History Recap / TheWireS01E05ThePager

* CouldSayItBut: When [=McNulty=] is complaining about Elena's latest legal shenanigans, he informs Kima exactly how a "less-enlightened man" might respond.
-->'''Greggs''': [[WhatTheHellHero You just called the mother of your children a cunt.]]
-->'''[=McNulty=]''': [[BlatantLies No, I did not.]]
-->'''Greggs''': Yes, you fuckin' did.

'''Kima:''' You just called the mother of your children a cunt.\\
'''[=McNulty=]:''' No, I did not.\\

* AbsenteeActor: Although credited, John Doman and Frankie Faison do not appear in this episode.

-->'''McNulty''': [[BlatantLies No, I did not.]]

-->'''Greggs''': You just called the mother of your children a cunt.
-->'''McNulty''': No, I did not.

* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Bubbles visits Johnny at the hospital, and Johnny is upset Bubbles is working as a snitch for the cops. Bubbles, in turn, wants to know why Johnny was beaten up and is in the hospital. Johnny responds, "[[ArcWords It's all part of the game, right?]] I mean, you taught me that." Bubbles isn't happy to hear that.

-->'''[=McNulty=]:''' You know something? My ex-wife, the way she acts sometimes, the way she deals with shit...(''{{Beat}}'')...You would think a less enlightened man than myself, a cruder man than myself - a man less sensitized to the qualities and charms and value of women - a man like that, not me, but a man like that, he just might call her a cunt.
-->'''Kima:''' You just called the mother of your children a cunt.
-->'''[=McNulty=]:''' No, I did not.
-->'''Kima:''' Yes you fucking did!
-->'''[=McNulty=]:''' No, I did not! Let's just leave this, I've got some stuff to do.

Avon continues to worry something's going wrong with his operations, and Stringer tells D'Angelo not to pay any of his crew because he still thinks there's a snitch. Also, Carver and Herc arrest Bodie, and he's shipped off to jail. They do score some success when Wee-Bey is able to put down John, one of Omar's underlings (when [=McNulty=] tells Omar John was murdered, Omar claims John had a lot of enemies, so it wasn't necessarily Barksdale who got him), and thanks to Wallace and Poot, they manage to get Brandon as well.

* VillainsOutShopping: D'Angelo takes Donette out to a nice restaurant, though he feels uncomfortable there.

** PunchClockVillain: However, while waiting for the van to take Bodie to county, Carver and Herc play pool, and eventually allow Bodie to join in.

* HypocriticalHumor: [=McNulty=] claims in his phone call with Elena (see CountryMatters above) that he has beds ready at his place for their sons to sleep in; a little later, we see him attempting to put them together. [[{{Understatement}} It doesn't go well,]] at least at first.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The phone code the Barksdale crew uses, and which Prez figures out, is based on way drug dealers whom David Simon reported on communicated with their crews.

-->'''[=McNulty=]: No, I did not! Let's just leave this, I've got some stuff to do.

* ShoutOut: Jay says to [=McNulty=], "We can't all be [[Film/PrinceOfTheCity princes of the city]].

-->'''[=McNulty=]: No, I did not! Let's just leave this, I've got stuff to do.

-->'''Bodie:''' [[LampshadeHanging You're supposed to be the *good* cop, motherfucker!]]

The detail get court authorization to go up on a pager, but the code the Barksdale crew stymies them until Prez figures it out; it all involves jumping the 5 on a touch-tone phone (so, for example, 714-3432 is really 396-7678). Bunk and [=McNulty=] interview the witness concerning [Recap/TheWireS01E04OldCases Deirdre's murder]], and she says Deirdre was going out with Avon, but became possessive and wrote a letter to the state's attorney about Avon. She also identifies Orlando's as a place where Avon and his crew do business. Kima and [=McNulty=] finally catch up to Omar (who's robbed an east side crew in the meantime), and try to get him to help them out with Barksdale; Omar says he's no snitch, but if he gets in trouble, he'll contact the two of them.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Orlando asks D'Angelo about getting in on selling drugs, which becomes important in later episodes.

* VillainsOutShopping: D'Angelo takes Donette out to a nice restaurant, though he feels uncomfortable there.

The detail get court authorization to go up on a pager, but the code the Barksdale crew stymies them until Prez figures it out; it all involves jumping the 5 on a touch-tone phone (so, for example, 714-3432 is really 396-7678). Bunk and [=McNulty=] interview the witness concerning [Recap/TheWireS01E04OldCases Deirdre's murder]], and she says Deirdre was going out with Avon, but became possessive and wrote a letter to the state's attorney about Avon. She also identifies Orlando's as a place where Avon and his crew do business. Kima and [=McNulty=] finally catch up to Omar (who's robbed an east side crew in the meantime), and try to get him to help them out with Barksdale; Omar says he's no snitch, but if he gets in trouble, he's willing to give up some info.

Avon continues to worry something's going wrong with his operations, and Stringer tells D'Angelo not to pay any of his crew because he still thinks there's a snitch. They do score some success when Wee-Bey is able to put down John, one of Omar's underlings (when [=McNulty=] tells Omar John was murdered, Omar claims John had a lot of enemies, so it wasn't necessarily Barksdale who got him), and thanks to Wallace and Poot, they manage to get Brandon as well.

* CountryMatters

* VillainsOutShopping: D'Angelo takes Donette out to a nice restaurant, though he feels uncomfortable there.
* GoshDangItToHeck: Omar complains about Brandon swearing so much.