The Wire (season 3)
Encyclopedia
The third season of the television series The Wire
commenced airing in the United States on September 19, 2004, concluded on December 19, 2004, and contained 12 episodes. It introduces Baltimore's local politicians and the upstart drug dealing Stanfield organization while continuing to examine the Barksdale organization and the Baltimore Police Department.
The third 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 Third Season on August 8, 2006 by HBO video.
director Joe Chappelle
joined the production staff as a co-executive producer and continued to regularly direct episodes.
Baltimore Sun writer and political journalist William F. Zorzi
joined the writing staff in the third season and brought a wealth of experience to the show's examination of Baltimore politics.
. It also introduced new characters including the rival Stanfield Organization
and local politicians
. The returning starring cast consisted of Dominic West
as Detective Jimmy McNulty
, whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems continued to overshadow his ability. Lance Reddick
reprised his role as Lieutenant Cedric Daniels
, now commanding his own unit. Sonja Sohn returned as Kima Greggs
, McNulty's new partner within the unit. Clarke Peters
reprised his character, veteran detective Lester Freamon
, who was once again working for Daniels. Deirdre Lovejoy
starred as assistant state's attorney Rhonda Pearlman
, the legal liaison between the unit and the courthouse.
Wood Harris
reprised his role as incarcerated drug kingpin Avon Barksdale
. Idris Elba
's character Stringer Bell
continued to run the Barksdale Organization
in Avon's absence. Andre Royo
returned as Bubbles
, who continued to indulge his drug addiction and act as an occasional informant.
The police were overseen by two commanding officers more concerned with politics and their own careers than the case, Deputy Commissioner of Operations William Rawls
(John Doman
) and Acting Commissioner Ervin Burrell
(Frankie Faison
). Wendell Pierce
portrayed veteran homicide detective Bunk Moreland
.
The new season saw several previously recurring characters assuming larger starring roles, including Seth Gilliam
as Sergeant Ellis Carver
, Domenick Lombardozzi
as Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk, Detective Leander Sydnor
(Corey Parker Robinson
), Detective Roland Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost
), Bodie Broadus
(J.D. Williams), Omar Little
(Michael K. Williams
), and Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom
). Colvin commanded the Western district where the Barksdale organization operated, and nearing retirement, he came up with a radical new method of dealing with the drug problem. Herc and Carver joined the Western District Drug Enforcement Unit under Colvin's command. Sydnor, a rising young star in the police department in season 1, returned to the cast as part of the major crimes unit along with Pryzbylewski. Bodie had been seen gradually rising in the Barksdale organization since the first episode; he was born to their trade and showed a fierce aptitude for it. Omar had a vendetta against the Barksdale organization and gave them all of his lethal attention. A new starring character was also introduced in the third season: Tommy Carcetti
(Aidan Gillen
), an ambitious city councilman.
Several members of the second season starring cast did not return for the third season with the change in focus and the termination of some characters' storylines. Chris Bauer
(Frank Sobotka
), Paul Ben-Victor
(Spiros Vondas
) and Amy Ryan
(Beadie Russell
) all leave the starring cast with the third season. Ryan returns as a guest star for a short scene at the end of the season.
), the East Side's cautious drug kingpin, became more cooperative with the Barksdale Organization
. His lieutenant "Cheese" (Method Man
) became involved in the Major Crimes Unit investigation. Brother Mouzone (Michael Potts) returns to Baltimore looking for revenge. Hassan Johnson
reprises his role as incarcerated Barksdale enforcer Wee-Bey Brice
. Tray Chaney
continues to portray Barksdale crew chief Poot Carr
. Leo Fitzpatrick
returns as hapless drug addict Johnny Weeks.
Michael Hyatt
and Shamyl Brown reprised their respective roles as Brianna Barksdale and Donette with both characters dealing with the loss of D'Angelo Barksdale
. Michael Kostroff
returned as the Barksdale's retainered defense attorney Maurice Levy
. Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
reprised his role as corrupt State Senator Clay Davis
, who continued to be involved with Barksdale money. Stringer continued to use Shamrock (Richard Burton
) to insulate himself from investigation. Background characters like Barksdale enforcers Tank and Country also returned. Omar Little
's crew continued to rob the Barksdale Organization and consisted of his boyfriend Dante (Ernest Waddell
), partners Tosha Mitchell (Edwina Findley) and Kimmy (Kelli R. Brown), and advisor Butchie (S. Robert Morgan
).
Many guest stars also reprised their characters from the police department. Returning guest stars in the homicide unit include Delaney Williams
as Sergeant Jay Landsman
, Ed Norris
as Detective Ed Norris, and Brian Anthony Wilson
as Detective Vernon Holley. Al Brown and Jay Landsman
reprised their roles as patrol division officers Stan Valchek and Dennis Mello. Michael Salconi recurred as veteran Western patrolman Michael Santangelo.
New recurring characters in the third season were also spread between the Street and the Law. The upstart Stanfield Organization introduced several new roles: Marlo Stanfield
(Jamie Hector
), a ruthless leader seeking to challenge Avon's dominance; Chris Partlow
(Gbenga Akinnagbe
), Stanfield's chief enforcer; Felicia "Snoop" Pearson (Felicia Pearson
), Partlow's protege; Norris Davis as rimshop owner and advisor Vinson; Brandon Fobbs
as crew chief Fruit; and Melvin T. Russell and Justin Burley as young drug dealers Jamal and Justin. The Barksdale Organization
also found several new recruits: Slim Charles
(Anwan Glover
), Avon's new chief enforcer; Bernard (Melvin Jackson, Jr.), responsible for procuring disposable cell phones; and Dennis "Cutty" Wise (Chad Coleman
), a newly released convict uncertain of his future.
The introduction of a political storyline brought many new characters. Glynn Turman
played Mayor Clarence Royce
, the incumbent whom Carcetti planned to unseat. Cleo Reginald Pizana portrayed Coleman Parker, Royce's chief-of-staff. Brandy Burre
appeared as Theresa D'Agostino, a political campaign consultant. Frederick Strother performed as Odell Watkins, a state delegate and political king-maker. Christopher Mann played Carcetti's city council colleague Anthony Gray.
Several new police characters also debuted with the third season. Gregory L. Williams played Michael Crutchfield, a cantankerous homicide detective. Joilet F. Harris had a small role as Caroline Massey, a new officer in the Major Crimes Unit. The focus on Colvin's command of the Western District introduced several new characters both in Carver's Drug Enforcement Unit and in the Patrol Division. Carver's squad includes Kenneth Dozerman (Rick Otto), Anthony Colicchio (Benjamin Busch
), Lloyd "Truck" Garrick (Ryan Sands), and Lambert (Nakia Dillard). New rookie patrol officer Aaron Castor (Lee Everett Cox), Brian Baker (Derek Horton
) and Officer Turner (Darrell M. Smith
) also featured.
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The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
commenced airing in the United States on September 19, 2004, concluded on December 19, 2004, and contained 12 episodes. It introduces Baltimore's local politicians and the upstart drug dealing Stanfield organization while continuing to examine the Barksdale organization and the Baltimore Police Department.
The third 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 Third Season on August 8, 2006 by HBO video.
Crew
Following the death of Robert F. ColesberryRobert F. Colesberry
Robert F. "Bob" Colesberry, Jr. was an American film and television producer and first assistant director notable for his work as a producer on the Emmy Award winning miniseries The Corner, the Peabody Award winning television series The Wire for HBO, and the Oscar-nominated movie Mississippi...
director Joe Chappelle
Joe Chappelle
Joe Chappelle is an American film and television director and producer. Chappelle was a Co-executive producer and regular Director for the HBO crime drama The Wire...
joined the production staff as a co-executive producer and continued to regularly direct episodes.
Baltimore Sun writer and political journalist William F. Zorzi
William F. Zorzi
William F. Zorzi is an American journalist and screenwriter. He worked at The Baltimore Sun for almost twenty years and covered politics for the majority of his career. He has also written for the HBO television series The Wire.-Journalism:...
joined the writing staff in the third season and brought a wealth of experience to the show's examination of Baltimore politics.
Starring cast
The third season returned the focus to an investigation of the Barksdale OrganizationBarksdale Organization
In the television series The Wire, the fictional Barksdale Organization led by Avon Barksdale began as the most powerful and violent drug crew in Baltimore, Maryland and was the main focus of investigation in seasons one and three...
. It also introduced new characters including the rival Stanfield Organization
Stanfield Organization
On the fictional television drama The Wire, the Stanfield Organization is a criminal organization led by Marlo Stanfield. The Organization is introduced in Season Three of The Wire as a growing and significantly violent drug syndicate...
and local politicians
Politicians of The Wire
The following are politicians, family members, and assistants administrating the politics of Baltimore on The Wire.-Clay Davis:Clay Davis is a corrupt State Senator who is an important Democratic fundraiser...
. The returning starring cast consisted of Dominic West
Dominic West
Dominic Gerard Fe West is an English actor best known for his role as Detective Jimmy McNulty in the HBO drama series The Wire.-Film and TV:...
as Detective Jimmy McNulty
Jimmy McNulty
Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by British actor Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish American detective in the Baltimore Police Department...
, whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems continued to overshadow his ability. Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick
Lance Reddick is an American theater, film and TV actor and musician born in Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in The Wire as Cedric Daniels, appeared in Oz as Detective Johnny Basil and appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons of Lost. He now has a prominent role in Fringe...
reprised his role as Lieutenant Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels
Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Lance Reddick. He is a well regarded officer in the department whose focus is on good police work and quality arrests...
, now commanding his own unit. Sonja Sohn returned as Kima Greggs
Kima Greggs
Detective Shakima "Kima" Greggs is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Sonja Sohn. Greggs is a police detective in the Baltimore Police Department who is a dedicated officer and capable detective with some off-the-job issues. Openly lesbian, she has had problems...
, McNulty's new partner within the unit. Clarke Peters
Clarke Peters
Clarke Peters is an American actor, singer, writer and director best known for his role as Detective Lester Freamon on the HBO drama The Wire.-Early life:...
reprised his character, veteran detective Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon
Lester Freamon is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Clarke Peters. Freamon is a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Major Crimes Unit...
, who was once again working for Daniels. Deirdre Lovejoy
Deirdre Lovejoy
Deirdre Lovejoy is an American actress. She is most notable for her role on the HBO television series The Wire as Rhonda Pearlman. She graduated from the University of Evansville with an undergraduate degree in theatre....
starred as assistant state's attorney Rhonda Pearlman
Rhonda Pearlman
Rhonda Pearlman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Deirdre Lovejoy. Pearlman has been the legal system liaison for all of Lieutenant Cedric Daniels' investigations on the show...
, the legal liaison between the unit and the courthouse.
Wood Harris
Wood Harris
Sherwin David "Wood" Harris is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO television drama The Wire, and as high-school football player Julius Campbell in the 2000 motion picture Remember the Titans.-Life and career:Harris was born in...
reprised his role as incarcerated drug kingpin Avon Barksdale
Avon Barksdale
Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire portrayed by actor Wood Harris. Avon is the dominant drug dealer of Baltimore's West Side, running the Barksdale Organization...
. Idris Elba
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is a British television, theatre, and film actor. He has starred in both British and American productions. Elba grew up in Canning Town, East London. One of his first acting roles was in the soap opera Family Affairs. He has worked in a variety of TV roles including ...
's character Stringer Bell
Stringer Bell
Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by English actor Idris Elba. Bell served as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale's second in command, assuming direct control of the Barksdale Organization during Avon's imprisonment...
continued to run the Barksdale Organization
Barksdale Organization
In the television series The Wire, the fictional Barksdale Organization led by Avon Barksdale began as the most powerful and violent drug crew in Baltimore, Maryland and was the main focus of investigation in seasons one and three...
in Avon's absence. Andre Royo
Andre Royo
Andre Royo is an American actor. He is best known for his role as "Bubbles" in The Wire , and has had guest starring appearances in Fringe, Party Down, and How To Make It In America.-Career:...
returned as Bubbles
Bubbles (The Wire)
Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Andre Royo. Bubbles is a recovering heroin addict. His real name is not revealed until a fourth-season episode when he is called "Mr. Cousins" and in the fifth-season premiere when he is called "Reginald"...
, who continued to indulge his drug addiction and act as an occasional informant.
The police were overseen by two commanding officers more concerned with politics and their own careers than the case, Deputy Commissioner of Operations William Rawls
William Rawls
William A. "Bill" Rawls is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor John Doman. Over the course of the series he ascends to the rank of Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.-Season 1:...
(John Doman
John Doman
John Doman is an American actor best known for playing Deputy Police Commissioner William Rawls on HBO series The Wire from 2002 to 2008 and Colonel Edward Galson on Oz in 2001....
) and Acting Commissioner Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell
Ervin Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of the show...
(Frankie Faison
Frankie Faison
Frankie Russel Faison , often credited as Frankie R. Faison, is an American actor.-Personal life:Faison was born in Newport News, Virginia, the son of Carmena and Edgar Faison. He studied drama at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, where he joined Theta Chi Fraternity...
). Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce is an American actor, best known for his work in HBO dramas, including his portrayal of Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme.-Life and career:...
portrayed veteran homicide detective Bunk Moreland
Bunk Moreland
William "Bunk" Moreland is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Wendell Pierce. Bunk's character is based on a retired Baltimore City Police Detective named Rick Requer and nicknamed "the Bunk", an officer who joined the force in 1964 as a Western District patrolman who...
.
The new season saw several previously recurring characters assuming larger starring roles, including Seth Gilliam
Seth Gilliam
Seth Gilliam is an American actor. He is known for his HBO television roles, first as corrections officer-turned-prisoner Clayton Hughes on Oz, and later as Baltimore police detective promoted to sergeant Ellis Carver on The Wire. On both of these series, he co-starred with Lance Reddick and J.D....
as Sergeant Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver
Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is an African American lieutenant and formerly in command of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit...
, Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi is an American actor best known for his role as Thomas "Herc" Hauk on The Wire. Lombardozzi was inspired to act by the film State of Grace.-Filmography:...
as Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk, Detective Leander Sydnor
Leander Sydnor
Leander Sydnor is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Corey Parker Robinson. Sydnor is a young, married Baltimore Police detective who was a member of the Barksdale detail and later worked in the Major Crimes Unit.-Season 1:...
(Corey Parker Robinson
Corey Parker Robinson
Corey Parker Robinson is an American actor. He may be best known for appearing on the HBO program The Wire as Detective Leander Sydnor. He also appeared in Wire creator David Simon's earlier The Corner as R.C., a young drug dealer and in ER in episode 19 of Season 5 as student Antoine Bell...
), Detective Roland Pryzbylewski (Jim True-Frost
Jim True-Frost
Jim True-Frost, born Jim True, is an American stage, television and screen actor. He is most known for his portrayal of Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski on all five seasons of the HBO program The Wire.-Biography:...
), Bodie Broadus
Bodie Broadus
Preston "Bodie" Broadus is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor J. D. Williams. Bodie is initially a Barksdale organization drug dealer in "The Pit" who slowly rises through the ranks...
(J.D. Williams), Omar Little
Omar Little
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
(Michael K. Williams
Michael K. Williams
Michael Kenneth Williams is an American actor known for his portrayal of Omar Little on the HBO drama series The Wire, and of Albert "Chalky" White on HBO's Boardwalk Empire.-Early life and career:...
), and Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin (Robert Wisdom
Robert Wisdom
Robert Wisdom is an American actor. He is a graduate of Columbia University.-Biography:Wisdom was born in Washington, D.C. to Jamaican parents. He appeared in four of the five seasons of HBO program The Wire as Howard "Bunny" Colvin...
). Colvin commanded the Western district where the Barksdale organization operated, and nearing retirement, he came up with a radical new method of dealing with the drug problem. Herc and Carver joined the Western District Drug Enforcement Unit under Colvin's command. Sydnor, a rising young star in the police department in season 1, returned to the cast as part of the major crimes unit along with Pryzbylewski. Bodie had been seen gradually rising in the Barksdale organization since the first episode; he was born to their trade and showed a fierce aptitude for it. Omar had a vendetta against the Barksdale organization and gave them all of his lethal attention. A new starring character was also introduced in the third season: Tommy Carcetti
Tommy Carcetti
Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Irish actor Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious Baltimore politician who rises from a seat on the city council to the office of the Mayor of Baltimore, and to the office of the Governor of Maryland by the...
(Aidan Gillen
Aidan Gillen
Aidan Gillen is an Irish stage and screen actor and television presenter. He is known in Ireland for his role in Love/Hate, in the UK for his role in Queer as Folk and in the US for his role in HBO's television series The Wire in which he plays Tommy Carcetti and for his role in Game of Thrones as...
), an ambitious city councilman.
Several members of the second season starring cast did not return for the third season with the change in focus and the termination of some characters' storylines. Chris Bauer
Chris Bauer
Mark Christopher "Chris" Bauer is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Bauer was born in Los Angeles, California and attended high school at Miramonte High School in Orinda, California. He played on Miramonte Championship football team his senior year, 1984...
(Frank Sobotka
Frank Sobotka
Francis "Frank" Sobotka is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Chris Bauer.-Biography:Frank is a respected Polish-American secretary treasurer for the International Brotherhood of Stevedores at the Baltimore docks...
), Paul Ben-Victor
Paul Ben-Victor
Paul Ben-Victor is an American actor.Ben-Victor was born Paul Friedman, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Leah Kornfeld, a playwright, and Victor Friedman. Ben-Victor debuted on the small screen in 1987 in the made-for-TV movie Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife and on an episode of Cagney &...
(Spiros Vondas
Spiros Vondas
Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Paul Ben-Victor.-Biography:...
) and Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan
Amy Ryan is an American actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance in Gone Baby Gone and is also known for her roles in the HBO series The Wire, playing Port Authority Officer Beadie Russell; In Treatment, playing psychiatrist Adele Brousse; and The...
(Beadie Russell
Beadie Russell
Beatrice "Beadie" Russell is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actress Amy Ryan. She was featured prominently in the second season, after she discovered thirteen corpses in a container on the Baltimore docks....
) all leave the starring cast with the third season. Ryan returns as a guest star for a short scene at the end of the season.
Recurring roles
Many guest stars from the earlier seasons reprised their roles. On the side of the street Proposition Joe (Robert F. ChewRobert F. Chew
Robert F. Chew is an American actor from Baltimore, Maryland. He starred in the HBO television drama series The Wire as manipulative drug kingpin Proposition Joe on all five seasons of the show...
), the East Side's cautious drug kingpin, became more cooperative with the Barksdale Organization
Barksdale Organization
In the television series The Wire, the fictional Barksdale Organization led by Avon Barksdale began as the most powerful and violent drug crew in Baltimore, Maryland and was the main focus of investigation in seasons one and three...
. His lieutenant "Cheese" (Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
) became involved in the Major Crimes Unit investigation. Brother Mouzone (Michael Potts) returns to Baltimore looking for revenge. Hassan Johnson
Hassan Johnson
Hassan 'Iniko' Johnson is an American actor/producer from Staten Island, NY, born November 19, 1976. His most noted performance was appearing on the HBO program The Wire as Roland Wee-Bey Brice. His first acting role was in the 1995 Spike Lee film Clockers. He also had a significant role in the...
reprises his role as incarcerated Barksdale enforcer Wee-Bey Brice
Wee-Bey Brice
Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey was the Barksdale Organization's most trusted soldier before being sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicides....
. Tray Chaney
Tray Chaney
Tray Chaney is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program The Wire as Poot Carr.Chaney began his entertainment career as a dancer at the age of four winning competitions at the Apollo Theater. He appeared in the 2003 music video "My Baby" by rap artist Bow Wow. He later appeared in The Wire...
continues to portray Barksdale crew chief Poot Carr
Poot Carr
Malik "Poot" Carr is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Tray Chaney. Poot is a drug dealer in the Barksdale Organization who slowly rises through the ranks, but ends up serving time in prison as his institution collapses around him...
. Leo Fitzpatrick
Leo Fitzpatrick
Leonardo Aurellio Randy "Leo" Fitzpatrick is an American actor.-Biography:Leo Fitzpatrick was born in West Orange, New Jersey. He was discovered at age 14 by director Larry Clark at Washington Square Park in New York City, skateboarding. Fitzpatrick was trying to perform certain skating tricks,...
returns as hapless drug addict Johnny Weeks.
Michael Hyatt
Michael Hyatt
Michael Hyatt is a British-born film and television actress. Before Hyatt's work in film and television, she enjoyed memorable performances on stages throughout the country, particularly in Ragtime on Broadway.-Early life:...
and Shamyl Brown reprised their respective roles as Brianna Barksdale and Donette with both characters dealing with the loss of D'Angelo Barksdale
D'Angelo Barksdale
D'Angelo "D" Barksdale is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Larry Gilliard Jr. D'Angelo is the nephew of Avon Barksdale and a lieutenant in his drug dealing organization which controls most of the trade in West Baltimore...
. Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff
Michael Kostroff is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program The Wire as defense attorney Maurice Levy. Kostroff starred in the fifth season of the series and appeared in all four earlier seasons as a guest star.- Biography :...
returned as the Barksdale's retainered defense attorney Maurice Levy
Maurice Levy (The Wire)
Maurice "Maury" Levy is a fictional lawyer on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Michael Kostroff. He is a skilled defense attorney and was kept on retainer by the drug-trafficking Barksdale Organization, representing the organization's members at trials and advising Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell...
. Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
Isiah Whitlock, Jr.
Isiah Whitlock Jr. is an American actor.He is most famous for his role on the HBO television series, The Wire as corrupt state senator Clay Davis. He also is notable for appearing in Spike Lee films She Hate Me and 25th Hour as Agent Amos Flood...
reprised his role as corrupt State Senator Clay Davis
Clay Davis
State Senator R. Clayton "Clay" Davis is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Davis is a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes...
, who continued to be involved with Barksdale money. Stringer continued to use Shamrock (Richard Burton
Richard Burton (Baltimore)
Richard Burton is a Baltimore, Maryland, city council employee and runs the "Believe" campaign. He was a rapper before becoming involved in Martin O'Malley's first Mayoral campaign after meeting him in 1998....
) to insulate himself from investigation. Background characters like Barksdale enforcers Tank and Country also returned. Omar Little
Omar Little
Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, portrayed by Michael K. Williams. Omar is a renowned stick-up man who lives by a strict moral code and never deviates from his rules, foremost of which is that he never robs or menaces people who are not involved in "the game"....
's crew continued to rob the Barksdale Organization and consisted of his boyfriend Dante (Ernest Waddell
Ernest Waddell
Ernest Waddell is a New York City-based actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring roles on two television series : Fin Tutuola's son Ken Randall on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Omar Little's boyfriend Dante on The Wire...
), partners Tosha Mitchell (Edwina Findley) and Kimmy (Kelli R. Brown), and advisor Butchie (S. Robert Morgan
S. Robert Morgan
S. Robert Morgan is an American television actor. He guest starred on Home Box Office drama series The Wire as Butchie from the second season until the show's fifth and final season. Morgan lost his sight in his twenties due to macular degeneration. Morgan is from Fort Washington, Maryland and...
).
Many guest stars also reprised their characters from the police department. Returning guest stars in the homicide unit include Delaney Williams
Delaney Williams
Delaney Williams is an American actor from Washington, D.C. He appears on the HBO drama The Wire as a recurring guest star playing homicide sergeant Jay Landsman. He also had a small role on HBO's mini-series The Corner which brought him to the attention of the producers, who worked on The prior to...
as Sergeant Jay Landsman
Jay Landsman (The Wire)
Jay Landsman is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Delaney Williams.-Policing method:Landsman's role in the police department is that of a supervisory detective sergeant who doesn't participate in much investigation work...
, Ed Norris
Ed Norris
Edward T. Norris is an American radio host and former law enforcement officer in Maryland. His talk show, the Ed Norris Show, airs on WJZ-FM in Baltimore, Maryland. Norris, a 20-year veteran of the New York Police Department, served as police commissioner for Baltimore from 2000 to late 2002...
as Detective Ed Norris, and Brian Anthony Wilson
Brian Anthony Wilson
Brian Anthony Wilson is an American film and television actor. He first appeared in the 1997 film The Postman as Woody....
as Detective Vernon Holley. Al Brown and Jay Landsman
Jay Landsman
The book was later developed into the television series Homicide: Life on the Street. He was the inspiration for the fictional character John Munch on that show and a character named Jay Landsman on the television series The Wire, created by Simon. Landsman portrayed himself in a brief appearance...
reprised their roles as patrol division officers Stan Valchek and Dennis Mello. Michael Salconi recurred as veteran Western patrolman Michael Santangelo.
New recurring characters in the third season were also spread between the Street and the Law. The upstart Stanfield Organization introduced several new roles: Marlo Stanfield
Marlo Stanfield
Marlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of West Baltimore and is the head of his own drug crew.-Character background and plot...
(Jamie Hector
Jamie Hector
Jamie Hector is an Haitian-American actor who is known for his portrayal of Marlo Stanfield on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire.- Biography :...
), a ruthless leader seeking to challenge Avon's dominance; Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow
Chris Partlow is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Gbenga Akinnagbe. Partlow is Marlo Stanfield's best friend, bodyguard, and second-in-command in his drug dealing operation. Despite his quiet demeanor, Partlow commits more on- and off-screen murders than any other...
(Gbenga Akinnagbe
Gbenga Akinnagbe
Gbenga Akinnagbe is an American actor, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO original series The Wire.-Early life:...
), Stanfield's chief enforcer; Felicia "Snoop" Pearson (Felicia Pearson
Felicia Pearson
Felicia Pearson is an American actress, author, and rapper. She is best known for playing a character of the same name, Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, on The Wire. She wrote a memoir titled Grace After Midnight.-Biography:Pearson was born to two incarcerated drug addicts and raised in an East Baltimore...
), Partlow's protege; Norris Davis as rimshop owner and advisor Vinson; Brandon Fobbs
Brandon Fobbs
Brandon Fobbs is an American actor.He had a recurring role on HBO television series The Wire as Fruit. He also appeared in Pride and This Christmas and The Devil's Tomb.-External links:...
as crew chief Fruit; and Melvin T. Russell and Justin Burley as young drug dealers Jamal and Justin. The Barksdale Organization
Barksdale Organization
In the television series The Wire, the fictional Barksdale Organization led by Avon Barksdale began as the most powerful and violent drug crew in Baltimore, Maryland and was the main focus of investigation in seasons one and three...
also found several new recruits: Slim Charles
Slim Charles
Slim Charles is a fictional member of the drug trade in the HBO drama The Wire, played by Anwan Glover. An enforcer for the Barksdale Organization and later the top lieutenant of kingpin Proposition Joe Stewart, he shows integrity, loyalty and competence throughout his career.The saga of the...
(Anwan Glover
Anwan Glover
Ralph Anwan Glover is an American actor and musician. He is one of the founding members of the Backyard Band, a go-go band, as well as appearing as gang member Slim Charles in the HBO series The Wire. He has also appeared in music videos, such as Boyz n da Hood's "Dem Boyz" among others, and has a...
), Avon's new chief enforcer; Bernard (Melvin Jackson, Jr.), responsible for procuring disposable cell phones; and Dennis "Cutty" Wise (Chad Coleman
Chad Coleman
Chad Coleman is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing the character Dennis "Cutty" Wise from The Wire.-Life and career:...
), a newly released convict uncertain of his future.
The introduction of a political storyline brought many new characters. Glynn Turman
Glynn Turman
Glynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
played Mayor Clarence Royce
Clarence Royce
Clarence V. Royce is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by Glynn Turman-Biography:Mayor of Baltimore Clarence V. Royce is a deft political figure and is fixated on remaining in power. Royce is the incumbent Mayor of Baltimore who was elected into office in 1998 and is in the...
, the incumbent whom Carcetti planned to unseat. Cleo Reginald Pizana portrayed Coleman Parker, Royce's chief-of-staff. Brandy Burre
Brandy Burre
Brandy Burre was born on September 27, 1974 in Sandusky, Ohio. She earned her Master's degree in acting at Ohio University, and has performed on the stage in addition to her work in film and television. She is best known for her portrayal of Theresa D'Agostino on the HBO series The Wire.-External...
appeared as Theresa D'Agostino, a political campaign consultant. Frederick Strother performed as Odell Watkins, a state delegate and political king-maker. Christopher Mann played Carcetti's city council colleague Anthony Gray.
Several new police characters also debuted with the third season. Gregory L. Williams played Michael Crutchfield, a cantankerous homicide detective. Joilet F. Harris had a small role as Caroline Massey, a new officer in the Major Crimes Unit. The focus on Colvin's command of the Western District introduced several new characters both in Carver's Drug Enforcement Unit and in the Patrol Division. Carver's squad includes Kenneth Dozerman (Rick Otto), Anthony Colicchio (Benjamin Busch
Benjamin Busch
Benjamin B. Busch is an American actor, writer, film maker, photographer, and former United States Marine Corps officer. He is best known for his portrayal of Anthony Colicchio on the HBO original series The Wire.-Biography:...
), Lloyd "Truck" Garrick (Ryan Sands), and Lambert (Nakia Dillard). New rookie patrol officer Aaron Castor (Lee Everett Cox), Brian Baker (Derek Horton
Derek Horton
Derek Horton, born 24 June 1956, is an artist, writer, publisher and teacher. He worked in the jewelry trade, then as a wood machinist, and as a lorry driver, before becoming involved in community arts and urban adventure playgrounds in the 1970s...
) and Officer Turner (Darrell M. Smith
Darrell M. Smith
Darrell M. Smith is an American entrepreneur, businessman, producer and actor.-Career:He studied at Stella Adler, the drama school where actors like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro went, in New York City for a few years. After finishing his studies he went on to do numerous off-broadway plays,...
) also featured.
Episodes
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