Stray Rounds

Infobox The Wire episode


caption =
episode_name = Stray Rounds
episode_no = 22
epigraph = "The world is a smaller place now."
- The Greek
teleplay = David Simon
story = David Simon and Ed Burns
writer =
director = Tim Van Patten
guest_star = "see below"
prod_code = 209
airdate = July 27, 2003
season = two|"Stray Rounds" is the ninth episode of the second season of the HBO original series, "The Wire". The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Tim Van Patten. It originally aired on July 27, 2003.

Production

Title reference

The title refers to the stray bullets from the gunfight one of which killed a nearby child, as well as the 'rounds' of alcohol which poisoned the duck.

Epigraph

The Greek makes this statement referring to telecommunication.

Credits

tarring cast

Although credited, Wood Harris and Andre Royo do not appear in this episode.

Guest stars

#Seth Gilliam as Detective Ellis Carver
#Domenick Lombardozzi as Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk
#Jim True-Frost as Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski
#Robert Wisdom as Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin
#James Ransone as Ziggy Sobotka
#Pablo Schreiber as Nick Sobotka
#Tom Mardirosian as Agent Koutris
#Michael Potts as Brother Mouzone
#Bill Raymond as The Greek
#Lev Gorens as Eton Ben-Eleazer
#Michael Hyatt as Brianna Barksdale
#J.D. Williams as Preston "Boadie" Broadus
#Tray Chaney as Malik "Poot" Carr
#Robert F. Chew as Proposition Joe
#Luray Cooper as Nat Coxson
#Kelvin Davis as La La
#Chris Ashworth as Sergei "Serge" Malatov
#Al Brown as Major Stan Valchek
#Doug Olear as Terrance "Fitz" Fitzhugh
#Charley Scalies as Thomas "Horseface" Pakusa
#Delaney Williams as Sergeant Jay Landsman
#Ted Feldman as George "Double G" Glekas
#Bus Howard as Vernon "Ott" Mottley
#Ed Norris as Ed Norris
#Gloria Phillips as bereaved mother

Uncredited appearances

*Jay Landsman as Lieutenant Dennis Mello
*Brook Yeaton as "White" Mike McArdle
*De'Rodd Hearns as Puddin
*Richard Burton as Shamrock
*Jeffrey Pratt Gordon as Johnny "Fifty" Spamanto
*Derren M. Fuentes as Lieutenant Torret
*Gil Deeble as Hucklebuck
*Gordana Rasovich as Ilona Petrovich
*Daniel Ferro as Police Officer
*Luke Montgomery III as young boy
*Randall Boffman as Bill Anderson - administrator for the port of Baltimore

Plot

ummary

obotka detail

The detail are dismayed at the lack of activity from their subjects and realize that they must be changing their operating procedure. The team decide they need to track a new number for the target they just identified before the smuggling ring changed up. Lieutenant Cedric Daniels assigns Thomas "Herc" Hauk and Ellis Carver to watch the warehouse while Lester Freamon, Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, Bunk Moreland and Beadie Russell man their remaining wiretaps.

Jimmy McNulty continues to try to infiltrate the Greek's brothel and has more success when taking Freamon's advice to pose as a client from outside of America. He uses a badly faked English accent and manages to book a visit. McNulty visits Terrence "Fitz" Fitzhugh and apologizes for his actions last time they met. Fitz helps him to look up George "Double G" Glekas. Fitz finds that Glekas’ file has been sealed by an agent Koutris. Koutris tells Fitz there is little to the file they are holding. Once the call is finished Koutris phones Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos to let him know other agents are looking into Glekas.

At the office Freamon notices a container going missing and asks Carver to watch what happens with it as he is already out on surveillance at the Greek's warehouse. Carver reports the truck’s arrival while Eton Ben-Eleazer orders one of his men to check the number plates of cars near the warehouse to check if the police are nearby.

The Greeks

Nick Sobotka meets with Vondas to discuss their business. Vondas puts Nick in touch with "White" Mike McArdle to supply him with his drugs from now on. Vondas gives Nick a new list of clean containers to disappear.

Vondas discusses the smuggling business with Eton and they agree to move more drugs. Later, The Greek has dinner with Vondas, Eton and Ilona (the madam from the brothel).

Western shooting

Bodie Broadus’ crew face the repercussions of beating another crew of dealers to get them off their turf when they come back with guns. In the ensuing gunfight a young boy is killed by a stray bullet from his bedroom window.

Colonel William Rawls welcomes Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin and Lieutenant Dennis Mello to the scene of the shooting. Rawls is angry that they are late claiming that "It used to be when a nine year old kid hit the pavement, the district commander would be there within minutes" while Colvin explains that Burrell had taken him to DC with other district commanders to attend a seminar. Ed Norris is the lead investigator from homicide. Rawls asks Colvin to have Western and tactical arrest as many dealers as possible while his men work the case.

Bodie reports the gunfight to Stringer Bell; Stringer is angry that their trade will be disrupted by the boy's death. Stringer tells Bodie that their business revolves around more than violence, territory and reputations and that Bodie needs to show some flexibility and intelligence also. Shamrock drives Bodie to dispose of the weapons, Bodie wipes them clean as they travel and throws them over the side of the Hanover Street bridge near the harbor. The bag of guns lands on a passing boat though and is later picked up by city police.

Colvin's district makes large scale strike operations against drug dealers and numerous arrests. The SWAT Team leader has tactical arrest everyone in the pit on suspicion of murdering the young child due to the drug trade associated in the projects. Mello comments that they waited too long to do this and Colvin asks him what it is they think they are doing.

Sergeant Jay Landsman discusses the case with Ray Cole and Norris. They have had witnesses mention Bodie. Norris and Cole later bring Bodie in, having recovered the guns he failed to adequately dispose of. They present him with the weapons Cole tells him they have matched his prints to a weapon. Bodie asks which one and Cole picks the wrong weapon. Knowing that he is not in as much trouble as they say he is Bodie again asks for his lawyer.

Barksdale trade

Stringer meets with Proposition Joe to discuss co-operating over sharing product and territory. Proposition Joe is worried that Avon Barksdale might not be so keen to share his territory. Stringer suggests than when Avon sees how much money his organization will make from co-operating with Joe's, he'll come round, but sounds far from convinced.

Stringer asks Brianna Barksdale to talk to Avon about the deal he has made with Proposition Joe. He says that with their weak product and lack of muscle they're out of options. Brianna soon reports back that Avon is still adamantly against co-operating with Proposition Joe. Avon told Brianna to assure Stringer that he's working on getting a new supply and is bringing in muscle from New York, named Brother Mouzone, to help fight off rival dealers.

Disturbed, Stringer takes this news to Proposition Joe who is even more concerned. Stringer assures Joe that their deal is still on, but insists they work together to deal with Brother Mouzone. Joe refuses to send any of his people up against Brother Mouzone realizing his reputation as a feared hitman.

Dock business

Ziggy Sobotka drinks with Johnny "Fifty" Spamanto and expresses a desire to get out of the drug business, despite having been involved for over a year. Nick arrives later and Ziggy, very drunk and distraught, tries to start a fight with him. Nick refuses to rise to Ziggy, then finds out in the bar why Ziggy was so upset. Ziggy had accidentally killed his pet duck-he gave the duck hard liquor, and it died of alcohol poisoning in the bar.

Ziggy meets with Glekas and offers him stolen cars from the docks to sell abroad. Glekas is initially reluctant but agrees to give Ziggy a chance. Ziggy plans to create a track across the grass and a hole in the fence to take the cars through, Johnny Fifty questions why they need to when they could take the cars out of the front.cite web
year = 2004
title = Episode guide - episode 22 stray rounds
publisher = HBO
accessdate = 2006-06-22
url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season2/episode09.shtml] cite episode
title = Stray Rounds
episodelink = Stray Rounds (The Wire episode)
series = The Wire
serieslink = The Wire (TV series)
credits = David Simon, Ed Burns
writers =
network = HBO
station =
city =
airdate = 2003-08-03
season = 2
number = 09] cite book
last = Alvarez
first = Rafael
year = 2004
title = The Wire: Truth Be Told
publisher = Pocket Books
location = New York]

Deceased

Little kid: Shot and killed in Westside projects gunfight.

Duck: Alcohol poisoning.

First appearances

*Howard "Bunny" Colvin: Commander of the Western district, seen at the scene of the child’s shooting.
*Dennis Mello: Shift lieutenant in the Western district and Colvin’s right-hand man.
*Brother Mouzone: New York hitman and drug enforcer who appears in a manner similar to Nation of Islam members.

Miscellaneous

Robert F. Colesberry makes his final appearance as Detective Ray Cole in this episode. Colesberry died in 2004 following complications from cardiac surgery.

References