Favorite characters from The Wire

[ColchVEGAS]

Omar
Bodie
Bunk
Wee-Bey
Michael

There are so many good characters it is really tough to pick. Really love how the faces change throughout the seasons, but nothing really changes overall. All the work the police and politicians do to "fix" things and just another face replaces. Avon to Marlo...Omar to Michael...Bubbles to Dukie.

"See it's sorta like the scene where Dukie get out the car
And Prezbo is watching a dream die from afar
And testers are getting thrown over on Popular Grove
And the rest of what you know is where the end of it starts..." - Skyzoo "How to Make It Through Hysteria"

 

[8893]

Amazing scene...

That's the episode we watched last night. Season four, episode three.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Omar
Bodie
Bunk
Wee-Bey
Michael

There are so many good characters it is really tough to pick. Really love how the faces change throughout the seasons, but nothing really changes overall. All the work the police and politicians do to "fix" things and just another face replaces. Avon to Marlo...Omar to Michael...Bubbles to Dukie.

Well that cyclical thing is reflected on the police side, too. A central theme is the mirroring between the two sides of crime

 

[huskiesouth]

By the way, how did this never win an Emmy or Golden Globe?

The casting alone is incredible when you consider the sheer number of material characters.

Who knows, IMHO all the awards handed out in the arts for music, TV, movies, etc., are all very "political" within each genre, who likes who, who doesn't like who, etc.. Throw in the subject matter, location, language, color of many main characters, no nice, neat, feel good endings, not an award-winning formula at that time for TV.

 

[navery12]

1) Omar
2) Avon
3) Cutty
4) Bodie
5) Chris
6-200)
201) Stringer

 

[Tommyboy]

I came to The Wire super late. I only watched it last year but I got the love it received. It was awesome. I have never blown through a series so fast. Love all the characters and actors.

Top 5:

1) Omar
2) Bunk
3) Bodie
4) Snoop
5) Wallace

It's tough to pick only 5. I definitely know who wouldn't be close:

Carcetti (Littlefinger)
Ziggy
Cutty
Burrell
Rawls

 

[8893]

I came to The Wire super late. I only watched it last year but I got the love it received. It was awesome. I have never blown through a series so fast. Love all the characters and actors.

Top 5:

1) Omar
2) Bunk
3) Bodie
4) Snoop
5) Wallace

It's tough to pick only 5. I definitely know who wouldn't be close:

Carcetti (Littlefinger)
Ziggy
Cutty
Burrell
Rawls

My wife hates Carcetti because she knows him from GoT and knows he's Irish and she says she can hear his accent every time he speaks and it annoys her. I don't hear it and I never watched GoT.

She also hates Snoop because she can't understand a word she's saying.

Ziggy drove me crazy and made me nervous every time he was on the screen because I knew he was going to screw something up.

 

[bigknight3]

lol we sure he’s not Pres?

I think it’s time we do this: what BY posters are which characters

NO, pres became a lovable valued member of the team once he found his calling!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

My wife hates Carcetti because she knows him from GoT and knows he's Irish and she says she can hear his accent every time he speaks and it annoys her. I don't hear it and I never watched GoT.

As I recall Carcetti sounded like he was straight out of Dublin when he was making his pitch to the ministers.

I haven't really thought about Ziggy since i was hired to play his body double.

 

[8893]

As I recall Carcetti sounded like he was straight out of Dublin when he was making his pitch to the ministers.

That was also in the episode we watched last night. I can hear it if I want to; not a brogue so much as an intonation. I think he tries to be more nasally to cover it up. I've asked her to stop complaining about it because I don't want to be conscious of it.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Love this thread! If you've not watched the full show, you should leave here immediately.

Omar is the best character in the show, hands down, no questions asked. It's cliche but it's true.

That said, some of the others were brilliantly written and acted. Some that come to mind:

Freamon
Bubbles
Dukie
Bodie

Someone said it earlier in this thread - the way they constructed this show such that the line between good guys and bad guys almost doesn't exist. For my money, the best-written show of all time.

 

[djct1999]

Amazing scene...

Amazing show.

 

[Vuce]

If I remember correctly I think the lead writer was actually a crime reporter for the Baltimore Sun who retired so he could write the script.

Yes. David Simon was a crime reporter for the Sun. He wrote a book called Homicide Life on the Killing Streets or something like that. I read the book and it’s very good. The tv show Homicide: Life on the Street on NBC in the early 90s was based on the book. That was a very good show too for network TV. Simon then pitched The Wire to HBO after that and away he went

 

[8893]

Yes. David Simon was a crime reporter for the Sun. He wrote a book called Homicide Life on the Killing Streets or something like that. I read the book and it’s very good. The tv show Homicide: Life on the Street on NBC in the early 90s was based on the book. That was a very good show too for network TV. Simon then pitched The Wire to HBO after that and away he went

I wonder when his love affair with New Orleans music started. It was clearly already present when he did "The Wire," long before "Treme." The Nevilles did the theme song for season three, and I've been increasingly noticing New Orleans music in the background. Last night during episode three of season four they were playing the Wild Magnolias and Meters during the poker game Marlo was playing in. I loved it but it didn't ring true to me.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Yes. David Simon was a crime reporter for the Sun. He wrote a book called Homicide Life on the Killing Streets or something like that. I read the book and it’s very good. The tv show Homicide: Life on the Street on NBC in the early 90s was based on the book. That was a very good show too for network TV. Simon then pitched The Wire to HBO after that and away he went

He did a miniseries for HBO called The Corner, which is also West Baltimore-focused and based on a book of his, first. Also good but much more limited in scope.

 

[superjohn]

Yes. David Simon was a crime reporter for the Sun. He wrote a book called Homicide Life on the Killing Streets or something like that. I read the book and it’s very good. The tv show Homicide: Life on the Street on NBC in the early 90s was based on the book. That was a very good show too for network TV. Simon then pitched The Wire to HBO after that and away he went

Loved Homicide, when I lived in Jersey after college I used to see Andre Braugher all the time at the local deli.

 

[superjohn]

He did a miniseries for HBO called The Corner, which is also West Baltimore-focused and based on a book of his, first. Also good but much more limited in scope.

The kid Sean Nelson was great on The Corner and the movie Fresh. Thought he would be a bigtime actor but all I've seen him in is a cell phone commercial.

 

[MDHuskFan]

The Wire, as a MD’er is one of my favorite shows, just cause how home it hits. I make it a semi-annual thing to binge watch it seems. That being said, top 5 trying to not ruin it is as follows.

Michael- his character transformation through the show was extremely compelling.

Omar-Another guy who had a complex character. For a guy who handled himself in that way, he had a loveable/likability

Barksdale/Marlo- street dudes who just wanted to be that.

Bunk-just for the humor factor

Prop Joe-the more you watch, the more important his role seems in the show. Specifically re-watching it


OT
OT- Duquan has is prob the most lovable/sad character in the show. (Trying to not say to much.

Least favorite character- Anyone from or associated with the docks.

It’s so hard to make a list, mainly cause I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show have SO many impact roles, add and remove characters at this frequency, but never feel disorganized or scattered.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Duquan has is prob the most lovable/sad character in the show. (Trying to not say to much.

I watched Season 4 dreading whatever fate had in store for that kid. Just a kid who was duck___ by life from jump street.

 

[DayDayTFS]

haven’t read all the thread yet but this is great timing... I’m in the middle of season 3 for like the 10th time. One of the best shows ever

 

[UConnStats]

1. Omar. You come at the King, you best not miss.
2. Jimmy McNulty. Just a great "guy you love to hate" character. Such a jerk of a person, such a great cop.
3. Bubbles. I don't know, for the life of me, how this guy was never a bigger star.
4. Avon Barksdale. Stringer had bigger plans, Avon just wanted to run the corners.
5. Slim Charles. Would love Slim Charles as my right hand guy. "That was for Joe" is my favorite line of the series.

Worst character: Brother Mouzzone or Cutty.

Worst is Ziggy for me. I know it was intentional but he suuuuuucked

 

[methodology]

I wouldn't read John's list too carefully if you're still in 4.

This thread is a good idea. I'm wracking my brain, but in the meantime I was thinking about this scene from one of the opening eps of season 3, the "Omar and Brother Mouzone in the alley" scene, which is one of my favorites from the whole series.

[Omar is walking down a dark alley at night, carrying his bag and whistling. Suddenly, he hears the click of a gun being cocked behind him]

Brother Mouzone : [offscreen] That's far enough. Drop your laundry and turn slowly.

[Omar drops his bag]

Omar : So you gonna rob me now. I need to remind you who I am?

Brother Mouzone : Omar, isn't it?

[Omar turns, revealing Brother Mouzone, pointing a pistol at him]

Brother Mouzone : Pull it slowly, then toss it.

Omar : [slowly reaching for his own pistol] Oh, I WILL move slow. But I ain't tossin' nothin'... Bow Tie. So whatever you gonna do, you might as well go ahead and make it quick. I knew you'd come back.

Brother Mouzone : I trust you didn't lose sleep over it.

Omar : Worryin' about you be like wonderin' if the sun gonna come up. Ain't about to wild out over it. What I wanna know is how you find me.

Brother Mouzone : Your boy. He didn't give you up easy.

Omar : Ain't no sugar water runnin' through them veins. You kill him?

Brother Mouzone : He's resting.

[Omar slowly pulls his gun out of his belt]

Brother Mouzone : I see you favor a .45.

Omar : Tonight I do. And I keeps one in the chamber, in case you ponderin'. Nice show piece you got there.

Brother Mouzone : Walther PPK, .380, double action.

Omar : [slowly raising his gun so Mouzone can see it] Hear them Walthers like to jump some.

Brother Mouzone : As will you, with one in your elbow.

Omar : That gun ain't got enough firepower to make my joint useless. It definitely won't stop me from emptyin' out half my mag.

Brother Mouzone : You might not hit me.

Omar : [chuckling] This range? And this caliber? Even if I miss, I can't miss.

Brother Mouzone : I admire a man with confidence.

Omar : [slowly leveling his gun, aiming it at Mouzone's chest] I don't see no sweat on your brow neither, bruh.

[long pause as the two men silently regard each other from across the alley]

Brother Mouzone : I suppose we could stand here all night.

Omar : 'Spose we could. Or settle this once and forever.

[another pause, then Mouzone releases the hammer on his gun and lowers it]

Brother Mouzone : I want to ask you something... brother.

[Omar lowers his gun]

Omar : Omar listenin'.

My favorite scene in the series.

Real respect real

 

[MDHuskFan]

I watched Season 4 dreading whatever fate had in store for that kid. Just a kid who was duck___ by life from jump street.

Pm when you’re done

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Pm when you’re done

Oh man I've probably watched it front to back 10 or 12 times. (With the exception of Season 5, which is fine, but #5 of 5 in my estimation.)

 

[Giscombe12]

As great as The Wire is the first time, it's even better on repeat viewings. It's the Kemba of TV dramas.

My list would change daily but Omar will always be at the top.