Top 50 Character of The Wire 50-46

#50
Donut

How He Fit: One of the many kids introduced in season 4, Donut had a love for jacking some of the hottest vehicles around and showing them off to his friends. Like most of the other project kids however, his future does not seem particularly bright.

What I Liked: Donut was really a minor character, but the kid had a charm to him. It would not surprise me if he was one of the many actors that the crew simply plucked from the streets of Baltimore. Like all of the kids from season 4, I felt an instant connection to Donut because the show had built up 3 seasons worth of how hard conditions are going to be for them. In the early going, I found him a little bit of a pest and cared more about the core four; most of the other kids were generally not into illegal activities. Later on I realized that while he may have been a bit of a brat, he was essentially just a kid who loved to collect and play with some toys, his conditions bringing him to a point where carjacking seemed the simplest and most efficient way to do so. In addition, instead of a simple arrest and maybe even something that might prevent any more auto-theft, we have Officer Walker projecting his reign of anger unto poor Donut and showing one of the many reasons police officer are not talked to by those living in the streets of Baltimore.

Best Moment: Opening up Prez’s car. Although he was a thief and proved he would steal teachers’ cars without a second of thought, he also was just a genuinely nice kid.

#49
Malik “Poot” Carr

How He Fit: One of the many characters introduced from the Pit in the first season, Poot’s defining characteristic was mostly his desire for women and all the goodies that entails. His biggest claim in the series is being the only original Barksdale soldier who actually makes it out of the game. His most notable scene is likely the slaying of Wallace, which I will discuss in the next paragraph.

What I Liked: Never a massive favourite to be honest, but 50 is a big number, even for a show as deep in quality as The Wire. Still, he is part of one of the series’ most heartbreaking moments and unlike the first watch through the series where I hated him for shooting Wallace, the second time it seemed he was doing it out of sympathy for an old friend, both of whom are trapped in the game with no other options. The acting of all three in that scene is phenomenal, and in one of the few times Poot has to show emotion, his face tells you everything he is going through in that moment. I also had to put him on here simply because he was able to actually make it out alive and not in jail. Who would have thought that would happen at the beginning of the series? Then again, that’s life in West Baltimore, and that’s The Wire.

Best Moment: “Does the chair know we gonna look like some punk-ass bitches?”

#48
Calvin “Cheese” Wagstaff

How He Fit: From fairly small beginnings in season 2 as a dealer in Prop Joe’s east side crew this character developed as the seasons went allow, popping up every now and again and usually with a bigger role every season (including a darkly hilarious run-in with a “dawg” in season 3). Of course I remember him most for his betrayal of season 5 of his uncle to Marlo, arguably one of the most despicable acts committed during the series, which says a lot on a show like this.

What I Liked: I’ve read complaints of Method Man’s acting in the show, but I think they are totally unfounded. He is able to play an admittedly fairly simple character very convincingly and like most other characters on the show gains much of his strength from his realism. I can picture running into this guy on a corner of East Baltimore. I even felt some sympathy for the guy with the whole dog incident, when he showed some heartbreaking emotion for his old canine friend, but for the most part Cheese represented a different shade of the “Marlo generation” of gangsters who will betray and backstab anyone for a buck (although a possible interesting discussion is how true this really is; do guys like Marlo and Cheese really represent the current/future drug kingpin?). His death at the hand of Slim Charles is one of the most satisfying ends in a show notorious for being very unpredictable in who will succeed in "the game” and who will not. He also had one of the best street names on the show.

Best Moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfsQaeIYWoY

Bunk’s impression never fails to make me laugh.

#47
Butchie

How He Fit: Butchie mostly acts as the bank for a few drug dealers and mentor to Omar while operating a bar at the same time. He almost seems to be the equivalent of a Mafia made man so when Marlo decides to take him out we see how horribly the game has been corrupted.

What I Liked: Seriously, how could you not like this guy? A blind old man who deals a few drugs on the side, has lots of wise council, and has many cool conversations with Omar. I find no complaints. For the most part he is on this list for the final reason; he and Omar have some great scenes together, such as Omar’s guilt trip following Tasha’s death, and his opinions on the Barksdale conflict. It was always little scenes like this that really made the show something special. Butchie was one character I was certain would be fine by the end of the series. After all, he did nothing really to piss off anyone (except maybe those hot shots) and seemed content with his minimal involvement in the drug trade. Fuck you, Marlo and Cheese.

Best Moment: I was going to say his death, because it is one of the hardest scenes to watch on the entire show, but he deserves better than that. So I’ll go with this one, Butchie explaining how the difference between East and West goes back to one man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9jeN_OziBo

#46
Mayor Clarence Royce

How He Fit: The king of the city for a while, Royce showed how badly things can get in the corrupt world of politics, surrounding himself with cronies like Clay Davis and Burrell. Despite all of the mistake that he did and the fact that a lot of his policies helped keep the city the way it is, I kind of felt for the guy in that it seemed like there wasn’t much else he could do. This was not my initial reaction true, but after a second rewatch and seeing Carcetti head down the same path where everyone stays at the status quo.

What I Liked: As mentioned I could relate to the guy on a human level who got trapped in a corrupt world, even if it was a different way that those like D’Angelo and Frank Sobotka got caught up in. Namely that Royce does not have to deal with the same consequences, being in the political sphere. He’s free to support Clay Davis and continue to feed into the problem that is killing Baltimore. Royce comes across a little arrogant at times, but no more than the average political characters on the show. Royce is also one of the few who seems open to keeping the Hamsterdam project open, in the face of overwhelming opposition and something which led to his loss in the mayoral election. In the end, Royce is like many others in the series, caught in a position where he becomes trapped by the system. On the other hand, him getting a blowjob led to Herc getting his stripes, so that definitely brings him down a few notches in my like category. Speaking of which…

Best Moment: The whole way that incident is handled is one of the best for both humour and for showing politcally absurbity that the show created.

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 45-41

#45
Rhonda Pearlman

How She Fit: Leading public lawyer throughout the series, Pearlman was one of the few recurring female characters on a very male-dominated show. As a character she was usually one of the most admirable, usually trying to achieve the best case and only sometimes backing off if an incident was going to hurt her case. Her relationships with McNulty was ripe for hilarity and eventually found a good fit with Daniels, another character who usually ended up doing the right thing.

What I Liked: Pearlman in a way was a character to play off of McNulty for a while, but I eventually grew to like her brash delivery and ways of dealing with McNulty’s craziness. Not to mention her interactions with the other cops, such as making fun of their spelling, made for some great humour. Similarly, her interaction with a horny Judge Phelan were always hilarious, even if it was basically the same thing again and again. For a character who was there for all five seasons though, I have to admit she is somewhat on the weaker side compared to others, and this may have to do with Simon’s admitted weakness for writing female characters. Despite this, and the fact that her characters seems to be somewhat defined by the men in her life, she comes across as a strong, non-stereotypical female character. Plus, she’s hot.

Best Moment: Blackmailing Maurice Levy; it was about time that someone called that guy out on his bullshit and for the way that she did it and the fact that she did alone earns her a spot on the list.

#44
Norman Wilson

How He Fit: As political advisor to Carcetti, Norman provided some sage council, occasional moral chirping, and lots of good comedy. He’s pretty much the exact guy I’d want to have helping me on my campaign were I a politician.

What I Liked: Norman was just on the outside enough to see the political system as it really is, and as we are told is a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun. In the two seasons where he is featured Norman expresses his disappointment at Carcetti’s refusal to get money from the governor, and a rather hilarious, honest reaction to the serial killer clusterfuck. Plus his Clay Davis impression is spot-on. What struck me most about Norman is his likeability, and how he kind of represents the viewer in his serious desire to see Carcetti improve the city, and his disappointment when he doesn’t. Not much more to add to this entry as Norman was never really a central focus of the series, but like Butchie I just loved him to death, both in the way he was written and the performance. Plus, we’ll never know if he voted for Carcetti or not.

Best Moment: Saying that white people would never vote a black man in. Oh Norman, you were right about so much too.

#43
Spiros “Vondas” Vondopolous

How He Fit: Second in command to the Greek, “Spiros” is one of the most powerful characters on the show, and is a key in the operation of crime in Baltimore city, particularly its drug and prostitution trades. Unlike his boss, he seems to hold the people he works with ever so slightly in higher regard, trying to avoid killing the Sobotka family and holding Nick close to a son. Nevertheless, he still holds the cold-hearted, business-like approach that fuels the psyche of the entire organization.

What I Liked: The clever way he was able to make the operation seem harmless to the underling Sobotka’s he was dealing with. Little things like calling Eton his “friend” and little comments like “everything is just business with us” are a clever way to make their operation sound less like what it is: exploitation of people for profit. He was the perfect buffer between the Greek and the rest, being very cautious and clever in addition to being endlessly loyal. At the end of the day though, through all his caution and respect for Nick and Frank, his leaving of Baltimore is ultimately just another stop, on way to do business in another area of the world, completely unaware or uncaring of his role in being yet another person to bring the city of Baltimore down even further.

Best Moment: Turning down Marlo. Shows perfectly his calculated approach to business, and how his organization will take no risks. Plus it was nice to see Marlo get turned away for a change, even if his resiliency once again eventually paid off.

#42
The Greek

How He Fit: The most powerful criminal character that we meet in the show, The Greek and his organization have the appeal of sophisticated gangsters that are above and beyond any ordinary sort of law enforcement.

What I Liked: As David Simon described him, The Greek represents “pure capitalism”, and while this leads to his character not having a huge amount of depth at times, it does make him an interesting individual nonetheless. As Spiros says about him (paraphrased): “The Greek will not be angry, he will be smart.”; and this is what characterizes him through both seasons 2 and 5, whether it is the choice to rat out the Columbians to the FBI, to leave a massive shipment of drugs on the ports, or to go along with Marlo and cut Prop Joe loose. The world to him seems so much smaller, because he cannot or chooses to ignore the heavy burden that his organization leaves on those negatively affected by their actions, and everything and every person is just a pawn to be used in his grande scheme to make money. Heavy may be the head that lies the crown, but the Greek always plays things so smoothly everything just seems like “business, always business”.

Best Moment: “And of course, I am not even Greek.” Really puts into perspective how impossible it is to catch the people at the top and drives home the hopelessness of the show.

#41
Slim Charles

How He Fit: First appearing is season 3 as hired muscle to help put the Barksdale organization back on top after losing most of their hired guns in season 1’s investigation. After that he hooks up with Proposition Joe’s gang and becomes an increasing member in the co-op. For the most part he comes to represent the old-school soldier who lives by a code of honour in a world that is increasingly losing any sense of it.

What I Liked: The voice hooked me, first of all. It was just undeniably cool. Most of all however, it was the aforementioned code that Slim represented. When Omar comes and confronts him about the murder of Butchie, you can tell there is an underlying respect there and an understanding that they are both of a certain breed. Slim is one of those characters that I was really glad made it out at the end of the series, without being arrested, alive, and at the top, too. Whether it was chastising those two idiots for shooting at Omar’s grandma, coaching Bodie on the new rules of the game, or capping Cheese, Slim was always there to make the show a little less depressing and was something to look forward to. I only wish he had come into contact with at least one of the cops at some point, as I can’t help but think it would end up in a great scene.

Best Moment: Avenging Prop Joe. Cheese had it coming, and the way he did right in the middle of Cheese’s big speech was possibly the biggest “hell yeah!” moment in the entire series.

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 40-36

#40
Leander Sydnor

How He Fit: Already considered one of the best detectives from his first appearance in season 1, we didn’t really get to see Sydnor improve in the same vein as Carver and Prez, but what we did see was a committed cop learn more about how to be “good police” from people like Freamon and McNulty. David Simon has said something to the effect that Sydnor is the only character who by the end of the series has not jeopardized any morality (I may have butchered this, but the point is there). By the end of the series he becomes the new McNulty, which seemed somehow appropriate, although it certainly means he won’t remain unblemished for long.

What I Liked: One of the best things about the show was its verisimilitude and realism. While I loved characters like McNulty, Omar, and Prop Joe, they did seem like characters, however realistic. With people like Sydnor, he felt like a guy I could actually befriend and just go for a beer with. It was also nice seeing one of the younger cops actually be good at his job and not an idiot with police brutality of the brain. Not the most developed character on the show, but I loved him anyway. Go fight the system, dude (anyone else wonder what would happen to certain characters like him if a season 6 ever actually got made?)

Best Moment: Getting dressed down by Bubbles on his junkie authenticity.

#39
Beatrice "Beadie" Russell

How She Fit: A regular port cop who didn’t really have a strong desire to be a cop, by the end of season 2 she had game. Becoming an integral part of the Sobatka investigation, we saw as she developed as an officer, but unlike with say, Jimmy or Kima, didn’t let it affect her home life. After that she became the woman that kept McNulty on the sane side, or at least tried to.

What I Liked: Beadie would have probably been much higher had she been in the show more. I can understand why most of the other season 2 characters did not reappear in season 3, their arcs were finished; but I couldn’t help but be disappointed when Beadie wasn’t a part of the detail at the beginning of season 3 (although her eventually reappearance was a nice surprise, since I figured she was done). It seemed like her arc in season 2 was setting her up to be a regular, although I realize that would have messed up McNulty’s arc considerably, which is probably what the writers considered the priority. Much of my like of her comes from Amy Ryan’s performance, Ryan being one of my favourite actresses out there at the moment. Little moments like her slight fear at following Vondas up to the hotel room or her ambiguous surprise at McNulty leaving after inviting him in for a beer were perfectly played. Her appearances in seasons 4 and 5 were much more to play off of McNulty’s personality, but I still enjoyed her presence. Basically, a character who was good but who I would have enjoyed more of.

Best Moment: Seeing Frank’s body. Once again, perfectly played by Ryan. The emotions of guilt alone in that moment must have been horrible.

#38
Nick Sobotka

How He Fit: In a way the D’Angelo of season 2, in that he was kind of our main viewpoint into the world of the docks (Frank seemed to grow to be more of that as the season went on, although that may be my own bias since I liked him more). Although the least sympathetic of the three Sobotkas it still sucked to see him delve further into crime just to support himself and his family, and basically becoming a mini-Frank. His continual support of Ziggy despite his constant idiocy was frustrating on the first watch-through, and kind of admirable on the second.

What I Liked: The aforementioned tragedy of his character. As with Ziggy (to a much greater extent) I knew things were not going to end well for Nick. Once he decided to become a drug-dealer and became buddy-buddy with Vondas and Sergei, it looked all uphill to him, but all downhill to me. I admit I found the performance (while good) a little less natural and realistic than most of the actors around him, which I think detracted a bit from his my like for his character. What I liked most was his relationships with Ziggy and Frank: with the former, he acted like a big brother who looked out for his insanely immature younger sibling, while at the same time being a bit of an envy for Ziggy for how much better he is at doing everything; with Frank, the father figure and Nick adequately played the son that Frank wished he had, making the inevitable fall for all three of them all the more tragic with these relationships built in.

Best Moment: His cameo in season 5. “Who is that?” “Nobody, Mr. Mayor. That’s nobody.” Can’t think of many more scenes that sum up his the view of the show more accurately. :(

#37
Gus Haynes

How He Fit: Part of what is unanimously thought of as the weakest storyline in the series, Gus was the crusader for truth in a shrinking world where prizes and prestige were increasingly meaning more. Last representative of the old-school method of reporting that the show seems to think is dying out.

What I Liked: While the one-note characterization of the newspapers characters was definitely the weakest part of the series, and this rubbed on Gus, as he was a little too self-righteous and crusading at times, I didn’t really mind it as much in his case, and I think it was nicely balanced by some good humour from the character and the fact that he often missed things too, e.g. Omar and Proposition Joe’s deaths. I just wish that all of the characters in this storyline could have had that kind of nuance, since I think Simon gets a lot of what is wrong with newspapers and the media spot on, but with caricatures like Templeton that makes it a lot harder to get through. I also always enjoy Clark Johnson, whether in front or behind the camera, and have been enjoying his character on Homicide: Life on the Street now that I am going through it. More than anything, this character will be a representation of what this storyline could have been more than anything else.

Best Moment: Explaining to Alma the follies of corporatism and how it is killing quality journalism.

#36
Cedric Daniels

How He Fit: Always toeing the line between career-man and “doing the right thing”, Daniels was in many ways a good representation for a large part of the show, where people usually get punished for trying to help or change something that isn’t working, and praised and promoted for going along with the Olympian God that is the status quo. What he found eventually was that he loved the job more than getting ahead, which unfortunately led to many problems for him. The job did not love him back.

What I Liked: The aforementioned constant battle that was always ongoing, and how he pretty much always came through on the right side. Unfortunately, Reddick’s performance wasn’t always quite up to par, which is why the character is lower than he would be. He was too often one-note, and while that worked at times since as supervisor Daniels could not show emotion and “weakness” as easily or as often as the detectives could, it hindered many scenes that could have more weight to them, such as when he is talking to Carver about how your subordinates will follow the game you play. Basically, a great character who I really liked, but the performance unfortunately often left too much to be desired. A rare weak link in a mostly strong show. Nevertheless, I always liked every single time he said, “Detective, my office.”, especially the bug eyes after Prez punched Valchek.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Chewing McNulty out in season 3 when he goes behind his back to Colvin. Such ambiguity in that I was glad that McNulty did what he did, but could also understand why Daniels was so pissed and kicked him off the force.

2. “This…is BULLSHIT!” The moment when he turns from company man to finally seeing the light on what exactly the higher-ups were doing, the type of games they play and refusing for the first time to play along.

1. “I’m not involved in drugs, Lieutenant.” “Good.” An evolution from the 2nd best moment, when he refuses to ignore the strings that control the department anymore, and throws Burrell and Davis’ attempt to get him off their scent right back in their faces.

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 35-31

#35
Kenard

How He Fit: Man, what a little shit. Between picking on Dukie and killing Omar it was like the writers were trying to make him the most despised character on the show. But how much does his outward aggression and hostility have to do with his environment? I think this is a key question that the show asks (although not in any obvious way, which would of course suck). We never see him go to school unlike the kids older than him, he has no parental support at all that we know of, and the drug trade seems to be his only means of support. As dislikeable as he is, he is also one of the most tragic characters on the show.

What I Liked: Pretty much impossible to like, but at least possible to understand. What I liked most is that this kid was actually scary. One could easily see him growing up to become another Marlo or Snoop. He was being bred to be one of the top dogs of the streets, and with nothing else going in his life it made perfect sense to aim for that. It’s just too bad that at the least he couldn’t have kept aiming to be the next Omar instead of the next Marlo. Just a ruthless individual, and I have to give major props to the kid who acted him, as I saw an interview with him and he seemed like the nicest little guy.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Playing cops and robbers as Omar.

2. Throwing that bottle at Dukie. His dialogue in that scene is so true to life of certain very troubled kids I knew back in public school.

1. What else? Who’d have ever thought this little pip would take down the legend.

#34
Brianna Barksdale

How She Fit: Mother of D’Angelo and sister to Avon, Brianna was one of the top players in the Barksdale organization, but always a step away from any of the violence. She seemed relatively content to live off of the money that was made by the drug trade, even convincing her own son to take a jail sentence to keep it.

What I Liked: Brianna is an easy character to dislike, after she indirectly got her son killed, and I admit that she is probably one of my most hated characters on the show, but as with the best characters on the show you can see layers of complexity to her character and even of sympathy both when she learns of his death and when McNulty tells her about D’s potential murder. The guilt is there, even if she never explicitly says it. Still, she managed to get out with no jail time and all the money she needs, while D died trying to reform himself while at the same time honouring his family; so unbelievably unfair.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Confronting Avon about D’s murder. Such a well-written and acted scene. The tension is one of the highest of the series.

2. Listening to McNulty’s theory. “I wanted to talk to someone who actually cared about him.” Ouch. Can’t say it was undeserved, though.

1. Her talk with D’Angelo to take the years for his family. So convincingly manipulative she almost had me too. In a way she was right, that without the drug trade they wouldn’t have each other at all and would be in poverty like most of the population of their area. The saddest thing was even after all that D had said to the cops about wanting out of the game and to start over, I knew that he was going to turn away from that after this speech to him. It was the moment that finally convinced me that this show was something special.

#33
Ervin Burrell

How He Fit: Deputy of Operations for the first season and then Commissioner until close to the end of the series, Burrell was another easy character to hate as he stalled cases, re-assigned personnel, and generally made life a complete headache for anyone on the show trying to do good police work, unless it worked for him politically. Nevertheless, there was some sympathy there for a guy just trying to survive for his job at times, as we saw more and more with each season as he was a pawn of the political system. We also saw him rise in the ranks and then eventually finally get booted, which seemed like a good thing, until I saw his replacement.

What I Liked: I definitely did not like this dude, so kudos to the complexity of the show that he was still able to keep some sympathy but at the same time didn’t go into the stereotypical “evil boss who will stall the case” that you see in those awful McBain movies on the Simpsons. Still, the fact that he went along with some of things that he did made me really biased against him, being the perfect representation of the Wire’s current problem of the American political structure, being shit on from above and having it roll downhill. His loyalty to Royce was somewhat admirable, although so horribly misguided. I never liked him quite as much as Rawls, which I think simply comes down to performance, and the fact that Rawls did show that he had good policework in him at times. Overall, he was very difficult to like but also very difficult to outright hate. Prop Joe's reveal that he was dumb as a post in school made perfect sense, too.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Standing up to Royce finally about Hamsterdam and how he can lie with the best of them. It’s too bad it had to be over the completely wrong reason.

2. The silent moment with the golf club in his office when he doesn’t say a word to Daniels and yet everything is clearly stated.

1. “Whatever names you found, I hope you flushed them.” Probably not a obvious number 1, but I just had to laugh the second time watching through as to how accurately and hilariously it sums up his character and especially his position.

#32
Roland “Wee-bey” Brice

How He Fit: Heavy enforcer for the Barksdale organization who likely has dozens of murders under his belt, Wee-bey was another character notable for his likeability despite the horrible acts he commits. Between his love of fish, loyalty to his crew, and his eventually decision to help his son out of the drug trade, Wee-bey always kept a human side.

What I Liked: I wish we could have gotten more of him, since as it was he was only a major character in the first season, he still made a strong impression in the limited time that he had. He was one of those characters whom I couldn’t decide if he was meant for the game or if he could’ve been something else if life had put him in a different place. Of course, it is probably some sort of combination of the two, but his eventually decision to give Namond up to Colvin shows that he at least understands the desire to leave the streets of West Baltimore. His conversations with his wife were hilarious too (and I’ll admit now that she’s not on the list, and I’m starting to regret it). How he ever ended up with her is something that should be a sitcom spin-off or something.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Showing D’Angelo his fish. What a brilliant little characterization that most shows would not even bother with.

2. His nonchalant meeting with the lawyers and police in the interrogation room, a sandwich and some chips being his biggest concern.

1. Standing up to Delonda about Namond. Who would have thought that Wee-bey of all fucking people would have the most heart warming moment at the end of season 4.

#31
Major Stan Valchek

How He Fit: South-eastern commander with a permanent bug up his ass, and a hard-on of hate for anyone who dares take his spot at the church window. For all the Burrell’s and Rawls’ that we meet, there is probably no police commander more despicable than this guy. His contribution to Frank Sobatka’s downfall and execution were huge, and yet of course he will never see any remuneration for it, aside from the fact that he can’t gloat that he caught him.

What I Liked: With a few exceptions, there was no one I loved to hate more than Valchek on The Wire. While with someone like Levy I just despised his tactics and personality, Valchek was usually so funny with his blow-ups and general way with dealing with people that I actually enjoyed him being on screen, even if it was generally for being an impotent asshole. The guy seemed to completely miss the point of being a police officer, and only used his power to fuck over those he didn’t like. At least with Burrell and Rawls their positions kind of required them to suck as police, Valchek could have been great if he wanted, but then was selected as police commissioner after all. *facepalm* I also felt sorry for poor Prez, as you can see many of his initial problems as a police officer came from Valchek’s horrible guiding hand.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Becoming police commissioner. Got as big of a laugh from me as Rawls in the gay bar.

2. Blowing up at Burrell, Pearlman and Daniels for not going after Sobatka. “Fucking rat-fuckers, all of ya.”

1. Doing the same thing to Daniels, Prez and the FBI agents, and getting a nice punch for his troubles. Go Prez!

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 30-26 (Plus 2)

I messed up in my reordering of the list so this is essentially a top 52 character at this point.

#30
Brother Mouzone

How He Fit: Hitman from New York who liked reading, old guns, and the Nation of Islam, Mouzone definitely takes the cake for most larger than life character in the series. First being hired to get rid of the Eastside dealers in Avon’s territory, he got caught up in the power plays of Stringer Bell and Avon, and left town after nearly being killed. He later returns to avenge his betrayal for one of most epic duos in fiction history.

What I Liked: I can assume this ranking will please no one, as he is definitely the most polarizing figure on the show. Although based on a real person that David Simon met in his travels, he does come across as being unrealistic and a fictional construction often. However, that never really bothered me for two reasons: first of all, there are larger than life figures in real life, even if we don’t meet them all that often, and secondly, coming from New York to Baltimore his stature and characterization were (I felt) partially a way of conveying just how foreign he and the world of New York seemed to the Baltimorians. Admittedly, this is a bit of an ironic convention that the series rarely used, but it did it so rarely that I felt it was okay for the writers to indulge once in a blue moon. Nonetheless, as a character he didn’t really do much besides be cool and badass so I cannot rank him any higher than this. Still, for such a minor character he had some awesome moments and I almost feel like expanding the top moments, but I will stick to my formula for now and save that for the top 20.

Top 3 Moments:

3. “You know what the most dangerous thing in America is, right? Nigga with a library card.”

2. Entrance and shooting of Cheese. Sure way of making an impression.

1. Stand-off with Omar. Like a classic western, and each piece of dialogue is a minor gem for both of them. It feels like two Greek Gods clashing in the middle of a street.

#29
Maurice Levy

How He Fit: Arguably the biggest scumbag in Baltimore, Levy started off seeming like your typical corrupt defense lawyer, helping known harmful criminals get back on the streets, but slowly but surely we see how far his corruption goes, actually advising the murder of Stringer and Avon’s underlings and those who can be used against them, giving the kingpins opportunity to launder their money, and countless other miscarriages of justice. Although coming close to being in some way prosecuted at the end of the series, he is able to make it out unscathed.

What I Liked: Nothing! At least in terms of his actual personality and not an objective look at his character construction; he is definitely one of the closest of those on The Wire to being a true villain. That mastermind look he always has, those sneaky legal tactics, the betrayal of those he is supposed to represent. At the same time though, he never feels one-note, and I don’t know whether to chalk this up to the performance or the writing, or perhaps both. I also really liked how he was able to step into the drug dealers’ world, such as the various clubs and bars they operate, and never feel uneasy; he always maintained a coolness about him. Probably his only characteristic I can appreciate. One thing is for sure, that no one can claim that David Simon went easy on his own race.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Telling Avon and Stringer to look where they are weak. When I realized the implications it was a major “oh, shit!” moment.

2. Managing to actual get a guy (Savino) to only get three years when a cop got shot. That takes some serious skill.

1. Explaining to Stringer exactly how Clay Davis operates. Rainmaker, indeed.

#28
Thomas “Herc” Hauk

How He Fit: One of the three incompetent boobs at the beginning of the season 1 detail (along with Carver and Prez) Herc is the one that shows no growth by the end of the series, and has arguably gotten worse. Always dedicated to headbusting and quick arrests more than quality case work, and whenever he does bring back anything substantial, it’s from some sort of illegal bug (ah, the infamous Fuzzy Dunlop).

What I Liked: I am once again tempted to say nothing, but he often provided some great (and often needed) comic relief, particularly in his bickering conversations with Carver. Because of that I was able to stomach him for the first three seasons, even when he was being an idiot, but once his incompetence managed to completely fuck up the lives of both Randy and Bubbles in his stupid quest to get the stripes, I just could not handle him any more. And then to top it off, he joins forces with Levy next season! I think it’s made pretty clear at the end that he cares mostly about respect from other people, even if it’s from the wrong people and for doing the wrong things. He never seems to be able to understand any concept of change of doing something differently. The craziest thing though is however much I dislike the guy, he really isn’t a horrible person, just incredibly useless and a fuck-up. If someone had asked him at the end of the series what he thought the worst thing he’d done as a police officer, he probably would have said stealing a camera.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Driving around and clearing corners to the Shaft theme.

2. The look on his face after he sees the mayor getting a blow job and the whole aftermath.

1. Giving Levy the tip to the illegal wiretap after doing arguably his only great piece of police work. Sums up perfectly how fucked up he is.

#27.5
Namond Bryce

How He Fit: Son of gangster Wee-bey and crazy mother Delonda, Namond was being bred for the streets from a very early age. Of course we see how he is unable to handle it despite his constant attempts to play the tough guy. He is able to escape only thanks to Major Colvin’s kindness and his father’s acceptance, and the only one of the kids who is able to achieve it; one of the great ironies among many in The Wire.

What I Liked: He was definitely the least likable of the four main kids of season 4, but especially towards the end, like Ziggy, we see the sympathy that can be found underneath the exterior. His constant prodding of Dukie, tough guy talk, and expensive clothes were all a cloak because he didn’t want to admit to himself that he was not right for the place he was inevitably heading towards. As with the other three kids, his acting was impeccable and I still wonder where the produces were able to find all of this young talent. His lashing out at authority figures was priceless, since you could it was a cover for anger at his parents for pushing him into the game(a theory anyway). I was so glad that he was able to make it out, I just wish he didn’t have to be alone.

Top 3 Moments:

3. “At least I said sir.”

2. Being unable to take the package from Kenard. “I ain’t want it.” We finally see what we’ve suspected all along, that Namond was just not built for this line of work.

1. His breakdown when Michael starting beating on him. What an incredibly moving moment for a character I didn’t really have a large amount of sympathy for. Fantastic acting too.

#27
Kima Greggs

How She Fit: Initially seeming to be the most morally just and honourable of any of the police that we meet in season 1, she is almost tragically cut out of the series in one of the most shocking and tense scenes of the show. After that she continues to be an integral member of the unit whether it is taking photos over rooftops, dressing up in a hard hat, or silently solving a case that had the entire political sphere of Baltimore with their panties in a bunch. Her strong moral code does come back at the end of the series when she rats out the serial killer scheme, a subject of debate as to whether she did the correct thing.

What I Liked: Kima was absolutely one of my favourite characters in the first season; reasoned, smart, and good at her job, while managing to not be a McNulty-like ass about everything. After that though, while I always liked having her around, her character never really developed into being much more than the female McNulty. Her decision at the end was nonetheless a nice call-back to refusing to identify Wee-bey as her shooter. Also, while generally well acted, I never really had a huge interest in her personal life, but luckily it didn’t take up too much time, and became quite touching in season 5 when she forms a bond with the kid. Another character in the vein of Sydnor who I would love to just hang out with. She reminds me a lot of my aunt (who is a cop incidentally, score another point to The Wire for realism).

Top 3 Moments:

3. “Sometimes things just gotta play hard.”

2. Her decision at the end to tell Daniels. Still uncertain myself on this one whether I would have done the same thing in her position.

1. "Goodnight moon..."

#26.5
Chester “Ziggy” Sobotka

How He Fit: Son of Frank and constant fuck-up, Ziggy was an easy character to hate early on, and pretty much anyone who watches the series (unless you are an extremely kind and forgiving individual) despises him from his first appearance. Through his constant fuck-ups this feeling this increases, especially when the much smarter Nick always bails him out. It’s pretty nice to see Cheese beat on him and Maui humiliate him just to prove to the little idiot that he can’t do anything he wants, and then he shoots Glekas and suddenly everything becomes topsy-turvy and we see just how tragic his character is.

What I Liked: Few characters improve and change more upon a second viewing. Watching the aforementioned scenes of humiliation and come-uppance gain a really tragic and inevitable feeling the second time around, as we see how hopefully trapped he is. One of my constant dilemmas was the fact that Ziggy could have easily done something else with his life, he wasn’t like one of the corner kids who were pretty much trapped to their way of life, and yet Ziggy seems just as caught in the web of Baltimore’s negativity. Is this Frank’s fault, for not paying enough attention; those who constantly prod him; his own? The answer of course is probably a combination. While he will always be annoying and I would never want to have to deal with someone like him in real life, the writing and the acting are phenomenal in that I actually grew to care and sympathize with him at the end of the season. Since I didn’t mention it, it must be said that Ransome is an extremely underrated actor amongst a very talented bunch.

Top 3 Moments:

3. His entrance with the duck. As crazy as it may sound, there is a lot going on here in terms of character building, and it’s a plain funny scene on it’s own.

2. His shooting of Glekas and especially the scene after with Landsman. One of the most shocking moments in the series, and just pitch-perfectly played. “He didn’t say so much as he begged.”

1. The final scene with Frank. “The same blood don’t flow for us, pop.” :(

#26
Jay Landsman

How He Fit: Often the epitome of middle management in the series, Landsman is one of the few characters in the series who pretty much is completely unchanged by the end of it. By keeping his interest in self-preservation above all and not pissing off anybody, he is able to survive in the BPD just fine. A constant source of hilarity (the food and porn addictions are golden) and classic lines (many of them actually spoken by the real Jay Landsman, who plays Lt. Mello in the series) Jay is a perfect example of character who you want to see do the right thing more often, but can completely understand why he doesn’t. In my mind, he is one of the best examples of a morally grey cop I’ve seen in any medium.

What I Liked: Like many characters on this list, I really wish I could place him higher (and this goes for quite a few of the next few choices as well). On any other show he would be definite top ten material. As it is he is definitely one of the most entertaining characters on The Wire, always there for a good bit of comic relief whenever things take a serious turn. At the same time, he reveals depth in his interactions with Ziggy and especially with Bubbles. This is a clearly a guy who would be good police and a genuinely good person (not that he isn’t, pulling pranks with crazy tarot ladies aside) if not for the institution that he has committed himself to. In many ways he is the epitome of what David Simon set out to represent in the show.

Top 5 Moments: I wasn’t going to increase this to 5 until much later, but I had to make an exception here. Just too many great lines.

5. “You know what he is? He is a vandal. He is vandalizing the board. He is vandalizing this unit. He is a Hun, a Visigoth, a barbarian at the gate, clamouring for noble Roman blood and what's left of our clearance rate.”

4. “For you I would suggest some pantsuits, perhaps muted in color, something to offset Detective Moreland's pinstripe lawyerly affectations and the brash tweedy impertinence of Detective Freamon.”

3. His speech at Detective Cole’s wake.

2. His speech at McNulty’s wake.

1. “Fuck the clearance.”

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 25-21

#25
Wallace

How He Fit: Poor Wallace, we hardly knew ye. Without even the dignity of getting a given name, he was the first casualty among many. In many ways his was one of the hardest simply because it was the first. One of the beauties (if you can call it that) of the first season is that I didn’t know the style of the series yet, so unlike all the later seasons when you could at least expect everything to go bad in the last 2-3 episodes, this one was a little unexpected. The trio of Bodie, Poot and Wallace was kind of underlying underrated aspect of season 1, and a bit of a preview of the relationship between the kids of season 4. Of course, his death is not the only reason he is on this list, so let’s get on with it.

What I Liked: I hate to keep defining him by his relationships to other people (unfortunately that is all that can really be done with the time we got with him), but his relationship with D’Angelo is for me the heart of season 1 and what hooked me into the show even more than Omar’s awesomeness, or the cool cat and mouse game, or the intricacies of wiretapping. There was a great sincerity there, and as D’Angelo said what really defined Wallace most was his heart. I loved his interactions with the kids that he took care of and obviously had no other place to go other than the streets. Even more so though is between he and D is the first display of those who are not right for the situation that life has unfairly placed them in. I guess there really isn’t a huge amount of depth to his character other than that, but hell if I really care. The funny thing is without his death scene he might be much lower on the list, but I guess tragedy beings out the best of character in this show.

Top 3 Moments (pretty much all of them sad):

3. Doing coke for the first time. Even not knowing that this show was based around Greek tragedy, this seemed like the beginning of a bad end for him.

2. Not knowing what crickets are, and then later becoming much annoyed by them.

1. Pleading for Bodie to spare him. I really hate this scene for how hard it hits, but have to acknowledge how well done it is. No long speech at the end, just a kid pleading almost hysterically and nonsensically for his life in a shitty vacant. No glory here.

#24
Chris Partlow

How He Fit: The Stringer Bell equivalent to Marlo, Chris was an integral part of the trio of terrifying. Like Marlo, he improved much as a character when he showed emotion to oppose his usual cold-blooded demeanour. It’s amazing that he actually gets to show a glimmer of humanity and it actually seems realistic and plausible, considering all the horrendous acts we had seen him do.

What I Liked: Chris was kind of like a grim reaper, a spectre of ever-present death on the streets of Baltimore who was calm and sure of his work. Although it didn’t quite click with me how badass he was on first viewing (with the much more obviously showy and great Snoop taking most of the limelight) on the second it is clear this is a man with many demons in the way he carries himself. No reform is going to get him to change his ways, and who can even say what caused it, his (likely) abuse as a child, relationship with Marlo, or simply the changing nature of the game? Who knows, but he and Snoop made definitely the two most terrifying characters. I wish in a way that we could have gotten more background on him, although I know that is against the nature of the show.

Top 3 Moments:

3. “Quick and clean, I promise.”

2. Conversation with Snoop about stuff that only those in Baltimore know, and she hasn’t a clue.

1. Beating up Bug’s dad to a dead mess. Holy shit.

#23
William Rawls

How He Fit: Royal asshole to anyone below him and political schemer to anyone above him, Rawls was certainly smarter than he may have appeared at first, having an eye for good police-work but more of an eye for good-looking stats and selfish career advancement. He seemed like one of the most stereotypical characters at the beginning of the series (asshole boss who stalls cases from the hard-working Irish cop) but as the show tends to do by the end he is a much more complex character who is nonetheless still a complete asshole.

What I Liked: One of my favourite performances of the show, the way the actor was able to make every syllable so full of contempt whenever he was talking to McNulty or any one of his underlings at Compstat. Pretty much any of his rants in his season 3 could qualify for one of the best moments of the series. Despite that though, he was another character who was easy to hate, partially because you know people like him exist in real life. His in-the-closet revelation was also pretty brilliant, mostly in the way it was never used or brought up again (I’m looking at you, Sopranos) and merely added another layer of complexity to the character. I also just loved his claims in his season 4 that the stats ruined the department and al kinds of other truth, when of course he was one of the keys in that style of thinking. I could never ever work for or deal with this guy in real life, but he is great to watch from the distance of a work of fiction.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Well, she's left the room, Major Colvin. She's out there right now asking the stripper if she can have her job when she grows up because she sure as shit doesn't want yours!"

2. “You wanna translate that for me Erv? I don’t speak his fucked up lingo.”

1. His speech to McNulty after Kima gets shot. Quite a humanizing moment.

#22
Felicia "Snoop" Pearson

How She Fit: Probably the best example of cinema verite in the series, Snoop was a real Baltimore drug dealer who is just basically playing a more hardcore version of herself on the show. Acting along with Chris she helped take out multiple people both inside and outside of vacant houses. Her enjoyment of doing Marlo’s dirty work definitely made her one of the most unnerving and creepy characters of the series, but everything about her style and character was just so unique I couldn’t help but love her. As Stephen King called her, possibly the most terrifying female villain to appear of television.

What I Liked: Although she was just playing a version of herself Pearson did manage to pull out the chops in terms of how terrifyingly sinister her on-screen counterpart is. The more vocal of the two heavy hitters of Marlo’s gang she always showed some enjoyment whenever the killing started again. Like Chris I wish she had been given more background but the real Pearson’s life (or what I’ve read of it) is interesting enough. In a way though her lack of background (like many great horror villains) makes her in a way even more terrifying. I also love that like with Omar being gay, they make a girl be one of the best and most accurate shots on the show. Snoop is just awesome, and if I weren’t making it I would probably complain about her being this low. One of the best parts for me is that there’s still good lot of what she said that I didn’t understand and will hopefully get on a third viewing.

Top 3 Moments:

3. “I’m thinking about some pussy.” “Yeah? Me too.”

2. “How my hair look?” Her whole death scene was fantastic, especially the way she handled it.

1. Nailgun purchase. “I seen a 22 drop a nigga plenty of days, man.”

#21
Clay Davis

How He Fit: Charming, backstabbing, smarmy, hilarious, sometimes plain evil and always selfish, Clay Davis is another contender for villain of the series. Unlike Levy, he doesn’t hide through the law but through his influence over others and ability to scam and prey on people’s insecurities and hopes. Even more than Valchek he was unbelievably fun to hate, and his little angry tirades never failed to be entertaining. He is possibly the biggest leech we see in the show, using drug money in both the laundered and unlaundered senses, scamming everyone from dealers to politicians to lawyers to keep himself ahead of the pack.

What I Liked: The fact that I was able to enjoy his character at all is a testament to Isiah Whitlock’s acting skills. What should be one of my most hated characters (and is, especially for his big speech and escape in season 5) ends up putting a smile on my face most of the time. He is the epitome of the smarmy politician, and yet like Levy, his crimes are so much worse than this type of character that we usually see on television. Yet every single time he pulls it off with such charm and wit that I always have a certain like for the guy, which is incredibly frustrating. Despite all of that, I really did see what the show was trying to say and how he is a figure not to be admired but looked at as someone who has seen every way to take advantage of the system for his own benefit and others’ detriment. Yet the fact that he pulled it off with such grace definitely made his horrible actions far easier to watch.

Top 5 Moments:

3. First epic “sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeit” when Sydnor comes in with his subpoena. There’s no question that it was the most I laughed during the run of the show.

2. His whole conning of Stringer, but especially the “goose that lays them golden eggs.” You can tell he’s having the time of his life.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAQv6KTfQow

Top 50 Characters of The Wire 20-16

#20
Ellis Carver

How He Fit: From being pretty much interchangeable with Herc in season 1, it’s pretty amazing how far along Carver came. Part of The Wire’s frequent message that with the right individual’s help (when not impeded by some sort of institution) someone as lousy as Carver can actually make himself into a better person. After Daniels catches him snitching at the end of season 1, we see a slight improvement in Carver, but for the most part he goes to his old ways until Colvin finally shapes him up in season 3. He was one of my favourite aspects of season 4 (among many other things) just because with all the bleakness of that season it was nice to see him improve himself. By the end he’s set to become the next Daniels.

What I Liked: I always thought he was slightly better than Herc, so even in the first couple of seasons I usually enjoyed his presence more because at least whenever they were having a funny conversation I knew there was at least some likeability in there. Still there’s no way he would be this high if not for his transformation of the 3rd and 4th seasons. Seeing how his whole attitude towards the job changes is more of the more subtly affecting things on the show for me personally. And especially with his relationship with Randy, that just absolutely killed me. It was still nice to see him get a good ending after everything.

Top 3 Moments:

3. His epic yelling speech on top of the car. “ We will beat you longer and harder than you beat your own dick!”

2. His friendly “hello” conversation with Bodie in early season 4.

1. Punching the steering wheel in the car after dropping Randy off. Ugh. I could barely watch.

#19
Dennis “Cutty” Wise

How He Fit: Introduced in season 3 as someone entering back into the game, Cutty takes a few wrong turns but ends up opening up a gym and becoming one of the few uplifting stories of the show. He guides through as many boys as he can to take them away from the hard life of the drug trade, but as we see so many tragically fall through the cracks.

What I Liked: Cutty’s story might be called one of the more “predictable” of the show, but I don’t really see this as a bad thing. Although it is perhaps not as common as those go right back into the criminal lifestyle after a jail sentence, there are those out there who just can’t do it anymore and want to try to do something more. Seeing him go through the headache of getting permits and dealing with the hoppers who show no respect to him makes me admire his character even more. By that point I would probably just give up and go back to making easy money. It is so rewarding to see him just able to get a job to help out the area and give kids a choice away from drugs. A rare and very small victory, but it’s nice that even on a show this cynical that these things can actually happen.

Top 3 Moments:

3. Going to help Michael on the corner and getting shot for his troubles.

2. Telling Avon the game isn’t for him anymore.

1. Staring down Fruit, both of them knowing their history. One of many great dialogue free moments on the show.

#18
Roland “Prez” Pryzbylewski

How He Fit: One of the most overtly stupid, incompetent and dislikeable characters at the beginning of the show, and seemingly representing what is wrong with police, he turns around once he finds a mentor (Lester) who guides him into something much more of his liking. After one fuck-up he just couldn’t get around, he becomes a school teacher in what surely single-handily turns him into one of the 20 best characters on the show.

What I Liked: Like most I despised the guy at first, with his brutality and incompetence, and being able to get away with it every time. Slowly we start seeing how he is capable in terms of problem solving, and how much that goes towards the cases. In a way Prez is very similar to Ziggy: both are complete fuck-ups who one would normally despise on real life, but Prez has the support system to grow him out of that. Sadly the street is his undoing when he accidentally shoots a black officer, but through this finds himself as a teacher in a completely different war. Season 4 Prez is one of my favourite character evolutions in television history (probably helps that it was based on Ed Burns’ actual shift between the two. His relationship with Dukie and Randy in particular are two of the most depressing stories I’ve ever encountered.

Top 5 Moments:

5. Both of his Johnny Cash montages, in season 2 setting up all the players in The Greek’s organization, and in season 4 setting up his classroom.

4. Laughing at “tickle my nuts”. I could relate.

3. Doing everyone but himself a favour by punching Valchek.

2. Figuring out the original code in season 1. I was impressed.

1. Getting Dukie his clothes for the first time. This show so often avoids sentimentality that it was just enough for me.

#17
Avon Barksdale

How He Fit: The first name I learned on the show, and the original player from which the rest of the story comes. He’s the big name at the start of season 1, pretty much owning the most important property in West Baltimore for drug trafficking and the unit’s #1 target. He continues to be head honcho even after going into prison (although Stringer takes over while he is there) and after a ridiculously short sentence pretty much jumps the awesomeness of season 3, before being caught again and serving at least the rest of the show out.

What I Liked: Avon from the beginning struck me as being fairly similar to what I pictured a major black drug kingpin would be like, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t surprise me and have a lot of interesting character moments along the way. He was another character that for me many of his best moments where the other character was arguably more important in the scene (e.g. D’Angelo, Stringer, Cutty), but that didn’t stop them for being great moments, or having his own fantastic specials. My favourite thing about Avon (and much of this goes to the credit of Wood Harris) was his charisma, throughout everything he always seemed an enigmatic guy. I also (even though I preferred Stringer) admired how he had some code of honour to him that his partner and future usurper Marlo did not have, and I always admired his strong (if sometimes misguided) bonds to his family. He was certainly missed after season 3.

Top 5 Moments:

5. Arguing with the ref. “That’s not the one the game is played!” Ignorant motherfucker…”

4. Visiting his brother with D’Angelo. “See, the thing is you only got to fuck up once. Be a little slow, be a little late, just once. And how you ain't gonna never be slow? Never be late? You can't plan for no shit like this man, it's life. Yeah. It scares me.”

3. Letting Cutty leave the game. “He a man today.” What a great pet the dog moment (yes, I’ve been on TVTropes way too much lately).

2. His reaction when the cops finally catch him for good in season 3. The little smile and laugh is something that makes perfect sense when you realize that most of these guys barely it out of their 20s.

1. On the balcony with Stringer. For anyone who has seen it I don’t have to say anything more.

#16
“Proposition Joe” Stewart

How He Fit: Head of the East Baltimore drug trade for virtually the whole series, Prop Joe was easily one of the most likable characters on the show. The way he managed to play the game so cleverly while leaving the least amount of bodies (but not in the cold, heartless way like Stringer) was extremely endearing. Like the other fat man, Prop always had some clever stuff to say and Robert Chew always performed it with such charm. His connect to the Greeks made him in a way the biggest player in all of Baltimore, and his style of diplomacy over racking up bodies made him a hard target for the police.

What I Liked: Come on, this guy just screamed awesomeness. As soon as he scammed Avon in the basketball game I really hoped we would get to see more of him, and sure enough his role pretty much increased every season onwards. The writers as well always managed to keep him very clever and usually one step ahead of everyone he was dealing with but also kept it realistic and never made him seem like some sort of superdude. Unfortunately his cleverness did not escape the wrath and power-hunger of Marlo, and like most of the people Marlo had killed I really thought he was going to make it out. His story to Stringer about that guy who had no rep and no name making but just made the money had me thinking that this would get him out. I also loved the part where the newspaper’s talk about his death and just gloss over it as nothing.

Top 5 Moments:

5. “That nigga’s got more bodies on him than a Chinese cemetery.” - In reference to Brother Mouzone.

4. “Fool, if it weren’t for Sergei here both you and your cousin both would be cadaverous.”

3. “Omar to one side holding a spade, and maybe Marlo to the other with a shovel, and just at this moment, I manage to crawl out my own damn grave. No way do I crawl back in.”

2. “Who you tellin'? I got motherfuckin' nephews and in-laws fucking all my shit up all the time and it ain't like I can pop a cap in their ass and not hear about it Thanksgiving time. For real, I'm livin' life with some burdensome niggas.”

1. “You ain’t come to see me off.”

That’s right, they’re all quotations.