| Series: | The Wire |
| Season: | 5 |
| Episode: | 2 |
| Director: | Ernest Dickerson |
| Teleplay: | William F. Zorzi |
| Story: | David Simon William F. Zorzi |
| Length: | 58 minutes |
| Episode List: | List of The Wire episodes |
| Prev: | More with Less |
| Next: | Not for Attribution |
"Unconfirmed Reports" is the second episode of the fifth season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by William F. Zorzi from a story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi and was directed by Ernest Dickerson. It originally aired on 13 January 2008.
At a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, Bubbles follows a speaker named Dee-Dee who discusses her struggle with her inner addict and personal code. Bubbles is engaging and humorous, but unable to discuss an emotional memory. Walon tries to convince him to share the tragedy of Sherrod's death in order to move on, and persuades him to fill his time by volunteering at a soup kitchen. At The Baltimore Sun, Templeton plans a color piece about the Baltimore Orioles opening game, but fails to find a suitable subject. He returns with an unverifiable story about an orphaned wheelchair user truanting to attend. Gus is concerned about the piece's lack of corroboration, but is forced to print it after executive editor James Whiting gives his approval. Later, desk editor Rebecca Corbett also questions the authenticity of the story, but Gus tells her there's nothing he can do.
Marlo decides to reassert his authority and orders several murders. Partlow, Snoop, and Michael watch the house of a target named June Bug, who has spread rumors that Marlo is homosexual. Michael questions the necessity of the murder of an entire family for a possible insult, but is admonished by Snoop for second-guessing Marlo. Partlow and Snoop disable the street's security cameras, stage a home invasion, and kill the three adults inside. Michael lets a child escape and is disgusted by the entire operation. Later, Detective Kima Greggs finds a second child hiding in the home. She picks up the child and leaves the building. Marlo visits Serge in prison and finds Avon Barksdale waiting in his place. Avon tells Marlo that in order for him to talk to Serge, he has to give Avon's sister Brianna $100,000. Marlo agrees and convinces Serge to give him a line to Spiros Vondas.
Commissioner Ervin Burrell struggles to meet Mayor Carcetti's crime reduction target while implementing budget cuts. He alienates Senator Davis by refusing to interfere in his corruption case. Carcetti intends to run for governor despite the city's fiscal difficulties, which he accepts because he can't fix schooling and crime problems at the same time without asking for money from Annapolis. State Delegate Odell Watkins expresses disappointment in Carcetti's priorities. Freamon still works the Davis case, but also spends his own time watching known Stanfield meeting places. McNulty desperately wants to return to the Stanfield case and is increasingly frustrated in Homicide. Freamon and McNulty try to get federal support, but their proposal is shot down by the U.S. Attorney as retaliation against Carcetti for not allowing the Clay Davis case to go federal. The detectives bitterly drown their sorrows with Bunk Moreland afterward.
When McNulty and Bunk are assigned a probable overdose, McNulty begins drinking and deliberately stages the body and the scene to suggest that the victim was murdered. McNulty tells Bunk that he plans to create the illusion of a serial killer with the intent of compelling City Hall to better fund the BPD in response to public pressure. Bunk wants no part of it and leaves in disgust.[1] [2]