Filming ‘The Wire’ Was Sometimes More Dangerous Than You’d Think
The Wire came off the air over a decade ago but many people still talk about the iconic TV show.
The HBO show portrayed crime, drama, and suspense in a way viewers have never seen before. Baltimore, Maryland was the backdrop ofThe Wire, and where the crew spent most of their time filming. With that being said, filming the urban show was sometimes more dangerous than people would think.
Take a look back at the legendary series and some of the scary scenarios the cast of The Wire witnessed over the years.
The cast and characters of HBO’s ‘The Wire’
HBO first began premiering The Wire in 2002, and many people instantly fell in love with the talented cast and characters. Dominic West was cast as James McNulty in the show that put narcotics, crime, and murder front-and-center. John Doman played the role of William Rawls. More recently, Doman has appeared in City on a Hill and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Michael Kenneth Williams played the character that so many fans loved so much. Omar Little, Kenneth’s character, was known for his tough yet complex nature. Many other remarkable actors and actresses appeared in the award-winning television show.
Idris Elba, Jamie Hector, and Wood Harris are just a few of the many talented faces and names viewers got to enjoy throughout the course of the series’ five seasons.
‘The Wire’ had a lot of famous fans and followers
To commemorate the anniversary of the ending of The Wire, Mental Floss released “23 Fascinating Facts About The Wire”. The feature shared many fascinating tidbits about the highly-loved HBO show including some of The Wire‘s most famous fans. Barack Obama has admitted that The Wire is definitely one of his favorite television shows.
Despite it’s crime-centered nature, the series was a hit amongst many politicians. Attorney General Eric Holder is an avid fan of The Wire, and John McCain was a big fan as well. Viewers from all over enjoyed the show for its compelling and raw plot.
Filming ‘The Wire’ was sometimes more dangerous than you would think
The plot and storylines of The Wire often seemed incredibly real, and there were a few reasons for that. First and foremost, David Simon, the series’ creator, used to report crime for The Baltimore Sun. Also, Ed Burns, one of the producers from The Wire, had a background as both a police detective and public school teacher.
On top of this, the cast and production team were working in the heart of Baltimore. The fictional crime they filmed on their sets were surrounded by the all-too-real dangers on the streets that surrounded them. A drive-by shooting and a treacherous and bizarre stabbing are just two of the many threatening situations the cast and workers of The Wire witnessed over the years.
Many fans and viewers were disappointed to see the popular HBO show came to an end after season five. However, due to ratings, The Wire officially came to an end in 2008. Ironically enough, the show’s popularity and momentum largely grew once it came off the air.
Though a revival of the series doesn’t seem likely, fans and viewers of The Wire can still enjoy reruns and marvel at the on and off-screen action the cast and crew endured.
