Great stuff throughout Brick City, but the series sometimes gets in its own way, trying to cover too much

Finished "Brick City," the 5-part sundance documentary on Newark and Cory Booker, leading up to 2008 election day - Obama's victory. I did really enjoy the series, especially because of my interst in and history with Newark, great to see such a terrific mayor as Cory Booker committed to that city, and you finish watching certainly hoping he will have a long and great career in public service. The Jayda story - the teenage mom who wants to help other young women stay away from gangs and trouble - plays out very well, too - she's likable and you hope for the best for her, against plenty of long odds. This episode brings in a whole new element, the battle for the Central Ward council seat, with Booker's candidate up against a local guy who thinks Booker has brought in too many outsiders to run Newark. Booker gets his clock cleaned. It's one of the unfortunate flaws of the series that there's just too much material and the directors founder as they shift from one story line to another. I continue to wish that they had been more selective and had let more scenes play out. The best scenes in this episode are the wonderful student assembly in which principal of Central High, Ras Baraka, speaks to the students about safety on the streets and his failure to protect them (there had been a shooting outside of the school), also some of the political council sessions in which Booker and aides discuss strategy in the council election. Trust your material, guys, in your next documentary, and don't screw up great scenes with a loud music soundtrack. Great stuff throughout Brick City, but the series sometimes gets in its own way.