I am – Hercules!!

What to expect for 5.2, hitting HBO tonight (beware the spoilage):

* A very hot girl talks about making and breaking rules in front of a bunch of other addicts, Bubbles among them.

* Lester Freamon explains why investigating Maryland state senator Clay Davis is more fun than staking out the corner kids, then returns to watching Marlo’s crew.

* Marlo Stanfield, believing the cash-strapped police have finally abandoned surveillance, makes plans for his enemies, including the “dicksucker” who robbed him last season.

* The homicide detectives consider other employment as McNulty considers the sad state of the motor pool.

* Carcetti considers what to do about council president Nurese Campbell now that the Sun has exposed her real estate misbehavior.

* The Sun’s executive editor decides who will write the paper’s Pulitzer-bait series about the Baltimore school system’s failures. But the same reporter has difficulty finding a hard-core Orioles fan on opening day. (Want to see a great movie about the ethics of journalism? Check out “Shattered Glass” (2003).)

* In the morgue, McNulty discovers an interesting physiological phenomenon.

* In stir, Barksdale brings together fellow west-sider Marlo with Sergei as a conduit to the Greek suppliers.

* Thanks to Carcetti refusing to play ball on the Davis matter, the feds refuse to help with the Marlo case.

* The commissioner refuses to help Davis.

* McNulty, Bunk and Lester consider the value of young black males versus a white cheerleader gone missing in Aruba.

* Snoop and Chris continue Michael’s education.

* A very small witness to Marlo’s misdeeds emerges.

No Carver, No Herc, No Valchek, no Bunny, no Parenti, no Prez, no Beadie, no Mello, no Royce, no Omar, no Prop Joe, no Cutty, no Mouzone, no Vondas.

For the return of at least some of these characters, we may look to 5.3, allegedly hitting HBO On Demand at midnight:

Episode #53: "Not for Attribution"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 20 (10:30 p.m.), 22 (11:00 p.m.), 23 (midnight), 24 (10:00 p.m.) and 25 (8:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 21 (10:00 p.m.), 24 (1:45 a.m.) and 28 (9:00 p.m.)
Carcetti's master plan for the police department is leaked to the press, sending the brass into a panic. Marlo turns to Proposition Joe to help with an enviable problem. Whiting and managing editor Thomas Klebanow (David Costabile) drop a bombshell on the newspaper staff. Michael (Tristan Wilds) finds temporary respite from his life on the corner by taking Dukie (Jermaine Crawford) and Bug (Keenon Brice) on a trip. McNulty shares some inside info with Gutierrez, but her subsequent story doesn't cause the splash either envisioned. Undaunted, McNulty looks for a new ally in Freamon.

Teleplay by William F. Zorzi; story by David Simon & William F. Zorzi; directed by Ernest Dickerson.

After 5.3, only seven episodes left.

Sony has organized a 2Fer sale. Buy two or more and you could get:
* "Broken Trail: The Complete Miniseries" for $7.50,
* MTV’s complete 2003 “Spider-Man” series for $9.50,
* the complete series of the “The Tick” for $11,
* “Soap” season-sets for $11 each,
* “All in the Family” season sets for $11 each
* “Newsradio” season-sets for $14.75 each,
* “Seinfeld” season-sets for $18 each, and
* “Not Just The Best of The Larry Sanders Show” for $18.75.

Lots of others too. Find 171 titles in the 2Fer Sale HERE!!