The Wire: The Cost
Season One, Episode
Ten
Directed By: Brad
Anderson
Written By: David
Simon, from a story by Simon and Ed Burns
Read out “The Wire” Project here. Read about the previous episode here, or click here to see the total coverage. Assume spoilers for the episode.
When
shows like The Sopranos and later The Wire came along, it’s easy to forget
they really attempted to do something that was seen as insane in the television
world: tell stories. Now I don’t want to say that shows from beforehand didn’t
attempt to do that—Buffy the Vampire
Slayer had an intricate cast of characters and a complex plot, and of course Twin Peaks really changed everything and then some—but it was
HBO that really pioneered the idea that television could tell stories like
cinema, and not waste a minute. There’s no place for “drug dealer of the week”
on The Wire, and I’d be surprised if
we ever get a bottle episode.
And
in “The Cost,” we really get the ball rolling on the numerous plot developments
this season. I’m not sure whether David Simon knew he was going onto four more
seasons, or for that matter one, so much of this episode is set up for the
final three hours. But what an intense hour it is! “The Cost” opens in perfect
bliss, and ends in total ugliness and shock. Much of the tone of this thrill
ride comes from director Brad Anderson, a no name in 2002 who has gone on to
make some great thrillers like The
Machinist and Transsiberian.
