the wire

David Simon is filming a six-episode adaptation of Philip Roth's "The Plot Against America" book in Baltimore's Canton neighborhood.

By Phil Davis

Jun 13, 2019

Idris Elba played Stringer Bell in "The Wire."

By Sarah Meehan

Nov 6, 2018

A jacket worn by actor Dominic West on 'The Wire' sold at an auction Oct. 13 at the Thomas Johnson Elementary Middle School Fall Festival.

By Chris Kaltenbach

Oct 13, 2018

HBO's Baltimore-set 'The Wire' got a shout-out during Michael Che's "Reparations Emmys" skit at the 70th Emmy Awards.

By Chris Kaltenbach

Sep 18, 2018

Beyond the classroom, the relationship between rapper Diablo Flamez and professor Toby Gordon, who live in neighborhoods of Baltimore that seem worlds apart, has blossomed into a strong, albeit unorthodox, friendship.

By Andrea K. McDaniels

Jun 13, 2018

As much as local cinephiles enjoy going to the annual Maryland Film Festival, some of the filmmakers are equally as happy to bring their work here.

By Chris Kaltenbach

May 7, 2018

If “The Last Stop,” a novel that follows a jailed felon suspected of wielding tremendous power behind bars, has the ring of truth to it, no wonder.

By Chris Kaltenbach

Apr 18, 2018

When HBO’s heralded series “The Wire” went off the air 10 years ago, it wasn't immediately clear that it would be a launching pad for much of the ensemble.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the HBO drama about Baltimore crime, politics and everything in between, here's some of our favorite content about "The Wire" over the years.

By Ellen Fishel

Mar 9, 2018

With the sins of some Baltimore police officers in the news, this testimony from actor J.D. Williams about his experience with cops here while filming “The Wire” seems especially relevant. It comes courtesy of an engrossing oral history of the series, "All the Pieces Matter" by Jonathan Abrams.

By David Zurawik

Feb 14, 2018

With the passion fans still voice for characters from HBO’s “The Wire,” there is undoubtedly a huge audience for a sequel. But Norris Davis, who played Vinson in the series, is learning you run into serious problems when you use names of characters associated with a property someone else created.

By David Zurawik

Feb 12, 2018

Within the first week of the premiere of Emmy-winning writer Lena Waithe’s Showtime series “The Chi,” Twitter and the inter-webs were flooding with comparisons to one of the most prolific shows from Baltimore — “The Wire.”

By Brittany Britto

Feb 1, 2018

HBO's "Baltimore Rising" opens on a brilliant note. The documentary directed by Sonja Sohn, of "The Wire," instantly establishes itself visually with a slow scan of the boarded-up row houses that have become the dominant media image of this city. But that is just the platform for a very deep dive.

By David Zurawik

Nov 9, 2017

As hard as it is to imagine a more searing critique of capitalism than "The Wire." David Simon does that in "The Deuce."

By David Zurawik

Sep 1, 2017

Dennis D. Wise, an alleged hitman and convicted murderer from Baltimore who was shipped to an Arizona prison nearly two decades ago after state officials accused him of running a largescale criminal enterprise out of the former Maryland House of Correction, has been released after striking a deal with prosecutors in his decades-old murder case.

By Kevin Rector

Jul 11, 2017

Local Little Leaguers came to Battle Grove Field in Dundalk to play extras in a new movie "All Square," starring actors from "House of Cards" and "The Wire."

By Talia Richman

Jun 25, 2017

Marin Alsop leads Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in impressive season finale featuring violinist Gil Shaham.

The Ringer celebrates 15th anniversary of 'The Wire' with 'Where's Wallace' game

By Brittany Britto

Jun 1, 2017

Ed Norris is publishing a memoir, "Way Down in the Hole," a title borrowed from the theme song of David Simon's "The Wire" HBO series, which chronicled policing, crime and drugs in Baltimore.

It starts off well, then goes horribly, horribly awry.

By Jonas Shaffer

Apr 18, 2017

Tray Chaney and J.D. Williams, who played Poot and Bodie on "The Wire," are together again starting Sunday at 9 p.m. in the drama "Saints & Sinners" on Bounce.

By David Zurawik

Mar 29, 2017

Annie and Neal Goldman discoved when they closed on their new home in 2012 that they were buying more than a pretty four-bedroom house in Homeland. They learned the house, built in 1920, was used as a filming location for "The Wire," HBO's critically-acclaimed television show that chronicled Baltimore's drug trade and other societal problems. It appeared in several episodes during seasons three and four as the home of Tommy Carcetti, who rises from Baltimore City Councilman to mayor to governor,

Baltimore in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray will be the subject of an HBO documentary directed by Sonja Sohn, the cable channel announced over the

By David Zurawik

Jan 16, 2017

A young life cut short by violence

The typical response to the question we've all heard — "Is Baltimore just like 'The Wire'?" — is a defensive lecture on the merits of our fine city and the damage "The Wire" has done to our reputation. But has it really? I would argue that the television series is actually more helpful than harmful, something I learned teaching a class based on it.

This week was Light City in Baltimore, in the same city as "The Wire" was set. What a contrast. What a juxtaposition of opposite dynamics.

David Simon, who was invited to Camp David by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary for Simon's recent work on the HBO miniseries "Show Me a Hero," wrote a witty account of his recent visit on his personal website.

By Brittany Britto

Feb 1, 2016

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts has appointed record-setting Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett and Sonja Sohn, best known for her role as Kima in HBO's Baltimore-based drama "The Wire" as the parade's grand marshals.

Jay C. Landsman Sr., the retired Baltimore City homicide detective who both inspired and played characters on the HBO drama, was promoted to lieutenant in the Baltimore County Police Department on Monday.

By Sarah Meehan

Dec 8, 2015

Melvin Williams, whose legendary life as a West Baltimore drug kingpin in the 1960s later earned him a place in HBO's "The Wire," died Thursday morning at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He was 73.

By Jacques Kelly

Dec 3, 2015

With a new David Simon miniseries, "Show Me a Hero," set to debut Aug. 16, HBO today announced that it was ordering two more pilots from the creator of "The Wire."

By David Zurawik

Aug 6, 2015

A review of Netflix science fiction series 'Sense 8'

Actors from "The Wire" performed monologues created by police officers, gang members and mothers who witnessed the unrest following Freddie's Gray death.

By Mary Carole McCauley

Jul 18, 2015

Sonja Sohn, other cast members will perform monologues based on accounts of city residents

By David Zurawik

Jul 16, 2015

Details for a performance at Artscape by former cast members of HBO "The Wire" have been finalized, according to a release from Rewired for Change, the non-profit founded by Sonja Sohn.

By David Zurawik

Jul 8, 2015

Like plenty of 22-year-olds, Jermaine Crawford is no longer interested in being seen as a teenager.

By Wesley Case

Jul 7, 2015

Without benefit of McConaughey and Harrelson, drama paints especially bleak picture of police

By David Zurawik

Jun 12, 2015

Many observers see parallels between the HBO series and rioting in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray.

By Chris Kaltenbach

Apr 28, 2015

The footage involving Freddie Gray and the Baltimore City cops brought it all back.

The Ogre is on the loose, and Jim is on the clock to find him before he finds Leigh. But Leigh isn't the loved one the Ogre has chosen to use as retaliation against Jim. That would be Barbara.

Long before concerns were raised over "Stingray" technology, fictional Baltimore police officer Lester Freamon was see by fans of The Wire, using a device called the "Triggerfish" to build a case around cellphone data.

By Jessica Anderson

Apr 11, 2015

Baltimore historian Taylor Branch struck a nerve with writings on NCAA athletes

By Jeff Barker

Apr 3, 2015

It's March Madness time, and that means an excuse for our favorite Baltimore movies and TV shows to duke it out.

By Quinn Kelley

Mar 31, 2015