The Wire: Season 2

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Universal acclaim based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 410 Ratings

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9.0

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9.0	User Score Universal acclaim based on 410 Ratings

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The Wire: Season 2

Now Playing: The Wire: Season 2

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: June 1, 2003

Starring: Lance Reddick, John Doman, Chris Bauer

Summary: In chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern KentuckyIn chronicling a multi-generational family business dealing illegal drugs and the efforts of the Baltimore police to curb their trade, this series draws parallels between these organizations and the men and women on either side of the battle.The words of Gary W. Potter, Professor of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at Eastern Kentucky University, in writing about the savings and loan scandals of the 1980s, can also be used to illuminate some of the central premises of the show:"There is precious little difference between those people who society designates as respectable and law abiding and those people society castigates as hoodlums and thugs. The world of corporate finance and corporate capital is as criminogenic and probably more criminogenic than any poverty-wracked slum neighborhood. The distinctions drawn between business, politics, and organized crime are at best artificial and in reality irrelevant. Rather than being dysfunctions, corporate crime, white-collar crime, organized crime, and political corruption are mainstays of American political-economic life."Tim Goodman, the television critic for The San Francisco Chronicle, summed the show up perfectly when he wrote: "This show is precisely the reason you pay for HBO."In New York's Newsday, Diane Werts says: "Most TV crime series aspire to John Grisham's level. 'The Wire' aspires to Dostoevsky's."Season ThemesSeason One centers around a family of drug dealers and the innerworkings of their empire. It also follows the detectives who are trying to catch the high members of the empire. Season Two steps away from the drug trade (while still mentioning characters from the previous season) to a case of dead prostitutes which turns into a look at the corruption surrounding the Port. Season Three investigates politics and finishes the main stories that were left open in season one. Season Four focuses on four middle school students and their journeys through the public school system and continues to address the politics of an inner-city and the issues of an election. Season Five is rumored to be about the media's role in Baltimore. Season Five will be the show's final season.Theme MusicIn the Season One opening credits, the Blind Boys of Alabama did Tom Waits's "Way Down in the Hole". The Season Two opening credits feature Waits's version of the song. According to creator David Simon, "It was our way of saying: This is the same show (song) but this year, the tale itself (singer, tonality) will be different." The Neville Brothers's version of the song opens Season Three. The theme which plays over the end credits was composed by the show's music supervisor, Blake Leyh.

International AiringsAustralia -- Monday at 12:00 p.m. on Ch.9. Currently airing Season 3.
New Zealand -- Wednesday at 11:40 p.m. on TV2, beginning December 15, 2004.… Expand

Creator: David Simon (II)

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 2 Episodes

tbd
S2:E12. Port in a Storm
Air Date: August 24, 2003
tbd
S2:E11. Bad Dreams
Air Date: August 17, 2003
tbd
S2:E10. Storm Warnings
Air Date: August 10, 2003

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Alan Sepinwall

Jul 18, 2013

What Simon is doing with "The Wire" - besides crafting arguably the most realistic cop show ever - is taking the narrative style of books and translating it to television. ... By itself, it raises TV's collective IQ at least a few points. [29 May 2003]

100

Bill Goodykoontz

Jul 18, 2013

It's flat-out brilliant. [1 Jun 2003]

100

Robert Bianco

Jul 18, 2013

The Wire, while brilliant,is not exactly user-friendly. Attention is required, but the series more than repays the time and effort invested. Read full review

100

Joanne Ostrow

Jul 18, 2013

One of the best series anywhere. [8 Jun 2003]

Noel Holston

Jul 18, 2013

Be forewarned that opener is dense, quick- moving and largely absent the sort of explanatory dialogue that dramatic series typically use to ensure that we have our bearings. Even viewers who savored each installment of the original series may feel disoriented. Newcomers may feel as though they're watching a foreign-language film without subtitles. My advice is to videotape it, re-watch and have faith. The coherence quotient goes up by the hour, and patience will be rewarded. [30 May 2003]

Jonathan Storm

Jul 18, 2013

An immensely satisfying - and immensely complicated - police drama. [31 May 2003]

Tony Norman

Jul 18, 2013

There's something inspiring about series creator David Simon's trusting his audience enough to tell a complex story about the elusive motives of cops, drug dealers and longshoremen without shortchanging his characters' humanity in the process. [31 May 2003]

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User Score

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9.0

User Reviews

austinbond

Jun 28, 2012

Yet another brilliant season of the greatest TV drama of all time. The story of the middle class being screwed over by the city they helped to built was tragic and powerful, with some splendid new characters and the usual dramatic gut-punches one grows to expect from 'The Wire'. PS: ValchekYet another brilliant season of the greatest TV drama of all time. The story of the middle class being screwed over by the city they helped to built was tragic and powerful, with some splendid new characters and the usual dramatic gut-punches one grows to expect from 'The Wire'. PS: Valchek is a d***… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Pedroapares99

Aug 19, 2013

The second season follows the edge of perfection. A brilliant story and script, as in the first season. You know watching this season why the people consider The Wire, as one of the best series ever.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

jerkwheat

Apr 30, 2015

This is the first and only 10 I've ever given anything on Metacritic. It deserves an 11, honestly. This right here is the greatest television show ever produced, on any network in any decade.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ForReals13

Feb 21, 2022

Ebb Tide B-. Collateral Damage B. Hot Shots B.
Hard Cases B. Undertow B. All Prologue A-.
Backwash B+. Duck And Cover B+. Stray Rounds B+.
Storm Warnings A. Bad Dreams A. Port In A Storm A.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SaintPeter

Nov 22, 2011

This season of The Wire delivers a message which is all too appropriate today. In the words of Frank Sobotka: "You know what the problem is? We used to make **** in this country, build ****. Now, we just put our hand in the next guy's pocket." An incredible, thought-provoking portrait ofThis season of The Wire delivers a message which is all too appropriate today. In the words of Frank Sobotka: "You know what the problem is? We used to make **** in this country, build ****. Now, we just put our hand in the next guy's pocket." An incredible, thought-provoking portrait of the betrayal of America's working class by the country they built.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

TNF1343

Mar 31, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Like a good book, The Wire is hard to put down. You don't just come back because the occasional episode has a mind bending cliffhanger; you come back to see more excellent drama unfold. Judging by the first two Seasons, I can say that The Wire has been the most consistent show I've watched since Breaking Bad. Thinking of a weak link in the chain of this cop drama is near impossible.

My main complaint for why this is a '9' instead of a '10' is one that's hard to articulate and you may or may not agree. I feel that through the middle of the Season, not a whole lot of exciting developments occur. At this point, a lot of episodes felt like typical The Wire episodes and they all just kind of blended together in my mind. On a more narrow scope, I also felt that with the task force, headed by Daniels, was annoyingly trying too hard to emulate the success of Season 1. Some awesome situations arised, but a lot of it felt too familiar. Drama over the wire-tap again? Seriously guys? It's called The Wire but it gets on my nerves a when shows repeat that same old same old. I mean, even the detail had similar members. It was occasionally thrilling to have the characters reunite but the pay-off of revisiting the first Season's successes wasn't overly grand.

On the other hand, the opening and closing segments where absolutely amazing. It is common for dramas to do this and sink a bit in the mid-Season, and while I feel this Season did this, I also feel that the middle chunk was a hell of a lot better than most shows' best efforts. Plus, I'd be remiss not to mention the almost masterful "All Prologue" that lands dead centre in the Season's 12 episode run (the part where The Wire ever so slightly stumbles come before and after this pivotal episode).

Okay, so first of all, if Omar Little wasn't one of your favourite characters before, that courtroom scene will change your mind. I believe I'm quoting a legitimate TV critic when I say that there is no character ever created quite like Omar. The tough-as-nails robber has enough swagger with just him and his shotgun to scare of legions of Barksdale's men into hiding, as shown in the first Season. He's also got a relatable sense of justice and a sharp wit. I mean, yeah, I'm sure most of us won't shoot up the people who killed your lover, but Omar seems to know when to go to the cops or take matters into his own hands. He's also distinctly unique for being gay; there's no one quite like him, although Issac from the seventh Season of Dexter is the closest I can think of for both character's sexual orientation, similar street smarts and general wit. Where the two differ, however, comes in Omar's relative independence and the general purpose of Issac vs. Omar (Issac was merely a half Season villain, while Omar has more longevity).

Anyway, "All Prologue" also featured D'Angelo's emotional departure. The true test of whether or not this move was effective came later in the game. McNulty and D'Angelo are often compared to one another as two sides of the same coin. Before his death, D believed thoroughly that no matter how hard you try, you did what you did. You can say you've changed, but the past is what makes you who you are. McNulty is a cop at heart but he tries to change that by retiring and making amends with his ex-wife. After he fails, he goes back to the detail, doing the things he truly loves. You can often see the character's joy on the detail, as he is once again played impeccably by the talented Dominic West.

I'm quite surprised to hear that a lot of folks found Frank Sobotka's (Chris Bauer) shipping empire to be uninteresting. I'm quite on the contrary; I think this plot line was just as interesting as the Barksdale dealings that occurred both this and last Season. For me, it was really hard not to feel for Frank. Since his job wildly depends on uncontrollable factors, it's hard to blame him for trying to provide for his family (a la the early Seasons of Breaking Bad).

However, this is very much Nick Sobotka's (Pablo Schreiber) story. Superior than his cousin Ziggy (James Ransone) in a lot of ways, Nick unintentionally drives his cousin into making some very bad decisions to prove himself as a man. At the very end, his cousin is in jail and his uncle is dead. His arc seems to be far from over, and I'll look forward to seeing him down the line as he possibly tries to hunt down "those Greek bastards".

There's a lot to talk about this Season, but only so little space. If I know The Wire, than all the various interesting character and plot threads will add up into something big. Not just Seasonal arcs. I predict The Wire will continue to use every second of screen-time preciously until the final episode, not stopping to aid the contemporary audience that just doesn't get it. Everything is moving along nicely so far, as we're given a good closure on this Season and enough loose ends to keep us wanting more.

Chapter 2, complete....… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DukeCumberjack

Apr 26, 2020

I think we all need take our medicine and be honest about this season. I'll start off by saying that this is my favorite show of all time. Best thing ever put on television. However, the dock workers story line is absolute, unadulterated trash. Even if it didn't completely clash with theI think we all need take our medicine and be honest about this season. I'll start off by saying that this is my favorite show of all time. Best thing ever put on television. However, the dock workers story line is absolute, unadulterated trash. Even if it didn't completely clash with the tone of the rest of the show, which it does, it by itself it is still horrible writing. Every scene with Ziggy made me want to call David Simon myself and ask him whether he got sexual pleasure out of seeing his audience suffer.

It's just bad. No two ways about it. It drags the whole show down. All it really does is show us how the heroin arrives in Baltimore. That's really it. Should dock workers and unions be explored and celebrated? Yes. Just not in this show. This is Stringer's show. Do yourself a favor--if you are watching/re-watching, skip every dock worker's scene that doesn't have one of the characters from Season 1. It will save you much pain and discomfort. Alright enough ranting just wanted to say my piece. Shouts out Prop Joe. He didn't deserve to go like that.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 25 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

91

Series Overview
Season 5

89
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: January 6, 2008
Season 4

98
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 10, 2006
Season 3

98
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: September 19, 2004
Season 2

95
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: June 1, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E12. Port in a Storm
  Air Date: August 24, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E11. Bad Dreams
  Air Date: August 17, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E10. Storm Warnings
  Air Date: August 10, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E9. Stray Rounds
  Air Date: August 3, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E8. Duck and Cover
  Air Date: July 27, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E7. Backwash
  Air Date: July 13, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E6. All Prologue
  Air Date: July 6, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E5. Undertow
  Air Date: June 29, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E4. Hard Cases
  Air Date: June 22, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E3. Hot Shots
  Air Date: June 15, 2003
- tbd
  S2:E2. Collateral Damage
  Air Date: June 8, 2003
- 7.4
  S2:E1. Ebb Tide
  Air Date: June 1, 2003
Season 1

79
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: June 2, 2002