The fourth 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 ...

'' commenced airing in the United States on September 10, 2006, concluded on December 10, 2006, and contained 13 episodes. It introduces Baltimore's school system and several middle school students while continuing to examine the remnants of 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 ...

, the ascendant

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. ...

, the Baltimore Police Department and politicians. The fourth season aired on Sundays at 9:00 pm ET in the United States. The season was released on DVD as a four disc boxed set under the title of ''The Wire: The Complete Fourth Season'' on December 4, 2007 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

Crew

Playwright and television writer/producer

Eric Overmyer Eric Ellis Overmyer (born September 25, 1951) is an American writer and producer. He has written and/or produced numerous TV shows, including ''St. Elsewhere'', '' Homicide: Life on the Street'', ''Law & Order'', ''The Wire'', ''New Amsterdam'', ...

joined the crew for the show's fourth season as a consulting producer and writer. He had previously worked on ''Homicide'' and was brought into the full-time production staff to replace George Pelecanos who scaled back his involvement in order to concentrate on his next book and he worked on the fourth season solely as a writer. David Mills, Emmy-award winner, ''Homicide'' and ''The Corner'' writer and college friend of Simon, joined the writing staff in the fourth season. Regular writer

Ed Burns Edward P. Burns (born January 29, 1946) is an American screenwriter, novelist, and producer. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. For HBO, they have collaborated on ''The Corner,'' ''The Wire,'' ''Generation Kill'', ''The P ...

became a producer on ''The Wire'' in this season.

Cast

The focus of the fourth season shifted between a local school, the mayoral election, police department politics and action on the street corners. The returning starring 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 Officer

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 ...

, the formerly insubordinate detective who attempts to shed his ability and his problems in favor of a better life. West was at the time homesick and wanting to spend time with his young daughter in England; he also felt the character's plot arc had reached a reasonable end point in season 3, so West arranged with the writers for McNulty's role to be greatly reduced in Season 4.

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) ...

reprised his role as newly promoted Major

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 the western district. One of Daniels's sergeants within the district was 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 ...

, portrayed by Seth Gilliam.

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''. ...

reprised his role as former western district commander

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 ...

, who has become a field researcher after a short stint working in hotel security following his retirement from the Baltimore Police Department. The Major Crimes Unit saw a shift in personnel this season.

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 ...

, portrayed 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 ...

, and

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 ...

, portrayed by

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 ...

, transferred to the Homicide Unit after the new lieutenant of the Major Crimes Unit ends the wire and halts Freamon's investigation of the Barksdale money.

Corey Parker-Robinson Corey Parker Robinson (born February 9, 1975) is an American actor. He has appeared on the HBO program ''The Wire'' as Detective Leander Sydnor. He also appeared in ''The Wire'' creator David Simon's earlier ''The Corner'' as R.C., a young dru ...

portrayed 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. ...

, one of two detectives who remain in the Major Crimes Unit after the arrival of the new lieutenant.

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 ...

returned as

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 ...

, a former member of the Major Crimes Unit whose work on the mayor's security detail earns him a promotion to sergeant and a transfer back to his old unit after Freamon and Greggs' departure.

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.

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 ...

starred 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 ...

, the legal liaison between the unit and the courthouse.

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.

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 ...

portrayed

Roland "Prez" 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 ...

, a former member of the Major Crimes Unit who has become a teacher in an inner city school after inadvertently killing a fellow officer in season three. 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 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 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 ...

). At city hall,

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, ...

) was an ambitious city councilman seeking to become mayor. Joining the cast for the fourth season was Reg E. Cathey as Carcetti's deputy campaign manager, Norman Wilson. Also joining the cast after having a recurring role during the third season was

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 ...

as 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 ...

. On the streets, former Barksdale crew chief

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 ...

) joined the organization of new drug kingpin

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 ...

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 ...

portrayed renowned stick-up man

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 ...

. Joining the cast this season after having a recurring role in season three is

Chad L. Coleman Chad L. Coleman (born September 6, 1967) is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Dennis "Cutty" Wise on the HBO series ''The Wire'' (2004–08), Tyreese on the AMC (TV channel), AMC series ''The Walking Dead (TV series), The Wa ...

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 ...

, a reformed member of the Barksdale organization who has opened a boxing gym for neighborhood children. Two members of the third season starring cast did not return for the fourth season following the termination of their characters' storylines. Both

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 ...

(

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 ...

) and

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

(

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 ...

) left the starring cast in the final episode of the third season.

Recurring characters

Many guest stars from the earlier seasons reprised their roles. Proposition Joe ( Robert F. Chew), the East Side's cautious drug kingpin, became more cooperative with the

following the death of Stringer Bell. His lieutenant, and nephew, "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 ...

) continued to elude the Major Crimes Unit investigation.

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 ...

reprises 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 ...

. Former Barksdale enforcer

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 ...

) returned as a new recruit to Proposition Joe's organization. Several members of the Stanfield Organization introduced in season three also returned:

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; and

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 protégé.

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 ...

continues to portray former 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 ...

, who joins the Stanfield organization this 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'' ...

reprised her role 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 ...

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 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 ...

whose involvement with Barksdale money causes him trouble with the Major Crimes Unit.

's crew shifted focus to the Stanfield Organization and the New Day Co-op and consisted of his new boyfriend

Renaldo Renaldo is a given name. Notable people with the name include: Given name: *Renaldo "Obie" Benson (1937–2005), American soul and R&B singer and songwriter *Renaldo Balkman (born 1984), American professional basketball player * Renaldo Hill ( ...

( Ramón Rodríguez), partner 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 included

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 Major

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 Lieutenant

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. 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 returned as Caroline Massey, an officer in the Major Crimes Unit. Joining the Major Crimes Unit this season is Kenneth Dozerman ( Rick Otto). In the western district, Carver's squad includes 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). In the political storyline, Cleo Reginald Pizana returned as 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.

Maria Broom Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial * 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 *Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, d ...

returns as Marla Daniels, the estranged wife of Major Daniels who is running for a seat on the city council. The fourth season also saw the return of two former starring characters from the second season:

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 ...

as Officer

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 ...

, an officer at the port and Jimmy McNulty's domestic partner, and

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 ...

, the second in command of the Greek's drug smuggling operation. The shift of focus to the schools saw the introduction of four young actors in major recurring roles this season: Jermaine Crawford as

Duquan "Dukie" Weems Duquan "Dukie" Weems is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Jermaine Crawford. Dukie is a student at Edward Tilghman Middle School. He has a difficult home life because the adults in his home are either alcoholics or d ...

;

Maestro Harrell Maestro Harrell, also known as M A E S T R O (born July 29, 1991), is an American DJ, singer, rapper, actor, and record producer. He starred on the HBO original series ''The Wire'' as Randy Wagstaff (2006–08), and as Malik on the ABC comedy ' ...

Randy Wagstaff Randy Wagstaff is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Maestro Harrell. Randy is an enterprising student who is dependent on social services. During season 4, he was an 8th grade pupil at Edward Tilghman Middle School a ...

; Julito McCullum as

Namond Brice Namond Brice ( ) is a fictional character on the HBO drama ''The Wire'', played by Julito McCullum. Namond is a middle school student during season 4 and is friends with Michael Lee and Randy Wagstaff. He often bullies Duquan “Dukie” ...

; and

Tristan Wilds Tristan Paul Mack Wilds (born July 15, 1989) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series, ''The Wire'', and as Dixon Wilson on the CW teen drama seri ...

as Michael Lee. The characters are friends from a West Baltimore middle school. Other new characters from the school included Tootsie Duvall as Assistant Principal Marcia Donnelly; David Parenti (

Dan DeLuca Dan DeLuca (born November 11, 1970) is an American actor, who is best known for appearing in ''The Wire''. Education and career DeLuca studied acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio in New York. He has a master's degree in business from Southeast ...

), a Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland who works with Bunny Colvin in the school to study potential violent offenders; Stacie Davis portrayed Miss Duquette, a doctoral student who works with Parenti and Colvin; Aaron "Bug" Manigault ( Keenon Brice), Michael Lee's younger brother; Kenard ( Thuliso Dingwall), one of the younger members of Namond Brice's circle of friends; and Richard Hidlebird as Principal Claudell Withers.

Main cast

(9 episodes) *

(11 episodes) *

(10 episodes) *

(13 episodes) *

(9 episodes) *

(11 episodes) *

as William "Bunk" Moreland (12 episodes) *

(12 episodes) *

as Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins (9 episodes) *

(12 episodes) *

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 ...

(13 episodes) *

(11 episodes) * Seth Gilliam as

(11 episodes) *

(13 episodes) * Reg E. Cathey as Norman Wilson (13 episodes) * Chad Coleman as

(7 episodes) *

(13 episodes) *

(7 episodes) * J. D. Williams as

(9 episodes) *

(9 episodes) * Corey Parker Robinson as

(11 episodes)

Reception

The fourth season of ''The Wire'' is listed as one of the highest rated individual TV seasons of all time 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 ...

with a score of 98 out of 100 based on 21 critics—including 17 perfect score reviews. On

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 9.7 out of 10 based on 24 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Realistically flawed characters in harrowing, uncompromising circumstances, along with engrossing storytelling, make ''The Wire'' one of TV's top dramas of its time."

Awards and nominations

11th Satellite Awards The 11th Satellite Awards, honoring the best in film and television of 2006, were given on December 18, 2006. Special achievement awards Auteur Award (for his visionary work as a filmmaker) – Robert Altman Mary Pickford Award (for outstandi ...

'' *Nomination for Best Drama Series ''

Writers Guild of America Awards The Writers Guild of America Awards is an award for film, television, and radio writing including both fiction and non-fiction categories given by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America West since 1949. Eligibility T ...

'' *Award for Best Drama Series *Nomination for Best Drama Episode (David Simon & Ed Burns) (Episode: "Final Grades") ''

23rd TCA Awards The 23rd TCA Awards were presented by the Television Critics Association. John Oliver hosted the ceremony on July 21 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel The Beverly Hilton is a hotel located on an property at the intersection of Wilshire and Sa ...

'' *Nomination for Program of the Year *Nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Drama

Episodes

All episodes were made available by HBO six days earlier than their broadcast date, via

On Demand On-demand or on demand may refer to: Manufacturing * Build-on-demand * Just-in-time manufacturing, a methodology for production * Print on demand, printing technology and business process in which new copies of a document are not printed until an ...

References

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wire 4 2006 American television seasons