McNulty makes up a serial killer. He is more than surprised when a journalist claims that he received a call from such made up killer. He then takes the opportunity to set up the famous wire-tap
For sure. Anybody that has ever worked at a large company can relate to Gus. The way they screw their real talent and railroad anyone with the balls to speak out just so they can get some shitty promotion or sad ass plaque on the wall. I've been in so many office buildings throughout my life and I have no clue how anyone could go work in one everyday without completely dying on the inside. Corporate environments are sick.
@@pyropulseIXXI Ironically the most honest people I've ever known were drug addicts or 'criminals'. I've lived with millionaires, middle class, rich, poor, in the middle, all variety when I was younger banging around and the only honest room mate I ever had was an IV heroin addict. Lmao.
I don't think the Baltimore Sun execs were bullshitting per se. Especially not the white-haired guy. They had no idea that Scott's story was completely fabricated. Tom definitely had tunnel-vision for a Pulitzer and made some sketchy calls in later episodes, but he didn't have a reason to doubt Scott at this point. They were just doing their jobs. Jimmy and Scott were the only bullshit artists in the room.
Norman is underrated. Gus is underrated. Slim Charles is underrated. Butchie is underrated. Goddamn, ya’ll are some no-thought having asses lmao Everyone on this show is so “underrated” it’s like ya’ll lost the meaning of the word lol smh
2:31. That's what makes McNulty's performance in the wire so goddamn impressive. He knows full well the dirtbag that's talking is just making it up, but ht needs to eye him just for a second longer.
The worst thing is, Scott is too dumb to piece together that McNulty is playing him. I mean, I wouldn't expect him to immediately come to the conclusion that the serial killer was a hoax, but clearly the call to the BPD (from the _same_ _fucking_ _pay_ _phone_ and corresponding with all the fictional details Scott provides) is either complete bullshit or a damn near impossible coincidence. Yet this dimwit doesn't even have an ounce of suspicion that something might be up until McNulty flat out tells him in the final episode. 🤣🤣🤣
I think that, at this point, McNulty gave the reporter the benefit of the doubt, and assumed they just got a hoax call. But then, when he said he got another call, and Scott looked so shocked, he gave himself away. That's when McNulty realized Scott is making it up. None of the other journalists were surprised by a second call, because really, it's not that big a surprise that a killer who called the newspaper also called the police station.
@@HO-vt5pk the reporter outed himself. Mcnulty knew that he didn’t call the reporter. So he makes up the second call to make sure the reporter is lying.
The first time I watched the show, that line confused me for a bit. But then it dawned on me; if the paper prints a story about the killer contacting the homicide division, of course Landsman and the other detectives will call McNulty on his bullshit. THEY know they didn't get a call like that. That little nugget is just for the newspaper guys to make them believe Scott's call was real. It never leaves the room. And of course McNulty tells Scott not to print about the payphone; he wants to tap Marlo's cell phone so if it's reported that the "killer" called from a payphone, the bosses are gonna wonder why that's not the one on the tap.
This might have been the best scene in the series to show McNulty's intelligence and his talent as a detective. He was onto Scott right out of the gate, side-eying him the entire time. Jimmy knew something wasn't adding up, and Scott's surprise about the 2nd call was the smoking gun. Then Jimmy instantly exploits Scott's bullshit story to help his own case, which was also a bullshit story just to get the resources to bring down Marlo. Brilliant writing, brilliant acting. It's criminal that this show won zero Emmy awards, and that no actors were even nominated.
@@justfit4610 Mcnulty (the cop) is the "serial killer". And didn't actually call the reporter. Hes making the phone call up, and Mcnulty is making him continue to play along by making up another phone call.
@@C00kiesAplenty No that's not it. The police station did receive a call from a supposed "serial Killer". When McNulty said that the killer made two calls, Scott asked "He made another call?". His reaction and response put McNulty on suspicion because Scott makes it obvious he knows about the first call (the only call that was made) and that couldn't be because McNulty was there for that reason, to break the news to them. The second call thing was bullshit by McNulty to see if he could fish out any lies or suspicions.
@@jordandavis3867 nah dude at this point no calls were made. Lester and McNulty were trying to figure out how to get a wiretap on Marlo. Then McNulty gets called in about his serial killer calling the Sun, to which McNulty already claims crank call to Landsman because duh he's the serial killer and he didn't do that
@@justfit4610 mcnulty made up the story about the serial killer to get the police to focus on this story so he could get a wiretap on Marlo and crew. He’s being trying to make the story go big. Scott then decides to make up the phone call to him. Mcnulty immediately knows it’s BS, becsise there is no serial killer. So why would they be making calls to the police? He also knows that scott is the guy who made the call. When scott says :they made another call?’ He realizes that Scott is asking that because he’s shocked thst they would make a 2nd call, because he made the first call. Or rather, he faked making a call. So mcnulty sees that scott is the bullshitter who made the call which is why he gives him that icy stare right before he starts stifling a grin, because he realizes that Scott’s bs call only strengthened his own story. This is the very thing that will make the story go big. AND even more importantly, because scott said there was a phone call now he has the basis for the wiretap he will be using to track Marlo and company. So it worked out perfectly for mcnulty. He had been planning to make the call himself to the police so he could establish the need for a wiretap. But because Scott bs’ed about receiving a call he no longer had to do that. Also, on a basic level mcnulty is a cop who likes to crack the case. He takes satisfaction knowing thst he sees right through Scott’s bullshit. And thst he figured out it was scott who made the fake call.
Also when Gus said "10 minutes ago I would have said that this was bullshit" The eyes on McNulty, Dominic Wests Baltimore accent may have suffered at times, but his facial expressions are 10/10.
Holy shit what a scene! Lmfao the real serial killer is literally sitting right across from him... I didn't even begin to realize how much gold this actually was my first viewing. What a show... WHAT A FUCKING SHOW! edit: 2:26 your kinda fucked Scott! Mcnulty's face is just beautiful too because he is trying to hold back a grin because he knows that guy faked the call so he makes a HUGE deal over the calls and makes that the newspaper's main priority! Edit 2: and the OP literally spelled out the entire point I just made in the last 30 seconds of the video with his still frames and captions! Lmfao I feel like a moron... Good captioning Jose!
The real serial killer is Marlo. It's the whole point of McNulty staging a serial killer, with Marlo's real victims. This scene shows the dirty authorities that were bribed
Carver was so underrated Daniels was so underrated Lester was so underrated Mcnulty was so underrated Rawls was so underrated Landsman was so underrated Sydnor was so underrated Cutty was so underrated Watkins was so underrated Brother mouzone was so underrated Dr Frazier was so underrated Elena mcnulty was so underrated Donette was so underrated Mcnulty’ s sons were so underrated The camera that Marlo stole was so underrated The pit sandwich was so underrated Anyone else? I thought I saw a janitor at the courthouse who was also underrated
I love the subtitles for their thoughts. That's how deep and dense this show is. Not only incredibly realistic dialogue, but much communication thru pauses and body language. Cant stand most shows these days. Everything needs to be explained in words and it comes off so fake. Consistently saying "that's not how people talk!"
Always pissed me off as a former newspaper man that the lid wasn't blown off this "case." I like to think McNulty somehow got word to the editor that his suspicions were correct.
That’s the beauty. Scott Templeton wanted so desperately to break a monster story, McNulty handed it to him on a silver platter, and he couldn’t do sh*t about it because he would have to admit he made up the first call.
@@danhartm2 It feels a little sped up in terms of setup and pay off, but there's a big timeskip between 4 and 5 so the Stanfield case has been running a year plus if I'm not mistaken
Scott Templeton is the most dislikable character on the show. More than the crooked politicians. More than the crooked cops and lawyers. More than the drug dealers and killers.
@ 2:36 the look on his face when he realized all his hopes and dreams have just fallen on his lap, or so he thought at the time. Fuckin' McNulty... LMAO... I'm about to rewatch the wire for the 6th time now after this clip.
Seriously the fact Templeton is going as far as to making up entire phone call threats just to write a story and thus provoking a possible serial killer is such bottom of the dirt lowlife behaviour. He makes out to be a respectable journalist even by posing as if he had a chance to interview the killer too "what happens after 12?" "i go somewhere else". Just wrote down some bullshit in his notebook and types it up as evidence. 'Shit I might have handed him a card.' and then he asks McNulty if he made another call, what a lousy liar really.
@@ironmike5812 how bro and we're living in a social media world watch it again season 5 was the future 🤯 picture messages and shit mind you season 5 was filmed in 2008 so we progressed from that time till now. So the whole make up of it stemming from S4 to the conclusion of season 5 is dope i really wanna know what makes it? Maybe more sad than anything its the worst probably because its over 😣
The actor playing Gus is Clark Johnson. He played Detective Meldric Lewis in "Homocide:Life on the Streets". David Simon's first book and series on Baltimore. Clark went on to do a lot of directing including several episodes of the shield and this series.
Derp…media bad. How it works is that media outlets are victims of capitalism and like every other industry consolidated into an oligarchy. Then idiots like you call it all ‘socialist’ when it’s the profit motive that causes a disfunctional news and information system
@@JayCity10 Those who hate it are the people who thought it was a just show about gangsters and were disappointed when the shop left that behind. I loved the gangster stuff but I also thoroughly enjoyed season 5.
@@jihigh482 They can't really complain about that lol the street aspect was still a good chunk of season.Matter of fact,Marlo was the driving force of the serial killer storyline
Mcnulty trying to get wire tap lol Gus hitting it on the nose “ten minutes is of said this was bullshit, shoes what I know”….. it does show gus, it shows you know
lol. I assume u are talking about Templeton 😂 McNulty got him in the end. He knew he was full of shit especially after the "gray van" 😏 I don't understand why he didnt yank his shit then though after the undercover said he was lying.
