Recap / The Wire S 02 E 08 Duck And Cover

Season 2, Episode 8

Duck and Cover

"How come they don't fly away?"

— Ziggy

McNulty has just about hit rock bottom (at the beginning of the episode, after getting thoroughly plastered, he drives into a pillar, inspects the damage, then hits the pillar from the *other* side of the car, though he's still able to pick up a waitress later). Bunk and Lester lobby Daniels on McNulty's half to get him into the detail, and after reminding Rawls that Rawls would give him whatever he needed if he agreed to help solve the murders, Daniels is able to get McNulty. McNulty's first assignment is to go undercover at the brothel, and he and Kima get press a customer they see coming back so they can get a contact number. McNulty also takes Beadie out for a beer, and takes her home, but decides not to press his luck.

The detail, meanwhile, manages to track two trucks from the docks. However, Frank has become suspicious ever since he found out his cell phone account was "flagged" (meaning he doesn't have to worry about paying overdue bills), and has his suspicions confirmed when (a) he sees Kima hanging around the docks (even though she's wearing a hard-hat and in a utility van), and (b) he finds out Beadie lied when she said she was going to the Fairfield Piers. Beadie calling to have the second truck held up so McNulty can follow it from his car doesn't help either, so Frank gives Sergei a "clean" can. He and Nick go down to the diner, and the Greek (Nick never knew who he was) finally agrees to meet with them, and also agrees to continue paying them even though they're temporarily shutting down; the Greek also agrees with Frank continuing to give them "clean" cans until the police lose interest.

This episode contains examples of:

• Bestiality Is Depraved: When one of the stevedores labels Ziggy "sick" for bringing a duck in a bar and feeding it liquor, Ziggy retorts he's hardly the first man in South Baltimore to try and buy the affections of a farm animal.
• Brief Accent Imitation: Delores does a British accent when she first sees Ziggy with the duck.
• Call-Back: When Bunk brings his stuff to the detail, he's wearing a lacrosse sweatshirt.
  Herc: Lacrosse?
  Bunk: What, a brother can't run with a stick? Jim Brown was an all-American midfielder at Syracuse.
  Lester: You're putting yourself besides Jim Brown?
• Continuity Nod: According to Frank, the van they stole is in New Orleans by now. Also, business for the Barksdale crew is going so slow, Bodie has to let people go.
• David Versus Goliath: Horseface, Johnny Fifty and La La all try to convince Ziggy if he fights the much-bigger Maui, it'll be like this. It doesn't end well for Ziggy.
  Ziggy: Bad advice! You motherfuckers gave me bad advice!
• Description Cut: Rhonda tells the detail which judge she's taking their affidavit to (Vanderwal), and adds he'll sign the warrant if his garage gets cleaned and his windows get washed. Cut to Rhonda, Kima and Lester (the affiants) in Vanderwal's study as he reads through the affidavit, while Carver and Herc are bringing an air conditioner upstairs; as they go upstairs, Vanderwal reminds them about his windows.
  Carver: It's a good thing I took the sergeant's test.
• Distracted by the Sexy: While Bodie is trying to plan an attack on the rival crew, Poot, of course, is more interested in two girls who are nearby.
• Epigraph: "How come they don't fly away?" asks Ziggy about the ducks.
• Foreshadowing: The beating Bodie and crew administer on a crew that poached their territory becomes important next episode. Also, we haven't heard the last of Ziggy's duck.
• Gilligan Cut:
  McNulty: I'm looking you in the eye, Gus. I'm telling you, I'm not driving a car tonight! (cut to McNulty driving drunk)
• Layman's Terms: Played for Laughs.
  Prez: They're running them out in tandem.
  Lester: That means one after the other, Jimmy.
  McNulty: I know what it means.
• Oh, Crap!: Rawls when he realizes the promise he made Daniels means he has to let McNulty work the detail.
• Only in It for the Money: Lampshaded by the Greek; "No one is in this for love."
• Running Gag: The bad spelling and grammar on the affidavits for a wiretap.
  Rhonda: You all cannot spell for shit.
  Bunk: Would we be police if we could?
• Shout-Out: Ziggy names the duck "Steven L. Miles", after a Baltimore lawyer who was among the first lawyers to advertise on TV.
• Villain-by-Proxy Fallacy: Played for Laughs; Maui's reaction to Ziggy trying to hit him is to lift him up with one hand, take him up to the top of a container, and leave him there, after which he threatens to do the same to anyone who tries to help Ziggy get down.
• Why Are You Looking at Me Like That?: When the detail first decides to send someone undercover inside the brothel, Herc is turned down because he isn't subtle enough, Carver doesn't look like he'd have to pay, and both Bunk and Kima decline, citing domestic issues. Just then, McNulty walks in.
  McNulty: What?
  Kima: Takes a whore to catch a whore. (everybody laughs)
  McNulty: What the fuck did I do?