History Recap / TheWireS05E01MoreWithLess

Disgusted over the death of Bodie, [=McNulty=] has re-joined the MCU, determined to bring down Marlo, but in doing so has quickly returned to his old drinking and womanizing ways. Having turned down the offer of money from the governor of Maryland, worried about the ramifications for his own gubernatorial run, Carcetti must try to make up the $54m education deficit via cutbacks. This has led him to delay the promised increase in police pay, with newly promoted SIC Carver trying to placate the Western District troops, as they reach breaking point. Meanwhile, Burrell and Rawls explain to Carcetti that without budgetary assistance from City Hall, they cannot deliver the reductions in crime on which he campaigned. The FBI offer to help work the vacant murders investigation, but on the condition that Bond take the Clay Davis corruption case federal. When he and Carcetti refuse, the FBI withdraw their proffered support. As such, the MCU is shut down. Similar cutbacks in The Baltimore Sun newsroom make it increasingly difficult for city desk editor Gus Haynes to maintain the paper, finding staff cutbacks making efficient reporting virtually impossible. Elsewhere, Bubbles moves into his sister's basement in a concerted effort to get clean, and at a meeting of the New Day, Marlo's behavior gives Slim Charles cause for concern.

* GracefulLoser: Michael is practically overjoyed when Bug defeats him at Connect Four.

* PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad: According to Whiting, anyway; when Whiting insists his friend Gene Robbins is a reliable source as to whether the University of Maryland is meeting its diversity goals, Gus asks, "He's a white guy, right?" Whiting retorts Gus should leave the "race card" out of it.

* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Gbenga Akinnagbe (Chris), Jermaine Crawford (Dukie), Michael Kostroff (Levy), Neal Huff (Steintorf), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Clay), and Tristan Wilds (Michael)

* NotSoDifferent: Dukie, [=McNulty=] and Scott are all dissatisfied with their current lots in life, [[{{Foreshadowing}} which also becomes important later]].

* ActorSharedBackground: Kara Lee Duncan was Creator/DavidSimon's editor when he worked at the ''Sun''.

* TitleDrop: Klebanow tells the other editors at the budget meeting, "We simply have to do more with less".

Bunk is in the interrogation room with [=DeShawn=] (Dante Painter Jr.), telling him he should talk, and that his partner in crime Monell is blaming the crime on him right now. In fact, Bunk claims, Monell is being so helpful they rewarded him with McDonalds. Bunk steps outside the interrogation room - leaving the door open - and nods to Norris, who nods to Crutchfield, who escorts Monell (Corbin Smith) to the break room "so (he) can enjoy that". Monell, who's holding his lunch in a bag and eating as he walks, appreciates it, but says he still isn't talking. [=DeShawn=] of course, doesn't hear that part; he only sees Monell with Crutchfield, and begins to freak out. Bunk and Norris are joined by Detective Christeson (Dennis Hill), and decide to coerce [=DeShawn=] into talking by making him think a photocopier is a lie detector. They chuckle at how they're still able to get away with things like this, year after year, because, as Norris puts it, "Americans are a stupid people, by and large. We pretty much believe whatever we're told."

[=DeShawn=] is now in the copier room, and Jay, who's wearing glasses and posing as a professor, straps [=DeShawn=]'s hand to the copier, while warning him, "The machine tells the tale, son." Bunk then asks [=DeShawn=] his real name, which he gives (and the "lie detector" marks as "true"), his address (once again, "true"), and whether he and Monell shot Pookie. [=DeShawn=] denies this last part at first, but the "lie detector" marks his answer as "false", and [=DeShawn=], upset, blames the whole thing on Monell. Outside, Bunk pulls a [[CigarChomper cigar]] out of his jacket pocket, and he and Norris chuckle again.

From a van, Kima and Sydnor watch as one of Marlo's guards pats down someone who's come to Marlo's playground for a meet. Sydnor radios to [=McNulty=], who's on a rooftop with Dozerman, both of them watching Marlo. After bitching about the fact they haven't been paid for what they're doing, Dozerman asks [=McNulty=] if it's true that [[Recap/TheWireS02E09StrayRounds [=McNulty=], while undercover at a brothel, not only slept with a prostitute, but wrote it up as such]]. [=McNulty=] halfheartedly denies it. At the meeting, a drug dealer complains about the price he has to pay to get Marlo's product. Marlo tells him to live with it, unless he wants Chris and Snoop to pay a visit. The dealer reluctantly agrees. Dozerman and [=McNulty=] snap photos as Marlo whispers something to one of his men, who whispers something to a guy on a moped, who drives off. Sydnor radios Lester, who is following the guy on the moped in his car.

At the western, Carver, who's now the sergeant in charge, comes into the briefing office. After he and the others good-naturedly banter about his "career-minded ambitions" (Carver: "If I was minding my career, would I be in the western in command of you useless fucking humps?"), Carver tries to get down to business, but the others are more interested, and angry, about the fact they haven't gotten paid yet, particularly Officer Bobby Brown ([[TheDanza Bobby J. Brown]]), who complains about all the bills he has to pay. Carver tries to calm them down by saying he's in the same boat as they are, and when the [[Recap/TheWireS04E11ANewDay budget]] [[Recap/TheWireS04E12ThatsGotHisOwn gets]] [[Recap/TheWireS04E13FinalGrades fixed]], everything owed will be made up in back pay or comp time, but the officers don't want to hear this. Carver temporarily puts a lid on it by pulling rank and saying they need to act like professionals, but when he tells them patrol cars will no longer get serviced by maintenance, the others start yelling even louder.

Kima, Lester and Sydnor continue to follow the guy on the moped.

Carver is in Mello's office, telling Mello the squad is at wit's end, considering [[Recap/TheWireS04E11ANewDay everything that was promised to them]]. Mello asks if Carver did the "professionalism" bit, and Carver says it didn't do any good. Just then, an officer comes in and tells Mello there's a problem at the motor pool. Sure enough, Brown is having a fight with another cop for bringing a car back in terrible shape, and the two start fighting. Carver wonders if he should stop the fight, as he thinks it's bad for morale, but Mello points out they *have* no morale to begin with.

Lester and Sydnor watch as the guy on the moped meets with Chris and Michael. The moped drives off, and Chris, saying he has a meeting, tells Michael to go check on his corner. Lester prepares to follow Chris, and [=McNulty=] radios to say Marlo is also on the move. Back at the playground, Dozerman asks if they should follow Marlo, but [=McNulty=] says since they know where Marlo's going, there's no point.

At Carcetti's office, Burrell and Rawls tell Carcetti, Norman and Steintorf all the things they've had to cut just to keep the police force going, including vehicle maintenance and deferment of court and overtime pay. Carcetti asks how the crime stats are, and Rawls points out with the budget they have, there's no way he can expect the double-digit reduction he was hoping for. Carcetti claims he hasn't forgotten his promises, but the schools need all the money they can get, and Steintorf asks if there's anything else they can do. Rawls suggests they temporarily suspend the investigation into [[Recap/TheWireS04E13FinalGrades the dead bodies they found]]. Carcetti doesn't want to hear that, but Rawls points out they aren't anywhere near an arrest, and it would just be temporary. He and Burrell also ask for officers to be allowed to moonlight for more than ten hours a week. Norman points out the police won't have time for police work, but Burrell and Rawls point out just how bad morale is, and Carcetti reluctantly agrees to both proposals. As Burrell and Rawls leave, Carcetti promises things will get better.

->'''Carcetti:''' (''after Burrell and Rawls have left'') Say it, Norman. You're thinking it. Truth to power, Norman. Isn't that what I keep you around for?
->'''Norman:''' [[Recap/TheWireS04E13FinalGrades When the governor threw that 50-some million on the table, you should've picked that shit up.]]
->'''Steintorf:''' He takes the state bailout, and he never becomes governor.
->'''Norman:''' He shorts the police department, the crime rate stays up, he ain't no governor, neither, just a weak-ass Mayor of a broke-ass city.
->'''Carcetti:''' Feel better?
->'''Norman:''' A little bit.

Chris and Marlo are meeting, and Marlo tells Chris the dealer he met with earlier accepted their terms. They discuss the surveillance still on them (Marlo mentions how his crew saw [=McNulty=]), and go their separate ways. In the van, Kima grouses at how little intel they got, and she and Sydnor convince Lester it's time to call it a day.

Dukie is on Michael's corner, and he asks Kenard, Marcus and then Spider what the count is, but they all ignore him. Michael strolls up, and Dukie tells him what happened. Michael tells Dukie he should go back to their place to be there for Bug when he gets home from school, and after Dukie sadly says, "I ain't you, Michael," he takes off. Michael then yells at Spider for ignoring Dukie, and Spider claims Dukie was acting like "a little bitch".

At the detail office, Lester tells the others he thinks Marlo's crew is starting to get sloppy and fall into a pattern, which makes him optimistic they'll eventually catch him. The others - Dozerman, Kima, [=McNulty=] and Sydnor - however, are more concerned with getting paid (Kima: "Case has gotta go green before they go black. That's how I was taught"). Everyone decides to go out for drinks, especially after Lester says he'll buy a couple of rounds. They stop to ask Lt. Asher if he's heard anything about pay, but he admits he hasn't.

Daniels gets the bad news from Burrell and Rawls, and he's pissed enough about it that he wants to go to Carcetti directly and tell him off. Rawls says he's welcome to try, and Burrell adds he'll have to go without his take-home car, as that service has been suspended.

Michael is playing Connect Four with Bug in their apartment as Dukie looks on. Michael tells Dukie from now on, he doesn't need to work on the corner, that he's getting paid enough to watch Bug, and if Dukie got thrown in jail or something, it would be bad for Bug. Dukie is upset at the thought of just being a "nanny", but Michael says whatever Dukie wants to do before Bug gets home is up to him. Michael then realizes Bug has beaten him in the game, and he sincerely congratulates Bug.

Kima, Lester and [=McNulty=] are at a bar, drinking, and [=McNulty=] is railing against the bosses for lying to him about it being "[[Recap/TheWireS04E11ANewDay a new day]]", while Lester is still upset [[Recap/TheWireS04E03HomeRooms the bosses took him off Marlo's cellphones just when he was making progress]]. Bunk enters the bar, and [=McNulty=] tries to get him to buy drinks, but Bunk pulls out the same voucher slips every other cop has. While [=McNulty=] tries to get the bartender to accept their voucher slips, Bunk goes to commiserate with Kima and Lester.

->'''[=McNulty=]:''' How the fuck are we gonna pay the bar tab?
->'''Lester:''' Eh, we could always knock off a liquor store.
->'''Bunk:''' G & L on Edmondson, thin plexi. I'll take out the counter man.
->'''Kima:''' I'll cover you.
->'''Lester:''' I got the door, no problem.
->'''Bunk:''' Who's gonna be our wheel man? (''they all look at [=McNulty=], who stumbles off of his stool, rights himself, and tries to smile at an attractive woman sitting next to him'')
->'''Lester:''' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny Every plan a weak link.]]

Kima starts laughing, and [=McNulty=] stumbles again.

Over in the loading dock at the ''Baltimore Sun'', Gus Haynes (Clark Johnson), the city desk editor, is having a cigarette break with Bill Zorzi ([[AsHimself William F. Zorzi]]), who covers the political beat, and Roger Twigg (Bruce Kirkpatrick), who covers the police beat. They discuss the possibility of layoffs versus buyouts (Twigg and Zorzi think it'll be the former, while Gus thinks it'll be the latter), and how the managing editor likes to [[HiredForTheirLooks have good looking twentysomethings in the newsroom - even if they can't write]] - instead of old farts like them. As Gus goes inside, Twigg muses, "Someday I want to find out what it feels like to work for a real newspaper." Inside the newsroom area, Gus admonishes Mike Fletcher (Brandon Young), one of the reporters, to start writing instead of just waiting for calls, and asks [[Recap/TheWireS03E03DeadSoldiers Jeff Price]] what's going on at the city council meeting that night (there's a homeless initiative they may or may not vote on). Gus then sees two other reporters in the conference room staring out the window. He goes to join them, and when he sees they're looking at a fire in east Baltimore, tells one of them to call Twigg to let him know so Twigg can cover it. On his way back to his desk, Gus says hello to Jay Spry (Donald Neal), the rewrite reporter, who tells him about transit authority cutbacks. Gus isn't happy that a rival paper broke the story. He yells at everyone in the newsroom that it's 2 pm, and he needs budget lines. He gets more bad news when he gets a phone call from the photo department, who tells him they didn't get a racetrack photo. Gus tells them to send a photographer to the fire.

Carcetti meets in his office with Naresse and the U.S. attorney in Maryland (Joe Urla), and asks the latter to help them out with drug violence in general and the case against Marlo in particular. The U.S. attorney reminds them his priorities are counter-terrorism and political corruption, but says he'd be willing to throw some agents and money at Marlo's case if Carcetti let federal prosecutors have a crack at Clay Davis. Carcetti says it's Bond's decision what to do about Clay, and accuses the U.S. attorney of playing politics just to put a Democrat behind bars. The U.S. attorney, in turn, accuses Carcetti of burning every bridge he has just to protect Clay. As he leaves, Norman walks in. Carcetti grouses the only reason the U.S. attorney wants Clay's hide for himself is to help the Republican governor, while Naresse says Bond only wants Clay because it'll help him make a run for mayor. Carcetti reminds her if Clay loses and decides to flip, several former members of Royce's administration, including her, would be in trouble, and she reminds him without help from the feds, they're screwed.

Dozerman and Kima have followed Marlo to a fancy hotel, and they're happy to see Marlo get out of his SUV with a good looking young woman, as they think they finally have something on Marlo. What they don't know is once inside the hotel, Marlo hands the woman off to Chris (telling him she's free to watch TV and enjoy the minibar, and when she's settled, to take care of "the other thing"), and heads off to the co-op meeting. Inside the meeting room, Proposition Joe brings up Johns Hopkins buying up territory in east Baltimore, meaning east side dealers will be displaced. He proposes putting those dealers in some new territory that's opened up at "Turner Station". Marlo thinks it should go to whoever claims it, but Proposition Joe is adamant about taking care of the east side dealers. Marlo points out that includes Proposition Joe, and wonders how Slim feels about that. Slim brusquely says he's okay where he is, and as the meeting continues, warns Proposition Joe to keep his eyes on Marlo.

Bubbles is back [[Recap/TheWireS01E09GameDay in his sister's basement]], and she tells him from upstairs she's working the night shift at the hospital and he needs to leave. He asks if he can stay, but she reminds him the last time he stayed there, he pawned off half of her kitchen things for drug money. Reluctantly, he leaves.

Chris goes into the courthouse, which puzzles [=McNulty=] and Sydnor, who are following him. [=McNulty=] says he'll follow Chris in. As Chris walks in, we see Daniels and Rhonda call out to Bond, and they tell him the Major Case squad is being disbanded because of the budget problems. Bond realizes this means his case against Clay Davis is threatened as well, since, as Rhonda points out, Lester is pretty much that case. Chris interrupts them by asking them where the criminal clerk's office is, and Rhonda helpfully points out where he needs to go. Once Chris leaves, Bond says he'll go with Daniels to meet Carcetti later and to help plead their cause. Bond leaves, and Daniels and Rhonda say goodbye to each other.

The ''Baltimore Sun'' editors are gathered in the conference room for a budget meeting, overseen by managing editor Thomas Klebanow (David Costabile). Tim Phelps (Thomas J. [=McCarthy=]), the state editor, mentions the transit cutbacks, as well as the fact the paper is chasing another paper on the story. Klebanow thinks just because their owners in Chicago have cut things back, that's no excuse for the paper's staff to not do their jobs right. Executive Editor James C. Whiting III (Sam Freed) comes in, and after some jokes about him slumming, Gus mentions, among other things, the city council meeting and the fire. Rebecca Corbett (Kara Lee Duncan), the regional affairs editor, mentions a biomed press conference (and gives a pointed look at Gus when she mentions they didn't get any photos of that), as well as a stringer reporting on the University of Maryland not being able to meet its diversity goal. Whiting pipes up and says whatever the numbers may indicate, he thinks the college is in fact doing better in respect to diversity, as he had lunch with Gene Robbins, the dean of journalism at the school, and Robbins told him this. Gus and the others are skeptical, but Whiting insists they hold the story until further review. As they leave the meeting, Corbett accuses Gus of trying to stir up shit, and he reminds her that's what a newsroom is for.

Inside the criminal clerk's office, Chris thanks the receptionist, looks at the folder, finds the photo of [[Recap/TheWireS02E12PortInAStorm Sergei]], and takes it. As he walks out, he passes [=McNulty=], who goes into the office, sees Sergei's file on the counter, and walks out. He joins Sydnor in their car, and tells him what Chris was after.

In the newsroom, Price comes in as Gus yells for Alma Gutierrez (Michelle Paress), a reporter, to come over. She does, and [[GrammarNazi he and Spry correct her on a piece where she wrote 120 people were evacuated]] (Spry says a building is evacuated, not a person - unless they're getting an enema - and reminds her "God is in the details"). Gus then turns his attention to the photos of the fire, and grouses about [[OhNoNotAgain yet another doll photo]] (Gus thinks Carlyle, the guilty photographer, [[EmpathyDollShot must keep dolls in his trunk for such a purpose]]). Price hands Gus what he got from the city council meeting; they delayed the vote on the homeless initiative to let Naresse redraft it (so it doesn't look like Carcetti's running the homeless out of downtown). At her desk, Alma looks through her dictionary and concludes Spry was correct. She goes back to work, while Scott Templeton (Tom [=McCarthy=]), who works next to her, grouses at having next to nothing to work on, and calls Baltimore "a shit news town". Meanwhile, Gus, at his desk, is reading the minutes of the council meeting when something catches his eye. He yells at Price, and tells him to go back to the meeting, as there's a story involving the zoning laws, and the fact the city might be trading property with Fatface Rick. Gus then tells Alma to go to Fatface Rick's strip club and get a quote from him, while, to Scott's displeasure, he's stuck pulling clips from the morgue.

At city hall, Carcetti and Norman are on their way out the door to go to a charity event when they're accosted by Bond and Daniels. Norman apologizes, saying they've been running late, and Daniels asks Carcetti about the investigation being stopped. Carcetti reminds them there's no money for it, but when Bond brings up Clay Davis, Carcetti reluctantly says he can keep two detectives for that investigation, which satisfies Bond, but infuriates Daniels.

Carver, Colicchio, and Dozerman are at a bar with Herc, and grousing about the police department's money troubles. Herc, who's dressed in a suit, tells them things have going well for him [[Recap/TheWireS04E13FinalGrades ever since he got bounced out of the department]], and lawyers are lining up to work with him. Herc then asks them to run some plate numbers for him. No one is willing until Herc says he'll buy the next round.

In the newsroom, Gus and Spry are working on the story when Klebanow walks up. Gus gives him the basics - Fatface Rick, who owns a strip club, is a known drug dealer, and a major contributor to Naresse's campaign, sold his property to the city, while he in turn gets a better piece of property at a lower cost and makes a profit of about a million dollars, along with all the other listed owners of the strip club. Klebanow asks why they didn't have the story earlier, and Gus credits Price for finding it hidden in the agenda. Klebanow says it'll be a front-page story below the fold. Phelps tells Gus he has Price on the line. Price, who's in Naresse's office, tells Gus she wants to speak to him off-the-record. Naresse starts to argue everything was above board, and we cut back to Gus, who points out how much Fatface Rick is making off the deal. He then tells Spry to get on the phone with Price, who'll give Spry Naresse's on-the-record comment. Gus then tells Scott to keep digging for financial records, and Scott looks put out.

[=McNulty=] is at a bar again, getting drunk and flirting with a woman. He walks over to a pay phone, calls Beadie, tells her he'll be coming home late, and [[BlatantLies claims he's not drunk]].

Bubbles is walking the streets when he sees [[Recap/TheWireS01E06TheWire Hucklebuck]], who greets him, but Bubbles doesn't answer.

At another bar, the staff of the ''Sun'' is celebrating the story. Gus, who's at a table with most of the staff, cracks, "Any night a Baltimore politician calls you a son of a bitch is a good night," and congratulates Alma for the quote she got from Fatface Rick. Alma, who's sitting at the bar with Scott modestly says she merely went to the club and told them she was looking for a job, which amuses the others. She turns to Scott, who tells her she deserved more credit than she got, but she says it's fine, and adds, "This is still a pretty good paper." Scott, however, has higher ambitions than that.

Beadie waits at home for [=McNulty=], and eventually gets up to turn the front light of her house off, though she changes her mind a few seconds later.

Bubbles gets up out of bed, and goes outside.

Daniels is at the detail office giving the bad news about the detail being shut down. He says Kima and [=McNulty=] (the only one not sitting at the desk) they're back at Homicide, Dozerman will go to Tactical, and Asher is going to another district; only Lester and Sydnor will stay behind for the Clay Davis. Everyone's unhappy, and Daniels reminds them Carcetti promised him as well. After apologizing, and promising he'll get them back when he can, Daniels gets up to leave, though not before [=McNulty=] gripes, "Wonder what it feels like to work in a real fucking police department."

Bubbles is out on a busy street, selling papers. Naresse, in her car, buys one (and lets him keep the change), and [[{{Understatement}} is upset by what she reads]].

In the newsroom, Zorzi reads the story and compliments it. Scott goes up to Gus and asks what's next, as he's raring to go. Gus says there's nothing specific, but tells him to "stay hungry like that". As Scott looks on, ticked, Gus yells that it's time for him to ask for stories.

Levy walks into his office, where Herc is waiting, and Herc tells him about seeing his former colleagues. Levy tells Herc to never let anyone else buy drinks, and says he needs to learn what having an expense account means. Levy also alludes to the fact one of his clients (Fatface Rick) is in the paper.

Kima and [=McNulty=] return to Homicide, and Kima puts her box of things on an empty desk near Bunk, while [=McNulty=] shoots a DeathGlare at Christeson, who's sitting at another desk near Bunk, and grouses, "That's my seat." Jay, who's reading a magazine, chuckles, but when Christeson, who can't believe it, looks over at him, Jay silently nods. Christeson gets up and leaves, and [=McNulty=] sits in the chair and stews.

This episode contains examples of:

* ContinuityNod: [=McNulty=] complains he's late on child support and needs the money for that.
** Also, when [=McNulty=] asks Sydnor if he remembers the investigation at the docks, Sydnor reminds [=McNulty=] he wasn't involved in that.

** Then there's this:

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Carcetti not accepting help from the U.S. Attorney [[{{Foreshadowing}} will have major consequences for both the Clay Davis trial and the investigation of the murders connected to Marlo]].
** Also, yes, Rhonda and Daniels were busy worrying about the status of their investigation, but you'd think one of them would have recognized one of the major players in that investigation.
* NoExceptYes: When Gus is defending himself for arguing with Whiting:
-->'''Gus:''' I'm not poking anyone here.
-->'''Corbett:''' Music/DeanMartin?
-->'''Gus:''' Yeah, a little poke.

* ShoutOut: Gus dismissively calls Whiting's friend at the University of Maryland [[Film/AnimalHouse Dean Wormer]], and then Music/DeanMartin.
** Also, when Gus is yelling at the reporters in the newsroom near the end of the episode, he says, "There are a million stories in the naked city", referring to the movie and show ''The Naked City''.

Bunk is in the interrogation room with [=DeShawn=] (Dante Painter Jr.), telling him he should talk, and that his partner in crime Monell is blaming the crime on him right now. In fact, Bunk claims, Monell is being so helpful they bought him McDonalds. Bunk steps outside the interrogation room - leaving the door open - and nods to Norris, who nods to Crutchfield, who escorts Monell (Corbin Smith) to the break room "so (he) can enjoy that". Monell, who's holding his lunch in a bag and eating as he walks, appreciates it, but says he still isn't talking. [=DeShawn=] of course, doesn't hear that part; he only sees Monell with a cop, and begins to freak out. Bunk and Norris are joined by Detective Christeson (Dennis Hill), and decide to coerce [=DeShawn=] into talking by making him think a photocopier is a lie detector. They chuckle at how they're still able to get away with things like this, year after year, because, as Norris puts it, "Americans are a stupid people, by and large. We pretty much believe whatever we're told."

At the western, Carver, who's now the sergeant in charge, comes into the briefing office. After he and the others good-naturedly banter about his "career-minded ambitions" (Carver: "If I was minding my career, would I be in the western in command of you useless fucking humps?"), Carver tries to get down to business, but the others are more interested, and angry, about the fact they haven't gotten paid yet, particularly Officer Bobby Brown ([[TheDanza Bobby J. Brown]]), who complains about all the bills he has to pay. Carver tries to calm them down by saying he's in the same boat as they are, and when the [[Recap/TheWireS04E11ANewDay budget]] [[Recap/TheWireS04E12ThatsGotHisOwn gets]] [[Recap/TheWireS04E13FinalGrades fixed]], everything owed will be made up in back pay or comp time, but the officers don't want to hear this. Carver temporarily puts a lid on it by yelling at them and saying they need to act like professionals, but when he tells them patrol cars will no longer get serviced by maintenance, the others start yelling even louder.

Carver is in Mello's office, telling Mello the squad is at wit's end, considering [[Recap/TheWireS04E11ANewDay everything that was promised to them]]. Mello asks if Carver did the "professionalism" bit, and Carver says it didn't do any good. Just then, an officer comes in and tells Mello there's a problem at the motor pool. Sure enough, Officer Brown is yelling at another officer for bringing a car back in terrible shape, and the two start fighting. Carver wonders if he should stop the fight, as he thinks it's bad for morale, but Mello points out they *have* no morale to begin with.

Chris goes into the courthouse, which puzzles [=McNulty=] and Sydnor, who are following him. [=McNulty=] says he'll follow Chris in. As Chris walks in, we see Daniels and Rhonda call out to Bond, and they tell him the Major Case squad is being shut down because of the budget problems. Bond realizes this means his case against Clay Davis is threatened as well, since, as Rhonda points out, Lester is pretty much that case. Chris interrupts them by asking them where the criminal clerk's office is, and Rhonda helpfully points out where he needs to go. Once Chris leaves, Bond says he'll go with Daniels to meet Carcetti later and to help plead their cause. Bond leaves, and Daniels and Rhonda say goodbye to each other.

* NarrativeProfanityFilter: Because her car window is closed, we can't hear Naresse's reaction to the story about her, but if you read lips, you can pretty much guess.

* PromotionToOpeningTitles: Ghebenga Akinnagbe (Chris), Jermaine Crawford (Dukie), Michael Kostroff (Levy), Neal Huff (Steintorf), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Clay), and Tristan Wilds (Michael)

Bunk is in the interrogation room with [=DeShawn=] (Dante Painter Jr.), telling him he should talk, and that his partner in crime Monell is blaming the crime on him right now. In fact, Bunk claims, Monell is being so helpful they bought him lunch. Bunk steps outside the interrogation room - leaving the door open - and nods to Norris, who nods to Crutchfield, who escorts Monell (Corbin Smith) to the break room "so (he) can enjoy that". Monell, who's holding his lunch in a bag and eating as he walks, appreciates it, but says he still isn't talking. [=DeShawn=] of course, doesn't hear that part; he only sees Monell with a cop, and begins to freak out. Bunk and Norris, who have been joined by Detective Christeson (Dennis Hill), chuckle at how they're still able to get away with things like this, year after year, because, as Norris puts it, "Americans are a stupid people, by and large. We pretty much believe whatever we're told."

From a van, Kima and Sydnor watch as one of Marlo's guards pats down someone who's come to Marlo's playground for a meet. Sydnor radios to [=Mcnulty=], who's on a rooftop with Dozerman, both of them watching Marlo. After bitching about the fact they haven't been paid for what they're doing, Dozerman asks [=McNulty=] if it's true that [[Recap/TheWireS02E09StrayRounds [=McNulty=], while undercover at a brothel, not only slept with a prostitute, but wrote it up as such]]. [=McNulty=] halfheartedly denies it. At the meeting, a drug dealer complains about the price he has to pay to get Marlo's product. Marlo tells him to live with it, unless he wants Chris and Snoop to pay a visit. The dealer reluctantly agrees. Dozerman and [=McNulty=] snap photos as Marlo whispers something to one of his men, who whispers something to a guy on a moped, who drives off. Sydnor radios Lester, who is following the guy on the moped in his car.

Bunk is in the interrogation room with [=DeShawn=] (Dante Painter Jr.), telling him he should talk, and that his partner in crime Monell is blaming the crime on him right now. In fact, Bunk claims, Monell is being so helpful they bought him lunch. Bunk steps outside the interrogation room - leaving the door open - and nods to Norris, who nods to Crutchfield, who escorts Monell (Corbin Smith) to the break room "so (he) can enjoy that". Monell, who's holding his lunch in a bag and eating as he walks, appreciates it, but says he still isn't talking. [=DeShawn=] of course, doesn't hear that part; he only sees Monell with a cop, and begins to freak out. Bunk and Norris, who have been joined by Detective Christeson (Dennis Hill), chuckle at how they're still able to get away with things like this, year after year, because, as Norris puts it, "[[ViewersAreMorons Americans are a stupid people, by and large. We pretty much believe whatever we're told.]]"