The Wire(2002)

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8.6(2,861)5 seasonsJune 2, 2002Ended

Synopsis

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.

Created by David Simon

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Where to watch The Wire

Availability in US · data from JustWatch via TMDB

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Trailer

Cast

Dominic West

Jimmy McNulty

Lance Reddick

Cedric Daniels

Sonja Sohn

Kima Greggs

Wendell Pierce

Bunk Moreland

Michael Kenneth Williams

Omar Little

Deirdre Lovejoy

Rhonda Pearlman

Andre Royo

Bubbles

John Doman

William Rawls

Clarke Peters

Lester Freamon

Jamie Hector

Marlo Stanfield

Aidan Gillen

Tommy Carcetti

Seth Gilliam

Ellis Carver

Domenick Lombardozzi

Herc Hauk

Corey Parker Robinson

Leander Sydnor

Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Clay Davis

Michael Kostroff

Maury Levy

Reg E. Cathey

Norman Wilson

Clark Johnson

Augustus Haynes

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Seasons

Season 1

13 episodes · 2002

On the drug-infested streets of West Baltimore, there are good guys and there are bad guys. Sometimes you need more than a badge to tell them apart. Season 1 follows a single sprawling drug and murder investigation in Baltimore — one that culminates in a complex series of dangerous wiretaps and surveillance.

Season 2

12 episodes · 2003

McNulty's on harbor patrol. Daniels is in the police-archives dungeon. Prez is chafing in the suburbs. Greggs has a desk job. The detail may be on ice, but corruption marches on . . . and a horrific discovery is about to turn the Baltimore shipping port inside out. Setting up in the wake of the first season's joint homicide/narcotics detail that exposed a major drug operation — and left its members stigmatized and reassigned — the second season expands to include not only familiar drug dealers, but a group of longshoremen and organized crime members who are caught up in a major homicide case.

Season 3

12 episodes · 2004

The heat is on in Baltimore. The drug war is being lost, bodies are piling up, and a desperate mayor wants the tide turned before the election. But the police department hasn't got any answers. Wiretaps haven’t worked. Neither have stakeouts or street busts. With the demolition of the Franklin Terrace towers, Stringer Bell and the Barksdale crew have been forced to improvise. But no matter how hard McNulty and the detail try, the dealers always seem to be one step ahead of the game. It’s time to change the rules.

Season 4

13 episodes · 2006

In the projects. On the docks. In City Hall. And now, in the schools. The places and faces change, but the game remains the same. A new story begins. This year, while expanding on storylines introduced in previous seasons — including the new vocations of several characters, the rise of a new drug empire, and the city's imminent mayoral election — the series expands its focus into Baltimore's school system, providing an inside look at the role of the urban educational system in shaping young people's lives. This storyline is played out through four new young characters, each of whom faces difficult choices amidst the temptation of crime and easy money.

Season 5

10 episodes · 2008

In the projects. On the docks. In City Hall. In the schools. And now, in the media. The places and faces change, but the game remains the same. In the fifth — and final — season, the series expands its focus into the media — specifically the role of newspapers in big-city bureaucracy — as it follows a newspaper staff as they struggle to maintain integrity and meet deadlines in the face of budget cuts and staff reductions.

The Wire — frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Wire?+

The Wire is available to stream on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and Fandango At Home. Availability varies by country and changes over time.

When did The Wire come out?+

The Wire was first aired in 2002.

How many seasons of The Wire are there?+

The Wire has 5 seasons and 60 episodes in total.

Who created The Wire?+

The Wire was created by David Simon.

Who stars in The Wire?+

The Wire stars Dominic West, Lance Reddick, Sonja Sohn, Wendell Pierce and Michael Kenneth Williams.

Is The Wire worth watching?+

The Wire holds a 8.6/10 rating from 2,861 TMDB users, and is best suited to fans of crime and drama.

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The Wire(2002)

Synopsis

Where to watch The Wire

Stream

Buy

Trailer

Cast

Seasons

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

The Wire — frequently asked questions

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