The Wire Best To Worst
by hajure | created - 01 Sep 2017 | updated - 19 Nov 2017 | PublicRanking all episodes of HBO's "The Wire" from best to worst:
Average Ratings (Total; 1st Half; 2nd Half):
Season 1 (82,7; 78,4; 87,7)
Season 2 (81,1; 77,8; 84,5)
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Work in progress.
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1.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Bad Dreams
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The detail makes a desperate move. Nick's deceit is in the open, as Sobotka is overwhelmed by bad news. The Greeks confidently ease out of a brief encounter with the detail and Omar's ... See full summary »
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 5,419
S2E11
Best Episode of Season 2
92
2.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Cost
(2002)
TV-MA | 56 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Avon, Stringer and Wee-Bey discuss how best to deal with Omar after the attempted hit on Avon, deciding to let him think they want peace, whilst secretly planning to kill him. As such, Omar... See full summary »
Director: Brad Anderson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 6,258
S1E10
Best Episode of Season 1
91
3.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Cleaning Up
(2002)
TV-MA | 56 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Kima slowly recovers in the hospital. Stringer changes operations in the pit and the towers, rendering the wiretaps and clones useless, and prompting Burrell to begin dismantling the detail... See full summary »
Director: Clement Virgo | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,869
S1E12
2nd Best Episode of Season 1
Best Scene of Season 1: "Be A Man"
91
4.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
All Prologue
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Trying to let go of police work and return to his marriage, McNulty gives up on identifying his Jane Doe. The detectives look into Sobotka and his money. For his union, Sobotka tries to ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Shill | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,946
S2E6
2nd Best Episode of Season 2
Best Scene of Season 2: "Omar at the Court"
89
5.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Sentencing
(2002)
TV-MA | 66 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Due to the camera at Orlando's, the detail gather enough information to arrest Avon and many of his people, but, with Wallace dead, they are unable to bring charges against Stringer, who's ... See full summary »
Director: Timothy Van Patten | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,713
S1E13
3rd Best Episode of Season 1
88
6.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Dead Soldiers
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The brutality at police headquarters continues over the perceived failure of department commanders to rein in the city's crime stats. Another hit by Omar on the Barksdale stash houses goes ... See full summary »
Director: Rob Bailey | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,156
S3E3
87
7.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Storm Warnings
(2003)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The detail uses satellite technology to its advantage. Bodie is unhappy that Proposition Joe's people are selling on his turf. Valchek visits the FBI in an attempt to get real results on ... See full summary »
Director: Rob Bailey | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,907
S2E10
3rd Best Episode of Season 2
87
8.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Game Day
(2002)
TV-MA | 57 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
D'Angelo speaks to Wallace, who tells him he wants to go back to school and get out of the Game. However, Malik 'Poot' Carr (Tray Chaney) discovers Wallace has started using cocaine to help... See full summary »
Director: Milcho Manchevski | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,428
S1E9
4th Best Episode of Season 1
86
9.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Lessons
(2002)
TV-MA | 56 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
McNulty uses his children to tail Stringer after a chance encounter in a local market, with one of them getting his license plate. As the detail discuss the implications of the pit ... See full summary »
Director: Gloria Muzio | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,236
S1E8
5th Best Episode of Season 1
85
10.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Hunt
(2002)
TV-MA | 56 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
While Greggs' life hangs in the balance, the entire department attempts to hunt down Savino. When Wallace flips, willing to testify that Stringer, Wee-Bey and Bird killed Brandon, Daniels ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Shill | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,390
S1E11
6th Best Episode of Season 1
84
11.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Stray Rounds
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Bodie's disastrous sales efforts result in a tongue lashing from Stringer Bell. Ziggy pulls Johnny Fifty into a new caper that makes the Greeks pay big money. McNulty goes undercover in a ... See full summary »
Director: Timothy Van Patten | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,384
S2E9
4th Best Episode of Season 2
83
12.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Backwash
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Greggs and Prez tap into the circuit of Russian prostitutes. With two sets of evidence, the detail goes to Pearlman who tells them neither crime merits a wiretap, but a drug connection ... See full summary »
Director: Thomas J. Wright | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,284
S2E7
5th Best Episode of Season 2
83
13.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Port in a Storm
(2003)
TV-MA | 63 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The detail has a setback. Russell and Bunk revisit Philly, looking for evidence. Brother Mouzone talks with Stringer Bell regarding their agreement, leaving Bell to contend with Avon ... See full summary »
Director: Robert F. Colesberry | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 5,056
S2E12
6th Best Episode of Season 2
82
14.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Wire
(2002)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Avon takes care of Omar's man Brandon but Wallace, who saw Brandon in the arcade, isn't too comfortable when he sees what they've done to him. Avon gives D'Angelo and Wallace a bonus for ... See full summary »
Director: Ed Bianchi | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,587
S1E6
7th Best Episode of Season 1
82
15.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Undertow
(2003)
TV-MA | 57 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Weak product in the pit has Bodie getting heat. Homicide detectives hand out grand jury summonses to stevedores involved in the homicide case, and Port Police Officer Beadie Russell works ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Shill | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,336
S2E5
7th Best Episode of Season 2
81
16.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Old Cases
(2002)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Bodie walks out of detention pretending to be a janitor but Patty is recovering in hospital and is pleased that his injuries will result in a medical pension. Avon Barksdale puts a contract... See full summary »
Director: Clement Virgo | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,680
S1E4
8th Best Episode of Season 1
81
17.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Amsterdam
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Greggs and McNulty recruit Bubbles to gather street intelligence on the Barksdale gang. Cutty seeks out the Barksdale gang after he loses his taste for the straight life. Bunk feels the ... See full summary »
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,107
S3E4
80
18.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
One Arrest
(2002)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Burrell reluctantly sides with Daniels in the disagreement with Rawls, giving the detail more time to make a case against Avon, despite his fears the operation is beginning to sprawl. ... See full summary »
Director: Joe Chappelle | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,251
S1E7
9th Best Episode of Season 1
80
19.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Duck and Cover
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
McNulty goes on a drunken binge of legendary proportions. Fellow stevedores convince Ziggy to fight Maui. Bunk, seeing McNulty's desperation, talks Daniels into asking for him. Daniels does... See full summary »
Director: Daniel Attias | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,337
S2E8
8th Best Episode of Season 2
80
20.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Time After Time
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
After the notorious Franklin Terrace public housing towers are razed, the Barksdale drug crew searches for a new home on the streets of West Baltimore. McNulty and the detail look to make a... See full summary »
Director: Ed Bianchi | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,243
S3E1
79
21.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Detail
(2002)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Lt. Daniels puts his team together but the extra help he's asked includes several less than stellar officers. It also includes McNulty, who is obviously in the doghouse. When one of the ... See full summary »
Director: Clark Johnson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 6,260
S1E2
10th Best Episode of Season 1
79
22.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Back Burners
(2004)
TV-MA | 56 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Daniels goes ballistic when the detail gets reassigned to the Western District. Stringer Bell learns from Donette that Brianna is thinking about talking to McNulty. Bunk receives a gift ... See full summary »
Director: Timothy Van Patten | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,014
S3E7
79
23.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Buys
(2002)
TV-MA | 55 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
After two weeks on the job, the team still doesn't have a photo of their principal target, Avon Barksdale. Freamon has a solution when he hears Avon was a Gold Gloves boxer. In the ... See full summary »
Director: Peter Medak | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,870
S1E3
11th Best Episode of Season 1
78
24.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
All Due Respect
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Omar continues his bold strikes on the heavily guarded Barksdale stash houses. McNulty launches his own investigation into last year's prison suicide of D'Angelo Barksdale. On the streets ... See full summary »
Director: Steve Shill | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,155
S3E2
78
25.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Homecoming
(2004)
TV-MA | 57 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Major Colvin instructs his men to use brute force to get the message out to street dealers about his free zone. Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell discover that real estate development has ... See full summary »
Director: Leslie Libman | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,109
S3E6
77
26.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Hot Shots
(2003)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Lt Cedric Daniels lets it be known he is going to leave the department. McNulty pursues the identity of the Jane Doe found floating in the harbor. A pair of young longshoremen, Frank ... See full summary »
Director: Elodie Keene | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,500
S2E3
9th Best Episode of Season 2
77
27.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Target
(2002)
TV-MA | 62 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Baltimore Det. Jimmy McNulty finds himself in hot water with his superior Major William Rawls after a drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale who is charged with three murders, is acquitted. ... See full summary »
Director: Clark Johnson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 7,668
S1E1
12th Best Episode of Season 1
76
28.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Collateral Damage
(2003)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Major Valchek gets back at Sobotka for the church gift fiasco, and a feud begins. Avon Barksdale continues to run his empire from a prison cell. On the waterfront, Port Police Officer ... See full summary »
Director: Ed Bianchi | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,643
S2E2
10th Best Episode of Season 2
75
29.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Hard Cases
(2003)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
McNulty goes on a self-assigned moral mission to identify his floater, but his old partner, Bunk, says they have more pressing matter at hand: finding Omar to testify against a Barksdale ... See full summary »
Director: Elodie Keene | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,418
S2E4
11th Best Episode of Season 2
74
30.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Straight and True
(2004)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Johnny pressures Bubbles to stop snitching for the detail. Cutty lies to his grandmother about going straight. McNulty realizes pursuing Barksdale and Bell is a losing cause, so he turns ... See full summary »
Director: Daniel Attias | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,098
S3E5
74
31.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
The Pager
(2002)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Avon Barksdale is becoming paranoid and thinks he's being watched. He's also worried his phone is being tapped. He also thinks there's a snitch in D'Angelo's crew and he's told not to pay ... See full summary »
Director: Clark Johnson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,420
S1E5
Worst Episode of Season 1
73
32.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Ebb Tide
(2003)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Detective Jimmy McNulty finds the body of a woman floating in the water while carrying out his new assignment of Harbor Patrol. Major Valchek has his gift to a local parish trumped by Frank... See full summary »
Director: Ed Bianchi | Stars: Dominic West, Chris Bauer, Paul Ben-Victor, John Doman
Votes: 4,996
S2E1
Worst Episode of Season 2
72
33.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Moral Midgetry
(2004)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Prez impresses the detail with what he's found out from Bodie's cell phone, information that sends McNulty and Greggs on a road trip. Colvin sees the benefits of his plan working. Carcetti ... See full summary »
Director: Agnieszka Holland | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,462
S3E8
34.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Slapstick
(2004)
TV-MA | 58 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Responding to an officer's call for help, McNulty and Prez turn up the wrong alley with unanticipated results. Cutty is surprised to find help from within Baltimore's power structure for ... See full summary »
Director: Alex Zakrzewski | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,140
S3E9
35.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Reformation
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Brother Mouzone returns to Baltimore on a mission of revenge and casts a wide net in his search for Omar. Colvin manages to put off a Sun reporter inquiring about Amsterdam. Pearlman and ... See full summary »
Director: Christine Moore | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 4,132
S3E10
36.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Middle Ground
(2004)
TV-MA | 59 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The wire begins to yield information about the Barksdale organization. Stringer and Avon reminisce on how far they have come. McNulty finds the way to a key piece of the puzzle in an ... See full summary »
Director: Joe Chappelle | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 7,022
S3E11
37.
The Wire (2002–2008)
Episode:
Mission Accomplished
(2004)
TV-MA | 63 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Avon readies his troops for a seemingly endless war against Marlo. The detail works towards the top rungs of the Barksdale organization with the information garnered from the wire. While ... See full summary »
Director: Ernest R. Dickerson | Stars: Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Frankie Faison
Votes: 5,196
S3E12
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