1.10 – The Cost – The Wire Review

Posted by Samuel Walters

“And then he dropped the bracelets.” – Greggs

After a meandering, almost nonchalant buildup, “The Cost” ends with the most riveting and visceral moments of the series thus far. Make no mistake, this is a deep episode, with plenty of important character and thematic moments tucked into its mostly easy-going narrative. But what it will be most remembered for is the final climactic scene which forces the audience to confront the consequences … the cost, if you will … of both hubris and pride … and the dangerous repercussions of doing business on the streets.

It’s difficult to avoid the emotional reaction to an episode such as this. But it’s important to note that this is an episode about payoff – in terms of character development and exposition. Without such strong episodes behind it, the events in “The Cost” might come across as trite or gratuitous. But that certainly isn’t the case. In fact, the episode gets high marks for its ability to use subtlety to convey its most powerful event thus far.

The most important plotline follows Detective Greggs as she shares drinks with her girlfriend and acquaintances, recounts how proud she is to be a police officer, promises Bubbles to help him stay clean, and then goes undercover for an ill-advised “buy-and-bust” operation. Each moment is played with restraint, focusing on seemingly minor points – such as her girlfriend’s unease at her profession, and her promise to see Bubbles the next day. These are critical because, by the end of the episode, Greggs has been severely wounded in an ambush which, not coincidentally, has killed Orlando.

It is Orlando’s story that paves the way for tragedy. Wanting to “get in the game,” he tries to buy drugs but, instead, ends up in a State Police sting. The consequences lead not only to his death for becoming a snitch, but also to Deputy Burrell to pressure Daniels into the fateful buy-and-bust scenario – simply because Burrell is anxious for results. I suppose if I were to have a criticism of the episode, and indeed the series thus far, it’s in that Burrell is far too two-dimensional compared to the other characters. His purpose seems, simply, to be a royal pain in the ass and ignore good advice. One hopes that will change, and, fortunately, his character doesn’t diminish the impact of this episode.

The fact of the matter is, even though much of the episode is focused on “buildup” the end result more than justifies any potential criticisms of pace or story. In fact, one could make the argument that the relatively easy-going nature of the episode is meant to lull the audience into a false sense of security — an illusion which is brutally shattered when Greggs is shot.

The scene itself is an exercise in execution. Every beat, every line of dialogue, every nuance sells the moment as one of pure tragedy. As a case-in-point, I think Carver’s breakdown — kicking trash cans and shouting — is what truly sells the realism of the moment. But when you factor in McNulty’s desperate communications and Daniels’ frenzied reaction, the scene is about as well-constructed and crafted as I’ve ever seen. This isn’t melodrama — it’s a commentary on the cost of putting one’s life at risk every single day.

It’s important to note, though, that while the episode will be remembered for what happened to Greggs (and rightly so), there’s much more to it.

For example, McNulty manages to bring in Wallace — the young boy whose guilt over his role in The Game has led him to completely confess his actions and the actions of everyone else involved. He heads off to spend time with his grandmother on the Eastern Shore, but it’s clear that his emotions are part of “the cost” of his involvement in The Game.

And there are minor points, too.

After Shardene leaves him, D’Angelo tries to patch things up with the mother of his child — but she immediately puts an enormous amount of financial and emotional pressure on him.

Avon and Stringer decide how to react to Omar’s latest escapades as well as the confrontation Avon had with the police. For his part, Omar turns to McNulty and Greggs for help for his bullet wound. And Bubbles faces the harsh realities of dealing with life after getting clean. These are small, but important character and plot elements which can easily become lost within the tumult of the final climactic scene. But they are, just like the rest of the series, subtle-yet-significant moments.

Overall Grade: A

“The Cost” gets almost all of its credit from its final moments. But truth be told, it wouldn’t be an exceptional episode without the rest of its less-obvious character and plot scenes. And there’s little doubt that, if you’re invested in these characters, the episode will leave a profound emotional impact.

Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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Topics: Crime, Mystery, TV Reviews
Filed under: The Wire - Season 1