The Wire
| The Wire | |
|---|---|
| File:Season02 posterart.jpg The Wire promotional art. | |
| Created by | David Simon |
| Starring | Dominic West John Doman Idris Elba Sonja Sohn Wood Harris Larry Gilliard Jr. Aidan Gillen Wendell Pierce Seth Gilliam Clarke Peters Lance Reddick |
| Opening theme | "Way Down In The Hole" The Blind Boys of Alabama (Season 1) Tom Waits (Season 2) The Neville Brothers (Season 3) |
| Country of origin | USA |
| No. of episodes | 37 (Season 4 premieres in Sept. 2006) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Robert F. Colesberry |
| Running time | approx. 0:60 (commercial-free) |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | June 2, 2002 – Present |
The Wire is an American police procedural television series set in the mid-Atlantic American city of Baltimore, Maryland, narrated from the points of view of both the police officers and the criminals they are investigating. It depicts the ongoing struggle of a unit of police officers against drug gangs in the housing projects of the city's west side. Created by writer/producer and former police reporter David Simon, the series is broadcast by the HBO cable network in the United States. The show premiered on June 2, 2002 and has aired 37 episodes as of early 2006. HBO will begin airing the fourth season on Sunday, September 10. However, viewers with HBO on Demand will be able to see the season premiere six days earlier on Monday, September 4, and all episodes from Season 4 will premiere on HBO on Demand the Monday prior to their first airing on HBO proper.[1]
Overview
Simon draws a sharp line between his program and its influential, but thematically very different, forebears, such as Dragnet, Hill Street Blues, and Homicide: Life on the Street: "The best crime shows [...] were essentially about good and evil. Justice, revenge, betrayal, redemption. The Wire, by contrast, has ambitions elsewhere. [...] Specifically: We are bored with good and evil. We renounce the theme."[2]
Central to the structure and plot of the show is the use of electronic surveillance and wiretap technologies by the police—hence the title "The Wire." The title has been described as a metaphor for the viewer's experience - the wiretaps provide the police access to a secret world just as the show does for the viewer.[3]
The cast is large and after the relatively straightforward first season, the plot and style became increasingly complex and sophisticated, requiring a good deal of attention and work from the viewer. Many important events (murders, etc.) occur off-camera and there is no artificial exposition. Thus, the viewer needs to follow every conversation closely in order to figure out what's going on and who's who. The show has been described as novelistic in structure with a greater depth of writing and plotting than other television crime shows.[3][4] Each season of the show forms a single narrative, and individual episodes would be confusing and probably unsatisfying viewing if seen in isolation. The seasons are twelve or thirteen full-hour episodes in length. The show has been dubbed "TV for the hopeless",[5] relentless in its truthful depiction of urban decline and a never ending war on drugs and described as lacking false "life-affirming" moments often found in network crime shows (even Simon's own Homicide).[5]
Origins
Simon has stated that he originally set out to create a police drama loosely based on the experiences of his writing partner and ex-homicide detective Ed Burns in working on protracted investigations of violent drug dealers using surveillance technology. Burns often faced frustration with the bureaucracy of the police department, which Simon equated with his own frustration with working for the Baltimore Sun which "became a bureaucracy." Writing against the background of current events, including institutionalized corporate crime at Enron and institutional dysfunction in the Catholic Church, the show became "more of a treatise about institutions and individuals than a straight cop show."
Simon chose to set the show in Baltimore because of his familiarity with the city. He approached the mayor to get approval for the bleak portrayal of the city and was welcomed to work there again. Simon chose to approach HBO with the show because of his existing working relationship with them from The Corner. He avoided other networks because he anticipated the arguments that writing a bleak show generated with network executives because of his experience with writing Homicide.
Discussing his aims for the show, Simon is realistic about its lack of potential to change the situations it portrays, but says that he hopes it can change the opinions of some of its viewers.[6]
Simon has admitted that most of the characters are composites of real-life Baltimore figures. As examples, he cited that Omar Little is based upon Shorty Boyd, Donnie Anders, Ferdinand Harvin and Anthony Hollie, all Baltimore stickup boys from the 1980s and 1990s.
The story of the first season itself mirrors real life investigations of Baltimore drug traffickers like Melvin "Little Melvin" Williams, Chin Farmer, Cookie Savage, Warren Boardley and Linwood Williams, all of which Ed Burns played a part in. [7]
The writers also drew from their experience of Baltimore in naming their characters. The Liberty Heights Barksdale family of five brothers is the source for the Barksdale family on the show and Preston "Bodie" Brodus is named after Nathan "Bodie" Barksdale. Stringer Bell's name is a composite of Stringer Reed and Roland Bell.[8]
Crew
The show was created by writer David Simon, whose experiences as a police reporter for The Baltimore Sun directly inspired many of the show's characters and events. Many of the creative team behind The Wire are alumni of Homicide as well as other related shows such as HBO's prison series Oz.
Stories for the show are often co-written by Ed Burns, a former Baltimore homicide detective and public school teacher who has worked with David Simon on other projects.
Writers for The Wire include three acclaimed crime fiction writers from outside of Baltimore: George P. Pelecanos from Washington, Richard Price from New Jersey and Dennis Lehane from Boston.[3] Reviewers drew comparisons between Richard Price's works (particularly Clockers) and The Wire even before he joined the creative team.[9] Lehane was asked about working alongside three other famous urban crime writers and described Richard Price as his "literary idol." As well as writing, Pelecanos served as a producer for seasons two and three.
Directors for the show include Homicide alumnus Clark Johnson[10], who directed several acclaimed episodes of The Shield.[11] The directing has been praised for its uncomplicated and subtle style.[12]
Episode structure
Each episode begins with a cold open which seldom contains a dramatic juncture, preceded by a recap of events that have a bearing upon the upcoming narrative. The screen then fades to black while the intro music's preclude fades in. The show's intro sequence then plays, which is a series of shots concerning the show's subject matter that changes from season to season, interjected by fast jump cuts. The opening credits, as well as the intro sequence, both of which also change, are juxtaposed upon the sequence. Progressive story arcs often unfold in different locations at the same time. Episodes rarely end with a cliffhanger, and normally close with a fade to black and the closing music fading in. During season finales, music is played before the closing scene, contrasting to the show's normal use of music, which uses only ambient music and does not superimpose any.
Plot Synopsis
Season one
The first season, which began airing in 2002, introduced two major groups of characters - the Baltimore police department and a drug dealing organization run by the Barksdale family. The season followed the investigation of the Barksdale family over its 13 episodes.
Season two
The second season of the show, along with its ongoing examination of the drug problem and its effect on the urban poor, examined the plight of the blue-collar urban working class as exemplified by stevedores (longshoremen) in the city port, as some of them get caught up in smuggling drugs and other contraband inside the containers that their port ships.
Simon described the second season as:
...a meditation on the death of work and the betrayal of the American working class, it is a deliberate argument that unencumbered capitalism is not a substitute for social policy that on its own, without a social compact, raw capitalism is destined to serve the few at the expense of the many.[7]
Season three
In the third season, the action focused back on the street and the Barksdale organization but expanded the scope to include the political scene. In addition, a new subplot was introduced to examine the potential positive effects of legalizing the drug trade within the limited boundaries of three uninhabited city blocks - referred to by the malaprop "Hamsterdam." These were continuations of storylines hinted at in season one.
Simon said that the third season:
...reflects on the nature of reform and reformers, and whether there is any possibility that political processes, long calcified, can mitigate against the forces currently arrayed against individuals. The third season is also an allegory that draws explicit parallels between the War in Iraq and the national drug prohibition.[7]
Season four
The Wire will return for a fourth season on September 10th, 2006, in which Simon hopes to tackle Baltimore's education system.[13][14] The season will also continue the examination of politics from season three, including a mayoral race. It has been speculated as well that Councilman Carcetti's rise to mayor could parallel Baltimore mayor Martin O'Malley's.[15] The Baltimore Sun confirmed that Roland "Prez" Presbyleski would make an unexpected return by starting a new career as a public school teacher. New stars will include four young actors: Maestro Harrell, Tristan Wilds, Julito McCullum and Jermaine Crawford. Describing the new season, the Baltimore Sun reported storylines including these four new characters each getting a different sort of education. One would be "betrayed by the police and social services systems," another would "[learn] how to be a successful enforcer for a drug kingpin," a third "through the concern and care of a teacher." The last child would "[find] his way thanks to a mentor who steps up after the school system [let] the young man down. Each of the actors [will make] one care deeply about the character he plays." Finally, a fifth young actor, Rashad Orange, will play Sherrod, a teenage homeless boy who Bubbles takes under his wing.[15]
In an interview, Lance Reddick described the direction his character would take in the fourth season. He stated that his promotion would give him the added responsibility of a district to command, less dealings with the day to day running of the Major Case Unit, friction with the unit's replacement lieutenant, and the difficulties of being more open about his relationship with Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman.[16]
Critical response
Season one
The first season received rave reviews from critics[17][18], some stating that it is better than HBO's other, better-known "flagship" drama series such as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under.[19][20] One reviewer felt that the show was partially a retread of themes from HBO and David Simon's earlier works but still valuable viewing and described the series as particularly resonant because it parallels the war on terror through the chronicling the war on drugs.[21] A more measured review postulated that the series might suffer because of its reliance on profanity and slowly drawn-out plot, but was largely positive about the show's characters and intrigue.[10]
Despite the critical acclaim, The Wire has received poor ratings, perhaps due to the demandingly complex and hard-to-follow plot. Simon himself admits this, stating that the show suffers due to its complexity, poor time slot, and heavy use of esoteric slang, particularly among the show's gang contingent.[22] Critics felt the show was testing the attention span of its audience and felt that it was mistimed in the wake of the launch of the successful crime drama The Shield on FX.[21] Anticipation for a release of the first season on DVD was high at Entertainment Weekly, following the show's impressive critical reception but poor audience.[23]
The first season was released on DVD on October 12, 2004.[9] The DVD boxset included all thirteen episodes of the first season along with audio commentaries on three episodes by David Simon, George P. Pelecanos and Clark Johnson. The DVD packaging featured Jimmy McNulty prominently and D'Angelo Barksdale, Stringer Bell and Kima Greggs surrounding him. In his commentary, David Simon said that the show is "really about the American city, and about how we live together. It's about how institutions have an effect on individuals, and how, regardless of what you are committed to, whether you're a cop, a longshoreman, a drug dealer, a politician, a judge, a lawyer, you are ultimately compromised and must contend with whatever institution you've committed to." This statement was recognized as an attempt to distinguish the show from other police dramas.[3] The boxset also received good reviews from critics. Slant magazine praised almost all aspects of the show, calling it "the best crime show out there" and limited their criticism to the paucity of extras included in the package.[12] Amazon called the first season "a bona-fide American masterpiece."[9]
Season two
Template:Spoiler The second season has been described as even more powerful than the first and praised for deconstructing the show's central foundations with a willingness to explore new areas.[11] The characterization of the second series was criticized by one reviewer who felt that the subculture of the docks failed to come to life as well as that of the housing projects. However, the review continued to praise the writers for creating a realistic world and the array of interesting characters presented in it.[24]
The second season was released on DVD on January 25 2005. The boxset contained all twelve episodes of the second season along with two audio commentaries. One commentary featured actors Dominic West and Michael K. Williams while the other, focused on the contribution of the late producer Robert F. Colesberry, featured executive producer Karen Thorson and editor Thom Zimny."[25]
The second DVD boxset garnered similar positive reviews to the first. Amazon said it was even better than the first season and this time called it "the best show on HBO" and an "American crime epic easily on par with the Godfather saga."[25] NPR described the show as raising police procedurals to the level of art and compared it positively to BBC serials and The Sopranos, however they were critical of the presentation's lack of special features as other critics were of the first season.[26]
Season three
At the close of the third season, The Wire still struggled to maintain its ratings and it was feared that the show might be cancelled. Creator David Simon blamed the show's low ratings in part on its competition against Desperate Housewives and worried that expectations for HBO dramas had changed following the success of The Sopranos.[13] The critical response to the third season remained positive. Entertainment Weekly named "The Wire" the best show of 2004, describing it as "the smartest, deepest and most resonant drama on TV." They credited the complexity of the show for its poor ratings.[27] Reviewers feared that the third season, ending with more of a plot resolution than the previous two, was a sign that the show was facing its end.[14]
The Baltimore City Paper was so concerned that the show might be cancelled that they published a list of 10 reasons to keep it on the air, including strong characterization, avoidance of stereotypes, Omar Little, realistic portrayal of city politics, willingness to put the story ahead of the characters, identifiable depiction of the daily grind of working life, realistic portrayal of police work, inclusion of a moral compass, unabashedly honest representation of real world problems, and finally it's unique status as "broadcast literature." Alongside these ten reasons, they also worried that the loss of the show would have a serious impact on Baltimore's economy.[28]
The third season is due to be released on DVD on August 8, 2006. Extras are expected to include episode promotional spots and further audio commentaries.[29]
Awards
| Status | Year | Award | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 2003 | Peabody award[30] | N/A |
| Nomination | 2003 | Television Critics Association | Program of the Year |
| Nomination | 2003 | Television Critics Association | Outstanding New Program |
| Nomination | 2003 | Television Critics Association | Outstanding Achievement in Drama |
| Nomination | 2004 | Television Critics Association | Outstanding Achievement in Drama |
| Nominated | 2005 | Emmy | Best writing for a television episode |
Cast and characters
Many of the characters defy expectations and stereotypes - some of the criminals are intelligent, sympathetic characters while some of those on the side of the law are incompetent, morally corrupt or brutal.
The show's creators are also willing to kill off major characters, so that the viewer is unable to assume that any given character will survive simply because they have a starring role or are popular on the show. In response to a question on why a popular character had to die, David Simon has said:
I can only add that we are not selling hope, or audience gratification, or cheap victories with this show. The Wire is making an argument about what institutions—bureaucracies, criminal enterprises, the cultures of addiction, raw capitalism even—do to individuals. It is not designed purely as an entertainment. It is, I'm afraid, a somewhat angry show.[7]
Casting
The casting of the show has been praised for avoiding big-name stars and providing actors who appear natural in their roles.[12] The looks of the cast as a whole have been described as defying TV expectations by presenting a true range of humanity on screen.[26]
The initial cast was put together through a process of auditions and readings. Lance Reddick received the role of Cedric Daniels after auditioning for several other parts (see character profile).[16] Michael K. Williams received the part of Omar Little after only a single audition, although the character was originally slated to appear in just seven episodes before dying.[31]
The guest stars often include non-professional actors from Baltimore. These appearances have included several prominent real-life Baltimore figures, including Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., Rev. Frank M. Reid III, and former police chief Ed Norris.[15]
The second season introduced a new group of characters living in the Baltimore port area and introduced Paul Ben-Victor (Spiros "Vondas" Vondopolous), Clarke Peters (Lester Freamon), Amy Ryan (Beatrice "Beadie" Russell) and Chris Bauer (Frank Sobotka) to the series' starring cast. Notable new guest stars include Pablo Schreiber (Nick Sobotka), James Ransone (Chester "Ziggy" Sobotka), Method Man (Melvin "Cheese" Flagstaff) and Bill Raymond ("The Greek").
Current cast
Formerly starring
| Actor/Actress | Character | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Idris Elba | Stringer Bell | Drug kingpin |
| Larry Gillard Jr. | D'Angelo Barksdale | Crew chief |
| Chris Bauer | Frank Sobotka | Union treasurer-secretary |
| Paul Ben Victor | Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos | Mob kingpin |
| Amy Ryan | Beatrice "Beadie" Russell | Officer (now recurring) |
Episode list
Baltimore locations
In the 32nd episode, the "Madison Hotel" in Washington D.C. is actually the Colonnade, a hotel which is across from the Johns Hopkins Homewood campus in Northern Baltimore along University Parkway.
The Baltimore City Paper recently went on a tour of shooting locations with art director and location scout Vince Peranio.[32]
See also
External links
- Official HBO site
- Gang and Drug-Related Homicide: Baltimore's Successful Enforcement Strategy: Ed Burns discusses some of the investigations and individuals which inspired The Wire.
- "Ten Thousand Bullets": an interview with George P. Pelecanos
- "George Pelecanos on 'The Wire' and D.C. pulp fiction"
References
- ^ ""The Wire," "Def Comedy Jam" Set For On-Demand Premieres". World Screen News. 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-22.
- ^ Alvarez, Rafael (2004). The Wire: Truth Be Told. New York: Pocket Books. pp. 3–4.
- ^ a b c d Dan Kois (2004). "Everything you were afraid to ask about "The Wire"". Salon.com. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
- ^ Ethan Alter (2002). "HBO's "The Wire," True Street Grit". Media Life Magazine. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
- ^ a b K. Klingensmith (2006). "TV for the Hopeless". Print Culture. Retrieved 2006-07-21. Cite error: The named reference "TVH" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Ian Rothkirch (2002). ""What drugs have not destroyed, the war on them has"". Salon.com. Retrieved 2006-07-22.
- ^ a b c d Richard Vine (2005). "Totally Wired". The Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
- ^ Jesse Walker (2006). "Localist Television". Reactionary Radicals. Retrieved 2006-07-22.
- ^ a b c Jeff Shannon. "The Wire Complete First Season on DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
- ^ a b Todd Weiser (2002). "New HBO series "The Wire" taps into summer programming". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
- ^ a b Jim Shelley (2005). "Call The Cops". The Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 2006-07-20.
- ^ a b c Chris Barsanti (2004). "Totally Wired". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2006-07-20.
- ^ a b Marisa Guthrie (2004). "'The Wire' fears HBO may snip it". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2006-07-19. Cite error: The named reference "NYD" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b "HBO Set to Re-'Wire' in '06". Zap2it. 2005. Retrieved 2006-07-20.
{{cite web}}: Text ",00.html" ignored (help); Text "1" ignored (help); Text "94184" ignored (help) Cite error: The named reference "Z2I" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ a b c David Zurawik (2006). "Local figures, riveting drama put "The Wire" in a class by itself". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2006-07-20.
- ^ a b Joel Murphy (2005). "One on one with... Lance Reddick". Hobo Trashcan. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ "Television Critics Association Introduces 2003 Award Nominees". Television Critics Association. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
{{cite web}}: Text "http://tvcritics.org/press/2003/06/television-critics-association.html Television Critics Association" ignored (help) - ^ "The Wire: The Complete First Season". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ James Norton (2005). "The Wire vs. The Sopranos". Flak Magazine. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
- ^ Leslie Ryan (July 2003). "Tapping "The Wire"; HBO Police Drama Tops TelevisionWeek's Semiannual Critics Poll List". Television Week. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ a b Robert David Sullivan (2002). "Slow Hand". Boston Phoenix. Retrieved 2006-07-19. Cite error: The named reference "BP1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ David Simon (2004). "Ask The Wire: David Simon". HBO. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ "DVD Request of the Week". Entertainment Weekly. 2003. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ Jon Garelick (2004). ""A man must have a code" - listening in on The Wire". Boston Phoenix. Retrieved 2006-07-12.
- ^ a b Jeff Shannon. "The Wire Complete Second Season on DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ a b Bill Wyman. ""The Wire" The Complete Second Season". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2006-07-21. Cite error: The named reference "NPR" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Gillian Flynn (2004). "The Best of 2004". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2006-07-19.
- ^ Brent McCabe, Van Smith (2005). "Down To The Wire: Top 10 Reasons Not To Cancel "The Wire."". Baltimore City Paper. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ "The Wire Complete Third Season on DVD". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2006-07-22.
- ^ "George Foster Peabody Award Winners" (PDF). University of Georgia. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ Joel Murphy (2005). "One on one with... Michael K. Williams". Hobo Trashcan. Retrieved 2006-07-21.
- ^ Gadi Dechter (2006). "Wish You Weren't Here". Baltimore City Paper. Retrieved 2006-07-19.