The Wire (season 2)

infobox tvseason
season_name = The Wire Season 2


caption = DVD cover
dvd_release_date = January 5, 2005
dvd_format = 4:3, Boxset
country = USA
network = HBO
first_aired = June 1, 2003
last_aired =
August 24, 2003
num_episodes = 12
prev_season = 1
next_season = 3|

The second season of the television series "The Wire" commenced airing in the United States on June 1, 2003, concluded on August 24, 2003, and contained 12 episodes. It introduces the stevedores of the Baltimore port and an international smuggling organization known as "The Greeks" while continuing to examine the drug dealing Barksdale Organization and the Baltimore police department.

The second season aired Sundays at 9:00 PM in the United States. The season was released on DVD as a five disc boxed set under the title of "The Wire: The Complete Second Season" on January 5, 2005 by HBO video.

Production

Crew

Cast

The second season continued to follow characters in the police and those involved with the Barksdale drug-dealing organization. The returning starring cast included Dominic West as Officer Jimmy McNulty,Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/dominic_west.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Dominic West as Jimmy McNulty|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems continued to overshadow his ability.cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Jimmy McNulty| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/jimmy_mcnulty.shtml] 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.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/lance_reddick.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Lance Reddick as Cedric Daniels|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Lieutenant Cedric Daniels| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/cedric_daniels.shtml] Sonja Sohn played Kima Greggs, who had transferred to a desk job but could not resist the lure of a good case.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/sonja_sohn.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Sonja Sohn as Shakima "Kima" Greggs|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/kima_greggs.shtml] Deirdre Lovejoy starred as assistant state's attorney Rhonda Pearlman, the legal liaison between the detail and the courthouse.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/deirdre_lovejoy.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Deirdre Lovejoy as Rhonda Pearlman|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Rhonda Pearlman| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/rhonda_pearlman.shtml]

Wood Harris and Larry Gilliard, Jr. reprised their roles as newly incarcerated drug dealers Avon and D'Angelo Barksdale.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/avon_barksdale.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Wood Harris as Avon Barksdale|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Avon Barksdale| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/avon_barksdale.shtml] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/larry_gilliard.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Larry Gilliard, Jr. as D'Angelo Barksdale|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - D'Angelo Barksdale| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/dangelo_barksdale.shtml] Idris Elba's character Stringer Bell took over the operations of the Barksdale Organization.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/idris_elba.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Idris Elba as Stringer Bell|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Stringer Bell| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/stringer_bell.shtml] Andre Royo returned as Bubbles, who continued to indulge his drug addiction and act as an occasional informant.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/andre_royo.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Andre Royo as Bubbles|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Bubbles| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/bubbles.shtml]

The police were overseen by two commanding officers more concerned with politics and their own careers than the case, Colonel William Rawls (John Doman) and Acting Commissioner Ervin Burrell (Frankie Faison).Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/frankie_r_faison.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Frankie R. Faison as Ervin Burrell|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Ervin Burrell| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/ervin_burrell.shtml] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/john_doman.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - John Doman as William Rawls|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - William Rawls| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/william_rawls.shtml] Wendell Pierce portrayed homicide detective Bunk Moreland, who became more involved with the core case.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/wendell_pierce.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Wendell Pierce as William "Bunk" Moreland|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Bunk Moreland| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/bunk_moreland.shtml] 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.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/clarke_peters.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Clarke Peters as Lester Freamon|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Lester Freamon| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/lester_freamon.shtml]

The new season also introduced a further group of characters working in the Baltimore port area, including Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos (played by Paul Ben-Victor),Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/paul_ben_victor.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Paul Ben Victor as Spiros "Vondas" Vondopolous|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Beadie Russell (Amy Ryan),Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/amy_ryan.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Amy Ryan as Beatrice "Beadie" Russell|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] and Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer).Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/chris_bauer.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Chris Bauer as Frank Sobotka|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Vondas was the underboss of a global smuggling operation,Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/spiros_vondas.shtml|title=Character profile - Spiros "Vondas" Vondopolous|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Russell an inexperienced Port Authority officer and single mother thrown in at the deep end of a multiple homicide investigation,Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/beatrice_russell.shtml|title=Character profile - Beatrice "Beadie" Russell|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] and Sobotka a union leader who turned to crime in order to raise funds to save his union.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/frank_sobotka.shtml|title=Character profile - Frank Sobotka|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008]

Also joining the show in season 2 were recurring characters Nick Sobotka (Pablo Schreiber), Frank's nephew;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/pablo_schreiber.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Pablo Schreiber as Nick Sobotka|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/nick_sobotka.shtml|title=Character profile - Nick Sobotka|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Ziggy Sobotka (James Ransone), Frank's troubled son;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/james_ransone.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - James Ransone as Ziggy Sobotka|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/ziggy_sobotka.shtml|title=Character profile - Ziggy|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] and "The Greek" (Bill Raymond), Vondas' mysterious boss.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/port/bill_raymond.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Bill Raymond as The Greek|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/port/the_greek.shtml|title=Character profile - The Greek|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] As the second season ended, the focus shifted away from the ports, leaving the new characters behind.

Returning guest stars included: Jim True-Frost as Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/jim_truefrost.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Jim True-Frost as Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski|accessdate=2008-08-06|publisher=HBO|year=2008] Seth Gilliam as newly promoted Sergeant Ellis Carver;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/prez_pryzbylewski.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Seth Gilliam as Ellis Carver|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Ellis Carver| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/ellis_carver.shtml] Domenick Lombardozzi as errant Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/domenick_lombardozzi.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Domenick Lombardozzi as Thomas "Herc" Hauk|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Thomas "Herc" Hauk| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/herc_hauk.shtml] J.D. Williams as Barksdale crew chief Bodie Broadus;Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/jd_williams.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - JD Williams as Preston "Bodie" Broadus|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Preston "Bodie" Broadus| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/bodie.shtml] and Michael K. Williams as renowned stick-up man Omar Little.Cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/actors/michael_k_williams.shtml|title=Cast & Crew - Michael Kenneth Williams as Omar Little|accessdate=2008-01-15|publisher=HBO|year=2008] cite web| year = 2006| title = Character profile - Omar Little| publisher = HBO| accessdate = 2007-12-19| url = http://www.hbo.com/thewire/cast/characters/omar.shtml]

Episodes

"Series #" refers to the episode's number in the overall series, whereas "Season #" refers to the episode's number in this particular season.

References