History Recap / TheWireS04E02SoftEyes

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Rhonda laughs at first when Daniels imitates Lester, even though she's still pissed.

* StaringDownCthulhu: Michael is the only one who refuses money from Marlo, and when Marlo confronts him about it ("You too good for my money? Or is you such a bitch-ass punk you worried about where my money come from?"), Michael doesn't say anything, but stares directly at Marlo. This actually impresses Marlo, and he not only lets Michael go, but begins to think [[YouGotSpunk Michael might make a good addition to his crew]].

* HandsomeLech / ChickMagnet: The mothers of the boys Dennis trains are very interested in going out with him, and while he claims he's busy, he'd be more than happy for them to bring by "dinner".

* CorruptCop: Officer Walker (Jonnie Louis Brown), who not only takes money from Randy (given to him by Marlo), but pockets it for himself.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The dead witness, Lex being missing, Herc witnessing Royce's InterruptedIntimacy, Old Face Andre (whom Marlo and Monk talk to, and who holds their supply), Namond's ambivalence at being tough like his parents - Wee-Bey and [=De'Londa=] (Creator/SandiMcCree) - want him to be, Rawls' idea of "proper supervision" for the Major Case squad, and Michael being eyed by a few authority figures (good and bad) all become important later.

** Dennis' landscaping boss cracks that Dennis is trying to be the next Angelo Dundee (the trainer of UsefulNotes/MuhammadAli).

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: When Carcetti is playing Battleship with his daughter, Creator/AidenGillen gives the distinctly Irish pronunciation of "H" as "haitch."

* TooMuchInformation: Wee-Bey telling Namond how he rubbed urine on his upper lift so he could grow a mustache quicker.

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Dublin native [[Creator/AidanGillen Aidan Gillen]] usually does a fairly convincing Baltimore Italian for Tommy, but when playing Battleship with his daughter, he gives the distinctly Irish pronunciation of "H" as "haitch."

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The dead witness, Lex being missing, Herc witnessing Royce's InterruptedIntimacy, Old Face Andre (whom Marlo and Monk talk to, and who holds their supply), Namond's ambivalence at being tough like his parents - Wee-Bey and [=De'Londa=] (Sandi [=McCree=]) - want him to be, Rawls' idea of "proper supervision" for the Major Case squad, and Michael being eyed by a few authority figures (good and bad) all become important later.

* GenreSavvy: Rawls figures out Lester is behind the subpoenas. Also, Carver starts to chase Donut and the others when he spots them with the stolen SUV, but then stops and realizes he knows all of them, and where they hang, so there's no point in chasing them.

* TooMuchInformation: Wee-Bey telling Namond how he rubbed urine on his upper lift so he could grow a mustache quicker.

* CallBack: When Lester says he's putting the subpoenas out now because the politicians have to worry about scandal, Rhonda reminds him [[Recap/TheWireS04E01BoysOfSummer he originally claimed he wanted to do this a year ago except fresh cases got in the way]].

* ContinuityNod: [[Recap/TheWireS02E10StormWarnings Once again]], when he's hard at work trying to fix something in disarray, Prez puts on Music/JohnnyCash (this time, "Ring of Fire").

* {{Epigraph}}: "I still wake up white in a city that ain't", said by Carver.

* ShoutOut: Lester tries to inspire Rhonda and the others at the detail by quoting UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt ("The thrill (in hunting grizzly bears) is in overcoming your own fear"), and calls the developers and politicians targeted by the subpoenas "[[Film/PrinceOfTheCity princes of the city]]".

* CatchPhrase: Clay Davis - "Sheeeit!" Twice.

* RefugeeInAudacity: Right after Carver comes around to warn all the kids what'll happen if he catches them stealing cars again, Donut, after getting a glimpse of Carver's car, says, "Damn, yo! Nice ride!", though at least he has the sense to wait till Carver's out of earshot.

* GenreSavvy: Rawls figures out Lester is behind the subpoenas.

The kids are getting ready for school. Marlo gives all of the kids in the neighborhood money for school clothes, and everyone takes it except Michael, who also stands up to Marlo when Marlo calls him out on it, which impresses Marlo. Prez also gets ready for teaching, and learns from some of the other teachers how he'll need to lower his expectations to survive.

** Herc is worried after seeing Royce's InterruptedIntimacy, he'll end up [[Recap/TheWireS01E13Sentencing riding a boat just like [=McNulty=] did]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The dead witness, Lex being missing, Herc witnessing Royce's InterruptedIntimacy, Namond's ambivalence at being tough like his parents - Wee-Bey and [=De'Londa=] (Sandi [=McCree=]) - want him to be, and Michael being eyed by a few authority figures (good and bad) all become important later.

* PhraseCatcher: Both Clay and Namond say, "I'll take any motherfucker's money if he giving it away!"

Elsewhere, Dennis becomes a hit with all of the women whose sons he trains, Bubbles, impatient with Sherrod's lack of skills, enrolls him in school again, and Bunk tries to figure out what happened to Lex.

* CallBack: Herc is worried after seeing Royce's InterruptedIntimacy, he'll end up [[Recap/TheWireS01E13Sentencing riding a boat just like [=McNulty=] did]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The dead witness, Lex being missing, Namond's ambivalence at being tough like his parents - Wee-Bey and [=De'Londa=] (Sandi [=McCree=]) - want him to be, and Michael being eyed by a few authority figures (good and bad) all become important later.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: "Me? I'm just the police."

* TitleDrop: One of the teachers tells Prez, "You need soft eyes."

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The dead witness, Lex being missing, and Michael being sought after by many authority figures (good and bad) all become important later.