The Wire: Episode 47

Threadjacking question that I don't know if any of you will know anything about: With sooo many characters in the show, some of which are character actors who appear in other shows and movies, does anyone a)have any idea what type of money these actors make? It seems like it would be incredibly expensive to have to pay so many actors, and then I don't think you can pay them all the same because some have much bigger roles than others, but then even that changes from season to season and even episode to episode. and b)Any idea on how they keep all of the actors committed to the show (esp. assuming they aren't paying them huge bucks). They have a million different schedules to work out and these actors must be (should be) getting more roles as a result of the Wire. Are the actors just that committed to the show that they make sure it works out?
Any insight would be appreciated, even if it's just your best guess.

 

And the show is a huge hit with black athletes. Watch the video clip of Simon, Omar, et al with some of the Baltimore Ravens players.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=granderson/061116

 

Also, Burrell had another allusion to Daniels being shady. I'm very curious what he could have done. He seems to have great integrity.

 

Many of the actors have appeared in other HBO series so there may be contracts with HBO and not just the show.

Bodie, Daniels and Carcetti's right hand man were in OZ. Lester Freemon was in The Corner. Snoop, Chris and Slim are all local Baltimore/DC actors so they probably come on the cheap.

 

Carver was also on Oz.
Herc had a couple of eps of Entourage before his character thankfully left.

 

I saw him in Entourage before the Wire and it took me a long time to be able to stomach Herc because I just kept seeing that d-bag from Entourage. I started to warm up to him, and now he turns around and is turning into a scumbag this season. You don't fuck with Bubs.

 

I'm still waiting to hear the explanation on why Herc is the only character in that show who doesn't sound like he's from B-more.

 

since the season has been ruined for me, i might as well ruin it for everyone else....

carcetti takes the advice of the two patrol officers and wipes out west baltimore with a nuclear weapon. bubs is the only survivor. he wakes up and thinks avon must be out, because sh*t ain't been this good since bodie and poot had that w.m.d.

 

After getting advice from many people I began watching The Wire in September. Instead of picking it up in Season 4, I signed up w/Netflix and watched from the very first episode until the end of season 3, then used On Demand to catch up to the current season. This might be the best TV series I've ever seen. As a native Baltimorean (moved there when I was 8, 2 months after the Mayflower trucks pulled away in a snowstorm) the show's authenticity rings so true to me. I grew up in the Woodlawn/Catonsville area, and knew kids from just over the city border who went to Edmonson. My mother was a visiting nurse, and she went into many of those neighborhoods to care for the elderly when I was young. I can't believe this show hasn't won any awards.

My question to this group is about the youngsters, Randy in particular. I know JW sees him as a young Stringer Bell, but I can't help seeing similarities to another character. The constant scheming, always seeing the angles, using his charm to his advantage, leveraging what he knows to get into, or out of, situations? I think the kid has a lot of State Senator Clay Davis in him.

 

Gooch.... I love the Clay Davis-Randy Wagstaff!!! Good and funny.

 

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit, Gooch. You just won over Whitlock.

 

Much as I love The Wire, I think Oz has just as impressive of a cast.