The third season of the television series ''

The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2 ...

'' of 12 episodes first aired in the United States on HBO in 2004, from September 19 to December 19. It introduces

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

's local politicians and the upstart drug dealing Stanfield organization while continuing to examine the

Barksdale Organization The Barksdale Organization is a fictional drug-dealing gang on the television series ''The Wire''. Many of the characters featured in season one of ''The Wire'' belong to this organization. Season 1 largely deals with the Baltimore Police Depar ...

and the Baltimore Police Department. The third season aired on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET in the United States to widespread critical acclaim. 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 Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO) is an American multinational media and entertainment company operating as a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. Founded by Charles Dolan and based out of WarnerMedia's former corporate headquarters at the 30 Hudson Yar ...

Production

Following the death of Robert F. Colesberry, director

Joe Chappelle Joseph Chappelle is an American screenwriter, producer, and director of film and television. He is perhaps best known for his work on the critically acclaimed HBO series ''The Wire'', where he directed six episodes and served as co-executive p ...

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. David Simon had originally hoped to create a city hall spinoff show, which would run in tandem with subsequent seasons of ''The Wire'', and had even written scripts for it. But HBO declined, according to Simon: "HBO said, 'No, we only want one show that nobody is watching in Baltimore, not two!'."

Cast

Starring cast

The third season returned with the focus on investigating the

and introducing new characters such as the rival

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. The returning cast consisted of

Dominic West Dominic Gerard Francis Eagleton West (born 15 October 1969) is an English actor, director and musician. He is best known for playing Jimmy McNulty in HBO's ''The Wire'' (2002–2008), Noah Solloway in Showtime's '' The Affair'' (2014–2019), ...

as Detective

Jimmy McNulty James "Jimmy" McNulty is a fictional character and the protagonist of the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Dominic West. McNulty is an Irish-American detective in the Baltimore Police Department. While talented in his profession, McNulty's c ...

, whose insubordinate tendencies and personal problems continued to overshadow his ability;

Lance Reddick Lance Reddick (born December 31, 1962) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for playing Cedric Daniels in ''The Wire'' (2002–2008), Phillip Broyles in ''Fringe'' (2008–2013), and Chief Irvin Irving in '' Bosch'' (2014–2020) ...

as Lieutenant

Cedric Daniels Cedric Daniels is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Lance Reddick. Daniels is well regarded in the Baltimore Police Department by making his subordinates focus on decent police work and quality arrests. He occasionall ...

, now commanding his own unit;

Kima Greggs Shakima "Kima" Greggs is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actress Sonja Sohn. Greggs is a determined and capable police detective in the Baltimore Police Department. Openly lesbian, she often displays a hardened, c ...

, played by

Sonja Sohn Sonja Denise Plack (' Williams; born May 9, 1964), known professionally as Sonja Sohn, is an American actress, activist and filmmaker, best known for portraying Baltimore detective Kima Greggs in the HBO drama ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). She i ...

, now McNulty's new partner within the unit;

Clarke Peters Peter Clarke (born April 7, 1952), known professionally as Clarke Peters, is an American-British actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Lester Freamon in the television series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and Albert Lambrea ...

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. He is a wise, methodical detective whose intelligence and experi ...

; and

Deirdre Lovejoy Deirdre Lovejoy (born June 30, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman on HBO’s ''The Wire''. She is also known for her roles as a serial killer Heather Taffet (aka "The Gr ...

as Assistant State's Attorney

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. Later in the series, she be ...

Wood Harris Sherwin David "Wood" Harris (born October 17, 1969) is an American actor. He has portrayed the drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO crime drama ''The Wire'', cocaine dealer Ace in '' Paid in Full'' and high school football player Julius Camp ...

reprised his role as incarcerated drug kingpin

Avon Barksdale Avon Randolph Barksdale is a fictional character in the American television series ''The Wire'', played by Wood Harris. Barksdale is one of the most powerful drug dealers in Baltimore, Maryland, and runs the Barksdale Organization. Stringer Be ...

Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.

's character

Stringer Bell Russell "Stringer" Bell is a fictional character in ''The Wire'', played by Idris Elba. He is a secondary antagonist for season 1 and 2, later being the main antagonist for season 3. In the criminal world of early 2000s Baltimore, Bell serves as ...

continued to run the

in Avon's absence.

Andre Royo Andre Royo (born July 18, 1968) is an American actor, producer, and writer. He is best known for his role as Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins on the HBO crime drama series ''The Wire'', and his appearances on ''Fringe'', ''Party Down'', ''How to Make I ...

returned as Bubbles, who continued to indulge his drug addiction and act as an occasional informant. Deputy Commissioner of Operations

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, Rawls ascends through the higher ranks of the Baltimore Police Department, eventually becoming Deputy Comm ...

(

John Doman John Doman (born January 9, 1945) is an American actor best known for playing Maryland State Police Superintendent, Deputy Police Commissioner and Major William Rawls on HBO series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008), Colonel Edward Galson on '' Oz'' (2 ...

) and Acting Commissioner

Ervin Burrell Ervin H. Burrell is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Frankie Faison. Burrell was an officer in the Baltimore Police Department who ascended from Deputy Commissioner of Operations to Commissioner over the course of th ...

(

Frankie Faison Frankie Russel Faison (born June 10, 1949) is an American actor known for his role as Deputy Commissioner, and, later, Commissioner, Ervin Burrell in the HBO series ''The Wire'', as Barney Matthews in the ''Hannibal Lecter'' franchise, and as Su ...

), the two commanding officers, seem to be more concerned with politics and their own careers than actual police work.

Wendell Pierce Wendell Edward Pierce (born December 8, 1963) is an American actor and businessman. Having trained at Juilliard School, Pierce rose to prominence as a character actor portraying roles both on the stage and screen. He first gained notoriety portra ...

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 Ellis Carver is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Seth Gilliam. Carver is a former Sergeant of the Baltimore Police Department's Western District Drug Enforcement Unit. While initially matched to the simple-mind ...

Domenick Lombardozzi Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi (, ; born March 25, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Herc in ''The Wire'', and is also known for his roles in ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), '' Entourage'', and ''The Irishman'' (2019). Ca ...

as Detective

Thomas "Herc" Hauk Thomas "Herc" Hauk is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Domenick Lombardozzi. The series introduces Herc as a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Narcotics Unit, begrudgingly detailed to the initial Barks ...

, Detective

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 is a member of the Barksdale detail and later works in the Major Crimes Unit. ...

( Corey Parker Robinson), Detective

Roland Pryzbylewski Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Jim True-Frost. Pryzbylewski is a detective of Polish heritage in the Baltimore Police Department. Initially seen as incompetent and rash, he pr ...

(

Jim True-Frost Jim True-Frost (''né'' True; July 31, 1966) 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'', as James Woodrow in '' Tre ...

Bodie Broadus Preston "Bodie" Broadus is a fictional character on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', played by actor J. D. Williams. Bodie is initially a rough, low-level drug dealer, but matures throughout the series and slowly rises through the ranks. Bodie ...

(

J.D. Williams J.D. Williams (born May 22, 1978) is an American actor known for his starring roles in the HBO television programs '' Oz'' as Kenny Wangler, ''The Wire'' as Bodie Broadus and ''Pootie Tang'' as Froggy, ''Surviving Family'' (2012) as Bobby, ''T ...

Omar Little Omar Devone Little is a fictional character on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', portrayed by Michael K. Williams. He is a notorious Baltimore stick-up man, who frequently robs street-level drug dealers. He is legendary around Baltimore for h ...

(

Michael K. Williams Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He rose to fame in 2002 through his critically acclaimed role as Omar Little on the HBO drama series ''The Wire''. He has been described as a "singular pr ...

), and Major

Howard "Bunny" Colvin Howard "Bunny" Colvin is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Robert Wisdom. Colvin is a wise and able police major in the Baltimore's Western District, alienated by the careerism and bureaucracy rampant in the Ba ...

(

Robert Wisdom Robert Ray Wisdom (born September 14, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in '' The Wire,'' Norman "Lechero" St. John in ''Prison Break'', and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu movie ''Vacation Friends''. ...

). 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 Thomas J. "Tommy" Carcetti ( ) is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Aidan Gillen. Carcetti is an ambitious and venal Baltimore politician who begins the series with a seat on the city council. Biography Season 3 To ...

(

Aidan Gillen Aidan Murphy (born 24 April 1968), better known as Aidan Gillen (), is an Irish actor. He is the recipient of three Irish Film & Television Awards and has been nominated for a British Academy Television Award, a British Independent Film Award, ...

), 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 Francis "Frank" Sobotka is a fictional character in of the HBO drama '' The Wire'', played by the actor Chris Bauer. Plot Frank is a respected Polish-American treasurer for the International Brotherhood of Stevedores at the Baltimore docks ...

Paul Ben-Victor Paul Ben-Victor (born July 24, 1965) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Greek mobster Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', Alan Gray in ''Entourage'' (2005–2008), and Ray in '' Body Parts'' (1991). ...

(

Spiros Vondas Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos ( Greek: Σπύρος Βονδόπουλος) is a fictional character on the HBO drama '' The Wire'' played by actor Paul Ben-Victor and the secondary antagonist in season 2. Biography Vondas is The Greek's secon ...

) and

Amy Ryan Amy Beth Dziewiontkowski, known professionally as Amy Ryan, is an American actress of stage and screen. A graduate of New York's High School of Performing Arts, she is an Academy Award nominee and two-time Tony Award nominee. Ryan began her pr ...

(

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. Char ...

) all left the starring cast with the third season. Ryan returned as a guest star for a short scene at the end of the season.

Main cast

(12 episodes) *

(10 episodes) *

Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.

as Russell "Stringer" Bell (12 episodes) *

(10 episodes) *

(12 episodes) *

(11 episodes) *

(10 episodes) *

(11 episodes) *

as Bunk Moreland (8 episodes) *

(12 episodes) *

as Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins (10 episodes) *

(12 episodes) *

(9 episodes) *

(12 episodes) * Seth Gilliam as

(11 episodes) *

Herc Thomas "Herc" Hauk is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Domenick Lombardozzi. The series introduces Herc as a detective in the Baltimore Police Department's Narcotics Unit, begrudgingly detailed to the initial Bark ...

(11 episodes) * J. D. Williams as

(11 episodes) *

(10 episodes) * Corey Parker Robinson as

(8 episodes)

Recurring roles

Many guest stars from the earlier seasons reprised their roles.

Proposition Joe Joseph Stewart, better known as "Proposition Joe" or "Prop Joe", is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Robert F. Chew. Joe is an Eastside drug lord who prefers a peaceful solution to business disputes when possible. H ...

( Robert F. Chew), the East Side's cautious drug kingpin, became more cooperative with the

. His lieutenant "Cheese" (

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of ...

) became involved in the Major Crimes Unit investigation.

Brother Mouzone Brother Mouzone is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Michael Potts. Character history Brother Mouzone (from Arabic موزون ''mawzūn'', meaning "balanced,” "weighted") is a drug enforcer and hitman from ...

(Michael Potts) returned to Baltimore looking for revenge.

Hassan Johnson Hassan "Iniko" Johnson is an American actor from Brooklyn, New York. He portrayed Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice on HBO's ''The Wire'' and also appears as Drew in '' Flatbush Misdemeanors'' on Showtime. Career Johnson's first acting role was in th ...

reprised his role as incarcerated Barksdale enforcer

Wee-Bey Brice Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character in the HBO drama ''The Wire'' played by Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey is a trusted soldier in the Barksdale Organization. Character storyline Wee-Bey dropped out of school in sixth grade and started de ...

Tray Chaney Tray Chaney is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program ''The Wire'' as Poot Carr, which became his most successful acting role. He also appears in the Bounce TV soap opera Saints & Sinners as Kendrick. Career Chaney began his entert ...

continued to portray Barksdale crew chief

Poot Carr Malik "Poot" Carr is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Tray Chaney. Poot starts out as a drug dealer in the Barksdale Organization who slowly rises through the ranks. He eventually ends up leaving the drug t ...

Leo Fitzpatrick Leonardo Aurellio Randy Fitzpatrick is an American actor and co-director of the Marlborough Chelsea gallery. He is best known as Telly in '' Kids'' (1995) and Johnny Weeks in ''The Wire'' (2002–2004). Career He was discovered at age 14 by ...

returned as hapless drug addict

Johnny Weeks Johnny Weeks is a fictional character on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', portrayed by Leo Fitzpatrick. A heroin addict, he commits a series of petty crimes to afford his habit, along with fellow addict Bubbles. Biography Season 1 In season ...

Michael Hyatt Charlene "Michael" Hyatt is a British-born American actress. Before her work in film and television, she performed on stages throughout the United States, particularly in ''Ragtime'' on Broadway. She has played Brianna Barksdale on ''The Wire'' ...

and Shamyl Brown reprised their respective roles as

Brianna Barksdale The Barksdale Organization is a fictional drug-dealing gang on the television series ''The Wire''. Many of the characters featured in season one of ''The Wire'' belong to this organization. Season 1 largely deals with the Baltimore Police Depar ...

and Donette with both characters dealing with the loss of

D'Angelo Barksdale D'Angelo "Dee" Barksdale (c.1978-79 - July 21, 2003) is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Larry Gilliard Jr. D'Angelo is the nephew of Avon Barksdale and a lieutenant in his drug dealing organization which controls mo ...

Michael Kostroff Michael Kostroff (born May 22, 1961) 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 ...

returned as the Barksdales' retainered defense attorney Maurice Levy. Isiah Whitlock, Jr. reprised his role as corrupt State Senator

Clay Davis 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. However, throughout the series Davis remains p ...

, who continued to be involved with Barksdale money. Stringer continued to use Shamrock (

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

) to insulate himself from investigation. Background characters like Barksdale enforcers

Tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engi ...

and

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

also returned.

's crew continued to rob the Barksdale Organization and consisted of his boyfriend

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...

(

Ernest Waddell Ernest Waddell (born July 22, 1982) 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 ...

), partners Tosha Mitchell (

Edwina Findley Edwina Findley, also known as Edwina Findley Dickerson, is an American actress. In 2014, Findley began starring as one of lead characters in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, '' If Loving You Is Wrong''. Findley is also known for her recu ...

) and Kimmy ( Kelli R. Brown), and advisor

Butchie Butchie is a fictional character on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'', portrayed by S. Robert Morgan. A blind man, he runs an East-Side Baltimore bar, and is Omar Little's bank and advisor. Like his character, actor S. Robert Morgan is blind; ...

(

S. Robert Morgan S. Robert Morgan is an American television actor and theatre director. He starred in the Home Box Office, HBO drama series ''The Wire (TV series), The Wire'' as Omar Little and associates#Butchie, Butchie from the second season until the show's fif ...

). Many guest stars also reprised their characters from the police department. Returning guest stars in the homicide unit include

Delaney Williams Delaney Williams (born December 12, 1962) is an American character actor from Washington, D.C. He appeared on the HBO drama ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) as a recurring guest star playing homicide sergeant Jay Landsman. He also had a small role o ...

as Sergeant

Jay Landsman Jay C. Landsman is an American retired homicide detective and actor. He was featured in David Simon (writer), David Simon's 1991 book about the Baltimore homicide unit ''Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets''. According to the book, Landsma ...

Ed Norris Edward T. Norris (born April 10, 1960) is an American radio host and former law enforcement officer in Maryland. He is the cohost of a talk show on WJZ-FM (105.7 The Fan) in Baltimore, Maryland. Norris, a 20-year veteran of the New York Police ...

as Detective

, and

Brian Anthony Wilson Brian Anthony Wilson (born February 22, 1960) is an American film and television actor. He first appeared in the 1997 film '' The Postman'' as Woody. Wilson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the la ...

as Detective Vernon Holley.

Al Brown Alfonso Teofilo Brown (July 5, 1902 – April 11, 1951), better known as Panama Al Brown, was a Panamanian professional boxer. He made history by becoming boxing's first Latin American world champion, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest ...

and

reprised their roles as patrol division officers

Stan Valchek Stanislaus "Stan" Valchek is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Al Brown. Biography Valchek is the Polish-American commander of the Baltimore Police Department in the Southeastern district, home to many of th ...

and

Dennis Mello The Baltimore Police Department plays an integral part in ''The Wire''. Command The department is led by a Police Commissioner assisted by Deputy Commissioners of Operations (often shortened to Deputy Ops) and Administration. The Police Commissio ...

. 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 is a fictional character on the HBO television drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ambitious, intelligent and ruthless gangster and head of the eponymous Stanfield Organization in the Baltimore ...

(

Jamie Hector Jamie Hector (born October 7, 1975) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of drug kingpin Marlo Stanfield on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'' and as Detective Jerry Edgar in the drama series '' Bosch''. Career Hector began ac ...

), a ruthless leader seeking to challenge Avon's dominance;

Chris Partlow Christopher "Chris" Partlow is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Gbenga Akinnagbe. Chris is Marlo Stanfield's second-in-command and bodyguard in his drug dealing operation. He is a minor antagonist for season 3 ...

(

Gbenga Akinnagbe Olugbenga Enitan Temitope Akinnagbe ( ; born 12 December 1978) is an American actor and writer, best known for his roles as Chris Partlow on the HBO series ''The Wire'' and as Larry Brown on the HBO series '' The Deuce''. Early life Akinnagb ...

), Stanfield's chief enforcer;

Felicia "Snoop" Pearson Felicia "Snoop" Pearson is a semi-fictional character on the HBO series ''The Wire'', played by the actress of the same name. She is a young female soldier in Marlo Stanfield's drug dealing organization and Chris Partlow's earliest protégé. ...

(

Felicia Pearson Felicia Pearson (born May 18, 1980) is an American actress, rapper and author. She played Felicia "Snoop" Pearson on ''The Wire'' and wrote a 2007 memoir, ''Grace After Midnight,'' detailing her troubled childhood and time in prison for second ...

), Partlow's protege; Norris Davis as rimshop owner and advisor

Vinson VINSON is a family of voice encryption devices used by U.S. and allied military and law enforcement, based on the NSA's classified Suite A SAVILLE encryption algorithm and 16 kbit/s CVSD audio compression. It replaces the Vietnam War-era N ...

;

Brandon Fobbs Brandon Fobbs (born April 19, 1981) is an American actor. He had a recurring role on HBO television series ''The Wire (TV series), The Wire'' as Stanfield Organization#Fruit, Fruit. He also appeared in ''Pride (2007 film), Pride'' (2007) and '' ...

as crew chief

Fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

; and Melvin T. Russell and Justin Burley as young drug dealers

Jamal Jamal ( ar, جمال ''/'') is an Arabic masculine given name, meaning "beauty",Jamal
at BehindTheName.com and a surna ...

and

Justin Justin may refer to: People * Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin * Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire * Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Rom ...

. The

also found several new recruits:

Slim Charles Slim Charles is a fictional character 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, he is portrayed as principled, loyal, and compet ...

(

Anwan Glover Ralph Anwan Glover (born May 5, 1971 in Washington, D.C.) is an American rapper, actor, model, DJ, and founding member of the D.C.-based go-go band "BackYard Band" (also abbreviated as "BYB"). Glover is also known for his portrayal of Slim Charle ...

), Avon's new chief enforcer;

Bernard Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "bra ...

(

Melvin Jackson, Jr. Melvin is a masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of Melville and a descendant of the French surname de Maleuin and the later Melwin. It may alternatively be spelled as Melvyn or, in Welsh, Melfyn and the name Melivinia or Melva may ...

), responsible for procuring disposable cell phones; and

Dennis "Cutty" Wise Dennis "Cutty" Wise is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by actor Chad Coleman. Wise is a reformed criminal who sets up a boxing gym for neighborhood children. The name "Dennis Wise" was taken from an actual Baltimore c ...

( Chad Coleman), a newly released convict uncertain of his future. The introduction of a political storyline brought many new characters.

Glynn Turman Glynn Russell Turman (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. Turman is known for his roles as Lew Miles on the prime-time soap opera '' Peyton Place'' (1968–1969), high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson ...

played Mayor

Clarence Royce Clarence V. Royce is a fictional character in the HBO series ''The Wire (TV series), The Wire'' played by Glynn Turman. Season 3 Clarence V. Royce is the Mayor of Baltimore whose first appearance is at the demolition of the Franklin Terrace hou ...

, the incumbent whom Carcetti planned to unseat. Cleo Reginald Pizana portrayed Coleman Parker, Royce's chief-of-staff.

Brandy Burre Brandy Burre (born September 27, 1974) is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of Theresa D'Agostino on the HBO series ''The Wire''. Burre was born in Sandusky, Ohio. She earned her master's degree in acting at Ohio University, and ...

appeared as Theresa D'Agostino, a political campaign consultant. Frederick Strother performed as

Odell Watkins The following are politicians, family members, and assistants administrating the politics of Baltimore on ''The Wire''. Maryland State politicians Clay Davis * Played by: Isiah Whitlock, Jr. * Appears in: :Season one: "One Arrest"; " The Cost" ...

, 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 Michael Paul Crutchfield (born 12 December 1961) is an Australian politician. He was formerly the member for South Barwon in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Early life Crutchfield was born in Melbourne, but attended high school in the co ...

, 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 included Kenneth Dozerman ( Rick Otto), Anthony Colicchio ( Benjamin Busch), Lloyd "Truck" Garrick (

Ryan Sands Ryan Sands is an American actor from Washington, D.C. He is known for his portrayal of Geoffrey Wilder in '' Marvel's Runaways''. Early life and education Sands grew up in Washington D.C. along with several older brothers and sisters. His father ...

), 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.

Episodes

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, the season has an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 10 out of 10 based on 21 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "In its third season, ''The Wire''s taut, unflinching examination of Baltimore expands from the criminal underworld to the top of the political machine." The season holds a score of 98/100 indicating "universal acclaim" on

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

Awards and nominations

57th Primetime Emmy Awards The 57th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 18, 2005 and was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The ceremony was broadcast on CBS. BBC America received its first major nomination this year. The ceremony, which aired three weeks after ...

'' *Nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (George Pelecanos & David Simon) (Episode: "Middle Ground")

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wire 2004 American television seasons 3