r/TheWire • u/questily • 5d ago

Carver’s name rang out (S4E2)

I love this show because on every re-watch I pick up on something new I didn't catch before. The writing is superb.

Sorry if this has been posted before, but I love a little detail I noticed on my current re-watch. One plotline from season 3 into season 4 is Carver's growth as a police. We see the fruits of his labor in the start of Season 4.

In the second episode, once the "boys of summer" are hanging out after joyriding, Carver approaches them. He asks: "Ya'll know who I am, right?", to which Namond responds "Carver".

We often hear the themes of one's "name ringing out" on the other side of the law (Avon, Marlo, Omar). But I like how they slipped this little detail into the police (like they do with many characters mirroring each other).

Anyway, just thought I'd share in case anyone else gets a kick out of this like I did. If you have any other similar moments you love that you only noticed on a repeat watchthrough, drop them in here!

54 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

64

u/ThruTexasYouandMe 5d ago

That's a result of the conversation Bunnie had with Carver. He basically told him what real police is and carver stepped up to it. Agree it's fantastic writing and arc of character

24

u/Lupercus 5d ago

“It all matters. We thought it didn’t, but it does.”

11

u/JSpade82 5d ago

Him and Bubbles have the best character arca on the show.

8

u/tranquilityC 5d ago

Low key one of the best scenes of the show. It gets the key message across without it feeling preachy and primes the pump for Carver to emmulate what it means to do the job the right way. A huge contrast from the very start of the season where he's standing on the hood of a car yelling into the hood "you do not get to win, we do".

14

u/whisker_biscuit 5d ago

Ellis has come a long way

9

u/PhantomTollbooth_ 5d ago

I think he’d be right for this.

5

u/AKAkorm 4d ago

If I recall correctly, he then decides to let his friend Herc interview Randy and Herc screws up so badly he gets Randy labeled a snitch and his home firebombed.

So actually, he wasn’t right for it.

12

u/Wall_Willing 5d ago

One of my favorite scene of the show is Carver checking in on Bodie and his crew.

8

u/tawa2364 5d ago

Fuck yourself with a 40 shit-breath!

5

u/Reddwheels Pawn Shop Unit 4d ago

Such a great little detail that builds a whole backstory in your mind, that Carver has been getting to know the people in the area he polices, introducing himself, not just to regular citizens, but having conversations with the dealers too, when he isn't arresting them, and slowly but surely he becomes known to everyone.

2

u/ExtremeE22 2d ago

It's interesting. Ellis was being "good police" and that resulted in his name ringing out. So, the show tells us that cops who actually care about their communities have respect on their names. I'd never thought to juxtapose that with the gang leaders' names ringing out.

1

u/harerball 2h ago

The actor who played Officer Walker said it really messed him up to be so horrible to the kids. Especially when he broke the little man's fingers. Apparently David Simon, or maybe Ed Burns, told him that he's based off of a real person and how important it was to show that character. It's interesting how that comes in as Ellis is changing into good police. This show is so great at showing both sides.

1

u/Tough-Alfalfa7351 1d ago

I love Carver's arc. He is such a powerful juxtaposition when compared to Herc, and where they started.