The Wire was the greatest police show of the new millennium, thanks to a parade of incredible performances and a refusal to sacrifice reality for sensationalism.
A drug surveillance operation became the focus of five turbulent years in the life of Baltimore in this relentless drama of a sort you get once a generation that launched countless careers, including those of Idris Elba and Dominic West.
Across five exquisitely crafted series, we witnessed the corruption, indolence, and self-serving politics that polluted the entire infrastructure of Baltimore – its police force, harbour board, city council, newspapers, and educational services.
Even for viewers familiar with police procedurals, The Wire could be hard work.
There was little exposition in the early episodes, and the dense street slang of the hustlers and pushers did nothing to help our understanding. But patience was rewarded midway through the first series when it became clear how all the plot strands were interwoven.
At the heart of the action was Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), an adulterous, hard-drinking, lazy cop who was redeemed by his determination to do good, even if that meant inventing a serial killer to draw attention to the plight of the homeless.
The wire itself was the police’s covert surveillance team of phone-tappers, led by Lester Freeman (Clarke Peters).
We also got a close-up view of the drug gangs who battled for control of the street corners. The foot soldiers thought only in the short term, while their bosses dealt with strategy in their struggle to outthink rival criminals.
We even found ourselves admiring some of them, including Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), who applied his business-school strategy to his situation as the right-hand man to a psychotic gangster.
Detective James ‘Jimmy’ McNulty
Dominic West Deputy Commissioner for Operations William A. Rawls
John Doman Assistant State’s Attorney Rhonda Pearlman
Deirdre Lovejoy Detective William ‘Bunk’ Moreland
Wendell Pierce Lieutenant Cedric Daniels
Lance Reddick Detective Shakima ‘Kima’ Greggs
Sonja Sohn Detective Ellis Carver
Seth Gilliam Detective Thomas ‘Herc’ Hauk
Domenick Lombardozzi Detective Lester Freamon
Clarke Peters Reginald ‘Bubbles’ Cousins
Andre Royo Omar Little
Michael Kenneth Williams Detective Roland ‘Prez’ Pryzbylewski
Jim True-Frost Commissioner Ervin H. Burrell
Frankie Faison Detective Leander Sydnor
Corey Parker Robinson Sergeant Jay Landsman
Delaney Williams Preston ‘Bodie’ Broadus
J.D. Williams Avon Barksdale
Wood Harris Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell
Idris Elba Mayor Thomas ‘Tommy’ Carcetti
Aidan Gillen Marlo Stanfield
Jamie Hector Chris Partlow
Gbenga Akinnagbe Howard ‘Bunny’ Colvin
Robert Wisdom Slim Charles
Anwan Glover Felicia ‘Snoop’ Pearson
Felicia Pearson Dennis ‘Cutty’ Wise
Chad L. Coleman Malik ‘Poot’ Carr
Tray Chaney Maurice ‘Maury’ Levy
Michael Kostroff State Senator R. Clayton ‘Clay’ Davis
Isiah Whitlock Jr. Joseph ‘Proposition Joe’ Stewart
Robert F. Chew Detective Michael ‘Sanny’ Santangelo
Michael Salconi Norman Wilson
Reg E. Cathey Duquan ‘Dukie’ Weems
Jermaine Crawford Michael Lee
Tristan Mack Wilds Mayor Clarence V. Royce
Glynn Turman Detective Edward Norris
Edward T. Norris D’Angelo Barksdale
Lawrence Gilliard Jr. Officer Beatrice ‘Beadie’ Russell
Amy Ryan Maj. Stanislaus Valchek
Al Brown Sean ‘Shamrock’ McGinty
Richard Burton Officer Anthony Colicchio
Benjamin Busch Officer Lloyd ‘Truck’ Garrick
Ryan Sands Roland ‘Wee-Bey’ Brice
Hassan Johnson Detective Vernon Holley
Brian Anthony Wilson Detective Michael Crutchfield
Gregory L. Williams Lt. Dennis Mello
Jay Landsman Kenard
Thuliso Dingwall Spiros ‘Vondas’ Vondopoulos
Paul Ben-Victor Spider
Edward Bernard Green Jr. ‘Monk’ Metcalf
Kwame Patterson Marla Daniels
Maria Broom Col. Raymond Foerster
Richard DeAngelis State Delegate Odell Watkins
Frederick Strother Judge Daniel Phelan
Peter Gerety Cheryl
Melanie Nicholls-King Theresa D’Agostino
Brandy Burre Chief of Staff Coleman Parker
Cleo Reginald Pizana Andy Krawczyk
Michael Willis Johnny Weeks
Leo Fitzpatrick
Across five exquisitely crafted series, we witnessed the corruption, indolence, and self-serving politics that polluted the entire infrastructure of Baltimore – its police force, harbour board, city council, newspapers, and educational services.
The wire itself was the police’s covert surveillance team of phone-tappers, led by Lester Freeman (Clarke Peters).
