comes to the attention of the police again, and then it's into court and prison for life.
got to give to to levy.. either under pressure he still managed to get marlo off completely… got to keep that money train running to walk him into that real estate game… i say levy still came out on top in the long run #smartMan
I love how people try to call various characters of The Wire "evil." The whole point of the show is that nobody is really evil, it's just the institutions that they're involved in that allow evil to happen.
Levey is probably the most despicable character in the show. He practically tells Avon to murder people a states witness in season 1. Evil is a childish notion to associate with a show like the wire.
I never understood the whole "no one is evil except institutions." Surely if you order a home invasion triple murder because a guy was *rumoured* to call you gay, you are evil. Just because the institutions allowed Marlo to operate, it doesn't mean Marlo wasn't evil.
And also, you just said that the things and people that the institutions allow to happen and operate are evil, thus completely contradicting your second sentence.
I feel like someone as smart as Levy wouldn't openly talk about bribes on the phone, when he probably deals with people incriminating themselves over the phone on a daily basis
I liked season 5 a LOT more on my rewatch of the series, and this scene in particular nails the "everybody is screwed more than they can imagine" black comedy that I found much more endearing the second time through.
Pearlman is using her position to her advantage here. She is a public prosecutor, overworked and underpaid. Levy is a high profile private defence attorney in a prestigious firm, with a handsome salary. Levy has far more to lose than Pearlman if they are both prosecuted (and that's IF Levy can produce evidence that Pearlman ever blackmailed him). Without evidence, she won't be prosecuted.
My question is, if Chris joins Barksdale inside, then what does that do between Chris and Marlo and more importantly any obligation Marlo has to Chris ..
I think this happens far too often with high profile criminals. You can walk as long as you go quietly and for good. Its a good deal for all guilty, but its a head shot to justice, integrity and all that good shit suits spew every time there is a camera in their face. It really is just a game. Game where you play for keeps. No reset buttons, no extra lives, no cheat codes, no DLCs, just the cards you were dealt UNLESS you what you know, who know when and where you need it all lines up. Then everything changes. Sad but incredible story i tell ya.
It's insulting to call The Wire a "TV show", its truth and ugly reality ‼ As President Obama rightly said its not a TV show but the greatest piece of art 🎨 ever produced in last few decades..
I feel like this scene more than any other really connects all the pieces of The Wire. Levy and Pearlman obviously recognise the legal side of things, and it’s a wiretap that gets leverage on Levy from the Police side. The discussion revolves around justice for the gangster side (Chris stacking bodies, Monk and Cheese moving weight). And finally the politics is what pushes Levy to taking the deal.
In the end they should have taken Levy down. He was worse than all drug kingpins as he guaranteed their legal survival and schooled the successors on it.He crossed way into the criminal world and was singular in that. Bad move by Rhonda
This is the lawyer version of Omar vs Brother Mouzone in the alley
Brilliant
Omar got the shotgun, Levy got the briefcase.
@@whodatchink "Its All In The Game"
Excellent analogy!
Which is the more sophisticated, and why? In your opinion.
As slimy as Levy is, you gotta hand it to him for not shitting his pants after that audio recording. He kept his cool, tried finding his leverage, and challenged a lot of good points, pointed out probable illegal wire taps, called out Pearlman on her partial bluff, etc. The guy is sharp as hell.
Can’t con a conman.
@@paulkerrigan9857 you got that right.
And what a fantastic job, the way his face changes as he's hearing that call and his body is frozen in position. It gets said often, but amazing acting.
But in the end, she was holding a better hand.
That gonif was born with his hands in someones pocket
The guy playing Levy was brilliantly sleazy. A+.
pretorious700 funny thing is he played a lawyer working at the same firm as Jim Carrey in Liar Liar lol
Yup. They also made sure to hire the actor with a face you just want to punch repeatedly.
@@Maxphyte that's a trip lol
@@WindHashira he played same type of character on SVU as a hated defense attorney
Martin Querns I KNEW I’d seen him somewhere else!! Good eye sir!
It took me a while to realize that the Marlo case had a very good chance of falling apart in court, but Levy didn't want to run the risk of getting charged himself, so he made Marlo retire. All in the game
The funny thing it's that he told Pearlman she was scared of the light but Levy was the one scared shitless of it
I also just realised something: Levy was done by talking about business on the phone. Something that the gangsters had the discipline to *never* do.
@@TPRM1 got way too comfortable
@@southsidehitta8452 Oh, indeed.
Quick question. Did levy know the whole situation? The illegal wire taps were funded by the diverted money from the fake homeless serial killer case on top of that the people that carcetti put in charge to run the city Rawls and what not. My question being did he know? And if he did why didn’t he challenge it? Was it purple you because of this scene and the fact he could would go to jail and not be a lawyer anymore?
" Your right I can get six to eight years but you can see 10 to 12." When you get home the first drink is on me. Love that line
Also, she has a taped phone call. If he accused her of the proffer he would have no evidence other than his own word, which is now completely tarnished. His leverage doesn't really come from any kind of threat to Pearlman herself, and she knows it. It's because he already figured out the illegal wiretap. Politically, all that matters is clearing the dozens of murders and the drug bust. It's why she doesn't care if Marlo walks even though it's a huge injustice to the viewer.
I haven't seen the full episodes in awhile so I'm not sure about the order of events, but it's possible that this leads to Levy lying to Marlo about the source of information which leads to Michael getting target/killing Snoop. I can't remember which happened first.
@@DLSacks Ronda refers to Snoop being dead in this conversation ("Pearson's beyond that now").
@@DLSacks na, Marlo ordered the hit on Michael right after they got arrested. This is way after that, when Levy had already spoken to Marlo a few times in jail.
She was bluffing and Levy saw it.
@@DLSacks misguiding bull sht comment, needs more thumbs down.
I actually admire Levy for his ability to instantly sum up the situation. He is constantly doing his homework. I don’t like his character, he is way too sleazy. But I admire him for his ability to navigate a difficult situation. The chess metaphor is alive and well.
I LOVED his character, every scene he's in I'm invested. Even though I don't understand a lot of the legalese!
This is not chess. It’s poker.
Pearlman and Omar are the only ones on this series that ever made levy bat an eye. Its funny that it was the last two people youd think could do it. They both did it where levy was most comfortable the courtroom and his office
Don't forget McNulty when he was yelling at Levy about sticking the IRS on his ass.
Yup its like beating belichick in a game of football 😂😂
Omar didn't just make Levy bat an eye. He made Levy shit his pants.
@40 Phil P he didn't plead it down, it was put on hold. He also has to guarantee chris does life at the minimum and both of marlos lieutenants do 20+ years. That's why she said if marlo tries to get back into the game she will turn in the dirty cops just to get the evidence admitted and take Marlo to trial.
Levy knew what he was saying to Omar was bullshit, though... he knows that he's complicit in the sham and that he profits off the drug game... he was just surprised that Omar knew that. He underestimated Omar's intelligence, but he was purposely feeding those lines to the jury in order to discredit Omar's testimony.
It's scenes like this that made The Wire the greatest TV show of all time.
Jason Voorheese lol don’t you know? Every scene is the best scene
I don't understand. It's sooooo fucking good. It has all the drama of any other high-drama TV show, but without the far fetched premises, with a underlying moral theme, and without any one dimensional characters. I mean, it's revolutionary in any show when *any* character shows complexity, but in the wire, even the fucking extras have realistic depth. It's amazing!
It's comments like this that are on every fucking Wire video. Jesus Christ you people are annoying
@Mitchell D Yo! Your racism is showing😑
@Mitchell D either which way your a couch potato
The Politics behind this scene is insane...
Lawyers are fuckin scum. They're all playing a game and everyone on trial are nothing but cattle on their way to the slaughterhouse.
@@WindHashira She took the kids didn't she?
well it was loaded dirt upon loaded dirt. You had Levi's dirt upon the dirt of the illegal wiretap so it's basically a compromise between two dirty situations and both parties coveting the truth. Nothing got done clean
@@papanurgle8393 this is why i browse comments ty
@@papanurgle8393 - Nah, he wouldn't care about the kids. But his new HD TV...that's what really pissed him off.
The wire taught me so much about the law and litigation.
Same
Money talks always
and so McNulty and Freamon live out the rest of their days blissfully unaware that their freedom depends on Marlo not getting back in the game
lmaooo you're right, they'd be so fucked
But we also see McNulty's funeral, i.e. he is "dead" anyway bc he can no longer be a cop. For that character, it was the highest price to pay.
I always interpreted Marlo's last scene as him getting caught then and there. There was a gunshot that alerted the police and he got knifed which drew blood and it fell on the floor. You can even hear the sirens in the background. Granted, that's if anybody does DNA analysis and the police department probably got cut funding again.
@@callmehanson9466 I don't think the BPD is doing DNA analysis on a small amount of blood, unless the bullet killed a bystander. Even with OK funding, I don't think police departments do DNA analyses when there's no body and no plaintiff- the slingers on the corner aren't about to file a police report claiming battery.
They both left the force. Can't indict them, they had dirt on City Hall trying to cover it up to so Carcetti could get elected govenor.
Crucial scene. The thing is, it's strongly suggested that Marlo *will* go back to the streets - he can't handle the legit life - which further suggests that the case would eventually go to trial. Perlman says if a few cops have to go to jail, so be it... and that means McNulty and Freamon.
Honestly tho... At the end of the day no one cares. How are any of these cops or lawyers gonna know what Marlo doing? As long as he doesn't kill too many people no one gonna know in the system.
@@geordiejones5618 Heh, well, that is possible. Certainly there was enough apathy and incompetence that it's plausible no one would ever know or care enough for anything to happen.
Oh, no! Not Cool Lester Smooth!
Marlo’s last scene already indicates that he’s headed straight back behind bars. He gets in a fight and gets shot, then stands on the corner with the gun on the ground as cops pull up. Not much way of talking yourself outta that when they know who you are.
@@Pantsinabucket marlo got stabbed/sliced in his final scene, not shot. he was shot at. and besides, i don't think that it's a crime to be stabbed and shot at, even if you started the fight. the police would have nothing to link that gun to him, because it's not his gun.
nonetheless, i agree that the show clearly intends to depict that Marlo can't change his ways (just like he said to Prop Joe) and is bound to end up dead or in prison sooner or later, despite his clean break.
The look on Levy’s face when Pearlman starts playing the recording is priceless. 😂😂
Along with how quickly he recovered his composure after he realized the situation.
I think the character of Rhonda is vastly underrated and the actress played it so damn real, didn’t even feel like she was fictional. And her story arc is amazing
One of the most boring and useless characters on the show
@@V12509she may have not been as interesting as the rest of the amazing cast and we also saw way more of her personal life than I cared to know but she was a great contrast to Levy. States Attorney vs the Criminal defense attorney. This scene is her character at her best. I just wish we got more of her doing actual work instead of her life outside the job.
@@DandifiedToe Should have kept it to that and not let give her personal life airtime, she'd be a much more appreciated character.
@@V12509 trash comment ☕️
anybody who's been saying that "Marlo won" needs to re-watch this scene. Yeah, he gets the money for selling the connect but he's got no more rep on the street, no "name" and he can't try to re-build anything on the street because if he does he goes down on charges that Pearlman discusses here. Basically, he gets "retired" like a race horse and put out to pasture. He gets away with murder....but that happens all the time.
And even if he tries to make it ligit, he's got Levy and Clay Davis setting up the same con they set Stringer Bell up with.
he did win. he just didnt get what he wanted.
Well then he didn't win.
Considering what he did over the course of the series he most definitely won...
He could always set up shop in a new city
This is really high level Game of Thrones politics right here. It is crazy how the full gamit of the show's pallete, from the streets, to the cops, to the lawyers to the politicians, ALL hinge and play an important role in these conversations. They are incredible. It really is all connected, and more than likely, accurate to the real world. One of the greatest pieces of American fiction of all time.
Yep, that's The wire
What you meant to say is that Game of Thrones has high level "The Wire" style politics...
game of thrones has nothing on this show lol,
Clay Davis, Maurice Levy, Andy Krawsczyk, William Rawls, and The Greek are the top players of the game. The survive throughout the game while the pawns get replaced with other pawns.
Avon retains his place, as shown in his talk with Marlo. And Phelan was there in the beginning and retained the same place in the end too. I guess you could make an argument that he and the Greek are opposing players while others are pieces. Remember "The king stay the king"? I don't think it's a coincidence that we see Phelan at the end when the game resets.
You forgot Spiros.
only to be replaced by the new players that are coming up like the previous people who fell. the greek is the only exception
Phelan wasn't replaced. He was there inthe beginning using McNulty like a chess piece, he was there in the end being fed information by a new pawn. That's why I think the players are likely Phelan and The Greek; both on opposite ends of the game.
Wouldn't it be funny if instead of a tape she busts out a rubber dildo and says, "Here's the paper weight you requested magpie boi"......and then Levy's rebuttal by placing Avon's new mixtape asking her to sign him to see def jam
One of my favourite Wire scenes. This verbal poker game between Levy and Pearlman was brilliantly written and performed.
Great acting here from Deirdre Lovejoy ( Pearlman ) and Michael Kostroff ( Levy )
as good as the omar v brother Mouzone faceoff
Thank you for that contribution. There were quite a few things I had to explore. I.e stet dockets and one party concent calls within the state of Maryland. These are the types of things that move fast in the show and if you miss it you've missed the explanation of that segment and outcome of the next.
Watching this scene directly after the scene from Season 1 where McNulty and Pearlman demand Levy find Savino, it's so clear that Rhonda Pearlman, like everyone else in the show, grew a tough shell. All the things that Jimmy she wasn't about in the S1, she was about here. She wasn't concerned with "a career in the balance," she was concerned with the work. Incredible.
Same here, and I totally agree
I was absurdly pissed with McNulty and Lester after this scene. They ragged on her as if she fucked up for letting Marlo walk, but she managed to make Levy crack and get a mass-murderer like Chris off the streets. Even though the game stays the same, there's no doubt that Slim Charles wouldn't drop bodies for no reason or cause any unnecessary violence.
@@skeith350 Slim isn't like Marlo. Slim is like a cross between Avon and Prop Joe, he'll only order hits if its absolutely necessary although there might be the occasional revenge hit.
@@madgavin7568 "...although there might be the occasional revenge hit."
Cheese might object if he was still around. :)
For once pearlman pulled up her skirt not worrying about her career and who she crossed. Was actually proud of her for finally standing up to levy
Hank J Wimbleton She would look so hot. With a huge power rack and a much better hair style.
@@hankjwimbleton8043 red hair, freckles. dontcha think, jimmy?
@@bobbylight111 "what I wouldn't do to throw a fuck in her".
It’s the opposite. She was done if she didn’t face off against Levy. The scandal would have buried her career and she would have been disbarred. Even if she made it out alive, Carcetti made it clear she’d be done if she didn’t get the case settled out of court.
@@eaanyills she was playing the queens gambit. Offering herself as sacrifice but had no intention of falling on her sword.
Funny how Levy was laughing at Marlo for using a cellphone saying how he was going to get caught soon, and he ends up getting caught on a cellphone talking.
he never imagined in a million years the BPD would ever be competent enough or have the balls to listen in on his phone calls.
@@spearofconquestthat’s why Lester is the best cop on the show
"We'd want the 2nd shooter too, but Pearson's beyond that now"
"How my hair look, Mike?"
"You look good, girl."
*BLAM*
I like how they used her real name.
Crazy how she was actually involved in the game irl. She caught a big charge after the show was done
@@poodymeiner3125 She copped a murder charge before the show as well, but got released because she was a juvenile. She wasn't even acting on the show, she was playing herself 😂
First time I saw Levy shaken. But he still held the line though and got Marlo to walk. Through the sweat and all. If you walked into court with your lawyer and Levy appeared opposite him you'd shit yourself.
The acting in this show is just phenomenal. This scene alone has more realism with lawyers than all episodes of Law and order.
This was intense tbh. Pearlman threatening to burn down the entire house to get the rat and Levy was shitting bricks because he knew they were willing to take the hits.
I believe this was the climax to The Wire show . It was law enforcement vs criminals. Both sides are trying to take each other out.
It ends in a stalemate
This one scene showed the level of importance of each particular crime to the DA. Most important are the bodies lower down the trough is the drugs and even less important is the man that orchestrated all of it but never pulled the trigger nor touched any drugs. Lesson to all the kiddies when picking your position in a crime syndicate chose wisely. Bartlow and weebay most used shooters for each team were put under the jails for life. Drug handlers( lieutenants corner boys) 1-10 yrs. Bosses no time to a few years.
geoff Well said!!!! I never thought about how the charges were dealt and who did the most years.
morganman2015 thank you sir.. Yeah they put the muscle under the jail. They made sure Chris and weebay would never terrorize the streets again
+geoff not true.. they can use the rico act, get ya for running a continuing criminal enterprise
+geoff
How do you think one becomes an Avon, or a Marlo? They are kings from the first moment, or they work their own way up?
Only Stanfield walked, Avon got several years, who knows how much but it appears its very long (Daniels said something about max being 10 to life), and prop joe (can't forget him) was killed.
I swear I can't think of a better show where everyone's acting was amazing. Even simple characters like Orlando or Frog were perfect in their roles.
Orlando was a straight dumb ass. An the acting of his idiotic actions was gold. He had the perfect set up to make money and stay clean but he managed to fuck that up.
@@lorenfok1097 truth
@@lorenfok1097 - He was getting paid extremely well NOT to deal drugs and managed to fuck that up.
Frog was great, too. I think he was channeling J-Roc from Trailer Park Boys.
McNulty showed Pearlman how to deal with Levy when he was looking for Savino.
Levy lost about 20 pounds of sweat in this scene
client walks away now, or the both of you don't walk at all. Perfect parting shot. Pearlman was a little timid in the early seasons but grew tremendously.
She finally took McNulty's advice here; maybe if people stopped caring about their careers and cared about doing there jobs something could get done. She put herself up to bring down Marlo
She had massive leverage
"I can get 6 to 8 years. But you can see 10 to 12."
Rhonda was amazing and strong, despite McNulty giving her shit. She stepped up in crucial moments, risking a great deal. She could have lost her position to an attorney of Bond's choice, but Bond saw loyalty in her and promoted her. She could have lost her position over Daniels telling the truth, which he wanted, but Daniels saw her fitness to be a judge and decided to keep silent. Finally, she could have seen 6 to 8 years by bribing Levy, they both could bluff and we know Levy would have won in the end. But she walked in without a hesitation, and spoke with grace.
Dam, I'd marry this woman and have her tie me up every night.
Why didn't she just do a proper case against Levy, then get the traffickers after he's in court defending himself? They would have to get a different lawyer? I thought she kind of rushed this, Levy and Marlo walk away but they get all the pawns.....
that last sentence tho lol
@jessesam Asshole. But not as much as the ones who Liked your post
You had me until after the "and" in the last sentence, guy.
@@Kruppt808 I think it was because the wiretaps that got them most of the proof was actually illegal. So instead of returning to status quo because invalid proof, she put herself in danger (hence Levy's comment about her attemtping to bribe an officer of the court) and kamikaze'd Levy. Also throughout the series, Major Crimes Unit has always been in danger of shutdown. Time is something they're constantly short of, so sometimes they're forced to take a shot like this.
Oh man, it's been a long time since I watched The Wire.
Stunning writing. Levy and Pearlman are amazing characters.
One of the most underrated powerful moments in this scene is how she didn’t stop at nothing getting justice for all those murderers in the vacant houses. Beyond brilliant.
This was easily one of the best scenes, if not the best scene, in the whole series. I wish we had a Wire reboot; Duquan the new Bubbles, Michael the new Omar (getting to see him kill Marlo) and the cops back on the case. Of course that will never happen and this show left off with a beautiful sense of finality to it, but its worth dreaming about
Naw,the wire gave up to much government information, police info too,so that why they took it off form HBO the want us to watch shows like The walking dead or Friends, FOH.
I feel ya but a reboot will damage the reputation of the wire. greatest tv show of all time. let it be
Brilliant scene. The freedom of Marlo and his crew depends on one politician at the very top who has never even met them.
Damnit I would love to see Levy having to post up in Jessup in the ending montage.
+Jay Reffner Show couldn't have that happier ending! He walks in and there's ten big black guys from the street...
He held his own pretty well actually
This scene is very telling to me. Funny how this very tactic is being done daily in the judicial system and kids lives are played out like a game of chess.
Agreed. If you don't watch political news the last two seasons probably won't make much sense or you'll find them boring but it's very fitting how this kind of stuff plays out in the real world.
Jerry DePasquale is/was played by Gary D'Addario the actual administrative Lieutenant when David Simon spent a year with the Homicide Department of the Baltimore Police Department in 1988.
The OG Saul Goodman
I like how she counted on Levy being enough of a sleaze to throw his client under the bus in order to ensure his own career safety.
To be fair to Levy(who is undoubtedly a sleaze), 99% of people would do the same in those conditions
Pearlman definitely had the advantage and knew how to use it.
Levy was a true gangster.
What a joke, as a lawyer myself, Rhonda should’ve indicted Levy and sent his ass to jail and disbarred.
In Season 1 she tells Jimmy he’s connected, too big to fail
@@truestory2990 they can't save him from criminal charges
The Stanfield org had zero honor. Barksdale all day.
Really shows how screwed up the justice system is.
Man, I miss this show. I wish it was someway to watch it as if for the first time.
She did have his ass sweating, I'll give her that. But Levy was an absolute beast.
Me personally, I wouldn't wipe my ass with a Baltimore lawyer.
As a Baltimore lawyer, I don't take it personal. :)
@@ericready5400 What kind of lawyer are you?
@@SelectiveApathy82 The kind that Detective Mcnulty wouldn't wipe his ass with it seems.:)
@@ericready5400 Ahhhhh I see. So you're a rich downtown lawyer who puts murderers and drug dealers back on the streets. Got it.
Bruh, if I'm jammed up, I would definitely hire Levy.
I don’t even remember this scene before I started watching. I’ve watched the show a few times and I’m glad my bad memory ass got to see this now, almost like it was new.
Thats because your too busy eating shitting fucking your way to an early grave. More wine!
@@Gabriel_925 I bet you smell of blackberry jam!
People in this comment section have forgotten that Pearlman herself didn't want the scandal out because she was worried that Carcetti and Bond would have her take the fall for it. On the contrary, for helping cover it up, she is rewarded with a judgeship. And she probably also didn't want to see McNulty and Freamon punished by IID, even though she would never again trust them with police work. She wasn't sticking it to Levy in spite of her career ambitions. That was the last thing she was doing.
"Keep your mouth shut, how many fucking times do I have to tell you people" Maybe the lawyer should have taken his own advice.
they always think they are untouchable, until they get touched
Anyone able to explain the meaning behind stet case
Basically, it's an inactive case. If the defendant catches another charge in the future, the dormant case is brought off the shelf and reopened.
Levy is the only lawyer in the history of TV to fight for his clients even when his own neck is on the line.
His own neck is on the line either way. What do you think would happen to him if he sold out a bunch of high-ranking criminals? Do you think Levy wouldn't have to sleep every night with a shotgun under his pillow?
This man gets rich by defending some of the biggest criminals in Baltimore. The ones who benefit aren't the 16-year-old selling drugs on a corner, but the older, established criminals. He ensures that they can operate with relative impunity and thus the pain and suffering in the city can continue. He is not a nice man, but he is also a product of the system, which is the whole point of what The Wire was trying to say.
I like this scene cause it shows Rhonda has grown up. She was afraid of Levy in season 1, now she owns him.
She cited real cases
I love how charatcters in the Wire evolve
by Season 1 Rhonda woundn't even think of threatning Levy
By Season 5 she's just like McNulty, willing to burn down the Department along with herself (going to prison), just to make a difference
V true
People in these comments acting like Levy is the genius here, But really it's Rhonda. She knew the case would fall apart in court because they did so much illegal stuff to get the evidence, so she did this blackmail knowing it would work and lecvy you would play right into her hand. Marlo may not be going to jail, But that wasn't Rhonda's goal that was the detectives. Rhonda wanted to make sure this case went through and that none of the unethical activities were unearthed and shown to the world. Her plan worked wonderfully
Finally, someone that gets it. As always, it's chess not checkers. 💯
I like how Pearlman took Lester's move about the elections and no one caring.
This show was too real .. never will there be another . People are saying snowfall .. please they missed the meaning of this show . The Wire was in a league of its own .
Levy probably became Slim Charles lawyer in the end
Rhonda is a Genius. I wonder why Daniels fell in love with her lol
Levy is the perfect example of the guy you love to hate.
I would love to have a lawyer like levy lol
Ghost lawyer was nice to on power
What's crazy is how many times Levy likely warned his clients about taking over the phones only to be caught talking over the phone.
Those of you commenting that Marlo came out of this 'winning' clearly didn't fully watch or understand the show. The case against Marlo wasn't 'dropped', it was put to one side as a threat in case he ever tried getting back in 'the game'. We see Marlo at a cocktail party a short while later, uncomfortable and frustrated in a world he doesn't understand. Then he's straight back on the street, bashing in some corner kid's head over bullshit. He can't stay out of 'the game'. It's just a matter of time before he comes to the attention of the police again, and then it's into court and prison for life.
At the end of the Day The Westside stayed with the Westside and the Eastside got wiped out. Like Avon said "STOP PLAYING THOSE AWAY GAMES"
Fxck awl those east side bxtchez!
Something tells me that if the wire was renewed for season 6, that season would focused more on the courtroom and how the lawyers do their work
Simon said he'd focus on the growing Latino and mexicano populations in bmore
Simon sure didn't get the job done😢
Wasps don't fuck about. You carry a glock? I carry a mont blanc fountain pen and my hitters never miss
got to give to to levy.. either under pressure he still managed to get marlo off completely… got to keep that money train running to walk him into that real estate game… i say levy still came out on top in the long run #smartMan
I LOVE IT when tv show lawyers start citing random case names left and right. I’ve no idea what they’re saying but it sounds so professional.
In this case, those are actual case names. Real life case names.
She stopped short of burying Marlo's crew alive in an empty underground tank- for now. So, a productive meeting I suppose......
Levy won tho…got his charge thrown out & a big payday for getting Marlo off…Pearlman got Chris Partlow
Pretty crazy how it was just these 2 that determined all their fates. Not a judge.
Excellent scene Pearlman is beautiful and brilliant!!
I love how people try to call various characters of The Wire "evil." The whole point of the show is that nobody is really evil, it's just the institutions that they're involved in that allow evil to happen.
Institutionalized Evil....
Levey is probably the most despicable character in the show. He practically tells Avon to murder people a states witness in season 1. Evil is a childish notion to associate with a show like the wire.
I never understood the whole "no one is evil except institutions." Surely if you order a home invasion triple murder because a guy was *rumoured* to call you gay, you are evil. Just because the institutions allowed Marlo to operate, it doesn't mean Marlo wasn't evil.
And also, you just said that the things and people that the institutions allow to happen and operate are evil, thus completely contradicting your second sentence.
Uh, Chris and Snoop massacred families, and Marlo ordered it. That's pretty fucking evil.
the whole system is a JOKE!
Does it make a legal nerd that I get excited re-watching these Levy/Pearlman faceoffs?
When she said “Pierson is beyond that now” what did she mean ??
She's referring to Snoop Pearson, who Mike already killed. So "beyond that now" simply means she's dead and can't stand as the second shooter.
I feel like someone as smart as Levy wouldn't openly talk about bribes on the phone, when he probably deals with people incriminating themselves over the phone on a daily basis
Would you rather be represented by Maury Levy or Saul Goodman?
Maury.
I liked season 5 a LOT more on my rewatch of the series, and this scene in particular nails the "everybody is screwed more than they can imagine" black comedy that I found much more endearing the second time through.
Pearlman is using her position to her advantage here. She is a public prosecutor, overworked and underpaid. Levy is a high profile private defence attorney in a prestigious firm, with a handsome salary. Levy has far more to lose than Pearlman if they are both prosecuted (and that's IF Levy can produce evidence that Pearlman ever blackmailed him). Without evidence, she won't be prosecuted.
My question is, if Chris joins Barksdale inside, then what does that do between Chris and Marlo and more importantly any obligation Marlo has to Chris ..
When she said "pearson is beyond that now" she was talking about Snoop, they found her body.
Thanks!
I think this happens far too often with high profile criminals. You can walk as long as you go quietly and for good. Its a good deal for all guilty, but its a head shot to justice, integrity and all that good shit suits spew every time there is a camera in their face. It really is just a game. Game where you play for keeps. No reset buttons, no extra lives, no cheat codes, no DLCs, just the cards you were dealt UNLESS you what you know, who know when and where you need it all lines up. Then everything changes. Sad but incredible story i tell ya.
It's insulting to call The Wire
a "TV show", its truth and ugly reality ‼ As President Obama rightly said its not a TV show but the greatest piece of art 🎨 ever produced in last few decades..
I feel like this scene more than any other really connects all the pieces of The Wire. Levy and Pearlman obviously recognise the legal side of things, and it’s a wiretap that gets leverage on Levy from the Police side. The discussion revolves around justice for the gangster side (Chris stacking bodies, Monk and Cheese moving weight). And finally the politics is what pushes Levy to taking the deal.
Levy aged 20 years in 20 seconds
This confrontation eerily reminds me of a similar one had between Brother Mouzone and Omar in that dark alley. Just different lingo is all.
Levy actually looked like he went pale 0:06-0:24. Great acting!
Levy wasted his time in Baltimore. He should have been in New York defending Bernie Madoff and Lehman brothers
So Marlo would still be king if it wasn't for that recorded conversation? Wow
And the only reason Levy even knows about the wiretap is because Herc tipped him off to it. Lester wanted to follow the money and Herc fucked it.
This is the moment that Marlo becomes a cop in the Hollywood Homicide Division in L.A.
In the end they should have taken Levy down. He was worse than all drug kingpins as he guaranteed their legal survival and schooled the successors on it.He crossed way into the criminal world and was singular in that. Bad move by Rhonda
How can Pearlman rattle off all those case numbers?