Recap / The Wire S 02 E 11 Bad Dreams

Season 2, Episode 11

Bad Dreams

"Your way, it won't work..."

"I need to get clean."

— Sobotka

The detail and the FBI carry out a series of raids, finding the Greeks' properties abandoned, but turning up cash and heroin in Nick's. They leave Vondas on the street, hoping he will lead them to the head man. Sobotka is later arrested when the FBI storm the union offices, with Valchek ensuring the press is there to capture it all. The detail try to get Malatov and the rest of the Greek crew to flip, but have little success, and Sobotka is more interested in getting to see Ziggy than in talking with either the police or his own lawyers. With the union compromised, the FBI has fulfilled its part of the deal with Valchek, and is uninterested in pursuing any of the Greeks, as they have no known connections with terrorism. Out on bail, Sobotka is stunned to learn Nick has been selling heroin. Meanwhile, Vondas hatches a plan to help Ziggy, so as to ensure Sobotka doesn't cut a deal with the police, and Stringer manipulates Omar into going after Mouzone.

This episode contains examples of:

• Bolivian Army Ending: The episode ends with Frank Sobotka walking to a meeting with the Greeks, not knowing that they plan to kill him.
• Call-Back: In addition to all those listed above, Omar also remembers the last time he and Stringer met.
• Creator Cameo: David Simon is one of the reporters asking Frank questions when he's arrested.
• Epigraph: "I need to get clean", said by Frank when he's on his way to see Ziggy.
• Everyone Has Standards: For all the illegal things Frank has been involved with, he's upset that Nick has been dealing heroin.
• The Fashionista: Parodied; McNulty thinks he's one, but:
  Bunk: A different look for our boy.
  McNulty: Perry Ellis or something.
  Bunk: How would a just-rolled-out-of-bed-looking motherfucker like you know the designer?
  McNulty: (sheepishly) Okay, I'm guessing.
  Bunk: It's a Joseph Abboud. He puts dark buttons instead of brass on his blazers. That's the Abboud signature.
  McNulty: You know what they call a guy who pays that much attention to his clothes, right?
  Bunk: Yeah, a grown-up.
• Like a Son to Me: The Greek recognizes that Spiros feels this way about Nick:
  The Greek: You are fond of him, Spiros. You should have had a son.
  Spiros: But then I would've had a wife.
• Never Heard That One Before:
  McNulty: For now, we'll just call you Boris.
  Sergei: (sighing) Boris. Why always Boris?
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Daniels chewing out Jay.
  Daniels: Let me ask you, who exactly am I working all these dead girls for? The Homicide unit, right? The same Homicide unit that can't put two and two together and pick up a phone leaving me to read it a day-and-a-half later in The Baltimore Sun. (Beat) What did you take from the scene?
  Jay: Photos, latents, spent casings...Fuck, they cleaned everything else?
  Daniels: Even for a supremely fucked-up police department this takes the prize.
  • Also, if only Rhonda had told Beadie to tell Frank to bring a lawyer, he would have been safe.
• Poor Communication Kills: Jay didn't think to call the MCU the son of their ostensible main target had just been arrested for murder, leaving the police a day behind on the Greeks' movements.
• Took a Level in Badass: Beadie.
  McNulty: She wasn't much when we started, now she's got game.
• Tragic Hero: Frank.
• Wham Line: "Your way; it won't work." Said by the Greek to Spiro when his FBI contact lets him know Frank's agreed to work with the cops, it signals that Frank's not walking away from his meeting with Spiro and the Greek.