History Recap / TheWireS03E09Slapstick

* HeroWithBadPublicity: Prez will unfortunately only be remembered for being a long-time screwup and accidental cop-killer. Not for the good police he was.

* DontTellMama: Omar has always told his grandmother he works at the airport.

** Daniels is especially so with Prez after the shooting. More so than Prez’s actual uncle.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The co-op's increasing disgust with the war between Avon and Marlo, as well as Stringer's increasing distrust of Clay, and his recognizing Colvin as NotSoDifferent, become important later.

* ForWantOfANail: Had the last entree not taken so long, [[McNulty]] and Prez wouldn’t have been on the scene to begin with.

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Avon says he “had nothing to do with that,” referring to [DeAngelo’s] death. This poor choice of words infuriates the already suspicious Brianna.

* AFatherToHisMen: Daniels is especially so with Prez after the shooting.

Two policemen find a gunshot victim in Hamsterdam. Carver convinces the officers to move the body outside Hamsterdam so no one will find out. Unfortunately, they aren't successful at covering their tracks, and Crutchfield quickly figures out what happened. Colvin is only able to pacify Crutchfield by promising to get him the shooter by the next day. Colvin then rounds up all of the mid-level dealers and tells them if they don't produce the shooter, he'll be shutting down Hamsterdam. It turns out to have been one of the Barksdale dealers, and with Stringer's approval, Bodie forces the dealer to turn himself in. However, Herc, so disgusted by what happened, decides to spill the beans about Hamsterdam to the media.

The Major Crimes Unit continue to try and find a way to get a line up on phones. Rhonda finds out, to her anger, the wireless companies won't help, and while the FBI is sympathetic, they say they can't do much better than she has (a five-day turnover, which she only got by threatening them with bad publicity). The squad is able to get up on Bodie's phone when Bubbles forces a re-up. However, everyone's thrown for a shock when, while, [=McNulty=] and Prez are out buying Chinese takeout for the team, they end up getting a police call, and [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace Prez shoots a plainclothes African-American cop dead]], mistaking him for a fugitive, and this ends his career.

Two policemen find a gunshot victim in the area of Hamsterdam. Carver convinces the officers to move the body outside Hamsterdam so no one will find out, but they leave enough clues outside that Colvin is only able to quiet things down by promising Crutchfield (the lead detective on the case) he'll have his shooter by the next day. Colvin then rounds up all of the mid-level dealers and tells them if they don't produce the shooter, they can kiss Hamsterdam goodbye. It turns out to have been one of the Barksdale dealers, and with Stringer's approval, Bodie forces the dealer to turn himself in. However, Herc, so disgusted by what happened, decides to spill the beans about Hamsterdam to the media.

The Major Case squad continue to try and find a way to get a line up on phones. Rhonda finds out, to her anger, the wireless companies won't help, and while the FBI is sympathetic, they say they can't do much better than she has (a five-day turnover, which she only got by threatening them with bad publicity). The squad is able to get up on Bodie's phone when Bubbles forces a re-up. However, everyone's thrown for a shock when, while out getting dinner for everyone, [=McNulty=] and Prez end up getting a police call, and [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace Prez shoots an undercover African-American cop dead]], mistaking him for a fugitive, and this ends his career.

Elsewhere, Dennis tries and fails to get permits for his gym, at least until he gets help from Rev. Frank Reid (Felix Stevenson), leader of the "ministers" (and a major constituent of Watkins'), [=McNulty=] continues to see Terri, but is less happy about it, and Gray implies he'll be running for mayor.

* ItsAllMyFault: Colvin tells Carver he, Colvin, was the one who moved the body.
* LetMeGetThisStraight: Rhonda to the president of the wireless company:

-->'''Stringer:''' Good help is hard to find.
-->'''Avon:''' If it wasn't, you think I'd be payin' eastside niggers for shit?

* WarOnTerror: Again, as a reference (Terri watches the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election) and as RuleOfSymbolism.

* WithFriendsLikeThese: Carcetti advises Gray when he goes to Watkins to feel him out on an issue, and to try and charm him. Naturally, when they both go to see Watkins, Carcetti does this for himself.

** When [=McNulty=] closes the refrigerator in the detail office, we see a picture of Beadie Russell on it.

-->'''Slim Charles:''' Ain't enough that y'all violated the Sunday morning truce. No! I'm standin' here holdin' a torn-up church crown of a bona-fide colored lady. Do you know what a colored lady is? Not your mamas, for sure. 'Cause if they was that y'all would have known better better than that bullshit. Y'all triflin' with Avon Barksdale's reputation here.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Lester gives one to [=McNulty=] after the latter brags about how he and Lester are two of the few good cops in Baltimore.
-->'''Lester:''' Tell me something, Jimmy. How exactly do you think it all ends? What do you mean? A parade? A gold watch? A shining Jimmy-[=McNulty=]-day moment when you bring in a case so sweet that everybody gets together and says: "Oh shit, he was right all along. We shoulda listened to the man." The job will not save you, Jimmy. It won't make you whole, it won't fill your ass up.

The Major Case squad continue to try and find a way to get a line up on phones. Rhonda finds out, to her anger, the wireless companies won't help, and while the FBI is sympathetic, they say they can't do much better than she has (a five-day turnover, which she only got by threatening them with bad publicity). The squad is able to get up on Bodie's phone when Bubbles forces a re-up. However, everyone's thrown for a shock when, while out getting dinner for everyone, [=McNulty=] and Prez end up getting a police call, and [IJustShotMarvinInTheFace Prez shoots an undercover African-American cop dead]], mistaking him for a fugitive, and this ends his career.

The Major Case squad continue to try and find a way to get a line up on phones. Rhonda finds out, to her anger, the wireless companies won't help, and while the FBI is sympathetic, they say they can't do much better than she has (a five-day turnover, which she only got by threatening them with bad publicity). The squad is able to get up on Bodie's phone when Bubbles forces a re-up. However, everyone's thrown for a shock when, while out getting dinner for everyone, [=McNulty=] and Prez end up getting a police call, and Prez shoots an undercover African-American cop dead, mistaking him for a fugitive, and this ends his career.

* DramaticIrony: As [=McNulty=] sits in Homicide, still in shock, Jay starts telling Holley about Waggoner (the cop Prez shot), and how capable he was (two commendations, high on the list for making sergeant), before tearing into Prez (bringing up, among other things, [[Recap/TheWireS01E02TheDetail how he shot up his car]], and how Valchek always saved him. We can't deny any of what Jay is saying, and yet we don't know, as [=McNulty=] does, how Prez had redeemed himself up till the shooting.

The Major Case squad continue to try and find a way to get a line up on phones. Rhonda finds out, to her anger, the wireless companies won't help, and while the FBI is sympathetic, they say they can't do much better than she has (a five-day turnover, which she only got by threatening them with bad publicity), though Phelan does allow a boilerplate wiretap. The squad is able to get up on Bodie's phone when Bubbles forces a re-up. However, everyone's thrown for a shock when, while out getting dinner for everyone, [=McNulty=] and Prez end up getting a police call, and Prez shoots an undercover African-American cop dead, mistaking him for a fugitive, and this ends his career.

-->'''[=McNulty=]: On a Sunday, what the fuck, Lester?

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The co-op's increasing disgust with the war between Avon and Marlo, as well as Stringer's increasing distrust of Clay, become important later.

* {{Foreshadowing]]: The co-op's increasing disgust with the war between Avon and Marlo, as well as Stringer's increasing distrust of Clay, become important later.

* WarOnTerror: Again, as a reference (Terri watches the aftermath of the 2004 presidential election) and as RuleOfSymbolism.

Elsewhere, Dennis tries and fails to get permits for his gym, at least until he gets help from Watkins through Marla, [=McNulty=] continues to see Terri, but is less happy about it, and Gray implies he'll be running for mayor.

-->'''Lester:''' Tell me something, Jimmy.
How exactly do you think it all ends? What do you mean? A parade? A gold watch? A shining Jimmy-McNulty-day moment when you bring in a case so sweet that everybody gets together and says: "Oh shit, he was right all along. We shoulda listened to the man." The job will not save you, Jimmy. It won't make you whole, it won't fill your ass up.

* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: Dennis trying to get the permits for his gym when he goes alone the first time.

Elsewhere, Dennis tries and fails to get permits for his gym, at least until he gets help from Watkins through Marla, [=McNulty=] continues to see Terri, but is less happy about it, and Gray implies he'll be running for mayor.