10 Best The Wire Episodes, Ranked

The Wire is commonly considered one of the greatest shows ever made, with some episodes standing out as the best. The series explores urban life in Baltimore through various facets, including the police department, criminal activity, politics, education system, and media, chronicling how they intertwine surrounding the show’s characters. David Simon, a police reporter turned screenwriter crafted the series with unbelievable authenticity and sensitivity, offering one of the most realistic looks at city life and crime that television has seen.

The Wire is not only one of the greatest shows ever, but it’s also one of the most important works of art in the television medium, exploring timeless issues about American society. HBO may not have gotten a commercial hit or award-winning juggernaut from David Simon, but they did produce a profound piece of work that’s left a lasting impact on the television landscape. From season premieres to season finales, from character deaths to profound moments of catharsis, certain episodes bring out the best in The Wire.

10 Port In A Storm

Season 2, Episode 12

The season 2 finale reiterates much of the same ideas as season 1, with Major Crimes failing to apprehend any notable criminals as the Greek escapes the scene, avoiding arrest. The Greek is a fascinating supporting character in The Wire who would show up again on multiple occasions, always shrouded in mystery, adding a layer of intrigue to the season’s bleak conclusion. The port arc isn’t the most beloved, but it importantly shows the struggles of the working class and unions and how they’re roped into crime as well.

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9 Sentencing

Season 1, Episode 13

Season 1 is one of the best seasons of The Wire, focusing primarily on narcotics and the difficulties of forming a case on organized crime with limited funding. The penultimate episode, “Cleaning Up,” sees hard work and ingenuity pay off, as McNulty, Daniels, and the rest of the unit have finally apprehended Avon Barksdale. “Sentencing” sees them trying to figure out how to prosecute, and it’s not pretty. Despite all the effort put into arresting Baltimore’s most dangerous criminal, Stringer Bell is still running the organization, Wee-Bey confesses to every murder (in an incredible scene), and Avon will be back on the street in no time.

8 Margin Of Error

Season 4, Episode 6

The mayoral campaign is one of the most important arcs in The Wire, exploring the difficult decisions politicians have to make to balance being funded and making progress. “Margin of Error” sees Tommy Carcetti finally elected as the Mayor of Baltimore, with Aidan Gillen giving one of his best performances as the character. The episode also has a great contribution from Clay Davis that sets up his relationship with the new mayor and the direction of his storyline into season 5.

7 Mission Accomplished

Season 3, Episode 12

In the season 3 finale, characters are once again left to ponder the impact of their actions. Bunny Colvin has spent the whole season on his Hamsterdam experiment and is left to wonder if it was worthwhile following its dismantling. Following Stringer Bell’s death, McNulty is also forced to reckon with the man he’s spent years chasing, finding a dead end once again. “Mission Accomplished” caps off the spectacular storytelling of season 3, exploring ideas about change and reform.

6 Clarifications

Season 5, Episode 8

“Clarifications” deserves to be mentioned for one fantastic scene in particular, which is the shocking death of Omar Little. Omar had been surviving against all odds for the entire series, making his death a likely possibility with him returning to Baltimore at odds with Marlo Stanfield. But the manner in which Omar is killed is shocking, with the episode and scene offering no indicators of what was about to happen.

5 Bad Dreams

Season 2, Episode 11

Season 2 isn’t considered the best season of The Wire, mainly due to its departures from season 1, but the new characters are easy to grow attached to. “Bad Dreams” sees the culmination of Frank Sobotka’s efforts to protect his family and those around him, resulting in his inevitable death, and he’s in way over his head. Frank is one of The Wire’s greatest characters, making his departure as a tragic hero one of the more somber, emotional moments of the series.

4 -30-

Season 5, Episode 10

The Wire season 5 wasn’t the best, primarily due to the McNulty serial-killer arc which many viewers found to be too far-fetched for the show. However, the show’s finale makes a powerful and necessary statement that shows what the series is all about. Rather than a major victory, many of the efforts characters have made to better the city have resulted in failures. Marlo Stanfield is back on the streets, Scott Templeton is collecting an award, and Duquan is an addict. It’s a bleak ending which suggests that the system is rigged, and that’s the whole point. The issues The Wire examines are bigger than any cast of characters.

3 Boys Of Summer

Season 4, Episode 1

Season 4 took The Wire in a new direction, deciding to explore the characters at a local school, resulting in less time spent on the ongoing investigation. It’s an offbeat season where McNulty is gone for several episodes and doesn’t have much to do, but The Wire is bigger than any one character or storyline. “Boys of Summer” introduces four boys, Michael, Namond, Randy, and Duke, who don’t realize they’re about to embark on a pivotal year of their lives. Throughout the season, these middle schoolers will be pushed and pulled in different directions, making their introductory episode with their youthful innocence a bitter-sweet piece of television.

2 Final Grades

Season 4, Episode 13

The Wire has some spectacular finales, and “Final Grades” sees the conclusion of the middle school boys’ arcs, with each of them moving forward in their lives in drastically different directions. On top of the emotional conclusions to their stories, the episode also sees the fatal ending of Bodie, another character who was introduced as a child and found himself entangled in the drug business. The season 4 finale also sees Bubbles reaching his lowest point, as the death of Sherrod causes him to attempt suicide. Luckily he’s saved and begins on a path to sobriety that would carry out through season 5.

1 Middle Ground

Season 3, Episode 11

The scene between Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale is one of the perfect moments in The Wire, watching two friends reminisce about old times as they both begin to realize a permanent wedge has been placed between them. Their duality had created captivating drama in season 3, but at this moment they push aside everything for a simple conversation about their childhoods. It highlights the best of what The Wire is, allowing two characters to have a candid conversation with serious implications and filling it with so much emotion. “Middle Ground” sees the end of Stringer Bell’s arc, as he’s sold out to Omar and Brother Mouzone and executed.