Episode 48: “A New Day”

What might a new day mean for fictionalized Baltimore?

Episode #48: “A New Day”

“You play in dirt, you get dirty.” – McNulty
Carcetti faces a dilemma over a complaint from the minister against Herc. Carcetti galvanises other departments into action with non-specific complaints. Randy faces bullying from his school mates after he is exposed as an informant. Omar tricks Proposition Joe into giving away the timing of his next shipment. Freamon is tempted back to Major Crimes by Daniels and has a revelation regarding the hiding place of the missing bodies.

6 thoughts on “Episode 48: “A New Day”

  1. Addison DiSesa

    This episode makes me feel heartbroken for the city of Baltimore. Throughout the episode there are scenes in which characters profess their hope and faith in Tommy Carcetti, only for him to say in private that he may run for governor in two years. Despite the Mayor’s relative two-faced approach to his job, it feels good to see the city clean up a little bit. The non-specific complaints that Carcetti makes about an abandoned car here, a rusted playground there, and a leaky fire hydrant everywhere in between appear to be extremely successful at inspiring useful work out of the city’s agencies. It makes one wonder why these jobs have taken so long to come to the attention of the city. The fix-it jobs provide people with things to do and, in so doing, cleans the city and refurbishes it, rather than let it slowly become increasingly decrepit. Somehow, though, we must know that the quasi-positive feelings that we have at the end of this episode must end soon. After all, we still have an entire season ahead of us.

  2. Benjamin Meader

    Agreed. Though I have the feeling that perhaps the next fire-storm will not necessarily be directed drug-related crimes, but perhaps have more to do with the drug money. The scene in which Lester is looking at the Barksdale subpoenas while we see Carcetti meeting all of the future targets does not bode well. I have a good feeling about the new police department, but a bad feeling about the ramifications of their honest decisions. When powerful people get pissed off (like Clay Davis… “Sheeeeee-it”), I think we can expect things to get REALLY ugly. The question is how will the decisions of this new administration affect all of the different ravenous systems we’ve witnessed.

  3. Alex Oberg

    It’s interesting that the “new day” in this episode refers to the reforms that Carcetti and Daniels are introducing to the police department culture, and also can refer to Omar’s forthcoming shake up the New Day Coop. But a “new day” clearly is not about to come to Baltimore’s schools. The program separating the corner kids has been canceled by unsympathetic school officials, and the 54 million dollar budget deficit that Carcetti learns of is a bad omen. Carcetti hasn’t shown much commitment to education reform, and the huge deficit makes me think that any teachers and programs that do not juke the stats will be fired/shut down by the end of the season.

    Even if reform comes to the police department, how much will things actually improve? It is hard to see the situation in Baltimore getting any better without more serious attention being paid to the schools. And nobody with enough power seems willing to do that.

  4. Baird Kellogg

    It is tough to tell whether Carchetti was serious about his intentions to run for Governor or if he was using it to get that lady on his side. Although I did recognize that glimmer in his eye all too well when the woman from the Democratic party hinted at a Gubernatorial run. It is, however, very refreshing to see the energy Carchetti is bringing to the public service departments. These actions show that, atleast to some degree, Carchetti cares strongly for Baltimore’s well-being, though we will have to see if he puts himself or the city first. One thing that is disconcerting was the question by the developers if the mayor plays poker. It makes it a little more clear how someone like Royce got sucked into the pockets of these big time real estate people and people like Clay Davis.

  5. Tom Ladeau

    Absolutely, this episode really does emphasize the trouble the schools are having, even relative to the other public institutions in the city. The fact that Carcetti was so shocked by the size of the schools’ budgetary deficit is not a good sign. The cancelling of the Corner kids program is evidence that the school system does not have the patience/money/willingness to try new things, especially programs that take time to see results. These are all difficult obstacles to the reform of the public school system, and they make you wonder how it would even be possible to bring reform. I certainly don’t see it coming from Carcetti. He didn’t mention schools in his campaign, and didn’t seem to put much thought into them before he learned of their economic issues. Also, since this season is ending, I can see potential for the show’s focus turns away from the schools. I hope at least that the show keeps some of the kids as characters and keeps the school as at least a minor part of the show.

  6. Tahirah Foy

    One on the most interesting sequences in this episode for me was the sequence where Lester examines his new major crimes unit. The shots of Lester filing through his subpoenas are intercut with Carcetti meeting each person whose name appears on the file at a cocktail party. This sequence also made me think back to later in the episode when McNulty tells Carcetti that he has seen other mayors make promises. This sequence I think will possibly foreshadow troubles to come for Carcetti. Also think the title, “A New Day” of the episode is ironic play on these sequences in the episode.

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