The Wire
Season 1
13 episodes
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S01E01 The Target
Homicide detective Jimmy McNulty observes the murder trial of a mid-level drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale, and sees the prosecution's star witness recant her testimony. McNulty recognises drug king-pin Stringer Bell in the court room and believes he has manipulated the proceedings, so he circumvents the chain-of-command by talking to the judge, Daniel Phelan, who then places pressure on the police department to investigate the Barksdale drug-dealing organization, which, McNulty claims, has gotten away with ten murders in the last year. D'Angelo is welcomed home by his uncle, Barksdale patriarch, Avon, who is frustrated with him for placing himself in a situation where the police could charge him. Nevertheless, Avon allows him to return to work, but in what D'Angelo sees as a demotion, he is moved to a low-rise housing project known as "the pit." Meanwhile, homeless drug addict Bubbles, acts as mentor to another addict, Johnny Weeks, in an ill-conceived scam with severe consequences.
Pilot note — From the desk: The Wire opens its catalog run with “The Target” (2002-06-02). Novelistic TV as critic-proof scripture (and slow-burn cult). Low ratings vs. towering reputation — the original 'you had to be there later' flex.
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S01E02 The Detail
The witness who testified against D'Angelo is killed and the Barksdale organization is suspected. In light of Phelan's pressure, a detail is formed to investigate their activity in the towers and the pit. However, the detail's lieutenant, Cedric Daniels, is concerned with the quality of the team assigned by Deputy Ops. Ervin Burrell, while McNulty is concerned with the department's plan for the investigation, believing the approach of "buy busts" won't get them anywhere near the high-ranking members of the organization. The operation begins with Daniels' protégé Kima Greggs using Bubbles to identify who's who on the street. Meanwhile, McNulty and his partner, Bunk, try an unusual interrogation approach with D'Angelo, while Burrell tries to keep the death of the witness out of the press. Later, Daniels' suspicions about his team prove correct when an unauthorized late night foray into the towers by Herc, Carver and Prez goes awry.
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S01E03 The Buys
"The king stay the king." - D'AngeloAfter early morning "field interviews" conducted by Herc, Carver and Prez lead to a minor riot and bad publicity for the police, Daniels gets called in by the Deputy Commissioner. McNulty sends Mahone and Polk to the terrace to get a photo of Avon Barksdale. They come up short but soft- spoken Freamon comes through with an old photo from Barksdale's boxing days. McNulty and Greggs visit FBI agent Fitzhugh to try and obtain some surveillance equipment. D'Angelo delivers the daily count to Stringer Bell who in turn, gives D'Angelo a bonus. Later, while Bodie and D'Angelo wait for the new supply to arrive, D'Angelo offers to get food. While he's gone Bodie, Stinkum and the crew go to retrieve the new supply only renegade dealer Omar and his crew get there and steal the drugs for themselves. The next day D'Angelo gets chewed out by Wee Bey -- a Barksdale enforcer -- for not being around when the incident happened. After getting chided by his superiors, Lieutenant Daniels mobilizes the team to raid "The Pit". Bodie hits one of the detectives while getting arrested and the rest of the officers proceed to beat Bodie. McNulty secretly meets with agent Fitzhugh who tells him to watch out for Lieutenant Daniels -- who might be on the take.
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S01E04 Old Cases
Bodie wakes up from his injuries in a Washington, D.C. juvenile detention center and manages to escape just before Herc and Carver arrive to interrogate him. Avon discusses the loss of the pit's stash with his enforcers and marks Omar and his crew for death. McNulty and his partner from homicide Bunk Moreland investigate an old murder that may be related to D'Angelo.
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S01E05 The Pager
Avon Barksdale Avon becomes more and more suspicious, he orders Wee-Bey to change phone lines in his apartment and promotes Stinkum to manage a new territory. He gets word that one of Omar's crew members has been "got". Stringer Bell warns D'Angelo that a snitch may be in his camp. The detectives get their affidavit approved for a cloned pager but they are puzzled when the numbers they receive are not regular Baltimore phone numbers.. Herc and Carver catch up with Bodie and attempt to interrogate him.
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S01E06 The Wire
"...and all the pieces matter." - Freamon Brandon's bloodied body is discovered in the pit. Wallace gets even more unsettled about the situation after Avon rewards him for his part in Brandon's murder. The detail gets a wiretap running. Daniels clashes with homicide Major William Rawls over their approach to the evidence they have gathered thus far.
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S01E07 One Arrest
"A man must have a code." - Bunk Using information from the wiretap Detectives Greggs, Herc, Carver, and Sydnor catch a runner on his way to the pit with a re-supply. Avon worries about a possible snitch and Stringer confounds the detail's investigative efforts by cautiously instructing his people to stop using payphones. Rawls pressures his detective in the detail for information on their case.
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S01E08 Lessons
"Come at the king, you best not miss." - Omar McNulty uses his children to tail Stringer after a chance encounter in a local market. Greggs and Carver arrest a driver picking up a large amount of cash from the Towers from known gang members, but are forced to return the money when the driver's political connections to Senator Clay Davis are revealed. Daniels discusses his problems following the money trail with his wife Marla.
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S01E09 Game Day
"Maybe we won." - Herc Freamon gets Sydnor and Prez started on the Barksdale money trail. Omar gives East side kingpin Proposition Joe a stolen package for the opportunity to parley with him. Avon and Proposition Joe host an East side vs. West side basketball game, giving the detectives the first glimpse of their elusive target. Omar attempts to kill Avon, but is himself wounded.
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S01E10 The Cost
"And then he dropped the bracelets..." - Greggs After being clean for three days, Bubbles gets some strong advice from a former addict. Avon and Stringer tighten up ship following Omar's attempted hit on Avon. The detail identifies a major Barksdale stash house and an undercover operation has terrible consequences. Omar and Stringer Bell meet for a parley.
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S01E11 The Hunt
"Dope on the damn table." - Daniels While Greggs' life hangs in the balance, Daniels is ordered to raid the Barksdale operation. The detail's hand is forced and a series of city-wide raids and arrests are made to appease the Commissioner's desire for "dope on the table". Bubbles unwittingly implicates himself in the shooting.
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S01E12 Cleaning Up
"This is me, yo, right here." - Wallace Avon and Stringer meet with their attorney, Maurice Levy, to discuss a potential leak in the wake of the raids. Wallace goes back to the pit and asks to be let back in but Stringer has another plan. With the loss of their wiretaps the detail takes a fresh approach and installs a camera in Avon's club. They catch Avon discussing a drug run with D'Angelo and arrest him en route.
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S01E13 Sentencing
"all in the game..." - Traditional, West Baltimore Daniels and McNulty's evidence of political corruption is of slight interest to the FBI, but the unit decides not to turn over the case to the FBI, but to pursue other directions, so that those involved in the drug trade are arrested or taken off the street. Daniels and McNulty face the ire of their superiors for flouting orders for a quick resolution to the case. D'Angelo is convinced to stand with his family after a visit from his mother. The detail has enough information to arrest Avon and many of his people but Stringer is left on the street. Business resumes in the pit with Bodie and Poot leading the way.
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