#johnny weeks

-Sigh, Bodie's anger at Wallace for playing with the toy.....I think it's partly genuinely thinking this kind of behavior is what got them robbed - remember how angry he looked throughout the robbery - but it's also a reaction to Bodie's recent experience, right? It's a (crude and harsh) way of telling Wallace, you are in an environment where you can wake up from a police beating surrounded by guys you don't know who likely hate you on sight. You will not survive if you are soft like this.

Of course, Bodie is himself an enforcer of the "rules" that make it so dangerous to be like Wallace. He is one of the enactors of the consequences that he is, on some level, here trying to protect Wallace from. Which is his central tragedy, isn't it.

-ANYWAY, let's make fun of Stringer's fashion choices! This is absolutely ludicrous:

I think because we've already seen him rocking properly-fitting buttondowns and slacks. He looks like he's put on a costume to go down to the Pit.

-And the award for most analog-age shot of the episode goes to:

-Jimmy getting mad at Elena for questioning whether he bought the stuff for the kids' bedroom when he did not, in fact, buy the stuff...UGH!!! I enjoy Jimmy as a cop but I truly have NO patience for his failings as a father and (ex-)husband, god he pisses me off so bad. GROW UP!

-I’m not sure if it’s funny or sad that Bodie immediately went back to spending all his time at the Pit while he’s a fugitive. Like dude they’re obviously going to find you there, what exactly was your plan here. But OTOH, what else would he have done, really. If animal trapped…

-Some nice consistency in JD Williams' depiction of Bodie's injuries: when he jumps up to run from Herc and Carv here, he grabs the same spot on his chest/ribs that was evidently hurting worst in the last episode:

(Ok it's impossible to see in that last cap but I swear it's the same spot, and he keeps holding it as he's running)

-Obviously I'm sure Bodie never actually intended to call Herc, but I do like to think about the fact that his grandma gave him the card and he's been carrying it around in his pocket since then.

-Aww Herc, sorry your nice moment with Grandma didn't pay off....I'm sure this won't teach you the wrong lesson about respecting the people you police at all!

-I can't let myself screencap every time Carver smiles at Herc, but Seth Gilliam seems to be incapable of doing it without conveying pure love.

-Love this interrogation scene because it's two of my faves interacting, but Carv is sooo embarrassing it's almost unbearable 😭

-But! A shred of Carv backstory! He's lying through his teeth for half the scene, but I don't think he's lying about being from the projects. It aligns with his ability to code switch later with the kids in Hamsterdam and the S4 corner kids. It also seems like Bodie buys that part?

-They didn't need to light JDW in this scene like a damn Caravaggio painting, but I sure am glad they did:

(pls note I say JDW rather than Bodie because he was in his 20s here, so I don't feel bad admiring how pretty he is)

-So Dee is using his bonus money to take Donette to the fancy restaurant (buying something he wouldn't otherwise, like Stringer said to). Glad he didn't spend it all on Shardene.

-Pool scene my beloved!!! So funny to me that Herc is still pretty much being a dick to Bodie here, but Carver is a lot nicer? Like Bodie seeing through his good cop routine made Carv like him more?

-So obsessed with Bodie saying this. There's literally no reason for him to throw Herc a bone here, plus he already admitted the sandwich was good! He just can't pass up an opportunity to be even-handed!

-Avon and String are so cute in this office scene - fully on the same page, being all coy with Stinkum about his promotion, really at their best.

-So Bodie and Poot's conversation about whether you can get HIV from a blowjob (right before Bodie throws the bottle at Wallace) obviously sets up Johnny telling Bubbles he's positive later, that's 101 stuff. But I like that the setup is from two of the guys who put Johnny in the hospital (leading directly to his diagnosis), and that Bodie and Poot's conversation is played for laughs and is so boys-pretending-to-be-men, contrasting with the very real and serious consequences for Johnny.

-Bubbles' "I’m not workin for 'em, I’m workin with 'em!" re his informing for the police...his constant sense of dignity and pride in himself 🥹 

-Love Orlando and Dee's office gossip sesh about who's getting promoted and who's getting bonuses

-Also restraining myself from posting every Omar scene captioned "Omar!!!!!", but trust that I'm grinning ear to ear whenever he's on screen

-Another ridiculously and needlessly pretty shot: