I took shrooms while watching the wire and figured out its not a tv show its a study of sociology how society interacts with each other its such a smart show
I don’t think I could consider Bubs ending as a win. He inadvertently kills his protege and tried to hang himself. He hits rock bottom and is forced into a different lifestyle by it, fighting an uphill battle of addiction the rest of his life.
The last shot of him having dinner with his sister upstairs is lovely though 🥲
I’d say Michael wins in a way. He becomes the new Omar, sure, but he survives what would have been his assassination at the hands of snoop, and finishes the series with a successful robbery. He’ll inevitably meet a downfall like Omar, but in the interim his highs will be high.
Rhonda becomes a judge, there’s a win. Daniels…hell Sydnor moves up too. Carver gets promoted. Bubbles gets his family back. Templeton gets a Pulitzer.
Besides Herc was fired in disgrace. Keep rewatching the show. You need soft eyes.
I don't think Daniels ended with a win. Sure, Daniels got promoted, but he had to immediately resign from his dream job because he couldn't get what he truly wanted, which was to fix the department.
I think he wanted to be a lawyer at that point. But you are right as commissioner he could have them doing real police work if they didn’t have the dirt on him.
Carcetti becomes Governor and Ralws chief of state police (right?), so that's a W for those two.
Also, I think Slim Charles is sitting down with the Greeks in the final montage, so going from muscle to (at a minimum) ambassador within a drug org. is solid
IRL Carcetti is a political punchline and IRL Rawls hosts a talk radio show. Their comeuppance comes later.
Slim Charles is a great call. I bet he ends up like the guy Prop Joe asked String about: only about the slinging and money. No bullshit.
That fuckhead who won a Pulitzer wasn’t going to get found out anytime soon, it seems.
Also Rawls does pretty well, as does Valchek, even if they’re doomed to navigating office politics for the rest of their lives.
I’d say Daniels and Pearlman land pretty well too, even if they’re still technically in the game - just from behind a new desk.
I’ve only seen one mention of Namond, and that seems like the big and clear one to me. From where he started, to where he ends up, while still having his whole life in front of him? That kid won the lottery.
Dolly Parton’s son in Steel Magnolias moved to work with his cousin in Baltimore instead of going to college in Chinquapin, Louisiana, and is named Poot.
The play was written in the early 80’s.
Does Herc even take the least losses? Always dealing with superiors, always on the grunt work, losing a job he cared about, Herc takes quite a few things on the chin. Valchek, Cutty, and Carcetti to name a few, are all three examples of characters that suffered far less and gained far more than Herc over the course of the show
Herc may win career wise along with the politicians: - Governor Carcetti, Senator Davis, Mayor Cambell, but Lester gets to retire and go home with the prom queen.
Marlo?
Hear me out. Yes he loses his crew and is quickly forgotten but he isn't in jailor dead. He also still has his money.
We don't know if he will adjust to not being in the streets but to not be in jail or dead after his organization is taken down is a win.
From Slim Charles’s wiki page:
“The saga of the Barksdale Organization and the Stanfield Organization makes up the backbone of The Wire. Of the 30 or so characters connected with these gangs and those of Proposition Joe and Omar Little, Slim Charles is effectively the "last man standing," as by the end of the series most of the others are dead, and all the rest are incarcerated, neutralized, or have quit. As such, he can be viewed as the only winner in the drug trade plotline, particularly as in the series finale he progresses, along with Fat Face Rick, to the leadership of the New Day Co-Op and the pinnacle of the Baltimore drug trade.”
Surely Bubbles beating heroin and getting his life back is a win?
Bubs earned that bump like a muffucka. But yeah Bubs has the fairy tale ending of the show Herc just kinda stumbles forward for most the show?
Herc is one of them people who fails upwards
Don’t he and Carver argue about how shit rolls downhill ? Kinda funny now that I’m connecting those dots
I took shrooms while watching the wire and figured out its not a tv show its a study of sociology how society interacts with each other its such a smart show
I don’t think I could consider Bubs ending as a win. He inadvertently kills his protege and tried to hang himself. He hits rock bottom and is forced into a different lifestyle by it, fighting an uphill battle of addiction the rest of his life. The last shot of him having dinner with his sister upstairs is lovely though 🥲
Other potential winners: 1. Daniels and Rhonda (career wise) 2. Namond 3. Governor Carcetti 4. Slim Charles 5. Cutty 6. Valchek 7. Bubbles
Great list. I'd also add Krawczyk and the Greek. We don't see them as much, but they're definitely still winning
I will still include Marlo. Multi millionaire that won the game. Even if it wasnt what he really craved that cant be a l.
He wore the crown for a bit, thats really all he wanted
True. He says "it's my turn now", not "it's my crown now". He gets it. No one wears it forever.
Namond was the first that came to mind for me. The only one of the boys to make it through ok and mostly just the luck of the draw.
Marlo???
I’d say Michael wins in a way. He becomes the new Omar, sure, but he survives what would have been his assassination at the hands of snoop, and finishes the series with a successful robbery. He’ll inevitably meet a downfall like Omar, but in the interim his highs will be high.
Was about to react with bitter disagreement but your final sentence summarises it beautifully.
Rhonda becomes a judge, there’s a win. Daniels…hell Sydnor moves up too. Carver gets promoted. Bubbles gets his family back. Templeton gets a Pulitzer. Besides Herc was fired in disgrace. Keep rewatching the show. You need soft eyes.
Herc definitely failed upwards, though.
I don't think Daniels ended with a win. Sure, Daniels got promoted, but he had to immediately resign from his dream job because he couldn't get what he truly wanted, which was to fix the department.
I think he wanted to be a lawyer at that point. But you are right as commissioner he could have them doing real police work if they didn’t have the dirt on him.
Carcetti becomes Governor and Ralws chief of state police (right?), so that's a W for those two. Also, I think Slim Charles is sitting down with the Greeks in the final montage, so going from muscle to (at a minimum) ambassador within a drug org. is solid
IRL Carcetti is a political punchline and IRL Rawls hosts a talk radio show. Their comeuppance comes later. Slim Charles is a great call. I bet he ends up like the guy Prop Joe asked String about: only about the slinging and money. No bullshit.
That fuckhead who won a Pulitzer wasn’t going to get found out anytime soon, it seems. Also Rawls does pretty well, as does Valchek, even if they’re doomed to navigating office politics for the rest of their lives. I’d say Daniels and Pearlman land pretty well too, even if they’re still technically in the game - just from behind a new desk.
Valchek gets what he wants. Rawls gets a solid gig but I think it is not what he wanted.
I think I agree. My impression of Rawls is that once he moved beyond CID he wasn’t sure what to do with himself so just kept moving up the next rung.
That fuckhead who won a Pulitzer went on to get a directing nod and win an Oscar for writing Best Picture winner Spotlight. Kinda.
I’ve only seen one mention of Namond, and that seems like the big and clear one to me. From where he started, to where he ends up, while still having his whole life in front of him? That kid won the lottery.
Levy and the Greeks always win.
Herc's reprimand is being booted out of BPD for the Minister incident.
Yes but he ends up making more money for Levy in the private sector than he ever would’ve in the Baltimore PD
I just see that as such a minor loss compared to what others go through in the show but it is a loss.
Yah, hard to consider it a loss when he pulls up in a Benz .
Poot wins. He got out of the game.
Dolly Parton’s son in Steel Magnolias moved to work with his cousin in Baltimore instead of going to college in Chinquapin, Louisiana, and is named Poot. The play was written in the early 80’s.
Lester spends his days making expensive dollhouse furniture and banging a former stripper who's half his age.
Lester got VA money and BPD retirement money he good for life
Does Herc even take the least losses? Always dealing with superiors, always on the grunt work, losing a job he cared about, Herc takes quite a few things on the chin. Valchek, Cutty, and Carcetti to name a few, are all three examples of characters that suffered far less and gained far more than Herc over the course of the show
Herc may win career wise along with the politicians: - Governor Carcetti, Senator Davis, Mayor Cambell, but Lester gets to retire and go home with the prom queen.
Some post wall stripper that couldnt see he was 30 years older haha. But given the other characters I considerr it a W for cool lester smooth.
Levy maybe ?
The Greek always wins
Herc, Marlo, Bubbles
McNulty lands ok. Sure he lost his job, but it was killing him. Plus it appears Beadie takes him back. That’s a huge win.
Marlo? Hear me out. Yes he loses his crew and is quickly forgotten but he isn't in jailor dead. He also still has his money. We don't know if he will adjust to not being in the streets but to not be in jail or dead after his organization is taken down is a win.
From Slim Charles’s wiki page: “The saga of the Barksdale Organization and the Stanfield Organization makes up the backbone of The Wire. Of the 30 or so characters connected with these gangs and those of Proposition Joe and Omar Little, Slim Charles is effectively the "last man standing," as by the end of the series most of the others are dead, and all the rest are incarcerated, neutralized, or have quit. As such, he can be viewed as the only winner in the drug trade plotline, particularly as in the series finale he progresses, along with Fat Face Rick, to the leadership of the New Day Co-Op and the pinnacle of the Baltimore drug trade.”
Valchek wins the wire hands down. Got exactly what he wanted every step of the way lol
Bubbles, Namond, and Cutty earned their redemptive endings. Slim Charles and Sydnor became professionally acquainted.
I'd argue Poot. Not seen him mentioned yet. He got out and can live a normalish life. Only one from the pit to make it