Tommy Carcetti Made The Most Consequential Decision In The Entire Show, And It Wasn't Even Illegal or Corrupt
I'm sure this has already been discussed on this thread plenty of times, but I just finished my first ever watch of this series, and wow, it's definitely in my Top 5 All-Time.
That being said, nothing gutted me more in this show - with all the murders, robberies, corruption, etc. - than Carcetti's decision to not swallow his pride and take the governor's bail-out for education. I truly believe the guy's heart was in the right place, and he really could've been the one that started to turn the city around. I was apprehensive, but I found myself rooting for the guy.
Had he taken the governor's money for the school system, Daniels and Baltimore PD would have actually seen their New Day. Marlo and their crew would have been arrested - preventing countless murders, including Butchie. The schools may have had better funds to prevent kids like Duquan from ending up on the street. McNulty would have never had to fake murders and lose his job. Freamon would have been able keep following the money and potentially arrest Krawczyk and the others. Shit, McNulty may have even managed to stave off his cynicism instead of falling back on the boozing and whoring.
I know some of those scenarios are unlikely to have ever happened despite funding, but I wish he could have actually seen the consequences of that decision outside of his own office and political ambitions. That decision alone would have done more good for the city in less time than any decision he could have made in as the governor. It was an absolute let down, and by far the most harmful decision made in the entire show.
What an elegant television show.