10. Lester Freamon
Lester Freamondemonstrates early on that he’s the profound, sagacious grandfather-type of the show.
Sly, crafty, and impressively shrewd, Lester is often one step ahead of his colleagues and superiors. In terms of raw intellect, his understanding of “the game” is second to none, and few can match his ability to read a situation and grasp what’s really happening.
Much like almost everyone else in the show, Lester Freamon is a victim of trying to improve the state of things in a system that’s fiercely designed to maintain the status quo.
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9. Frank Sobotka
Frank Sobotkadidn’t have a lot of screen time compared to some of the other characters on this list, yet he’s easily one of the most interesting people we’ve seen throughout the five seasons.
A hard-working man who cares deeply about the union he represents, Frank Sobotka found himself dragged into a world of crime that he never anticipated would be so dirty—or cruel.
He’s willing to turn a blind eye to the import of drugs through his docks, but when he discovers a crate full of bodies, he begins to question whether the ends can justify the means.
As he tries his best to keep his union alive, he becomes a symbol of the honest man’s struggle against the decay of America.
8. Brother Mouzone
Here we have another character who received little screen time:Brother Mouzone, the street assassin with a library card.
When we first meet Mouzone, it’s immediately clear that he’s a very specific type of person: well-dressed with a book in his hand and a carefully assembled gun in his coat.
He could have become a gimmicky character, but instead he becomes more real with each scene he appears in. By the end, he’s a hitman unlike any we’ve ever seen on TV.
As if that weren’t enough, Brother Mouzone is made even more meaningful when you realize he’s meant to be a foil for Omar Little. They each make the other shine that much brighter.
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7. Bunk Moreland
Jimmy McNulty’s best friend and one of the only men capable of reeling him in,Bunk Morelandis the heart ofThe Wire. He’s simultaneously the voices of reason and degeneracy.
While he provides a strong moral backbone that counters the apathetic nature of his police office, he balances all of that hard work with excessive drinking and philandering.
In that respect, it’s easy to see why he gets along so well with Jimmy. Top it off with his dry humor and wry wit and you end up with a beloved character who’s always welcome on screen.
6. Avon Barksdale
Avon Barksdaleis the coolest cat in the entirety ofThe Wireand everyone in Baltimore—both friends and foes—knows it.
When all’s said, Avon Barksdale is the epitome of effortless power. As the head of drug operations in Westside Baltimore, he carries a lot of weight and yet the crown never wears heavy on his head.
Avon embodies his role as drug kingpin with ease, earning everyone’s respect—even when he’s in prison.
This leads many others in the hood to imitate him (like Marlo Stanfield) in pursuit of similar results, but often they find that wearing the crown isn’t as easy as Avon makes it seem.
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5. Stringer Bell
Intelligent, clinical, and utterly ruthless,Stringer Bellrepresents the sharp divide between City Hall and the streets.
He constantly finds himself pitted between the heights of ephemeral criminal success and the difficulties of establishing a sustained career in quasi-legal Baltimore dealings.
In this regard, Stringer Bell encapsulates many of the ideas embedded inThe Wire: he’s always short of attaining the American Dream because the deck is stacked against him.
No matter how savvy he thinks he is, no matter how successful he is at crime, the truth is that he’ll never be able to play those “away” games. He belongs to the streets.
4. Marlo Stanfield
Marlo Stanfieldis the up-and-comer who’s determined to make a name for himself—by taking over the Baltimore drug trade.
For this young man, nothing is ever enough. Even more ruthless than Stringer Bell, Marlo represents a shift away from the usual code of ethics on the streets, which shocks the other drug lords.
However, it ultimately becomes clear to Marlo that money will never amount to what he really desires: the respect, recognition, and reverence that’s awarded to charismatic leaders like Avon Barksdale.
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3. Cedric Daniels
Phenomenally played by the late Lance Reddick, it always felt like the role ofCedric Danielswas made specifically for him. (Of course, most of that comes down to him being a superb actor.)
Despite having the austere demeanor and wooden movements of a stereotypical police lieutenant, Daniels proves over the course ofThe Wirethat he’s much more than that.
Though firmly principled, he’s also empathetic, wise, altruistic, and ambitious. He’s always in pursuit of something greater, but rarely—if ever—sacrifices what he believes in to get there.
Cedric Daniels isn’t just one of the most memorable characters inThe Wire. He’s among the most admirable, start to finish.
2. Omar Little
Omar Littleis the rogue vigilante of the streets, the Robin Hood of Baltimore who knows that “it’s all in the game.”
As a career criminal, Omar Little has established his own personal code of ethics: he only targets drug dealers, never innocents.
And he doesn’t target them because he’s after their merchandise. He’s simply interested in the cash they carry, which he’s happy to take off their hands with the help of his trusty shotgun.
And yet, Omar’s reckless approach often puts those around him in harm’s way, meaning he tends to isolate himself.
A product of his environment, Omar Little is emblematic of every person who’s been dealt a crappy hand in life and tries to make the best of it. Unfortunately, playing a crap hand is never easy.
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1. Jimmy McNulty
Jimmy McNultyseems shallow and empty at first, but there’s a lot of subtle nuance that makes him a fascinatingly complex character.
On the one hand, he has a good heart and tries his best to work for what’s right. You might even say he’s an altruist to some degree because he doesn’t have much interest in personal glory. He simply gets satisfaction from putting immoral people in jail.
But he’s also an absolute mess: a drunk, a loudmouth, a libertine, and even a bit of a narcissist.
Then again, these negative traits really only come out when his job is made so difficult by the bureaucratic nightmare of politics around him. He can’t do what’s right because the system—and its sprawling complexity—prevents him.
Often stuck between what’s legal and what’s right, he takes to his own moral compass… and frequently ends up in trouble.
Funny, good-natured, and bit of a Byronic hero, Jimmy McNulty is our clear pick as the best character inThe Wire.
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