The Wire is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by American author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. The Wire premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising 60 episodes over five seasons. The idea for the show started out as a police drama loosely based on the experiences of Simon's writing partner Ed Burns, a former homicide detective and public school teacher.
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character in The Wire, played by Idris Elba. In the criminal world of early 2000s Baltimore, Bell serves as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second-in-command and assumes direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment. Bell is a terse and brooding leader, who shuns the flamboyance of the likes of Avon for ruthless pragmatism and legitimacy.
Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character in the American television series The Wire, played by Wood Harris. Barksdale is one of the most powerful drug dealers in Baltimore, Maryland, and runs the Barksdale Organization. Stringer Bell, his second in command, insulates Barksdale from law enforcement and potential enemies. Working for Barksdale and Bell is a large organization of drug dealers and enforcers.
"Hot Shots" is the third episode of the second season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Elodie Keene. It originally aired on June 15, 2003.
"Port in a Storm" is the 12th and final episode of the second season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by David Simon from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Robert F. Colesberry. It originally aired on August 24, 2003.
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO crime drama series The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. He is a notorious Baltimore stick-up man, who frequently robs street-level drug dealers. He is legendary around the city for his characteristic duster, under which he hides his shotgun, large caliber handgun, and bulletproof vest, as well as for his facial scar and his whistling of "The Farmer in the Dell" when stalking targets. Omar's homosexual character is based on the heterosexual Baltimore area robber and hitman Donnie Andrews. Andrews served 18 years in prison after murdering a drug dealer. Andrews was married to Francine Boyd, who inspired the miniseries The Corner on HBO.
Shakima "Kima" Greggs is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Sonja Sohn. Greggs is a determined and capable police detective in the Baltimore Police Department. Openly lesbian, she often displays a hardened, cynical demeanor, and has had problems with infidelity, alcohol, and relationships. She plays a key role in all of her BPD details' main cases.
Marlo Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO television drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ambitious, intelligent and ruthless gangster and head of the eponymous Stanfield Organization in the Baltimore drug trade. Marlo's organization starts out small-time, competing with the larger Barksdale Organization, but rises to the top of the Baltimore drug trade fairly quickly.
D'Angelo "Dee" Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Larry Gilliard Jr. D'Angelo is the nephew of Avon Barksdale and a lieutenant in his drug dealing organization which controls most of the trade in West Baltimore. Stuck between the top and the bottom of the drug trade, he represents the trope of the everyman, and pathos is derived from his wider emotional range than the other gangsters, situation and fate. The immorality and ruthlessness of the drug trade gradually wears on D'Angelo's conscience, bringing him into conflict with the Barksdale leadership, most notably Stringer Bell.
"Reformation" is the tenth episode of the third season of the HBO original series The Wire. The episode was written by Ed Burns from a story by David Simon & Ed Burns and was directed by Christine Moore. It originally aired on November 28, 2004.
Joseph Stewart, better known as "Proposition Joe" or "Prop Joe", is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug lord who prefers a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible. He is responsible for creating the lucrative New Day Co-Op with Stringer Bell, supplying much of Baltimore with heroin brought into the city by "The Greeks". Displaying a cunning, business-oriented demeanor, Joe is often a match in stature for rival drug lords Avon Barksdale and Marlo Stanfield, and is able to manipulate most situations to his advantage.
MauriceJ. "Maury" Levy is a fictional character in the HBO drama The Wire, played by Michael Kostroff. He is a skilled defense attorney and was kept on retainer by the Barksdale Organization, later by Proposition Joe and ultimately by the Stanfield Organization. He represented members of his clients' organizations at various criminal trials, advising them on defense strategy on charges ranging from drug trafficking, murder, and criminal possession of a weapon to parole negotiation. He also acted and advised for Barksdale Organization's front organizations and Stringer Bell's real estate business. Levy is corrupt and unscrupulous, willing to aid his clients in furtherance of their criminal activity.
The Barksdale Organization is a fictional drug-dealing gang on the television series The Wire. Many of the characters featured in season one of The Wire belong to this organization. Season 1 largely deals with the Baltimore Police Department setting up a Major Crimes Unit to investigate the Barksdale Organization, led by Avon Barksdale who is portrayed as the most powerful drug kingpin in Baltimore.
The following are characters who have worked with Omar Little on the HBO drama The Wire. Omar and his associates make their living robbing drug dealers.
On the fictional television drama The Wire, the Stanfield Organization is a criminal organization led by Marlo Stanfield. The Organization is introduced in Season Three of The Wire as a growing and significantly violent drug syndicate. Marlo has established his organization's power in West Baltimore's main streets in the shadow of the dominating Barksdale Organization, which was more concerned with conducting its activities in the Franklin Terrace Towers.
Law enforcement is an integral part of the HBO drama series The Wire. The show has numerous characters in this field and their roles range from those enforcing the law at street level up to those setting laws citywide. The Baltimore City Police Department has been explored in detail from street level characters to the upper echelons of command. The show has also examined those setting laws in city politics and touched upon the FBI, the correctional system and the family of police officers.
Street-level characters comprise a large part of the cast on the fictional HBO drama series The Wire. Characters in this section range from homeless drug addicts up to drug king-pins in charge of entire criminal empires.
Slim Charles is a fictional character in the HBO drama The Wire, played by Anwan Glover. An enforcer for the Barksdale Organization and later the top lieutenant of kingpin Proposition Joe, he is portrayed as principled, loyal, and competent throughout his career.
Christopher "Chris" Partlow is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Gbenga Akinnagbe. Chris is Marlo Stanfield's second-in-command and bodyguard in his drug dealing operation. He is a minor antagonist for season 3 and the secondary antagonist in season 4 and 5 along with Felicia "Snoop" Pearson. Despite Chris's quiet demeanor he commits more murders, both on-screen and off-screen, than any other character. Although a ruthless killer, he shows genuine care towards the soldiers under his command, especially Michael Lee, whom he takes under his wing as a protégé.
Brother Mouzone is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Michael Potts.
