Considered to be one of the best detective series ever created, a complex and demanding dive into the world of drug trafficking in Baltimore, The Wire has repeatedly confounded its viewers as well as its memorable cast members.
In turn exploring the different ecosystems that develop in parallel in the city and consistently addressing several categories of characters, the series took an unexpected turn at the beginning of Season 2. Indeed, after the first season, located west of Baltimore and was in the center. In the clash between the police and street gangs, The Wire literally transported its audience to a completely different place – the port city – to follow the new characters there.
About ten years after playing mobster Omar Little, the iconic character of the series and especially Season 1, the late Michael K. Williams shared with his fans how he was initially confused by such a script change:
“Throughout the first season, I came in as a recurring character and that character started to develop. So I fell in love with the casting, the writing, and the city.”– he said at the time PaleyFest NY 2014.
“I wanted to move to Baltimore, but I was waiting for the second season to see where the story was going. I met David Simon, he took it on Haven And it made me very sad. I went to him, ignorantly, and said, “We made this amazing show, and now you want to give it to white people! This is our series!'”
The author of the book that inspired The Wire, and co-creator of the series, then convinced Michael K. Williams that the scope of the project was far beyond what Season 1 could handle:
“He looked at me patiently and said, ‘Trust me.’ Going back to that story arc, the story we’re trying to build here seems very tame.” It went completely over my head.”That’s what the actor told him.
“It wasn’t until Season 3 that everything started coming together. Once we started meeting the audience and seeing how people reacted to the show, to the character, to all the storylines in Season 3, I loved it. It was like, ‘Okay, this isn’t about me or my career.’ Instead of being arrogant and ignorant, I became very grateful to be a small part of this huge mural.”
In September 2021, Michael K. Two years after Williams’ tragic death, The Wire is still considered a landmark in television history and by some one of the greatest shows of all time.
(Re)discover the Season 2 trailer…
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
