The Wire Conflict and Character

In The Wire by David Simon is a series that is based in Baltimore that revolves around the illegal drug industry. David Simon has a way of building conflict that both reveals new characters while also enhancing the plot in an intriguing and mysterious way. David Simon, having experience at journalism, knows how to tell a compelling story. His use of handheld cameras and documentation style of filming makes The Wire more realistic. He also trusts the viewer to catch on to things and does not have very many flashbacks to patronize the viewer for not remembering. The Wire has one flashback, which was insisted upon by HBO, in the first episode at the end and truth be told it sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn’t sync well with the series. The way that David first introduces the viewer to McNulty really grasps the viewer’s attention. They get to see what McNulty has to deal with on a day-to-day basis. The viewer starts to realize from the dialog, and the camera panning over a dead man, that this is a tough part of town. McNulty asked the question, “You called this guy snot?” this course of dialog between the witness and McNulty explains to the viewer how things are in the slums of Baltimore. We see that McNulty’s character is not entirely trusted when he appears at the FBI office to visits his friend, Fitzhugh, and he is not allowed to proceed without an escort. This also represents the bad relationship and distrust between the FBI and municipal police. The court case on page eleven is a perfect way to introduce two more important characters while also deepening the plot. First there is D’Angelo Barksdale who is on trial for murder. Then there is Stringer Bell who is dressed sharply and looks almost professional. When the court is adjourned and D’Angelo is found not guilty, McNulty casually leans in as he passes by Stringer Bell and says, “Nicely done. Very subtle” This confirms to the viewer what they have suspected, that McNulty knows what is happening. It is also important to note that not everyone on the police force is as dedicated to the job. Detective Fred Barlow is more worried about his pressure-treated porch than his case that was just flipped. This shows that some cops are just there to clock the hours and not actually do any police work. By: Josh Blake