HBO Limited Series delivers and more
I wanted to wait for several episodes before offering my thoughts on the HBO Max limited series, We Own This City. During the Pandemic, I took the opportunity to sample a number of productions from both domestic and foreign sources. While I did discover some quality shows, I found that many started out with an abundance of promise, only to suffer from implausible stories or overly flawed characters. What resulted was that after two or three episodes I bailed and was left with the feeling that I had wasted time that I would never recover.
Not so with WOTC. Helmed by David Simon and George Pelecanos, viewers are given insights into the actions and events surrounding the investigation of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) which was examined in a book of the same name written by Baltimore Sun Reporter Justin Fenton. This special squad of cops was so corrupt, so morally bankrupt and so brutal that they would have given Al Capone pause.
While the cast of immoral officers is many, the focus of the story by Simon and Pelecanos is the undeniable instigator, Wayne Jenkins whose corrupt instincts develop over time. But once embedded, Jenkins goes full-tilt bringing others along for the ride. Jenkins and his cohorts will accost and in many cases beat anyone, anytime, and anyplace. From knocking a brother’s 40 out of his hand with a nightstick to engaging in an unnecessary car chase that leads to the death of an innocent driver. Jenkins’ sole motivations are to intimidate and plunder.
The Setting
No one takes viewers into the fabric of a city better than David Simon and he does Baltimore particularly well. From Homicide: Life on the Streets to The Corner to The Wire and now We Own This City, Simon makes us feel familiar with the city regardless of our current locations and personal backgrounds as audience members. Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods and it is never more apparent when we follow the show’s characters hanging out at local establishments, venturing up streets or alleys, or partaking of the uniquely Baltimore indulgence, lake trout.
While it’s not surprising that many viewers would compare WOTC to The Wire, each is a vehicle unto itself. The former explored Baltimore’s urban landscape through an expanded lens. The show not only delved into the drug culture, but also stories related to the Port of Baltimore, city government, print journalism, and the school system. The latter’s focus is squarely on the police department, its unconstrained corruption, and the exploitation of the very citizens they swore to protect.
The Police
Each and every member of the Gun Trace Task Force is reprehensible in their own right. But Wayne Jenkins who is portrayed by John Bernthal, a veteran of The Walking Dead who also played Johnny Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark takes “assholedom” to a new and frightening level, particularly if you’re a resident of one of the areas he patrols. The problem with a limited series is that we don’t get a lot of his backstory. However, the one thing I would like to know is just how did he get so screwed up.
Not to be outdone is one of Jenkins’ partners in crime, Daniel Hersl. Last seen by me as Will Gardner in The Good Wife, Josh Charles channels his character’s villainous traits in such a manner that seeing Hersl and Jenkins together makes one wonder just how they could last so long as members of the BPD without their crimes being uncovered by the higher-ups. Jenkins and Hersl along with Tony Dalton aka Lalo in Better Call Saul and Alfonso Herrera aka Javi from Ozark have been the four most psychopathic desperados that have roamed the recent TV landscape.
The political
No story about Baltimore produced by Simon and Pelecanos would be complete without interweaving political subplots within the overall narrative. Early on we see Stephanie Rawlings-Blake depicted by Paige Carter who sported the former mayor’s distinctive hairstyle. It was made apparent early on that she was not going to run for re-election which turned out to be a prescient decision.
Rawlings-Blake’s successor, Catherine Pugh is only seen through shots of her campaign posters and thus far hasn’t been referenced. Given her circumstances, that’s understandable. State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s appearances are relegated to archival video footage of her TV press conferences. What is surprising is that based on the story, she was feared by many the cops, particularly after the Freddie Gray incident.
Familiar Faces
Several alumni of The Wire are cast in various roles. They include Domenick Lombardozzi (Herc), Jamie Hector (Marlow), Delaney Williams (Sgt. Landman), and Jermaine Crawford (Dukie) among others. What’s also interesting is that the events in both shows occurred within a short time period of each other, and the advances in technology are evident. What methods would Detective Lester Freamon employ to track Avon Barksdale, “Stringer” Bell, and Marlo Stanfield with his nemeses utilizing smartphone technology?
We Own This City is not The Wire, but wasn’t meant to be and is compelling in its own right. With each episode, my interest in the story has increased and my investment in the characters has risen as well. Not because I know a lot about them or find them particularly engaging, but because they are so despicable I want to see them get theirs in the end. The only thing that could make We Own This City an enduring achievement would be to see Wayne Jenkins try to roll up on Omar Little. Now that would be epic.
The remaining two episodes of We Own This City airs at 9: pm May 23rd & May 30th on HBO Max. Previous episodes can also be seen on the platform.