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The Wire season 1

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The Wire
Season 1
DVD cover
No. of episodes13
Release
Original networkHBO
Original releaseJune 2 (2002-06-02) –
September 8, 2002 (2002-09-08)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of episodes

The first season of the television series The Wire commenced airing on Sunday, June 2, 2002 at 9:00 pm ET in the United States and concluded on September 8, 2002. The 13 episodes tell the story from both points of view – the investigating police detail and the drug-dealing Barksdale organization.

The season was released on DVD as a five-disc boxed set under the title of The Wire: The Complete First Season on October 12, 2004 by HBO Video.

Production

Crew

David Simon is the series' creator and head writer, show runner and executive producer. Alongside Simon, many of the creative team behind The Wire are alumni of Homicide and Emmy-winning miniseries The Corner. The Corner veteran, Robert F. Colesberry, was also executive producer. Colesberry is credited by the rest of the creative team as having a large creative role for a producer, and Simon credits him for achieving the show's realistic visual feel.[1] He also had a small recurring role as Detective Ray Cole.[2] Colesberry's wife Karen L. Thorson joined him on the production staff.[3] A third producer on The Corner, Nina Kostroff Noble, also stayed with the production staff for The Wire rounding out the initial four-person team.[3]

Stories for the show are often co-written by Ed Burns, a former Baltimore homicide detective and public school teacher who has worked with Simon on other projects including The Corner.[3] The writing staff includes acclaimed crime fiction novelist George P. Pelecanos from Washington, D.C.[3][4] Pelecanos has commented that he was attracted to the project because of the opportunity to work with Simon.[5] Staff writer Rafael Alvarez was a colleague of Simon's from The Sun and a Baltimore native with working experience in the port area.[3][6] Another city native and independent filmmaker, Joy Lusco Kecken, joined the writing staff and served as the script coordinator.[3][7] David H. Melnick and Shamit Choksey complete the writing staff.[3]

Homicide alumnus Clark Johnson,[8] who directed several acclaimed episodes of The Shield,[9] directed the pilot, the second episode, and the fifth episode (Johnson later had a starring role in the fifth season).[3] Another repeat director is Clement Virgo, who directed two episodes.[3] Single episode directors include Ed Bianchi, Joe Chappelle, Gloria Muzio, Milčo Mančevski, Brad Anderson and Steve Shill.[3] The season finale was directed by Tim Van Patten, an Emmy winner who has worked on every season of The Sopranos.[3] The directing has been praised for its uncomplicated and subtle style.[10]

Cast

The major characters of the first season were divided between those on the side of the law and those involved in drug-related crime. The starring cast comprised characters from both groups. The investigating detail was launched by the actions of Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems overshadowed his ability.[11][12][13] The detail was led by Lieutenant Cedric Daniels (Lance Reddick) who faced challenges balancing his career aspirations with his desire to produce a good case.[11][14][15] Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) was a capable lead detective who faced jealousy from colleagues and worry about the dangers of her job from her domestic partner.[11][16][17] Her investigative work was greatly helped by her confidential informant, a drug addict known as Bubbles (Andre Royo).[11][18][19]

These investigators were overseen by two commanding officers more concerned with politics and their own careers than the case, Major William Rawls (John Doman) and Deputy Commissioner Ervin Burrell (Frankie Faison).[11][20][21][22][23] Assistant state's attorney Rhonda Pearlman (Deirdre Lovejoy) acted as the legal liaison between the detail and the courthouse and also had a casual relationship with one of the officers.[11][24][25] In the homicide division, Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce) was a gifted, dry-witted detective partnered with McNulty.[11][26][27]

On the other side of the investigation was Avon Barksdale's drug empire. The driven, ruthless Barksdale (Wood Harris) was aided by business-minded Stringer Bell (Idris Elba).[11][28][29][30][31] Avon's nephew D'Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gilliard Jr.) ran some of his uncle's territory, but also possessed a guilty conscience.[11][32][33]

The first season featured several significant characters in recurring roles. Like Detective Greggs, partners Thomas "Herc" Hauk (Domenick Lombardozzi) and Ellis Carver (Seth Gilliam) were reassigned to the detail from the narcotics unit.[34][35] The duo's initially violent nature was eventually subdued as they proved useful in grunt work, and sometimes served as comic relief for the audience.[11][36][37] Rounding out the temporary unit were detectives Leander Sydnor (Corey Parker Robinson), Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters) and Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost).[38][39][40] Sydnor was a rookie detective with a reputation for solid undercover work.[41] Though not initially important players in the operation, Freamon proved a quietly capable investigator with a knack for noticing tiny but important details, and Prez, while a liability on the street, turned out to be a natural at his desk job.[11][42][43] McNulty and Bunk served in a homicide unit squad led by Sergeant Jay Landsman (Delaney Williams), the jovial squad commander.[11][44][45] Peter Gerety had a recurring role as Judge Phelan, the official who started the case moving.[11]

There were also several recurring characters in the Barksdale Organization. Loyal Wee-Bey Brice (Hassan Johnson) was responsible for multiple homicides carried out on Avon's orders.[46][47] Working under D'Angelo were Poot Carr (Tray Chaney),[48] Bodie Broadus (J.D. Williams),[49] and Wallace (Michael B. Jordan), all street-level drug dealers. Wallace was an intelligent but naïve youth trapped in the drug trade, Bodie a violent and determined young dealer, and Poot a lascivious young man happy to follow rather than lead.[11][50][51] Omar Little (Michael K. Williams), a notorious Baltimore stick-up man robbing drug dealers for a living, was a frequent thorn in the side of the Barksdale clan.[11][52][53]

Reception

The first season received mostly positive reviews from critics,[54] holding a 79/100 on Metacritic.[55] Some called it superior to HBO's better-known "flagship" drama series such as The Sopranos and Six Feet Under.[56][57][58] 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 of the war on drugs.[59] Another 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.[8] TIME named the first season as the best TV show of 2002 in their Top 10 Everything 2002.[60]

Despite the critical acclaim, The Wire has received poor Nielsen ratings, which Simon attributes to the complexity of the plot, a poor time slot, heavy use of esoteric slang, particularly among the gangster characters and a predominantly black cast.[61] 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.[59] However, anticipation for a release of the first season on DVD was high at Entertainment Weekly.[62]

Awards and nominations

19th TCA Awards

  • Nomination for Program of the Year
  • Nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Drama
  • Nomination for Outstanding New Program of the Year

Episodes

See also: List of The Wire episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
11"The Target"Clark JohnsonStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 2, 2002 (2002-06-02)3.70[63]
22"The Detail"Clark JohnsonStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 9, 2002 (2002-06-09)2.80[64]
33"The Buys"Peter MedakStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 16, 2002 (2002-06-16)N/A
44"Old Cases"Clement VirgoStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 23, 2002 (2002-06-23)N/A
55"The Pager"Clark JohnsonStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : Ed Burns		June 30, 2002 (2002-06-30)2.97[65]
66"The Wire"Ed BianchiStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		July 7, 2002 (2002-07-07)2.98[66]
77"One Arrest"Joe ChappelleStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : Rafael Alvarez		July 21, 2002 (2002-07-21)4.12[67]
88"Lessons"Gloria MuzioStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		July 28, 2002 (2002-07-28)3.31[68]
99"Game Day"Milčo MančevskiStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David H. Melnick & Shamit Choksey		August 4, 2002 (2002-08-04)3.42[69]
1010"The Cost"Brad AndersonStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		August 11, 2002 (2002-08-11)4.15[70]
1111"The Hunt"Steve ShillStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : Joy Lusco		August 18, 2002 (2002-08-18)3.43[71]
1212"Cleaning Up"Clement VirgoStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : George Pelecanos		September 1, 2002 (2002-09-01)3.66[72]
1313"Sentencing"Tim Van PattenDavid Simon & Ed BurnsSeptember 8, 2002 (2002-09-08)3.77[73]

References

  1. ^ David Simon (2005). "The Target" commentary track (DVD). HBO.
  2. ^ "Org Chart - The Law". HBO. 2004. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Wire season 1 crew". HBO. 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
  4. ^ Dan Kois (2004). "Everything you were afraid to ask about The Wire". Salon.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Birnbaum, Robert. "Interview: George Pelecanos". Identity Theory. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
  6. ^ Goldman, Eric. "IGN Exclusive Interview: The Wire's David Simon". IGN. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
  7. ^ Alvarez, Rafael (2004). The Wire: Truth Be Told. New York: Pocket Books. p. 10.
  8. ^ a b Todd Weiser (2002). "New HBO series The Wire taps into summer programming". The Michigan Daily.
  9. ^ Jim Shelley (August 6, 2005). "Call The Cops". London: The Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved May 25, 2010.
  10. ^ Chris Barsanti (2004). "Totally Wired". Slant Magazine.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dan Kois (2004). "Everything you were afraid to ask about "The Wire"". Salon.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2006. Retrieved July 12, 2006. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Character profile - Jimmy McNulty". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  13. ^ "Cast & Crew - Dominic West as Jimmy McNulty". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  14. ^ "Character profile - Lieutenant Cedric Daniels". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  15. ^ "Cast & Crew - Lance Reddick as Cedric Daniels". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  16. ^ "Character profile - Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  17. ^ "Cast & Crew - Sonja Sohn as Shakima "Kima" Greggs". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  18. ^ "Character profile - Bubbles". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  19. ^ "Cast & Crew - Andre Royo as Bubbles". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  20. ^ "Character profile - Ervin Burrell". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  21. ^ "Cast & Crew - Frankie R. Faison as Ervin Burrell". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  22. ^ "Character profile - William Rawls". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  23. ^ "Cast & Crew - John Doman as William Rawls". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  24. ^ "Character profile - Rhonda Pearlman". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  25. ^ "Cast & Crew - Deirdre Lovejoy as Rhonda Pearlman". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  26. ^ "Character profile - Bunk Moreland". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  27. ^ "Cast & Crew - Wendell Pierce as William "Bunk" Moreland". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  28. ^ "Character profile - Avon Barksdale". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  29. ^ "Cast & Crew - Wood Harris as Avon Barksdale". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  30. ^ "Character profile - Stringer Bell". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  31. ^ "Cast & Crew - Idris Elba as Stringer Bell". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  32. ^ "Character profile - D'Angelo Barksdale". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  33. ^ "Cast & Crew - Larry Gilliard, Jr. as D'Angelo Barksdale". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  34. ^ "Cast & Crew - Seth Gilliam as Ellis Carver". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  35. ^ "Cast & Crew - Domenick Lombardozzi as Thomas "Herc" Hauk". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  36. ^ "Character profile - Thomas "Herc" Hauk". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  37. ^ "Character profile - Ellis Carver". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  38. ^ "Cast & Crew - Corey Parker Robinson as Leander Sydnor". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  39. ^ "Cast & Crew - Clarke Peters as Lester Freamon". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  40. ^ "Cast & Crew - Jim True-Frost as Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  41. ^ "Character profile - Leander Sydnor". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  42. ^ "Character profile - Lester Freamon". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  43. ^ "Character profile - Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  44. ^ "Character profile - Jay Landsman". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  45. ^ "Cast & Crew - Delaney Williams as Jay Landsman". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  46. ^ "Character profile - Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  47. ^ "Cast & Crew - Hassan Johnson as Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  48. ^ "Cast & Crew - Tray Chaney as Malik "Poot" Carr". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  49. ^ "Cast & Crew - JD Williams as Preston "Bodie" Broadus". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  50. ^ "Character profile - Preston "Bodie" Broadus". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  51. ^ "Character profile - Malik "Poot" Carr". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  52. ^ "Character profile - Omar Little". HBO. 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  53. ^ "Cast & Crew - Michael Kenneth Williams as Omar Little". HBO. 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  54. ^ "The Wire: The Complete First Season". Rotten Tomatoes.
  55. ^ "The Wire: Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  56. ^ Alan Sepinwall (August 6, 2006). "Taut 'Wire' has real strength". Newark Star-Ledger. p. 1.
  57. ^ Aaron Barnhart (2006). "'The Wire' aims higher: TV's finest hour is back". Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ Leslie Ryan (2003). "Tapping The Wire; HBO Police Drama Tops Television Week's Semiannual Critics Poll List". Television Week.
  59. ^ a b Robert David Sullivan (2002). "Slow Hand". Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  60. ^ Poniewozik, James (December 12, 2002). "Top 10 Everything 2002". TIME. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  61. ^ David Simon (2004). "Ask The Wire: David Simon". HBO.[permanent dead link]
  62. ^ "DVD Request of the Week". Entertainment Weekly. July 11, 2003.
  63. ^ "HBO's 'Six Feet Under' Finishes, 'The Wire' Starts Strong". The Futon Critic. June 4, 2003. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  64. ^ Downey, Kevin (June 19, 2002). "Boost for Fox from 'American Idol'". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on April 7, 2004. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  65. ^ Downey, Kevin (July 10, 2002). "NASCAR zooms Fox to a first in 18-49s". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2004. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  66. ^ Downey, Kevin (July 17, 2002). "Fox streak broken by All-Star slump". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2004. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  67. ^ Downey, Kevin (July 31, 2002). "Big duke-out for top network". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on December 5, 2003. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  68. ^ Downey, Kevin (August 7, 2002). "Bum primetime summer for ABC". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on October 20, 2002. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  69. ^ Downey, Kevin (August 14, 2002). "July sweeps belong under the rug". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on October 20, 2002. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  70. ^ Downey, Kevin (August 21, 2002). "TV summer really belongs to cops". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on September 6, 2002. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  71. ^ Downey, Kevin (August 28, 2002). "Some late summer trophies for 'Idol'". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on October 20, 2002. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  72. ^ Downey, Kevin (September 12, 2002). "With fall, Fox trots again". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on September 16, 2002. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  73. ^ Downey, Kevin (September 18, 2002). "Early premieres boost ABC and WB". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on December 6, 2003. Retrieved October 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
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