The Wire (season 2)

The second season of the television series The Wire of 12 episodes first aired in the United States on HBO in 2003 from June 1 to August 24. It introduces the stevedores of the Port of Baltimore and an international organized crime operation led by a figure known only as The Greek and continues the story with the drug-dealing Barksdale crew and the Baltimore Police Department who featured in season one. While continuing the series' central themes of dysfunctional institutions and the societal effects of the drug trade, the second season also explores the decline of the American working class, and the hardship its members endure during the transition from an industrial to post-industrial society.

The Wire
Season 2
DVD cover
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes12
Release
Original networkHBO
Original releaseJune 1 (2003-06-01) –
August 24, 2003 (2003-08-24)
Season chronology

It was released as a five-disc DVD boxed set in January 2005.

Summary

The second season continued to follow the police and those involved with the Barksdale drug-dealing organization. The returning cast included Dominic West as Officer Jimmy McNulty,[1] whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems continued to overshadow his ability.[2] Lance Reddick reprised his role as Lieutenant Cedric Daniels, who was sidelined because of his placement of case over career, but used his political acumen to regain some status.[3][4] Sonja Sohn played Kima Greggs, who had transferred to a desk job, but could not resist the lure of a good case.[5][6] Deirdre Lovejoy continued as assistant state's attorney Rhonda Pearlman, the legal liaison between the detail and the courthouse.[7][8]

Wood Harris and Larry Gilliard, Jr. reprised their roles as newly incarcerated drug dealers Avon and D'Angelo Barksdale.[9][10][11][12] Idris Elba's character Stringer Bell took over the operations of the Barksdale Organization.[13][14] Andre Royo returned as Bubbles, who continued to indulge his drug addiction and act as an occasional informant.[15][16]

The police were overseen by two commanding officers who are concerned with politics and promoting their own careers: Colonel William Rawls (John Doman) and Acting Commissioner Ervin Burrell (Frankie Faison).[17][18][19][20] Wendell Pierce portrayed homicide detective Bunk Moreland, who became more involved with the core case.[21][22] Previously recurring guest star Clarke Peters joined the starring cast and his character, veteran detective Lester Freamon, joined the homicide unit as Moreland's new partner.[23][24]

The new season also introduced a further group of characters working in the Baltimore port area, including Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos (Paul Ben-Victor),[25] Beadie Russell (Amy Ryan),[26] and Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer).[27] Vondas was the underboss of a global smuggling operation,[28] Russell an inexperienced Port Authority officer and single mother thrown in at the deep end of a multiple homicide investigation,[29] and Sobotka a union leader who turned to crime in order to raise funds to save his union.[30]

Also joining the show in season two were recurring characters Nick Sobotka (Pablo Schreiber), Frank's nephew;[31][32] Ziggy Sobotka (James Ransone), Frank's troubled son;[33][34] and "The Greek" (Bill Raymond), Vondas' mysterious boss.[35][36]

Returning guest stars included: Jim True-Frost as Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski;[37] Seth Gilliam as newly promoted Sergeant Ellis Carver;[38][39] Domenick Lombardozzi as errant Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk;[40][41] J.D. Williams as Barksdale crew chief Bodie Broadus;[42][43] and Michael K. Williams as renowned stick-up man Omar Little.[44][45]

Cast

Main cast

Episodes
See also: List of The Wire episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
141"Ebb Tide"Ed BianchiStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 1, 2003 (2003-06-01)4.43[46]
"Ain't never gonna be what it was." – Little Big Roy
Jimmy McNulty is sidelined to harbor patrol. He discovers a corpse in the harbor and pays back Colonel Rawls by proving City Homicide bear responsibility for the investigation. Major Valchek feels slighted when the boss of a local stevedore union named Frank Sobotka donates a more impressive gift to a local Polish church. Sobotka meets with other union leaders and learns that a crucial pier is still in a state of disrepair. Sobotka instructs his nephew Nick to see The Greek regarding payment for a clandestine container that he is smuggling through the port. Later, Port Police Officer "Beadie" Russell stumbles across The Greek's container and discovers the bodies of over a dozen young women inside.[47]
152"Collateral Damage"Ed BianchiStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 8, 2003 (2003-06-08)3.50[48]
"They can chew you up, but they gotta spit you out." – McNulty
Officer Russell is assigned the murders of the thirteen women discovered in the cargo container. McNulty offers to help and again ensures that the case goes back to Rawls' homicide department. Valchek strikes a deal with Acting Commissioner Burrell—in return for supporting Burrell in his aspirations for promotion, Valchek demands Burrell set up a detail to investigate Sobotka and his union. Sobotka, angry at not being informed of the container's contents, considers cutting his ties with The Greek and demands a meeting. "Horseface" complains of sudden police pressure to Sobotka and the two come up with a plan to further embarrass Valchek. In prison, Avon Barksdale's relationship with his nephew D'Angelo begins to sour. Bodie Broadus finds that the new shipment of drugs for the Barksdale Organization is missing.[49]
163"Hot Shots"Elodie KeeneStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		June 15, 2003 (2003-06-15)2.64[50]
"What they need is a union." – Russell
Nick is concerned over how he is to provide for his girlfriend and their daughter. He joins his errant cousin Ziggy and other dock workers to steal containers for Spiros Vondas and The Greek. Avon confers with Stringer Bell about troubles with their drug supply and D'Angelo's growing distance. Frank Sobotka attempts to court political favor in order to fulfill his hopes for the regeneration of the docks. Omar Little signs up some new partners in crime. At the request of Wee-Bey, Avon deals with an abusive prison officer who also deals drugs to inmates. His methods horrify D'Angelo.[51]
174"Hard Cases"Elodie KeeneStory by : David Simon & Joy Lusco
Teleplay by : Joy Lusco		June 22, 2003 (2003-06-22)4.33[52]
"If I hear the music, I'm gonna dance." – Greggs
D'Angelo confronts Avon about the bad package and washes his hands of the business. Avon brokers a deal to give up the prison officer for a reduction in his sentence. Valchek specifically requests Lieutenant Daniels for the Sobotka investigation. Daniels negotiates with Burrell and secures the promise of his own major crimes unit after the Sobotka investigation ends. Sobotka chastises his son and nephew about their unauthorized smuggling deal with the Greeks; he defends his own illicit deals as a means toward regenerating the ailing dockyard. Ziggy continues to enjoy his new-found wealth. McNulty takes a personal interest in identifying one of the murdered women and is pressured to find Omar for Bunk Moreland.[53]
185"Undertow"Steve ShillStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : Ed Burns		June 29, 2003 (2003-06-29)3.62[54]
"They used to make steel there, no?" – Spiros Vondas
Ziggy's inability to pay a package of drugs costs him his Camaro and nearly his life as he falls foul of East side dealers. Seeing his cousin in danger, Nick attempts to parley with one of the dealers but discovers that they have torched Ziggy's car. Daniels sends his detail out for some hand-to-hands as they half-heartedly step up their investigation of the docks. Officer Russell gets information from one of the workers she used to have a relationship with who indicates that the union computer may be useful in tracking containers. Sobotka's frustration with the Greeks begins to grow as he is once again denied a meeting with their boss, remaining defiant even when his payment for smuggling each container is tripled. Donette visits D'Angelo and tells him that he is being supported; D'Angelo remains cynical. The Barksdale family's drug trade continues to falter because of supply problems.[55]
196"All Prologue"Steve ShillStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		July 6, 2003 (2003-07-06)4.11[56]
"It don't matter that some fool say he different..." – D'Angelo
The detail continues to look for the source of the union's money and begin to monitor container movements. Detective Greggs tracks down a lead on the murdered girls. Stringer, concerned over D'Angelo's distancing from the organization, goes behind Avon's back to deal with the problem once and for all. Nick requests help from the Greeks to solve Ziggy's problems. As Sobotka outlines his plans for the docks, several of his union colleagues express suspicion at the source of his income. Omar emerges from hiding to testify against Bird.[57]
207"Backwash"Thomas J. WrightStory by : David Simon & Rafael Alvarez
Teleplay by : Rafael Alvarez		July 13, 2003 (2003-07-13)N/A
"Don't worry, kid. You're still on the clock." – Horseface
Rawls attempts to persuade Daniels to take the Jane Doe homicides but is unsuccessful. Lester Freamon and Russell continue to study the docks' traffic using their cloned computer, and suspect irregularities in containers handled by "Horseface". They track a container back to the Greeks' warehouse. They watch the warehouse and see Sergei Malatov meeting with Proposition Joe. Stringer discusses a business deal with Proposition Joe to revitalize the Barksdale organization, but Avon turns it down flat. D'Angelo's funeral brings together the Barksdale Organization.[58]
218"Duck and Cover"Dan AttiasStory by : David Simon & George Pelecanos
Teleplay by : George Pelecanos		July 27, 2003 (2003-07-27)3.64[59]
"How come they don't fly away?" – Ziggy
McNulty deals with the disappointment of his failed reconciliation with his wife by returning to his old drinking and womanizing habits while falling further into depression. The detail closes in on Sergei Malatov when they track his cell phone through his truck rental paperwork. Concerned about the union's finances, Sobotka decides to pay the bills and discovers that his cell phone account was flagged so as to not have service disconnected. Becoming paranoid, he smuggles a container without contraband to see the results, and his suspicions solidify when the Port Police pull the container over (Russell had phoned them asking for a short delay so the detail could arrange a tail of the truck). Frank and Nick visit the diner to meet with The Greek; The Greek tells him to deliver more disappeared but clean containers to the shut down warehouse as suspicions mount about possible interest from the police. With his business faltering, Bodie moves his crew into new territory.[60]
229"Stray Rounds"Tim Van PattenStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		August 3, 2003 (2003-08-03)3.04[61]
"The world is a smaller place now." – The Greek
The detail is dismayed at the lack of activity from their subjects and realizes that they must be changing their operating procedure. Nick moves higher in the underworld when Vondas allows him to wholesale drugs on their behalf. On the new drug corner they commandeered from their rivals Bodie and crew are involved in a shootout that kills a child. Rawls greets Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin at the scene of the shooting; Colvin disapproves of Rawls' counter-strategy of large-scale strike operations through the Western District. Stringer meets with Proposition Joe behind Avon's back to discuss turning over some West side territory in exchange for a cut of the Greeks' drugs. Avon complicates Stringer's attempted betrayal by hiring feared hitman Brother Mouzone to drive off rival dealers.[62]
2310"Storm Warnings"Rob BaileyStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : Ed Burns		August 10, 2003 (2003-08-10)3.51[63]
"It pays to go with the union card every time." – Ziggy
Ethnic tension over the next union secretary continues to build; Sobotka still plans to run contrary to a long-standing gentlemen's agreement. Ziggy steals four new cars from the docks and fences three to Glekas who double-crosses Ziggy by halving his original cut. Ziggy in a rage shoots a young Greek employee and kills Glekas. He remains outside the warehouse to turn himself in. Nick is the first to learn of his cousin's arrest and after facing the wrath of his uncle, drowns his sorrows in a local park. The detail uses satellite technology to its advantage but meets a setback as Valchek turns over control of the investigation to the FBI. Bodie is pleased with the new supply of drugs, but unhappy that Proposition Joe's nephew Cheese is on his turf. Cheese is wounded by Brother Mouzone, further complicating relations between Stringer and Proposition Joe.[64]
2411"Bad Dreams"Ernest DickersonStory by : David Simon & George Pelecanos
Teleplay by : George Pelecanos		August 17, 2003 (2003-08-17)3.70[65]
"I need to get clean." – Sobotka
Stringer manipulates Omar into pursuing Brother Mouzone. Omar shoots Mouzone and then leaves him alive having realized his mistake. The detail serves warrants on the targets of their investigation. A raid of Nick's home turns up large amounts of cash and heroin but Nick himself escapes arrest. Frank Sobotka is arrested when the FBI storms the union offices. Valchek ensures the press is there to see Sobotka embarrassed in a perp walk. Sobotka agrees to work with the investigation into the Greeks in exchange for leniency for Nick and Ziggy. In the wake of the arrests the Greeks decide to cut their losses and leave Baltimore. Vondas lures Sobotka into danger by offering him a meeting with The Greek and a promise to help Nick and Ziggy. The Greek receives warning of Sobotka's plan from a contact in the FBI.[66]
2512"Port in a Storm"Robert F. ColesberryStory by : David Simon & Ed Burns
Teleplay by : David Simon		August 24, 2003 (2003-08-24)4.48[67]
"Business. Always business." – The Greek
The stevedores gather for work as a floating corpse is pulled from the water. Once it is ashore, they all recognize the body as Frank Sobotka. The Greek opts to stop pursuing Nick because the police are on his heels, and walks away from Baltimore. The FBI visits the union hall and tells them that they need to change their leadership or face decertification. The union remains loyal and seals the destruction of their future. Urban reform begins to hit Baltimore as the docks undergo construction. Omar vows revenge against Stringer. Stringer cements his deal with Proposition Joe now that Mouzone is out of the way. Bubbles is arrested and alerts Greggs and McNulty to the relationship between Proposition Joe and Stringer Bell in exchange for his release.[68]

Reception

On Metacritic, the second season achieved an aggregate score of 95 out of 100, indicating universal acclaim.[69]

Awards and nominations

20th TCA Awards

  • Nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Drama

References
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