Character Analysis: Jimmy McNulty vs. D’Angelo Barksdale Roll over the arc to uncover analysis, episode by episode

Episode 6: EpisodeBlurred 7:Lines OneEpisode Arrest 7: EpisodeDistance 8: andLessons Isolation Episode 6: The Wire Episode 5: Respect and Self-Consciousness McNulty blursMcNulty the lines is Laterstarting between in tothe hisMcNultyfeel episode personal the pressure continues McNulty from to receives show his where the his priorities lay-- McNulty struggles tocoworkers balance his and Episodepassion superiors with5: McNultyThe at the Pager police finds depart- himselfEpisode struggling 9: Game to Day belong in a and professional lives asstrongest he takes confirmationwith his kids his job. along While yet that shopping he is beingwith his made two boys at a his reason as the casement. is threatened While visitingMcNulty by the Judge struggles Phelan with with his Rhonda lackThrough of power surveillance in over the wiretap, McNulty withEpisode him 4:to Oldpick Cases up a distraughta target for Omar.local thenew market,trouble stageAs Omar, ofJimmyhe his has personal recognizescaused thelife Stringer depart-as he attempts Bell andEpisode hasto 10: The Cost vindictive and apatheticPearlman Major toRawls. updatethe hierarchy Though the Judge of theon thepolice case, department. learns that After Wallace has information that could aIn symbol this episode of Baltimore we get ment:drug a clear violence, fellow juxtapositionhisbuild detective boys sits a inplay normal Michaelof“front environment and Santangelo follow,” a for game tells his where kids at theyMcNulty’s his ongoing problems in his personal heEpisode insists 3: on Hierarchies speakingMcNulty truth to expresses power,successfully which a bit of manipulating paranoia when the asked power structure McNulty’sMcnulty’s car, personal his innocent life and kids his are professionalapartment. symbolically life. Though be he used has fulfilled in the case. the life continue to loom as he pushes ahead in the Hierarchies in both sideswhy he of didn’t theMcNulty crimeby come appealing world to that surveilsee Rawlsthe to someoneJudge is looking whenPhelan, without Rawls for Rawls, being any bit strikesnoticed, of dirt with Stringer Episode 11: The Hunt Episode 3: heThe believes Buys in is the for back the common seat—displaying good, this how vio- McNulty’sdemands his wife hasHere, of him, we seehe findsMcNulty’s thatinvestigation. he and is D’Angelo’s His decision interests to eectively involve reveal themselvesThese lines andmade arewe catchanblurred attempt toa briefhavewhen to glimpse himshut heas shows fired.downthe target. McNulty upthe to case,While his saying.shows Stringer up realisticallyat Rhonda’s posed no In the wake of last episode, McNulty begins McNulty andlates the the rest chain of his of commandfellow detectives and subvertshim down—commands hisalso judged by him something to beginget back tohe converge intocan’t the help—his in thehis kidsform in of his Wallace. work comes The back to hurt him in McNulty and Hamartia prioritiesson’s soccer in“With life practice can all expressdue housewith respect Bubbles.themselves. late I’m threatat startingnight, his to wifeThe McNulty’s expressing to is worry up- children, more sincere McNulty dismay allowed at them drinking heavilyEpisode and 11: threatens to drop the case find themselvesownof how objectives under McNulty public and sees scrutinynegates himself theas within the actionrotation. it. When He hetries to subvert theyoung power Barksdale structure crewmember his divorce represents proceedings. a sig- He further McNultycommingles is willing to bargain the whole case if imageset with serves himabout toand show the his people howpersonalthe prospectMcNulty’s who problems claimtohistory. leaveof professional beingto hislove are As sight, fired me his than eventuallyforwife wanting the expects losing to that do them hehis won’t as he went entirely because of his guilt over Kima’s shoot- murder of altogether.Gant,asks two the olderkey witness detectives in D’Angelo’s to hunt bydown pushing a picture forward on the investigation and his professional and personal lives byit havingmeant getting Greggs back, if it meant she Episode 2: The Detail passionsgetting worse.canones subvert Meanwhilewho don’t.” hisjob. personal he is tohaving life.comply get his success carwith from the in the demands parkingnificant oflot path a to normal tail to Stringer.a breakthrough life, for McNulty’sing. What happened toEpisode Kima was 12: Cleaning a sudden Up of Avon Barksdale. The detectivestying have murder seniority cases to the one involving the Rhonda represent him to retain his visitationnever got shot. This case, which he has put all As the unit task forcecase, has beenis brought established, into questioninvestigating by the the press. murder of the womanshe does in notthe complymoral with theirbattle. prior agreement. tragedy. At the same McNultytime, we see is still the wrackedseeds of with guilt over what over McNulty but he recognizes that they are rights with his kids. his wit and soul into working, means nothing to Though the BPD will not ocially say whetherBarksdale or crew. tragedy taking root nearhappened D’Angelo,Episode to Kima. and 12:every He Jimmy’s tells Daniels Resolution that the McNulty displays his disregard lazyfor the and chain don’tapartment. of deserve He their and seniority Bunk discover so he the bullet by Shockwaves are sent through the unithim as Kimanow that is Kima has been seriously injured. Episode 1: Hierarchies not Gant’s status as a witness brought about the person missing every caseopportunity doesn’tMcNulty meanto prevent nearlyanything: it. resolves “Avon to Barksdale quit the case, seeing command by providing Judge Phelan withJimmypiecing the together McNulty the crime and scene. D’Angelo Barksdale in Seasonshot One in a botched sting operation. was just awhat way itfor has meEpisode done to show to 13: Kima, everyone Sentencing but hehow goes back at it Though McNulty is driven by a moralmurder, passion, McNultyusurps knowstheir authority. that it is. This is the (Like when Prez marks a call between Poot and information that Gant has been murdered. Bunk McNulty attemptssmart I was,toeven conquer and harder how theMcNulty fuckedthan system before. upapproaches Epsiodethat theEpsiode department 13: 13:GameFitz Game with Always Always the Winscase Wins in an Episode 1: heThe is Targetultimately hampered by thesort rules of knowledgeand stan- that fuels McNulty’s passion Wallace, Wallace arranging to come back to Epsiode 13: Full Circle and McNulty arrest Dee for the murder and int- binds him byis, that’ssubverting all.” But its Danielsrules,last whetherditch counters eortWe byDee’sWe seethat to see in bring momcase bothin both findsAvon of theseof him theseto howtrial.in howJersey the It the gameseems lockup game and Jimmy McNultydards of is the introduced Baltimore as Police a detective Department. His Baltimore, “non-pertinent.”) Towards the end of the episode, and errogate him at the station.as he fights to investigateSeason Avon. one is, in essence, about the struggle between individual desire andgoing group aroundmeant the somethingchain-of-command tothat Kima Jimmy’s toand Judgekeeps he bringskeepspassion should its its playersup cleanisplayers the infectious, game in check.in check.and as Jimmyhis Jimmythe responsibility rest and and the the to who is professionally,superior ocer, as well Major as personally Rawls, does not disguise and go back to work so they canrest findhisrest of family: theofher closethe unit unit ofrealize therealize first their their season strategy strategy both to the haveto havewords Later, McNulty has some answering to do of his Phelan or threatening to exposeof DAhis unitLevy’s goes along with what ultimately invested inhis his disdain work. forThe McNulty, first episode warning begins him that his goals. This theme is most evident in the character arcs of D’Angelo Barksdale andattackers. thethe case case triedof triedDee right andright through Jimmy through thecome the feds backfeds is not isaround not in own as Lt. Daniels is alerted to the fact that Mc- unsavory ties to the Barksdale amountsorganization. to subverting the mouths the chain of others. of command. Poot teaches the to illustratepenchant the ways for in insubordinationwhich he struggles will to have its going“Thisgoing to rightwork.to work. here Meanwhile, Meanwhile, is part of Dee’s the Dee’s game, mother mother Dee. Nulty has gone behind his back to Phelan.Jimmy McNulty. Both D’Angelo and McNulty occupy the lower levels of theirBut he canorgan- never succeed the way he wantsfinds to.Andfinds him without himlesson in lockupin lockup thehe learnedgame, and and talks this talksfrom him whole himDee down downfamilyin the by by Pit, operate withinconsequences. the rules of Rawls’ his work moment environ- of foreshadowing He is prevented by other people’sIn order ambitions to pressingmakewouldpressing to up showinguponbe for upondown what his his howinobligations he theobligations hisbelieves fucking own to eorts wasTerracehisto his family a have family living prop- ment as hemanifest attempts themselves to lead a fight as the against season goes on izations: the illegal drug trade and the Baltimore police department, respectively,get ahead in their career. moral mistakemembers.omembers. of scraps. pursuingagated Shit, the the we game. probablycase Stringer(and wouldn’t getting and Jimmy what he identifies as a large part of the crime and both struggle with systems that seek to destroy them. D’Angelo is an experi- Kima shot),The McNultyevenThe Unit’s Unit’s befind centrala violates family. centraleach figuresother Start thefigures back rulesover, go gomeet in huh?of meet court city with How with and the the the problem of Baltimore--the Barksdale crew. police by goingfeds,fuckfeds, where to youwhere theStringer theygoing FBI. they discover returnsto discover start thatJimmy’sover that the without the feds compliments feds haveyour have enced gangster, nephew to a kingpin, who can never reconcile his morals with the no peoples?”nointention intentionfrom of the comingof comingpilot. downThough, down hard hardunfortunately on onAvon Avon BarksdaleBarksdalefor and Jimmy and Stringer Stringer in both Bell Bell casesbecause because Stringer they they has violence of the drug trade. McNulty is a natural detective, who subverts the system in wantShewant to convinces usetocome use the theup case him thecase to winner--Jimmyto bringto come bring down back down big- into hasbig- the not intro namegame,name politicians. politicians.beenby implying able The to The whatcaptureunit unit andthe andhim costRhonda Rhonda in would this are game. arebe a losing battle against politics and the “chain-of-command.” But their morality and t visiblytovisibly everybody upset upset and andhe Jimmy would Jimmy blows leave blows upbehind. up at theat the Episode 1: The Target Episode 13: Sentencing Dee’s frustrationtableWetable within see trueinFollowing laterhistrue Jimmy-fashion. forced Jimmy-fashion.she hasthe role sentencingsucceeded in For the For once when ofonce thehis Deehis D’Angelo EpisodeBarksdale 1: Hierarchies is the nephew of drug king- heir defiance of the system ultimately prove their undoing. D’Angelo, who narrowly family drug businessangeracceptsanger goes goesBarksdale is Levy’s unchecked vented. unchecked council organization, As by he again byhis looks his cooler-headed and cooler-headed a down unprosecuted takes the pin, AvonAs Barksdale. Dee is the He nephew is introduced of Avon, he as is the aorded a avoided jail in the first episode because of the machinations of his uncle, is sent there at the photo coworkers,of fallcoworkers,the for baby-facedStringer Avon. because because His walks Wallace itescape is it pastclearis clear out Jimmy,lying they of they the shareshot whoshare game in looks in defendantcertain in a murder amountEpisode case of leeway that 2: The concerns when Detail it comes many to discip- on the floor ofit. theTheyhadit. They squat,been alldefeated allagree lost heagree anyway tellsthat and that thisthe exhausted. thisdue policecase caseto needs the thatneedsStringer unit to notbeto leansbe Episode 12: Cleaning Up down and repeats the line line Jimmy of the powerfullinary actioncharactersDee’s within inacceptance “the the Game.” first season. of His being uncle demoted advises by theby crew his uncle and resigns himself to this fate. McNulty, who professes his hatred of the game hastried smotheredacceptingtried so sothat that Barksdalethe him Barksdale feds’ and terms andhe and never Bell for Bell theare felt are case,held held so not D’Angelo is pulled out of the gameresponsibleonlyresponsible by does McNulty.gave for Dee tofor the him,decide the destruction “Nicelydestruction to remain done.” they they in have(1x01) the have game He him to be more careful than he has in the past. Episode 11: D’Angelo and Fate more free than when he was outside the reach of As he is at the mercy manifestsof his uncle’s his speechcommands, to Wallace and Poot con- McNulty reveals to him what happenedcaused.hecaused. would Jimmy’sseems toJimmy’s have to blow-up had mean blow-up no it.choice represents This represents inline the hasa end. a come Though he is related to Avon, he is not immune to “the boat” earlier in the season, is reassigned there by his superior in punishmentEven as D’Angelo for believes he hasthe heard game instruc- in a jail cell. “Dee” struggles to placecerning himself chicken in his nuggets. environ- Wallace - pointing the finger atmajor Stringermajor loss lossto andfor represent for the the unit--this unit--this the chess was was gametheir their lastJimmy last and demotion, as Stringer sends him to headEpisode up oper- 3: The Buys Episode 11: tionsThe Hunt for his own murder, he submitsAs Dee to thatrealizes fate. what the game can do to some- ment--that which he identifiesWe see Dee’s as “The sense Game.” of compassion--and naivetéhis insubordination. The fates of D’Angelo and McNulty, of all characters,D’Angelo’s nature best does reflect Avon.not fit Earlierwith Episode his in mandated the 12: episode, D’Angelo’s theychance Resolutionchance asked toStringer havetoabout have the playthe case case against tried tried their each their way, other. way, ations in “the Pit” of the Low Rises. In this episode Dee begins to show some He drives WeeWallace Bey, taking and D’Angelo directionsbody coolly asto whatinnocent refused he as them, Wallace, he breaks the con- come out as he is nearly tricked intoEpisode writing 3: Hierarchies a career/life as a gangster, but he isD’Angelo tied to thatvention rejects life of“the the beforegame” gamebefore they finally to they strengthenare are eachby each refusing reassigned. reassigned. himself At the end of the episode, Dee is confrontedapprehensions with for the game eect and beginsof these to institutions on individuals withinEpisode them. 10: The Cost thinks will betelling his death, them listening to “let the to justifications boy be.” When of Wallace letter of condolence to the familyFurther of Gant. intoEpisode the episode 4: Old DeeCases is in Stringer’s by blood. Hewhat knows he thinks implicitly will bethat histo his let murder. life, Levy morally.and representBut his no: Wee him, Bey by refusing to do the product of his carelessness--the murderquestion of theGant, way it is played. His social philo- returns towhat work, Avon he makes wants. no But, moves at the to same protect time, he will As Avon demonstrates charity andoce value giving ofIn fam- thehim low-rises the money Dee for is the bragging day. Again, to Boadie and Episode 9: TheD’Angelo’s Beginning grief of over Dee’sdeath, his Collapse involvement is subjectjust wanted to with his uncle’s himthe to lookambition. after hisYet fish.he It’s a comic the key witness in his murder trial. sophy is fully expounded when he is explaining Episode 9: Game Day stays there; he has resignedWallace, himself evenbe toplaying putsthe drug him into back what to McNulty work (with wants. he questions the system within whichEpisode he 5: works. The Pager Unbeknownstdeath to D’Angelo,of Keisha intensifiesWallace has as been Shardenescene, but leaves thereservations), fear Dee feels while is real. the police are racing to ily, Dee’s moral perspectivethe rules and of life chess of crime to BodieWallace and about Wallace. being the shooter. EpisodeHere we Episode5: see Respect 8: Dee’sandAll ofSelf-Consciousness Moral Dee’s Dilemmaissues with the Barksdale crew trade.that We see this explicitly in the tense build-up to He asks StringerEpisodeDee assuming where6: New all Outlook?his the role moneyEpisodeD’Angelo and establishing goes. 7: EpisodeDistance tries Even to 8:assert hisand Lessons Isolation power of his crewtaken in the into custodyhim. Much by the like police McNulty, and hisis giving past decisionsfind him. begin to conflict. For Dee thereEpisode is not 6: The a lot Wire of mobilityEpisode in 7:the One Arrest In a poignantAt Stinkum’s scenehe in birthday struggleswhich D’Angelo party to articulate with displays many come more flowing of outwhat of D’AngeloThough thinks he will“escapes” be his hisdeath. fate Stringer here, an alternative though DeeHis is new questioning outlook doesn’t the ThisgamePit seem byidea he doing to isthatD’Angelo bestill whatD’Angeloaltogether Stringer is further feels tells distanceddistanced him to fromdofrom informationbut his bossescome to them. back Into thehaunt meantime, him as Shardene Dee cannot hierarchyIn of this drug episode, dealers.authority. we catch D’AngeloHe ais glimpse demonstrating continues of the to his supporthis street-cred. unfamiliarity his crewsuperiors, inwith Wallace.the theD’Angelo decorum “I don’t is confronted of wanna eating play,” at with Wallace the tellsinstructs Dee D’Angelofate develops to drive as policeWee Bey build somewhere their case against him. firmly rootedgenuineThe in irony it. and This here this is isapparent is that particularlyhis stopsDee uncle when is short not and evidentand the of the relatives executing shooter higher in how inand level histhis advice crewepisode. is by further Heintimi- triescontinues to conceal totolerate his thatinvolvement he had anythingafter with instructingKeisha to do with Wee how Bey to “keep it clean” and luxuries D’Angelo enjoys—clothes,pit, despite knowing money, thatsex—an someone upscaledisregard restaurant,was skim- hisand fellow he Dee finds can’tcrew that helpmembers he doesn’tbut understand. have for Dee helps Stringer giveshethe talks reputation him to the Wallace. cash he isbonus When tryingsupporteddating in Wallace tohis orestablish oce.show bybullying Deeexpresses concern isactually his fake.human crew. for considering thelife In members aseect, he finds D’Angelodoing of fromthe his a body crew,Shardene of Keisha one who of was the has disposed been alerted “makeof. His to no itcompassion mistakes.”by for as a result of being a memberming money of the o Barksdale of the top.belong This there. supports This the isWallace particularly escape troubling the brutal in system of “the game” crew. This hisis in grief direct overidea contrast how that Brandon D’Angelowithnrefuses on-the-side events was feelsto servingmurdered eschewhis drugdistanced case as dealhis dancers--hisbecausea pseudo-parentalmoral withfrom Orlando instincts—thisthewe get girlfriend the behind figure senseLester. Shardene’sis his whennothat Suddenly, he Poot Wallace coworker-- Dee is reciprocated is totally exposed as Wallace to the refuses to dead. His shockbut it isturns met out with to apathy be too andlate--McNulty he later and Co. earlier in thebecause season of when higherhis tip he levelto struggled theuncle’s moreplayers Barksdale evidentwithback. incomes thethe hitmen, than Barksdale to talkin his to crew reprimandhim aboutand ofWallace’s Bodiepolice for recent by peopleimplicate close Dee to himin any who wrongdoing have been in the inform- doesn’t belongstruggles in thetotarget reconcile Pit either. Wallace. his Though feelings As Wallace with ishis passed resp- from one moral consequencesD’Angelo, offrustrated,even a key disagrees witness tellsthrowing Wallacewithbeing some troubling a Donettebottleto of“let their atthat behaviour. tellsWallace more him forhis innocently money willrejected allow byhimation the to system he gives he overcan’t to escape. the police. shit go,” but the viewerplaying can’t be with totally a toy. sureonsibilities system within theto another, crew as DeeShardene is rendered asks if utterly murdered to keep himdestructive out of prison. methods fortranscend keepinghe order. social knows prejudice, anything he about doesn’t the deadseem woman’sto D’Angelo has really done the same with concern powerless. agree. whereabouts. to the murder of Gant.