They both share the last name of Wagstaff, but at no point of the show that I can recall was there any indication that those two characters were related or shared anything else in common other than their last name. Hell, as a foster child, who knows if Wagstaff is even Randy's biological father's last name.

http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS...ame-is-my-name

pretty sure i initially saw this story linked itt...

That's very cool to know. It does reiterate that the Cheese is Randy's father detail was never revealed during the show... I was also thinking about this some more this morning. If Cheese is Randy's father, and I now know that he is, it's a real shame that information wasn't available to Detective Carver when he was looking near & far for a place to send Randy other than the boys' home.

You think Cheese gave a ****?

Even if he did, you think that would be better than the group home?

just learned something new randy's dad is method man

I thought that was pretty obvious tbh.

well, they had the same surname yeah, but it wasn't acknowledged or hinted at otherwise.
yes it's a unique name, but easily possible for them to be unrelated, or at least not as closely as that.

iirc they were planning on tying that together somehow into a storyline, but ultimately had to drop it. can't remember if they just ran out of time, or if it just complicated things too much, or both. could have been interesting, and another cruel twist if say Cheese rejected Randy in part due to being known as a "rat".

It's a very good question, shaka. We weren't given enough information for me to know. It's a hard thing to imagine a father not wanting anything at all to do with his son. We don't even know if Cheese knew that he had a son.

As 72 points out, the stigma associated with Randy could have easily dissuaded Cheese from reaching out to him, which is indeed very sad. And it's just as sad if Cheese would of helped to protect Randy from all of his harassment, but he never got the chance to because of a poor social services network or what have you.

Nah man, we were definitely given enough info.

Cheese was a clown wrapped up in the drama and excitement of the streets. He has status and lives in a world in which it is common place for children to be raised in the absence of their father.

I think it's great that you are naive enough to not be able to fathom a father who doesn't want to be involved with his child-- but let me tell you, it is all too common of an occurrence. Sometimes it's because the father is just looking to shirk the responsibility, but often it's because they themselves grew up without a father, and have no good example on which to model their relationship with their child. In my opinion, Cheese most likely fell into the former category, if he knew.

I went back and watched S2 again for the second time. I liked it much better the second time... kinda weird. I think the first time through I was so annoyed with all of the dock workers' scenes that I judged it too harshly. I still despise any scene with Ziggy in it. But, I learned to appreciate S2 for how it sets up story lines in later seasons.

I also learned something new. I was enjoying the song that played at the end of the final episode of S2 during the montage, so I looked it up. It's called "I Fell Alright" by Steve Earle, who is none other than Waylon, Bubbles' sponsor & the group leader of the rehab meetings. Here's a youtube link of the end of S2 montage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SO40ansNU8

Also, his version of "Way Down in the Hole" is used for season 5.

Which is unfortunately the weakest version of the opening credits song

I've got a music related question that's been bothering me for 6 years...

Season one, episode ten, "The Cost". First scene after the opening credits, about 3-4 minutes in. Avon, Stinger and Bay are discussing the Omar situation in Orlando's. What's the song in the background?!?!

that is mos def's "ms fat booty" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-y-lS0YqF0

btw, couldn't you just google the lyrics? can't believe it's been bothering you for 6 years

Nah, that's not it. The song in question is instrumental... and quite jazzy and sick. Read again what part of the episode it's in.

could be nothing but this is what I came up with thru google

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ayb...ature=youtu.be

+1

For anyone holding onto any doubts, rewatch the lollipop scene:

1. Marlo gets felted at the high roller game. (To ballpark his losses, he tells Chris, "a hundred an a half should do it," the next time he wants to play.) He isn't tilted in the slightest by what was likely a six-figure loss*.

2. Marlo strolls over to the corner store to grab a drink, at which time he notices an average joe working as a security guard. He deliberately pockets a couple lollipops right in the guy's face, daring him to do something about it. The guard makes a lame attempt to stand up for himself, giving Marlo the excuse he needs to put Chris on him.

No business behind it whatsoever. Entirely provoked by Marlo. Nobody even witnessed the "altercation". He took ONE look at the guy, sized him up in a heartbeat, and then provoked an utterly unnecessary series of events that would end with the man dead in a row house.



*or is he? Thinking about it more, maybe he IS tilted a bit by getting slapped around the poker table by some white collar, and takes it out by punking a random guy just because he can. He was made to feel small, so he's gonna make someone else feel tiny. **** rolls downhill. Kinda like the guy who gets emasculated at work, then goes home and beats his wife or kid. I'm not necessarily convinced of this, just a thought. Marlo could just be a psycho after all (well, either way he's a psycho....)

If Randy is Cheese's kid, and Cheese is Prop Joe's nephew....

They could've played out the "Prop Joe as a father figure" angle with Joe and Randy.

Although they would've had to make sure it didn't end well......a happy ending for anymore than one outta our four younguns would've been waaaaay too glass-half-full for David Simon.

Also might've been a bit much though anyway- Wee Bay's kid and Cheese's kid happen to be best pals, and both get taken in by a fatherly character we've grown to enjoy (make it three if you count Prez & Dook). Would've been pretty cheesy (no pun intended).

Slightly OT: rewatching the series and midway through season 4 and already a GOAT season for any show.

Its been a while since i watched those episodes, but i recall my impression at the time being that he was pretty tilted at the loss even at the poker game. I dont think he would necessarily be the type to go on some type of rant when he lost, but my reccollection is that he looked visibly upset at the time (though I think it was being upset at being slapped around by a random, not necessarily the money.)

I also think that this is a big part of what made the thing with Omar such a big deal.....Here he is getting killed at the game and taking somewhat of an ego beating (iirc, theres dialouge with chris that indicates this isnt the first time). Then, he finally has a good session, and marlo robs the place and he doesnt get to take home any of his winnings.

That's absolutely it. He got punked and taking it out on the security guard was a means of getting some semblance of his self-respect back, twisted as it was.

I thought Marlo at the end of the series beating down those kids was basically letting us know that even though the guy got off scot free, he ain't leaving 'the game' behind. It's like he told Prop Joe, "You're just like me. You'll be stirrin' up trouble again in no time" (paraphrased).

Good song but also not the one in question.

Anyone got an answer to this? S1 E10, 3-4 minutes in... Anyone at all?

This is closer to it. It's more of an assertion of power and who wears the crown (you should watch a lot of Marlo's scenes in the terms of power and hierarchy).

Omar asserts power over Marlo. That is what Marlo can't stand. So he needs to assert power over another. That's what he is talking about when the security guard says something like "I'm not stepping to but you can't steal when I'm right here" and he replies "You want it to be one way."

He is saying the security guard wants it to be a one way confrontation where he could go up to Marlo and force him to give back what he stole. However, Marlo reminds him "It's the other way." I.e. this is a one way confrontation where Marlo can do as he wishes.

Re-watched some of first episodes and I think I will push through the whole series again. I probably suck at TV watching but I got a massive kick out of when they asked McNulty where would be the one place he wouldn't want to be transferred to and he said the port. Didn't notice it the first time but it just added something to the re-watch