No show has better encapsulated the complexity of the modern drug trade better than The Wire. One of the greatest drama shows in history, The Wire surprisingly didn’t receive as many accolades as other HBO drama shows during its initial television. However, time has been very kind to David Simon’s brilliant Baltimore-set crime series. The show has only become more rewatchable as a result of its timeliness to the current political discourse surrounding police brutality, overpopulated prisons, and journalistic integrity.
One of the most unique aspects of The Wire is the way that the series constructs each of its seasonal story arcs. The first season focused strictly on the drug trade, the second season introduced characters that worked in Baltimore’s trading ports, the third season tied in the town’s political race, the fourth season explored the effects of drug trading on public education, and the fifth season developed storylines surrounding journalism. Each arc built upon its predecessor, resulting in a Dickensian accomplishment that thoroughly explored nearly every aspect of Baltimore’s infrastructure. Which episodes were the best from each season?
The following article contains spoilers for The Wire.
“The Cost”
Season 1, Episode 10 (2002)
Given the complex portrayal of the policing system within The Wire, viewers would be forgiven if they did not have a lot of empathy for the characters that work within law enforcement. However, the first season of The Wire paints a fair picture of the cops that have resisted corruption and do their due diligence to actually put dangerous figures like Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) and Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris) behind bars.
Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), Cedris Daniels (the late great Lance Reddick), William Moreland (Wendell Pierce), and Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) aren’t necessarily flawless in their approach, but it does feel like the actions they take are for the community’s health. “The Cost” reminded viewers why these characters are worth rooting for, as the community rallies around Greggs when she is critically injured during an undercover mission.
“Port in a Storm”
Season 2, Episode 13 (2003)
The second season of The Wire took a surprising detour from the main storyline that had dominated the first season with its focus on the local doc workers that become intertwined with the ongoing smuggling of drugs through Baltimore’s port system. The unquestionable protagonist of this season was Frank Sobotka (Chris Hauer), the highly admired Polish-American treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Stevedores union chapter.
Although Frank attempts to retain his honor, he’s forced to make a deal with the devil when his son Ziggy (James Ransome) gets involved with the drug trade. The season finale “Port in a Storm” marks the tragic conclusion of both characters’ arcs; it’s one of the darker notes that Chase has chosen to close out a season on.
“Middle Ground”
Season 3, Episode 11 (2004)
Few relationships on The Wire have been as compelling as Stringer and Avons’ dichotomy; both powerful drug dealers who have grown to care about each other like brothers, the two men both recognize and regret that the perfect trading system that they had envisioned will not last forever. The heartbreaking final conversation that the two share over a late-night drink in “Middle Ground” is one of the most beautifully written moments within the show’s entire run; the conversation earned Simon and his co-writer George Pelecanos the show’s first Primetime Emmy Nomination in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
While Stringer was not necessarily a “likable” character, his death had major ramifications on the rest of the series. Stringers’ execution at the hands of Omar Little (the late great Michael K. Williams) was among The Wire’s most shocking moments.
“Margin of Error”
Season 4, Episode 6 (2006)
While the dueling mayoral candidates Thomas Carcetti (Aidan Gillen), Anthony Gray (Christopher Mann), and the incumbent Clarence Royce (Glynn Turman) had first been introduced in the prior season’s political storyline, the pivotal democratic primary election wasn’t wrapped up until the fourth season’s “Margin of Error.”
The tension surrounding which candidate could win the surprisingly competitive race created suspense that pulsated throughout the episode. Amidst the political storyline, “Margin of Error” also made room to check in on Omar, the Robin Hood-esque drug dealer that robs other criminals. While Omar is nearly killed during an intense standoff, his alliance with McNulty ends up sparing his life.
“-30-“
Season 5, Episode 10 (2008)
A show like The Wire is challenging to wrap up considering that none of the issues that it was addressing had been solved in real life; it would feel like a break from the show’s realistic tone if the series ended with every villain held responsible for their actions and every level of infrastructure restructured. However, “-30-” did a great job at sending off each of The Wire’s most beloved characters in an interesting direction that felt true given where the story left off.
It’s fitting that despite the promises that Carcetti made to focus on fixing the city’s problems, the ending montage reveals that his only real intention was to advance his political capital and run for governor. The episode’s final shot of McNulty looking back at the city he had tried so hard to fix allowed viewers to reflect on all the events, both good and bad, that had occurred throughout the series; in many ways, no character was as important as Baltimore itself.
