The first recording today is a repeat of The Simpsons – My Big Fat Geek Wedding.
Media Centre Description: Cartoon comedy. When Mrs Krabappel calls off her wedding to Principal Skinner, Marge and Homer step in with some relationship advice.
Recorded from Channel 4 on Wednesday 27th May 2009 17:58
The recording ends with the start of Hollyoaks.
The next recording starts with the end of Springwatch.
There’s a Radio 3 promo.
Then it’s a documentary in the BBC Poetry Season, Armando Iannucci in Milton’s Heaven and Hell.
As is typical of me, the most exciting moment was learning that Milton spent his later years in Chalfont St Giles, which is only 30 minutes away from here.
Here’s the whole documentary. If nothing else, it helps me understand Victoria Coren Mitchell’s endings in the current series of Only Connect.
Media Centre Description:
Recorded from BBC TWO on Wednesday 27th May 2009 20:58
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Wednesday 27th May 2009 21:00
The final recording today starts with the end of a Party Election Broadcast by “No2EU Yes to Democracy” who I definitely don’t remember. A possibly left leaning Anti-Europe party, judging by the frequent mentions of workers rights.
There’s a trail for Dragon’s Den Online.
Then it’s the final episode of this season of The Wire – Port in a Storm. It’s also the last one I have in my collection of recordings, so I’ll have to catch up with the rest of it later, away from the blog. I’ve really enjoyed it, though.
If you were hoping for happy endings, I’m sorry to disappoint you, because this episode starts with Frank Sobotka’s body being fished out of the river close to the docks, so all the dock workers get to watch their friend get lifted out and deposited on the dock. There’s a sad symmetry in the last episode opening like the first episode with a body being discovered in the river by the police.
Stringer visits Mouzone in hospital. He tells Mouzone that they’ll find out who did this. “I appreciate the offer, but that won’t be necessary. Inform Mr Barksdale that any obligation he feels he might have with regards to this incident, it’s absolved, along with our agreement.” “All I’m saying is… I understand what you’re saying.” “What I am saying to you is I will take care of them myself.” “Them? Who came at you?” “Thank you for your concern.”
Nick wants revenge. He has to be restrained by the other workers. “What the fuck you gonna do? Get a gun? Go play gangster? Like your fucking cousin?” His father arrives for him. “Let’s go.”
Bubbles and friend are arrested when they try to steal stuff from an ambulance attending an incident in the street.
Daniels talks to Valcheck about Prez and the punch. He gets Valchek to allow him back on the detail after he’s spent some time on a midnight shift for two months.
Spiros and The Greek meet. “Niko, the nephew, by now he knows.” “Our people wait for him, but so do the police. I am thinking… there’s nothing to be done at this point. What he says, he says.” “He knows my name, but my name is not my name. And you? To them, you’re only the Greek.” “And, of course, I’m not even Greek.” “So we go.”
Bubbles calls Kima and McNulty to try to get out of the bust. He tells them that he saw Mouzone shoot one of Joe’s boys with rat shot. “Mr Bow Tie, he ran ’em off. He told them Eastsider fools them towers belong to Avon. But then he ain’t come back no more. Now them Eastsiders are back up in there steady slinging. I mean, it ain’t like a war or nothing. It’s like Stringer Bell and them are sharing.”
Nick hands himself in, and the detail talk to him, explaining the offer they gave to his uncle the day before. He tells them all about what he knows, naming Spiros and Sergei, and also telling them that the guard on the ship who killed one of the women in the container, then hammered the ventilation pipe closed, was taken out in Philadelphia.
They show him the picture of Spiros from the hotel the other day, and ask him if h knows the man with him. He tells them that the man they were looking at isn’t anybody. But he recognises the Greek in front of them lighting a cigarette.
The lone FBI agent still with the detail, Fitzhugh, has information for Freamon. They’ve identified the unknown man with Spiros at the hotel as a lawyer. But they have also identified a container with a fake manifest coming into the docks in the next day or two.
Herc and Carver lose patience staking out Nick’s home waiting for him to return so they knock on the door. They’re surprised when his father tells them he already handed himself into the police that morning. This is the last straw for them, as they were increasingly feeling unappreciated in the detail.
Nick and family are put up in a motel, with an officer on guard all the time to protect them.
Spiros tells Proposition Joe that there will be new people coming in to run the smuggling supply in a week or so. “There’ll be some new faces soon. A week or so. They’ll find you. Just as they’ll find the others that work with us.”
Fitzhugh’s tip about the hot container was correct. They decide to leave it there in case someone comes looking for it.
Stringer talks to Avon about Mouzone. Avon finally agrees that Stringer should work with Proposition Joe, but he definitely doesn’t seem happy about it.
The detail go up to Philadelphia to find out about the guard who ran off the boat and was killed. They even find video footage of the attack.
The FBI visit the Union hall and tell them if they don’t clean up their act, the Union will be decertified. “Take the opportunity to elect new officers or the US attorney will padlock the door and you’ll be outside looking in.”
The reaction to this is the man who was standing against Frank in the election, “Ott”, ripping down his own poster from the notice board. “One Man One Vote.”
Sergei is questioned about the ship guard who killed the women in the container. They have identified the car used in the attack, and traced it to Sergei. “This is aggravated murder and kidnapping. In this state, it’s a death penalty case.” “I didn’t kill him. I was there, but I didn’t kill him. Vondas did. He cut his throat. The shepherd was supposed to watch over the women. Instead, he used them to make money. One of the women, she fought, she was killed. And this idiot kills the rest to make no witnesses. He had to die.”
He also gives them a lead on where the Greek is now and he points them at a hotel, but when they get there they’ve already left, leaving behind an incriminating bottle of Ouzo.
At the bar, it’s a little down, as despite solving 14 murders, they missed their chance to get Spiro and the Greek, who have left the country. Fitzhugh breaks some news to Daniels about a hole in their case. “The leak wasn’t your people. When I called around looking for info on your targets, I used the FedCom software, you know? I thought I was talking to some fuck in San Diego. It was the 9/11 boys in DC. I’m guessing Vondopoulos or the Greek was an asset to them. You know, hooked up like that or who knows what? I’m sorry, Lieutenant.”
We get a slightly mournful montage to close the season. Valchek receives one more polaroid of his stolen surveillance van. From Australia.
The 14 Jane Does get written up as solved.
Ziggy is in prison.
There’s groundbreaking on the condominium project that’s going to happen in place of refurbishing the grain pier for the docks.
Beadie is back on her proper job in the port police.
The trafficking still continues.
And Nick reflects on how things have gone.
Media Centre Description: Season two of the acclaimed police drama from Baltimore. In the season finale, Sobotka’s woes are finally submerged. Fitzhugh realizes his messages weren’t reaching their intended target. Nick looks for a way out, and tensions continue in Avon and Stringer’s relationship.
Recorded from BBC TWO on Wednesday 27th May 2009 23:23
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Wednesday 27th May 2009 23:25
After this there’s a promo for Radio 4’s A Murder of Quality.
Then BBC Two joins the BBC News channel.
Here’s the Simpsons ad breaks.
Adverts:
- Aviva – Norwich Union changes its name
- iPhone 3G
- trail: River Cottage
- trail: My Monkey Baby
- trail: Big Brother
- trail: Night at the Museum
- Army
- Vodafone
- Volvic
- Braun Silkepil
- Disneyland Paris
- Coraline in cinemas
- trail: Hollyoaks
- trail: E4 Udderbelly
- trail: ER The Final Episode
- trail: I’m Running Sainsbury’s
VHiStory 