WIRE, THE: THE TARGET {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The premiere of this dramatic series about both sides of the Baltimore drug scene: the dealers and the law enforcement officers that go after them. Season One focuses on the drug-running business operating out of the low-income tenements.
Detective Jimmy McNulty of the Baltimore police force investigates the murder of a teenager, Omar Isaiah Betts, nicknamed “Snot Boogie” by his fellow gang members. One of them tells McNulty that Betts may have been killed over a dispute involving a crap game. The next day he accompanies Detective William “Bunk” Moreland to court, where he observes the trial of D’Angelo Barksdale, a drug dealer charged with murder. While observing the cross-examinations, McNulty communicates non-verbally with a man sitting across from him. There is some commotion when a key witness recants her testimony, thus discrediting a key piece of evidence against D’Angelo. She appears to be doing this at the behest of the man across from McNulty; McNulty simply tells him “nicely done” before exiting the courtroom. Meanwhile, detectives Shakima Greggs, Ellis Carver, and Thomas "Herc" Hauk arrest several drug dealers on the street with the aid of an informant. They find several firearms in their car, including a shotgun.
The jury in D’Angelo’s case finds him not guilty. After the trial lets out, McNulty is brought in to speak to the judge, Daniel Phelan, in his chambers. Phelan is surprised that D’Angelo was released. McNulty explains that D’Angelo is the nephew of notorious drug dealer Avon Barksdale, and that his second-in-command was the man at the trial, Russell "Stringer" Bell. He also explains how Bell used his position in the Barksdale drug organization to intimidate the witnesses into compliance. He admits that despite the Barksdale’s operation being essentially common knowledge on the West Side, the department is doing virtually nothing to pursue them. Greggs, Carver, and Hauk fill out paperwork concerning their latest arrest; they express dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy of police work and believe they would be better served by being out on the street. Lieutenant Cedric Daniels informs Greggs that Phelan has gone to their superiors about the Barksdale operation, putting pressure on them to investigate. He sends Greggs to find out more about them.
McNulty returns to the office later and is immediately called in by his superior, Major William Rawls. He is incensed that McNulty was speaking to Phelan in private about the Barksdale matter. He orders McNulty to type up a full report on all the Barksdale murders for the deputy, and then to put his name on it to save him further embarrassment. Meanwhile, D’Angelo is driven to see Avon; at one point D’Angelo is reminded of the rule not to discuss sensitive matters in public areas, as someone may be listening. At Avon’s strip club, Avon is told about McNulty’s presence at the trial. Avon sits down alone with D’Angelo and chides him for his decision to shoot his assailant, leading to his court case; he believes that D’Angelo should have exercised more restraint and not shot him in front of a security booth. Avon notes that pulling strings to get D’Angelo released was costly and that he is to make it up to them, but also notes that D’Angelo is family and that he still loves him.
Moreland comes in to find McNulty still typing up his report. McNulty’s sergeant, Jay Landsman, is upset at McNulty for similar reasons as Rawls. D’Angelo goes in to sell drugs for the Barksdale operation, but Bell takes him from one of the “tower” apartment buildings and places him in the low-rise in punishment for his poor decision-making. He arrives in the low-rise and tries to get a feel for the area. Major Raymond Foerster orders Daniels to organize a unit to bring in Avon. D’Angelo observes the low-rise operation and tries to offer advice on how to run things better to deter potential police surveillance. He yells at Wallace, a young runner, when he returns with counterfeit bills. Daniels visits Ervin Burrell, the Baltimore Deputy Commissioner of Operations, who advises him to go “in and out” on the Barksdale case and resolve it as quickly as possible.
McNulty meets with FBI Special Agent Terrance Fitzhugh, showing him some of the FBI’s extensive surveillance on drug operations. Johnny Weeks attempts to scam the Barksdale operation with counterfeit bills again, but this time he is caught and chased down. D’Angelo takes his one real bill and walks away as the other dealers beat him up. Daniels attempts to organize his new unit, but McNulty cautions that Avon and Bell are too smart to be caught on the street. He and Daniels soon get into an argument and he is sent to review files while Greggs and the others are put onto the street. Later, McNulty goes out drinking with Moreland and complains about his ex-wife and the situation involving custody of their children, and the most recent argument with Daniels. They continue drinking late into the night, and McNulty claims that he wants to participate fully in the Barksdale case and “do it right.” At the strip club, Bell chides D’Angelo for walking away from Weeks' beating and setting a bad example. Weeks is taken to the hospital and is visited by his scam partner, Bubbles, and Greggs. Bubbles is an informant for Greggs, and is deeply saddened by his friend’s critical condition; he offers Greggs information about the Barksdale operation. Moreland responds to a call and investigates the victim of a fatal shooting in front of a school; D’Angelo is in the crowd of assembled onlookers. The victim turns out to be William Gant, the one witness who implicated D’Angelo in his trial. D'Angelo is shaken by this and leaves the scene.
This selection from the Alan Gerry Cable Collection has been made available by the Gerry Foundation, Inc.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: June 2, 2002 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:02:05
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:78839
- GENRE: Drama, police/private detective
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; TV - Drama, police/private detective; LGBT Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2002-2008
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Simon … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Robert F. Colesberry … Executive Producer
- Nina Kostroff Noble … Producer
- Karen L. Thorson … Co-Producer
- Clark Johnson … Director
- Edward Burns … Writer
- Dominic West … Cast, Jimmy McNulty
- John Doman … Cast, William Rawls
- Idris Elba … Cast, Russell "Stringer" Bell
- Frankie R. Faison … Cast, Ervin Burrell
- Larry Gilliard Jr. … Cast, D'Angelo Barksdale
- Wood Harris … Cast, Avon Barksdale
- Deirdre Lovejoy … Cast, Rhonda "Ronnie" Pearlman
- Wendell Pierce … Cast, William "Bunk" Moreland
- Lance Reddick … Cast, Cedric Daniels
- Andre Royo … Cast, Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins
- Sonja Sohn … Cast, Shakima Greggs
- Peter Gerety … Cast, Daniel Phelan
- Seth Gilliam … Cast, Ellis Carver
- Domenick Lombardozzi … Cast, Thomas "Herc" Hauk
- Leo Fitzpatrick … Cast, Johnny Weeks
- J.D. Williams … Cast, Preston "Bodie" Broadus
- Hassan Johnson … Cast, Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice
- Michael B. Jordan … Cast, Wallace
- Clayton LeBouf … Cast, Wendell "Orlando" Blocker
- Melanie Nicholls-King … Cast, Cheryl
- Doug Olear … Cast, Terrance Fitzhugh
- Delaney Williams … Cast, Jay Landsman
- Richard de Angelis … Cast, Raymond Foerster
- Wendy Grantham … Cast, Shardene Innes
- Michael Kostroff … Cast, Maurice Levy
- Michael Salconi … Cast, Michael Santangelo
- Ingrid Cornell … Cast, Nakeesha Lyles
- Larry E. Hull … Cast, William Gant
- Lucy Newman-Williams … Cast, Taryn Hansen
- Michael Stone Forrest … Cast, Frank Barlow