Before the suits on Hudson and Canal gave me a choice to be the voice of a Pepsi generation, I used to sit in my hotbox of an apartment to keep up with my favorite show – The Wire. Gritty, real and definitely urban – it seems that Hollywood’s revenge for independent success is turning the game’s gulliest into some straight suckers.
I could have forgiven what they did to Michael by making him the “cool black kid” on the CW’s 90210, but that was only because I respected dude’s hustle. After racking up a noteworthy appearance in Jay-Z’s “Roc Boys” video, it seemed that there was a spotlight waiting for Tristan Wilds and his equal opportunity good looks. He even certified his name in the streets after escaping the deadly duo of Chris and Snoop – especially putting a hot one in the femme fetale’s dome. But in a few weeks, many a head will bow in shame after they seeing Tristan humbled at the hands of racists for sitting in a movie theater for Dakota Fanning in Gina Prince-Bythewood’s adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees.
Where’s the gangsta now?
Call it what you want – diversity, performing for a role, stepping one’s game up – I call it being a sucker! Who’s going to be afraid of Omar now after seeing Miracle at St. Anna? Those who go to watch Spike Lee’s classic World War II film starring Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Omar Besson Miller and Laz Alonso will see a whimpering, crying, damn-near bitchified Michael K. Williams frightened to do what he knew best – how to kill.
I don’t feel so sorry for that lil’ kid running up on O and putting one in his big rock dome. Bubbles and Marlo at least got a network pass by jumping from cable juggernaut HBO to work for NBC and their rating’s smash – Heroes. The duo will play Knox and Vortex, respectively. Two villians each with unique powers. Marlo and his signature scowl and scar has the power to strengthen himself through his victim’s fear. Sounds familiar, yes, I know… Vortex (Bubbles) has the ability to create black holes.
Being black hole guy is kind of like being punk’d by the writers. Epic Fail for Andre Royo. Jaime Hector on the other end is a villain and villain usually get their asses kicked. But instead of going mano y mano versus the likes of Avon Barksdale and McNulty – he has to go against Peter Petrelli (who is the ‘Jesus’ on the show) and his brother – Sylar – who has a knack for poppin’ tops off of heads in his own right.
Why Hollywood set all of my favorite characters to lose in the end is beyond my pay grade… Maybe McNulty – the veteran cop and all-around drunk – can pull one out for the team? …Guess not… Those good looks that got him into so much trouble on The Wire come back to haunt him as Billy the Beauty – aka Jigsaw. Doesn’t bode well as this year’s Punisher looks mighty pissed off!
All in all, it’s good to see them all still working and exploring their craft. But when these tough guys get a chance to reunite for The Wire movie, then that’s when you’ll see a smile come across my face.
