Taking the form of a gangster series, police procedural and political drama, David Simon’s 2002 HBO masterpiece The Wire is still one of the most distinct TV shows ever made. What’s perhaps most interesting about the series is its ability to make the environment feel as much like a character as any person on the show. This is due to a multi-perspective narrative that covers various corners of Baltimore, giving a rich and compelling portrayal. Even still, while Baltimore might be the main character of The Wire, there are a number of crucial major characters that make up the arcs of the series.
While the obvious character to root for is Jimmy McNulty, the writing is so well-executed that it makes even the most complex characters empathetic. Fans have cared greatly for characters such as ‘Bubbles’, Omar, Bunk and Avon, along with many others. Another key element of the series was finding the right casting for each character, and a lot of stars got their careers going by first appearing on The Wire. The obvious star that came from the series is Idris Elba, who remains a staple of the show’s legacy all these years later.
The Wire’s Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell’s Character Arc Is Still One Of the Greatest In TV History
Avon Barksdale preps for his trial in The Wire.Image via HBO
It’s actually one of the more interesting character dynamics seen in any HBO series, but the Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale relationship is a poignant, reflective and accurate portrayal of friendship, loyalty and betrayal. In criminal settings, it’s not entirely uncommon to think that the leader of an organization is really just the face of its success, while someone else is pulling the strings (no pun intended) behind the scenes. That’s exactly what plays out throughout the three seasons when Stringer and Avon have power and control over Baltimore’s underworld.
Bell is quickly established as both a contrast to Avon Barksdale and to the secret criminal life he leads. On the surface, he plays a clean and elegant business personality, often wearing nice suits and glasses that give him an air of professionalism. This progresses into a legitimate dynamic between him and Barksdale crime boss Avon Barksdale when it is revealed that Stringer is the brains behind the organization. Things work best for the Barkdale crew when Avon and Stringer embody their roles and lean on each other for support and guidance as they battle rival gangs and law enforcement. Of course, Stringer’s arc gets more interesting when he feels like Avon is losing his grip on the city.
Stringer knows that he’s the real power in Baltimore and is eventually forced to step up when things get tough. However, this is when the show explores a real tension between Stringer and his criminal activities. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and this couldn’t apply more to the situation that Bell finds himself in when the second season rolls around.
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Stringer embodies the idea that sometimes people are better at being number 2s (to quote Silvio Dante from The Sopranos). This is also when things get more thematically complex concerning Stringer. A fan-favorite, audiences found things about Stringer to relate to and considered him a legitimate presence in Baltimore’s underworld.
With his professional aura, he comes off as more of a gangster than anyone, but ultimately struggles to handle the responsibilities of being in charge when he’s forced to take over from Avon while he’s dealing with legal issues. This then turns into an exploration of greed, pressure and realization as things continue to progress in the show’s third season.
Tensions start to form between Stringer and Avon, and it leads to a lack of control and stability in the organization. Once thought to be the smartest criminal in the city, Stringer quickly finds himself outmaneuvered by his enemies, which leads to the end of one of the most intricate character arcs on television and only helps to prove why The Wire is the best cop show out there.
Idris Elba Gave the Performance of His Career In The Wire
Stringer Bell at his club in The Wire.Image via HBO
Perhaps it’s really just his most popular character still after all these years, especially considering that he’s played other complex characters in the years following The Wire. Still, many believe that Idris Elba gave one of his greatest performances of his career playing Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell. It’s always interesting when actors play one of their most popular characters very early on in their careers, and sometimes they are unable to follow up the role with something better. This is only partially true for Idris Elba, who many believe to be one of the biggest stars in Hollywood to this day.
Elba would go on to star in essential films such as Thor, Prometheus, Pacific Rim, Beasts of No Nation and Star Trek Beyond in the years following his time on The Wire. He’s also been in the running for a number of major roles, including, most notably, James Bond. Still, it would actually be a return to television that would propel him to even greater heights as a star.
After being more of a side character in The Wire, Elba led his own series for a number of years in the midst of his movie stardom. While Luther might not live up to some of his other roles, it is still one of the most popular shows in recent years, and it kept everyone interested in Idris Elba.
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Luther plays off his time on The Wire and delivers a fun, Sherlock Holmes-level detective series. Giving him the lead, Elba played a detective with incredible skills, who had a presence and aura that was hard to ignore whenever the show aired. Still, the series wasn’t a long-running thing, and Elba only ended up doing a total of 20 episodes when all was said and done.
In actuality, he spent more time playing Stringer Bell than he did playing John Luther, but the contrasts in each character just show off the range and skill of an actor like Elba. What fans love about Elba’s performance as Bell is that he embodied the consistent tensions of Baltimore’s underworld and how trying to balance criminality with legitimate business can be such a challenge.
Elba grew with the character over three seasons, tackling the ways in which Bell evolved and devolved in various ways. While fans know Stringer Bell’s fate, Idris Elba’s presence made the character an icon, and to this day, it might still be the greatest performance of his career.
Stringer Bell Became Overwhelmed By Other Iconic Characters From The Wire
Omar robs a couple of dealers on the corner in The Wire.Image via HBO
This is a true strength of The Wire that allowed it to transcend any single character arc. Only the greatest shows seem to have this kind of effect, and fans have seen it in things like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. There’s an element to most crime shows where characters are always at risk of not making it to the end. However, most of the time, the show struggles to carry on afterward when fan favorites start to go. The Walking Dead suffered from this, and it separated the show from peak television. In The Wire, there were a number of complex characters that grabbed people, and fan favorites were everywhere, such as the connection between Bell and McNulty.
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When Stringer Bell’s arc came to its conclusion, it had everything to do with him being outmatched by other great characters. Even though Stringer Bell was seen as the smartest guy in any room, he lost his way when he lost his sense of purpose. Still, while fans loved Bell, they also started to like characters like Marlo Stanfield and Snoop, which made things interesting in Season 3. Most of all, fans loved Omar Little, who was naturally a big piece of Stringer Bell’s arc. Omar was a constant rival of the Barksdales and was often seen as an anti-hero that fans could root for. He became essential in bringing Bell’s arc to a close. The Wire didn’t rely on Stringer Bell’s appearance, but fans still missed him when he was gone.
Release Date
2002 – 2008-00-00
Network
HBO
Showrunner
David Simon
Directors
Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright
Writers
Richard Price, Joy Lusco, Rafael Alvarez, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, William F. Zorzi, Kia Corthron
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Dominic West
Jimmy McNulty
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Lance Reddick
Cedric Daniels
