THE WIRE reWired: The Target

So it begins. A simple conversation between a cop and a street punk. Snot Boogie is dead. The street punk explains “this is America man!” And after two and three-quarters minutes I already know. ” This is going to be fantastic!”

The credits roll. We hear The Blind Boys of Alabama performing Down in a Hole. For series two it will be a different artist performing the same song. More about that later.

The credits end, and we are into the introduction. The starter for this television feast. We follow McNulty, the cop from the opening scene. McNulty who we are soon to learn is a full-time cop, part-time father, part-time drunk. McNulty who has all the best lines. McNulty the cop played by English actor Dominic West.

McNulty is in court, watching a punk called D’Angelo on trial for murder. D’Angelo runs with a gang of drug dealers and general fuck-ups who are lead by Avon Barksdale… We will learn more about them later.

D’Angelo wins his trial. He beats a murder wrap. McNulty is pissed, but not surprised.

McNulty has a conversation with a judge, Daniel Phalen. Phalen is now pissed. He wants this Barksdale off the streets. Barksdale is untouchable, and invisible. Nobody even knows what he looks like.

McNulty has stirred up a shit storm. Now McNulty’s superiors are pissed, especially at big-mouth McNulty.

A task force is formed, led by Lt Cedric Daniels. McNulty is on this task force with a gang of other cops. Kirma Greggs and her pair of homey-street cop partners among them… but more about all this later.

Back down in the hood D’Angelo returns home. His trial has caused him to be demoted, back down to a baby sitting role in the low rises. Than D’Angelo gives us a lesson on how the drug dealing hierarchy works when he gives Wallace a warning. ‘Look after the money better or you will be the new street punk yelling 5-0 when the po-lice come’.

We end with a murder. The murder of the security guard who testified in court against D’Angelo. D’Angelo is not the killer though.

Click here for a full episode recap courtesy of TV.com

McNulty: (to Bunk) “That will teach you to give a fuck when it ain’t your turn to give a fuck.”

My Week: Sir Alan Sugar – Times Online

For those of you unfamiliar with The Times, every Saturday the fantastic writer Hugo Rifkind presents his fictional account of the past week according to some name in the news. This week his victim was Sir Alan Sugar.

My Week: Sir Alan Sugar

According to Hugo Rifkind

Monday I’m in my study, playing with an executive toy that I designed all by myself. It’s a yoyo that you can send e-mail on, which has a 3.5in disk drive and also makes toast. The buying public never really went for it. What do I care? I’m Alan Sugar. I know what sells, far better than them.

“Remind me,” says that woman who works for me, who looks like she works in a prison. “What actually happens to all of your apprentices? They win the competition, they get given a job, and then . . . what?” There’s a banging sound from my drinks cupboard.

“Questions,” I say. “Questions, questions. You think I got where I am today by asking questions? Don’t make me laugh. Listen, sunshine. You can’t play me. I’m harder to play than a Stradivarius.” That’s my new insult. I’m going to use it on the show.

My other flunkey, the one who looks like an undertaker, puts up his hand. “Um, Sir Alan?” he says. “A Stradivarius isn’t actually harder to play than any other violin. It’s just more expensive.” “He’s right,” says the prison warden. “But seriously. All those old apprentices. They’ve still got jobs, right? It’s just, we never hear from them.” There’s a groan from behind the sofa.

“What was that?” says the undertaker.

“Nothing,” I say.

Tuesday Fact is, I don’t actually much like firing people. Big secret. Otherwise, I’d never put up with all this telly nonsense. Got bored of it years ago. I’ve got widgets to sell.

“How does a successful businessman survive a recession?” ponders the prison warden.

“How do you give it 100 per cent,” muses the undertaker, “in a period of negative growth?” “I’ll give you negative growth,” I say, which is a witticism I’m rather proud of. “But listen. I’ve got an idea. Stradivariuses, right? But cheaper. And with 3.5in disk drives. And maybe other stuff. It’s obviously what the public wants. I’ve got a prototype in the boot.” Behind us, there is a thud and a crunching sound.

“Actually,” I say, “don’t look in the boot.”

Click here to continue

CLOUGH… a love fest for a footballing legend!

Isn’t it nice. ITV have a nice little friendly documentary about legendary football manager Brian Clough all ready to go just days before The Damned United is released. The Damned United for those who haven’t read the book is the film based on the book which isn’t nice or friendly towards legendary footballing legend Brian Clough… it also isn’t true. According to the books author it is fiction, based on fact; translated, it is a pack of lies, but it is a damn good read!

Back to the telly… Clough, was a portrait of a managerial legend, and a boring one at that. It was just basically a collection of Brian Clough’s friends and family gathered together to tell us how wonderful the man was. Ahh how sweet!

Sadly though, it contained very little to get me excited or to dispel any of the negative aspects from the book… except for assurances from his wife, son and friends that the book was all lies!

Bizarrely, the documentary also contained clips from The Damned United, which is kind of bizarre considering the talking heads in the documentary have just explained that the book, and therefore the film is based on a pack of lies, which to me is just bad marketing.

Clough, the documentary was just boring telly! Unless you are a huge fan of the man, I really would avoid it if ITV ever replay it!

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Second Opinion from The Times Online:

If The Damned United is a wonderful film, Clough was a brilliant corrective. The Clough family, the focus of the documentary, hasn’t seen the movie apparently, which is very different from David Peace’s novel on which it is based, but you sense a clan drawing together to repel all comers. However, this picture of Clough the husband, father and club manager wasn’t a gloss job. He had a big ’ead all right, and he was passionate, soppy and maddening: patriarch meets tyrant meets cuddly toy. His son Nigel’s pausing and agonising over what to say and how to say it spoke more than his halting words.

You’re Fired! Following THE APPRENTICE UK – ep 1

Episode one of the UK version of The Apprentice aired last night, and what a night it was. Sir Alan divided the groups into two teams, eight girls and seven boys (there should have been eight boys also but one, Alan Freeman bottled it before the series began and ran back to Chigwell). The Teams were then assigned a simple task, go out and clean, toilets, windows, cars, shoes, whatever, just get out there and start cleaning. This all sounds simple enough to me… But I am not a posh wannabe celeb in a pin-stripped suit!

Both the boys and girls decided to wash cars; the boys decide on a sideline of shining shoes as well… I don’t know either, they just did.

So the boys get down to work, and set up a meeting with a minicab firm to wash their fleet, the girls argue and when they finally pull themselves together and get down to work, go about doing what women do best, they blow most of their shopping budget on cleaning supplies taking their time doing it!

The boys get to the minicab office and work out a deal to wash thirty cars… All seem well in the boys camp. The girls go to a limo firm and offer to wash their three cars for £100 each… WTF, does this include some loving on the side???

The girls finally strike a deal, and like the boys get down to the work of washing… and let me tell you, if you ever want your car washed, don’t give the job to a posh person in a suit! Neither team had a clue how to wash cars, and both did a pretty shitty job!

Meanwhile, the other half of the boys team are shining shoes at King’s Cross and making some money. Soon though the novelty wears off and the boys give up and go to meet up with the rest of the boys to wash some cars.

The girls meanwhile are getting desperate after being sacked by the limo firm, and they just start washing cars any place they can find them… they even go door to door. Personally I liked watching this desperation and “go get-em” attitude! However, the girls were pretty shit at cleaning cars, and Anita didn’t even know how to operate a hose… very very sad!

So we head back to Alan Sugar’s secret lair for debriefing, and the boys win the task, despite making less money… they win because they spent less on supplies! So off to the luxury penthouse with the boys; the girls get to stay behind to explain themselves… and when put under pressure decide to just lay blame on each other.

You have to love the back-stabbing attitude of contestants on this show!

After some to-ing and fro-ing it comes down to three eligible for the sack, the team leader Mona, Anita who can’t use a hose, and Debra who called her team “puppets”. Alan wants to sack them all, but finally chooses the idiot who can’t operate a hosepipe Anita!

And The Apprentice is back!

Click here to watch Sir Alan Sugar fire Anita!

Click here to watch episode 1 on the BBC iPlayer.

Faces: ELIZABETH MOSS

She has been the President’s daughter, and Don Draper’s secretary, and she has acted with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder. She is Elizabeth Moss, a young actress who’s star is definitely on the rise!

Elizabeth Moss Factfile:

• Born 24 July, 1982 in Los Angeles, California.
• Elizabeth began acting at the tender age of eight, first appearing in made for TV movie Bar Girls.
• Elizabeth continued to act in an assortment of made for TV films and do voice work for animated series such as Animaniacs.
• Then in 1999 she got her first big role in Girl, Interrupted, acting opposite Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder.
• 1999 was also the year she landed the role she is best known for as President Bartlett’s daughter in The West Wing.
• Elizabeth can currently be seen in the AMC hit series Mad Men playing Peggy Olsen.

Faces: CHRISTINA HENDRICKS

This week the US TV Bible that is TV Guide has it’s annual TV’s Sexiest issue on the newsstands.  I am happy to see that Christina Henricks was named as one of the sexiest women, but more excited by the preview pic on the TV Guide website of this fiery red head draped in black satin!… Oh the dreams I will be having!

Christina Hendricks is much more than a pretty face though. A quick glance at her acting resume quickly reveals that Christina is a versatile actress who not only provides a pretty face for the screen, but also a quality performance for the viewers… Still, she is a hottie, and Outside the Box loves a nice wiggle, and a head of fiery locks!

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Christina Hendricks Fact File:

• Born May 3, 1975 in Knoxville Tennessee. Her name back then was Christine Elise McCarthy.
• Hendricks is a natural blond, but she began dying her hair red when she was 10.
• She began acting in highschool and Junior Musical Theatre productions, including a role in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
• Before her days on the box Christina worked as a model and appeared in popular magazines including Harper’s Bazaar.
• Her first professional acting job came in the made for TV movie Sorority, alongside her future Mad Men co-star January Jones.
• Her TV break came when she landed a role in Beggars and Choosers; previous to that she appeared in an episode of Angel.
• Christina has also had occurring roles in such television staples as; ER and Firefly.
• The rest of Christina’s TV resume looks like a listing of some of the best shows from the last ten years. She has appeared in episodes of Without a Trace, Tru Calling, Las Vegas, Cold Case and Life.
• Christina can currently be seen as the hottest office manager on TV Joan Holloway in Mad Men.

Information provided by Wikipedia, TV.com and IMDb

DAMAGES… A Pretty Girl in a Leotard.

Sometimes when watching Damages I think that the writers are just making the storyline up as they go along. Take this week’s episode for example; no less than three characters from season one who I had forgotten about re-emerged, and in less than half an hour became an integral part of the story again.

Not that I am complaining, it is these twists and turns, that make this show so much fun to watch, and the turns on the journey is why I am such a fan of this New York legal drama.

And if you feel you are losing the plot, don’t worry, every week I will continue to provide you with a handy re-cap and any other Damages related trivia I might discover.

Series 2, Episode 6 – A Pretty Girl in a Leotard.

• Patty uses the media to lower UNR’s stock. In retaliation, they sue her with defamation charges. Patty has an unlikely aide at her side in secrecy. Ellen goes back to David’s apartment for the first time in months and deals with the repercussions and a new surprise waiting for her.
• If you missed this episode it is available on the BBC iPlayer
• Episodes 1 -6 are available to download on iTunes at http://www.itunes.com/tv/damages
• In this week’s exclusive podcast interview, Glenn Close talks about how Patty uses the media to fight cases. Rose Byrne discusses how Ellen and Katie’s relationship has changed since David’s murder, and Glenn and Rose discuss the most enjoyable aspects of season two. For non-iTunes users, you can see the podcast interview using this link and for iTunes users, use this link.
• Next week: As Patty and Frobisher team up to bring Kendrick down, Ellen gives the FBI a new lead that could bring Patty down. And Patty provides Ellen with a lead that could tie Frobisher to David’s murder.

Re-cap information provided by TV.com