The "get things done type" Stringer Bell is both a powerhouse and also a cautionary tale for those who lack self awareness. #thewire #stringerbell #hbo
Stringers downfall was playing the fence. He needed to pick between being a businessman or a drug dealer. Couldn't do both at the same time. While both use business concepts and tools, they do not have the same rules. Stringer didn't know enough about white collar business to not get played and he was ignorant of the fact that the the streets could not be led by white collar business rules and culture. Ultimately, being on the fence clouded his judges and led to his death.
Plus it was waaaayyyy better executed then it was in Power (which is obviously weaker than The Wire though both shows do two different things so there's not much to compare if at all)
What you're saying is interesting but I disagree you must be involved with business and crime at the same time in order to cover up the crime people have to have a way to clean their money what people don't know is a lot of businesses that are legit now were started with criminal money half of the hip hop industry was drug money they went into the studios with their drug money if it wasn't for that half of the hip hop industry wouldn't even exist
@@ordinaryextraordinarybrotha There is some validity to what you wrote. However, in your example the criminals "invested" in hip hop, they did not manage it. This is the case in many criminal "fronts." For instance, Orlando ran the strip club operations, not Avon or Stringer. They're expertise was the drug game. "Stringer" tried to cross over while still having both feet deep in the drug game. Even with all the books he may have read, he didn't have the "experience" at how to navigate the shady white collar world. He also was so clouded by his ambition to run the Co-Op like a corporation that he crossed Avon and Bro. Mouzone which was the ultimate wrong move as it caused his death.
Letting Wallace live would have also been shortsighted. What happens when people realize you can just snithc on the Barksdale organisation? More people start flipping. I hate to say it but from a pragmatic perspective, it was the intelligent move.
Stringer tried to go the Cosa Nostra route without the other elements that make their rackets work-union influence, sharing income with management, influence outside their sphere and cooperation with others of similar ilk. He essentially tried to go it alone without cooperating with other players and his own management, and ignored many of the rules.
Russell "Stringer" Bell was intelligent, resourceful , calculating, and decisive. One should take into account that HE looked after practically ALL aspects of the "Barksdale Organization" on his own with little assistance from Avon while continually laboring under intensive assaults from those entities within "THE GAME" and from without .Stringer, all the while dealing without ANYONE to confide/consult in, made sound ,logical actions based upon rationality that was afforded him. The writers of the screenplay really "SHORTCHANGED " the character and made him appear to be weak, ill-tempered, and worse of all; someone prone to be impulsive when BELL was quite the opposite. The analysis as conveyed in this RU-vid video does the very thing the screenwriters and directors have done to this impressive character - assassinated him !
I definitely think you're on to something. I missed a lot of Stringer's depth when I made this video. He's got his faults for sure but I think he was moving in the right direction. I may redo this video since it was one of my first and I think his character deserves a second look
the writers made the character...so no, they can't shortchange a character by showing you who he really is emotionally. he was always that hot-tempered, he just needed to be provoked.
I couldn’t disagree more with the notion that stringer “wasn’t intelligent enough” or as intelligent as he thought he was. I’ve seen multiple people say this before but I feel a lot of the basis for stringer not being smart enough is influenced by him not being likable. This is more a case of the Peter principle run amuck. He was absolutely “in over his head” but it was mostly because he naively believes that the skills he used up to this point would translate directly to legitimate business. His drug money allowed him to skip steps that normally let people make mistakes in low risk positions as they developed specialized skills. He came in on the top floor like a rapper who gets an acting job without having to endure the bumps and bruises to hone his craft. If he had a mentor that had made the transition to guide him like pretty much everybody needs to succeed at the highest level or if stringer started on a smaller scale to learn he’d probably have been able to adapt eventually . Early on He made a bunch of well planned moves that left veteran detectives flabbergasted when he had time to think. The pressure to complete that prop joe deal caused him to make a couple quick short sited moves that set into motion a domino effect that required him to make even more high stakes hurried decisions until there were too many leaks in his boat for him to plug
Yeah season 1 Stringer is definitely smart and knows what he’s doing, but season 2 is where we really see his transition into the unknown (being a leader and trying to go legit) so he makes plays he thinks are as good as his others but we see later are very short sighted or not what he thought they’d be and once season 3 comes around its the beginning of the end for him with all the bad plays he’s made since Avon got locked up and Stringer became head honcho come knocking and lead to Stringers downfall
Exactly, I think people throw around the word "intelligence " too much when it really has nothing to do with a given situation. I think the show tried to present that Avon and Stringer were most successful when they worked in tandom not on their own. As insightful as Avon was in the show at times, he could be too hard headed at times and blinded by his allegiance to his family to a fault.
Agree with a lot of your arguments but would quibble on a few points of detail. I would say that the Wallace hit was not only justifiable (pragmatically not morally) but was at least tacitly sanctioned - if not flat-out ordered - by Avon. This all came out of the meeting in the club where Levy essentially told them to get rid of anyone who could "hurt" them. When they brought in D to press him on Wallace's whereabouts, it was so obvious they intended to have him killed that D refused to answer their questions. Stringer just happened to be the guy giving the order to Bodie, but that's because he was the "go get shit done piece" of the organisation. The D'Angelo hit was less clear-cut, but it's worth noting that if Stringer had explicitly instructed Donette not to mention McNulty's call to anyone (as opposed to just implying it was bullshit), the matter probably wouldn't have come up again. As it happened, the only reason Avon even found out the truth is that Stringer got pissed off and told him. I've seen people suggest that Stringer was angling to take over from Avon early on when he confiscated the pager, but I don't see it. Stringer's issues with Avon as the leader only arose when Avon started operating in a way Stringer thought was bad for business. With all that said I'm enjoying these breakdowns, keep them coming.
Stringer didn't know how to live in both worlds Avon had to remind him that you couldn't be a halfway gangster. String couldn't see the flaw in the business man could make it in the street. Love your channel you hit all the right points.
I did not see it this way when I watched The Wire. Stringer was smart and skilled at the game. His downfall was trying to rise above, trying to reform and trying to leave, the game. The show is a tragedy. Stringer, the ultimate brain of the game, keeps slowly losing by circumstances and good intentions. David Simon said his show was not about characters really, more about institutions controlling the characters’ lives. Stringer did t bring down the Barksdales. It’s just what happens inevitably was the point. But, cute “analysis”
How can you not respect Stringer. Stringer was smart enough to try and a have exit plan, yes he wasn’t the most gangster but while Avon was in jail he was managing the bussiness well it’s only when Avon came out and wanted to start a new war with youngers street dudes, because his ego couldn’t take it being overtaken by Mario n dem. Stringer was trying to convince barksdale to leave the game but Barksdale was not having it. Stringer done some snakey things but it was to better the team, he was great co-manager to barksdale, plus barksdale was not looking to retire so it was obviously he would be dead or in jail. If Barksdale came out of jail and just played the background and let stringer legitimise themselves he could sold his territory to Mario or just gave it up hypothetically speaking
Stringer's fundamental mistake was a misunderstanding of power. He believed power came from money and that the Baltimore drug game could be run like a business. What Avon knew and Stringer didn't or would never accept was that, outside the realm of what is permissible, the Barksdale organization operated as a de facto state, i.e. an organization for which acts of violence are an accepted part of the framework of society. The rules of Stringer's game, capitalism, are superceded by 'The Game' in which power grows from the barrel of a gun.
Stinger is probably the most misunderstood character I've seen. He's far more intelligent then he gets credit for but he is one of those guys that have a tendency to do to much and take on to much. I've known these guys in real life. They can't just work on one thing. Most have trust issues that's why they do so much. His character really needs more in depth breakdown.
Nah, he was as intelligent as his intelligence took him....an early grave. He swore he was the smartest man in the room, but he wasn't. He thought he was the mastermind, but he wasn't. He absolutely was a smart man, but not as smart as he thinks he was.
@@thermant8452exactly what i wanted to say. The clay davis situation, brother mazone when he asked him who it was etc etc he thought he was being slick and pry some "innocent" information of him and thought he had everything under control while the opposite was true
Stringer was so convinced that the good product was the only thing that mattered, he didn't recruit new muscle, he didn't maintain discipline and he eventually let most of the Hoppers go. Its implied that he convinced most of the Co-Op members to let majority their crews go. That's why New York and Marlo moved in. The business model had no answer for Gangster acquisition tactics.
I wondering if somehow, rather than manipulate Omar into taking out brother Mouzone - he could have organised with Prop Jo to manipulate Omar into taking out Marlo
Stringer sabotage any chance they could have had by killing marlo by tricking Omar into trying to kill brother, by doing that he angered Avon's new York connection that could have helped supply them with enough muscle to handle marlo and his gang.
Read about the history of the "Irish "gangs in Boston ,Ma. and view the movie "The Road to Redemption" and you'll see that not only "legit business and 'the streets'" DO MIX ;but 'Politics as well - and quite successfully too.
If you add more elbow grease to your videos and add video clips to illustrate your breakdowns, you will reach 1 million subscribers easily, I really enjoy your videos
Thanks! I'm still experimenting with my delivery and style so I know it's not totally polished yet. I'm also just a bit hesitant to add video clips since RU-vid has gone crazy with its copyright striking lately.
@@LionsandLegions as long as the clips are 30 secs or shorter you will be good on copyright also if the clip doesn’t take up the whole screen you should be good
So what was Stringer supposed to do? You're saying that Stringer wasn't supposed to have made that deal with Prop Joe? Then, what were the Barksdale crew members supposed to sell?? Avon's organization ran out of dope. The main supplier had cut them off. If you ask me, Stringer kept things going while Avon was locked up.
That was what I got when I watched the series. Stringer was in a difficult position; the product was weak and they were losing customers. He made the best deal he could at the time. I don't think he anticipated what Avon would do when he got out of prison.
@@shazlx From what I remember Prop Joe wasn’t interested in just the money from the Barksdale crews, I think he wanted the territory also cause that would be seen as a power move on in the streets and he’d also be making more money with said territory. If Joe was just in it for the money then Stringer probably would’ve just got his supply from Joe like he does later on
I agree with most of this but I do initially believe Stringer was trying to insulate Avon from the streets to protect him. But once Avon went down and went to prison and he was “promoted” that’s when he went rogue.
One of the main issues I see with Stringer was that he was surrounded by guys that were not educated. This gave him in inflated notion of himself and his abilities. All of his subordinates dropped out of school in like the 7th grade and probably could not even read on that grade level. Stringer had gone to a few business classes at the community college, read a few books and in his world he was a genius. It's like the most dominate basketball player at the local gym thinking that he can compete in the NBA. The other issue was that he was far too eager to become a legitimate businessman. Even Clay Davis seemed to be willing to guide him a bit and even told him that he needs to "crawl", then "walk", then "run" when he offered him the smaller grants that he would get at the moment. But Stinger was impatient, uneducated and (most importantly to Clay) willing to pay to skip line. Clay then saw it as an opportunity to bleed him. The way I see it, Clay would have never bled him of so much money so quickly had Stinger not been so eager to "run right now". Yes, Clay would have still gotten paid, but not so quickly. And perhaps not as much.
You keep saying Stringer wasn't as smart as he thought he was, and that he was way over his head. How? Other than Omar, Stringer had never been touched, never been arrested, hell the guy was never even shot at. He was always ahead of the game. Stringer's demise was due to the fact that he couldn't choose whether he wanted to be a Shot Caller or a Legitimate Entrepreneur.
The program makes it a point to show that Stringer made more money and took the Barksdale org to new heights while Avon was in jail. He couldn’t go Avon’s route. If he had, the org would have collapsed faster than it did. Avon was trying to hold territory with no product and no muscle. The show takes pains to show that Bell actually worked his way out of a bad spot and saved a declining organization (for a time). Had Stringer been allowed to run it his way, he would probably have been able to maintain or expand. The real tragedy of Stringer is that he failed to respect that the game had its own rules. His downfall was hubris. The show treats Stringers reforms as largely positive, but the theme of the show is that individuals are largely powerless in the face of their institutions.
I disagree.By giving up the corners that easily it showed to Marlo that the Barksdale organization was weak and Marlo would’ve eventually tried to take the connect from them like he did to prop Joe.Stringer forget that the first rule of the drug game is reputation and respect.Willingly giving up your corners without much fight shows takes a big hit on your reputation and respect.
Avon was on point when he told Stringer , you aren’t gangster enough for the streets and not smart enough for those downtown folks. He hit the nail on the head. Stringer was playing checkers, while Marlo was playing chess.
Stringer was smart enough. However he was just like Duquan/Dukie, the world he wanted to enter was a world he knew nothing about, they both struggled to better themselves and try to get more information about this realm. Both were capable, competent and talented. HOWEVER both lacked the experience and social resources to move through those worlds. Stringer lacked the social experience to know how legitimate business enterprises worked without getting conned while trying to leave the drug trade. Dukie lacked the social experience to know how to find support as a minor or build the right connections with people. Both of these people had you dropped them off in another country would have found success.
Avon was short sighted and String was the long term thinker .. Avon wanted to stay in the streets, String knew that wasn’t the right play .. as you watch the series, the police usually start cracking down when bodies start dropping, String wanted to be lowkey and so far removed that the cops couldn’t touch them which is the smart move .. Avon’s inability to adapt and change to the game was bringing them down ..String wanted them to be more organized much like the Mafia
If string wasn't getting conned by the business world Avon might have respected his legit moves. The streets was they foundation an he should have been move focused on the streets.
@@primetheory258 “N*66az spend some much time trying to be hood Ni66az they forgot the goal is to get out the hood ni66a!” - Jay - Z.... the streets might’ve been their foundation but they were growing to a point where they didn’t need “them corners”.. They grew larger than the typical street beef for Avon’s pride he needed to hold on to them corners
He tried to be somthing hes not and wasnt meticulous enough to make up for his weaknesses. Its kinda sad. Its one thing to be gifted or trained and lose. You had a real shot but it just didnt work out.But stringer didnt have talent or training and lost being in a race he wasnt made for. He was basically damed from the jump and that made his whole ambition in the show tragic and even darkly comedic. The harder he pushed for success, the harder success ran from him. I feel the Shakespeare in his character.
Stringer was right. Avon Barksdale Stringer made mistakes bc of Avon wanting his “corners”. Stringer idea of owning the package, which would give them a low profile with nobodies. Stringer weakness was Avon but he did not have Avon’s street respect or muscle. I love your analysis but Stringer was right. Avon was his demise. Avon said it himself. Avon wanted the real estate with inferior product. Stringer had a great coke connection with Prop Joe. Stringer was more profitable when Avon went in. Avon although my favorite character was the ghetto hood dude. Stringer was the smartest and sometimes too smart for his own good. That was his demise as well. “Own nothing control everything” Paul M. “Stringer was right” Avon Barksdale
Facts my brother, people are missing the point Barksdale Ego was the downfall of the organisation, how long are you going to fight over street corners, there’s a time you need to elevate and Stringer was clearly trying to do that..
It's funny because you're not wrong, but when I was watching, I didn't see Stringer as in over his head or being outsmarted by everyone. I thought he was right about a lot of things and Avon was wrong, but was just a victim of circumstance. Stringer saw the way out of the ghetto, but got pulled back in by Avon.
I think Stringer had the right idea with the co-op he just wasn't intelligent or ruthless enough to implement it. Dude thought he was Lucky Luciano, but he wasn't.
I knew Stringer was slow when he tried to rob Orlando. Avon asked him how would Orlando be able to front $30,000 in cash? It was a setup from the beginning. And Stringer should've known that because they pay Orlando. Had he consulted with Avon first, they wouldn't have shot Kima and still would've had muscle with both Weebey and Littleman. Because of all of this, he ordered Weebey to hit Littleman to keep him from talking. Stringer was responsible for taking down the entire Barksdale organization.
I grew up with dudes that started off like Avon and Stringer who now own a construction firm that's pulls in 8 figures a year approaching 9. They are politically connected completely legit and went from the mud to the penthouse. Behind every fortune there's a crime. Stringer was moving in the right direction .
String had a habit of disregarding long-standing rules just so he could orchestrate a hit or a murder. Not caring about the potential wrath that he may face. Marlo was the same way except, Marlo knew what his role was in the game. String on the other hand could not figure out if he wanted to be Wall-Street, or a ghetto tyrant. String was a little TOO versatile for his own good & suffered from "hood ADHD." His focus was always on multiple things at once & he was never really focused on what truly mattered.
The truth of the matter is Avon made a very bad decision to put dangelo in that situation of caring those drugs deangelo wasn't built to do 20 years it was a good chance he may have ended up snitching you couldn't handle the pressure but I don't think stranger should've had him killed you should've just left town once it got to that point but avons responsible because he should have put D Angelo in charge of marijuana because the sentence would have been light
This is the best one so far! So many gems that ain’t easy for many in Bell’s shoes or from the outside looking in can see. It actually happens to the best of us all the time. You me bought into your channel bro. I’m sharing all of these with me team. New subby on deck
One of the most valuable lessons we get from Stringer I think is that theory and practice are two different things. Not all business principles are universal, and not every good idea is going to work out.
If that was true he would have just got Avon killed Stringer bell is the only character in the series that’s moves correct a true gangster he comes in the footsteps of Wayne Huizenga Joe Kennedy Harry O
Stringer is a Hood dude?? You analysis is as flawed as you claim Stinger's is flawed. First of all there are lots of "Hood" dudes that succeed. For example Avon. Marlo and Slim. And if you were to have thought about it the "Greeks, Italians, Russians" and all other ethics are "Hood" dudes in the sense of membership in their own communities. Think...Nationalism. In addition, everyone has a point of incompetence. Its just that the Wire ends before some of characters reach that point. Think...Long game.
I don't believe D'Angelo's murder was the final straw for Avon. He seemed to accept Stringer's decision to do so. In the end, it was the threat of losing his New York connect that made Avon betray Stringer. Even after realizing Stringer had gone behind his back with Joe, and despite knowing that Stringer had D'Angelo killed, Avon attempted to bargain with Mouzone to keep Stringer safe. Mouzone wouldn't have it, and Avon finally acted like the King that Stringer had urged him to become: he threw away his sentimentality and acted in the interest of his kingdom instead of his own personal emotions. Stringer on the other hand still believed Avon could become a proper King, but also that he first had to ensure there was a kingdom left for Avon to rule. For that, he was willing to send Avon to jail again, hoping that Avon would return one day, ready to rule the kingdom, not realizing that his own past decisions would soon lead to his death and the fall of the kingdom. I don't know if Joe played Stringer, either. If so, why did Joe too try and fail to "civilize" Marlo, if he'd merely hustled Stringer in the same way? I think Joe simply didn't like the violence of the game, and hoped that when he had a stranglehold on the good drug connect, he could force everyone else in the Baltimore drug trade to comply. For that goal, Stringer was a true ally, not just some dupe playing into Joe's hands. Likewise, Joe truly believed Marlo would one day come around.
I respect your opinion on stringer bell, however I dont agree. Stringer had the potential to to take b&b (drug gang) to new heights with his business mindset. The only problem he faced was trying to get everyone else to see his vision as well. Even Avon when everything was said and done, agreed that stringer was right in his approach to the future of their gang.
The street dealers were not going to see that vision. When Stringer held those meetings where he had Poot and Boadie and it looked like a class where he was the teacher it was clear that these guys were just not educated enough to understand or execute what Stringer wanted to do. That is Stringers fault, not the corner boys. The corner boys understood what world they were in.
I only recently began hearing the Stringer is incompetent talk. It started with Jemele Hill’s podcast. Sure Stringer didn’t know the streets like Avon and was getting his feet wet in the ‘legitimate’ world but for the most part he was doing his thing. He tried to do some bold things very similar to the Bunny character. Nobody’s street reign was that long on the show but I don’t hear 10 min video essays breaking down on all the self inflicted mistakes that brought down Prop Joe, Avon, Marlo, and Omar
@@broadproduct9617 I am not going so far as to say he was incompetent. This channel is kind of new and in the few videos so far he is using examples of the wire to show mistakes people make in the business world and what you should or could do with certain kinds of coworkers. A similar channel on youtube is charisma on command, that channel uses game of thrones for examples. This channel so far has done videos on Marlo, Prop Joe and Boadie. As far as Stringer he and Avon did build this drug crew before the series starts with String as #2. I think what the series shows is that even an effective #2 may not be cut out to be #1. Or that Avon and Stringer brought different skills to the table, Avon knew the streets and understood people better than String. Stringer knew how to launder money and setup front businesses like the strip club and the copy shop. Together they held their own against all the eastside crews, not just Prop Joe. Seperated one wound up in prison and the other wound up dead. Or maybe it was meant to be a life lesson, that if you do not cash out and quit while you are ahead you will wind up dead or in prison.
I think Stringer was indeed a visionary. The problem wasn't so much him as it was Avon not being willing to work with the Co-op and give up the corners and street rep. Avon even admits later to Slim Charles that Stringer was right. "String was right. Fuck Marlo, fuck this war, fuck all this beef over a couple corners..." Stringer could've had the entire Barksdale organization at the point of making complete straight money and leaving the street game behind, but none of them had the foresight or vision to play the long game. IMO stringer was playing the long game, and everyone else was focused on the short. Where String went wrong was being impatient with city officials. He thought Clay was playing him, but that's actually just how city permits and licensing just goes. The government will bleed you dry and make you wait forever to get what you need. Stringer took that personally when it's what happens to everyone. He should have gone to Levy for sure when it came to getting those things sorted out.
To understand Stringer one would have to understand “A Street Hustlers Mentality”. Stringer tried so hard to avoid the things that come with being apart of that street lifestyle, so for example he allied other suppliers and created a table to stop violence, while also increasing revenue. But on the other hand in the corporate world, Stringer had the look of a businessman but not the same patience and empathy he showed as a street hustler. Yes, he made indecisive decisions, in which lead to people getting murdered but he ultimately failed due to his unwillingness to accept reality for reality. So hear me out when I say that Stringer and Avon unwillingness to accept reality for what it is , allowed both of them to succeed in the “Street Game”. Unfortunately that mindset doesn’t get you far in life, so in context one should learn from his character that “The turtle always wins the race”. Stringer’s life would have turned completely opposite and for success had he simply changed his associates, stayed in school and focused on business.
*Good stuff!...* Once again you don't disappoint and your astute observations are outstandingly on point. *Although I did have an issue with one matter...* It was mentioned in this episode that *Avon and Stringer* actually knew the one was setting up the other during the roof top meeting scene over looking the city. Yes, most of the viewing audience was fully aware of both setting up the other but I don't think the characters themselves actually knew what the other was planning. I believe had Avon or String known or even suspected a set-up they would not have been so forth coming divulging their plans, times and locations. Most likely both would have simply lied about where they would be, yet we do indeed see both parties at the locations and times they said they'd be at. Unfortunately, Stringer's deceit cost him his life and was essentially the catalyst that wiped out the Barksdale organization as you already know the majority of that crew including Avon was busted in the police raid with enough weapons to start a small war.
Yes Stringer got in over his head however it wasn’t by choice. Avon got himself locked up trying to still be a street general. He should’ve never been around his crew let alone personally trying to go do a hit. So now he’s stuck trying to run the org. not something he really wants to do. He really wants out of the game. To me this is why the bad decisions he made happen.
Whatever man I can't beat you in an argument but you are wrong Bell was the man and dealing with his left hand man going mad all the time lead to his death getting D'Lo was thing that had to be done because he was a brown head and we know from the Italian version or The Wire it does soften your tongue I hope you get what I mean?
What Stringer was doing was like taking a life and death situation and bottling it up into an experiment without taking the proper precautions.... of course it wasn’t gonna end well for him.
You are very accurate! More than most commenters analysing the WIRE! I can certify that... From me being Born and raised in 2 separate notorious "MurdaLand" Projects! Bodymore instincts is not what people guess it is smh.. Its what you Know! And you... KNOW (about 99.99%) lol 💯
Another thing was that he felt like he overestimated his own intelligence. Like Stringer was a very smart guy, but not always the smartest guy in the room like he always imagined himself.
Great work you are doing on video what and how I reference points and reflect on situations to people by giving a visual image by introducing plots and scenes in movies! Bravo!!!!!
“Pick a side and stay on it, you can’t play both” you can serve two masters and that’s exactly what Stringer tried to do. He lowered the morale of the troops trying to make drug dealers think like legitimate businessmen.
This video is totally ass backwards. It is Avon who didnt see the long game, not Stringer... Stringer had legit money coming in. In fact, the Barksdale's couldve walked away from the game and started a record label or poured their money into Real Estate, anything. It is Stronger who kept them insulated for the time they were at their peak... It is Avon who was short sighted and kept investing his time into a dying enterprise, drugs. Stringer was a visionary...His downfall was that he wasnt charismatic enough to sell his vision to the troops.
I may redo my stringer video. I realized I was a bit hard on him and having rewatched the show a bunch of times his character has grown on me over time
@@LionsandLegions I respect that... You had to understand Avon had the muscle, Stringer had the brains. One without the other neither could prosper. But if it was one of them who could succeed (long term) by himself it was Stringer. They remind me of Deniro and Pesci's characters in Casino. One was all brains, the other all muscle... And oh yea, Stringer would've eventually figured out Clay Davis scams. Shit Clay Davis got over on everybody, including seasoned politicians. It was no shame in getting scammed by him. It happens... But it was Avon who insisted on his corner beef with Marlo when Stringer had elevated the organization to a different level... If Avon would've came home and backed Stringer, the troops would've fell in line. They both could've ran the Commission... Stringer was right in killing D'Angelo unfortunately... In the context of the drug game, he was a loose end who could've sunk the entire organization.
What you have made here is just plain perfect... the description of Stringer Bell without a halo. I’m going to look for more. You really know The Wire!
Yea also had to disagree with the Levy vs Wallace take. The thing about that “in the game” is risk, money, & the rules. Season 1 they set the tone for so much …you see De’Angelo scolded by Avon for risking everything when there were plenty of other options than kill someone and go to jail. He listed them for him. Instead he had to get rid of witnesses including the key one and pay top dollar for his lawyer fees. You see Weebay tell De’Angelo don’t talk in the car/SUV. You also see the party Stinkum doing drugs where Weebay had the dead girl, doing drugs is a no-no in the org. De’Angelo didn’t want to risk it anymore. When someone broke the rules or went against the org they got got (*Brandon* robbing them with Omar). When it was time for the greenlight on Brandon, String pulled Bird up with them to Wallace for them to point him out. Wallace was necessary to kill because he didn’t have bodies, he knew how they moved weight, & he could point out 2nd in command calling hits and from what phone. If they could have put Wallace in protective custody and dried him out and had continuances for trial they would’ve had a good amount to go on to go at the Barksdales. Why *RISK* the organization to a low level kid who knew the *RULES* , did drugs, talked to the police, wait to see if he snitches, gets them arrested pay Levy and probably other lawyers more *MONEY* for retainage and future invoices for trials when a few bullets are cheaper? It was the smart move for him. Just naive on the kid’s (Wallace) part who couldn’t see the bigger picture.
Good takes on the wire n the many messages n topics the show was tryna get across.. i dont agree with ALL ur takes on everyrhing in the wire but i do agree with alot of wat u say, n i also love to see other peoples take on my favorite show ever made(regardless if i agree with the takes or not) always love discussing the wire due to its perfection of a show . And all the many, deep, real, concepts/topics this show gets across (tries to get across) to it viewers.. the new show david simon made (we own this city) is a clear example of how everyone (politicians in bmore) say that the wire is their favorite show, n how much they love the show.. yet NONE of them actually address the problems the show covers . N the show exposes how NOTHING has changed in bmore since the show was made in the early 2000s… n that in fact things have only gotten WORSE.. mayors n police chiefs being jailed for tax evasion , money laundering, n they prolly involved in much of the profits received from the drug dealin goin on in the community.. Edit: A mans world podcast is the best channel when it comes to “the wire” content. Homie mustve been as big if a fan of the wire as me cus homie legit hits every point with 100% accuracy of what david simon was tryna expose with this show.. D.S. Couldnt even expose all the TRUE corruption that goes on in the police departments in inner cities around the country.. just legal gangs that break the law n their own “rules” more then the criminals do.. THEY (the corrupt”all of em are corrupt” politicians) are the true criminals of the country n they feed n take advantage off of those in the “poverty” lower class… capitalism at its finest ladies n gents. In a imaginary perfect world this system works.. but when ur dealing with greedy, scummy, corrupt, grimy humans… Baltimore is wat happens in capitalism…
This guy broke so many of the rules that if it wasn't for Avon, Stringer would've been dead the day he allowed Prop Joe's people into the terraces for a better product. I disagree with your notion that Avon realized Stringer was right. Avon was in his feelings because his best friend got mercked and Avon had to give him up to Brother Mouzon, because his name and reputation was on the line. Actually if he didn't, Mouzon would've killed him right there. Avon with all his rules, and family bullshit, was all manipulation, see Avon was a sociopath. Which is something all good leaders are. Stringer wasn't a leader, he was a pawn. Every piece on the chessboard are all pawns really. Think about it, the king sacrifices all the pieces to capture the other king on the board. Fucked up Avon let Stringer get away with killing his nephew. That's why nothing went right for Stringer.
I disagree with your opinion on that Bell's hit on Dee was the last straw for Avon. Avon got over that if you recall. Brother Mouzone confronted Avon on Bell's attempt to have Mouzone killed by Omar. Bell framed the murder/torture of Omar's boyfriend on Mouzone, hoping that Omar will seek revenge and kill Brother Mouzone. Bell did this is order to drive Mouzone out of the picture so that he can continue selling Prop Joes product in exchange for territory behind Avons back. If you recall, when Mouzone confronted Avon on this, Avon tried to bargain for Bell's life, but realized that he couldn't, because by doing so would go against the rules of the game and tranish his name/reputation with his connection in NY.
There is so much of what you said I disagree with. First of all The Wire is only a TV show and based on the comments you've made it appears that you don't like the character Stringer Bell very much. Only the negative seems to be most important to bolster your point of view. You only mentioned briefly that when all was said and done at the end of the day Avon Barksdale ended up in jail and his drug empire all but ruined. In B&B enterprises the sign there is no capital B and then a small letter b that is something that Avon failed to acknowledge. When Al Capone went to prison for income tax evasion he was still smart enough to let Frank Nitti take over and run his organization. The big picture was to make money and they were making more of it than before because of moves made by Stringer. Even Avon came to the realization and said so that Stringer was right, fighting for street corners was something that was unnecessary.
What strikes me is the sheer pretentiousness of forming a "co-op" where these drug lords all meet in a Holiday Inn; it seems like something that saw in a movie. It's almost begging for FBI and police surveillance (which is why the mob never meets like this anymore) when they could achieve similar goals more informally through back channels. Marlo dissolving the co-op meetings was more than just his aggression. It was a recognition that the concept was nonsense for the type of business they're in. Also, the idea of a "man without a country" is a good description. Plenty of criminals go legit but they typically launder it into legitimate businesses, get out of the illegal activities permanently, and leave their past behind. Stringer Bell wanted one foot in one world and one foot in the other-- you can't do the drug game half assed and you'll never get legitimacy when the "legit" people know your illegal activities could taint them.
This is an extremely unfair assessment of Stringer. While you do raise fair points about him "being in over his head". In certain arenas, this is absolutely true, like the construction business and the "golden goose" scam with clay Davis, it was sad to see how gullible he could be, but that has a lot to do with the fact that he comes from a world where if you're caught scamming someone the way those guys played him, youd end up dead. He didn't bother to question those deals, because he thought he was still "Stringer Bell" to those guys. But so far as the drug business, to say he was over his head is absurd. You completely ignore all of his accomplishments. In his treating the drug business as a business, he actually unified the entire city into a "co-op". Which he was the elected head of., Bringing the standard violence to such a low point police attention was diverted away. You make it sound like he was just Avons tag along buddy, when Avon coming back from jail is what caused ALL the problems. Stringer had transformed not just the Barksdale op., But practically the entire city, sans Marlow, who very likely could have been dealt with, had Avon not resumed control and brought back the thug shit. You say he didn't understand the drug game, I believe he saw past it and was about to bring it to another level, if it weren't for a division of leadership. In truth, he did make mistakes, and for reasons I don't get, I suppose simply for the sake of a story, he didn't understand the "code of the streets". or maybe he just saw past that too, but nonetheless, he made mistakes, and all the hits he ordered came back to bite him in the ass, bit again I think it's mainly because of Avon coming back. He didn't really have a fair chance. But here was a man that wanted to be something more than another Melvin etc, and he came damn close, he tried to better himself, and everyone around him, and your assessment is brutally unfair.
