TV.com

The Wire Season 1 Episode 1

The Target

Favorite

Watched It I've Watched This 3

Next
Episode

8.7

User Rating

302 votes

Your Rating: 10
Your Rating: 9.5
Your Rating: 9
Your Rating: 8.5
Your Rating: 8
Your Rating: 7.5
Your Rating: 7
Your Rating: 6.5
Your Rating: 6
Your Rating: 5.5
Your Rating: 5
Your Rating: 4.5
Your Rating: 4
Your Rating: 3.5
Your Rating: 3
Your Rating: 2.5
Your Rating: 2
Your Rating: 1.5
Your Rating: 1

Rate Now

EPISODE REVIEWS
By TV.com Users

Write A Review

Episode Summary

EDIT

AIRED: 6/2/02

"...when it's not your turn." - McNulty
During the trial of D'Angelo Barksdale, a mid-level dealer accused of murder, the prosecution's star witness recants her testimony, resulting in a not guilty verdict. After the trial, Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty explains to Judge Phelan how he suspects the Barksdale crew for a slew of related murders. When the judge contacts McNulty's superiors about this revelation, McNulty is taken to task for his indiscretion. Meanwhile, D'Angelo is free to return to work, but he soon discovers that he's been demoted.

moreless

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (16)

WTF?

1.0

By hippotek, Sep 13, 2011

I was told this show was excellent, superb, captivating...

The last time I wasted my life like this was while enduring the Pilot of "Men of a Certain Age"...

Of course, it appears to be authentic, but, to be honest, it is complete and utter crap.

I will not give this show a second chance.

The abusive language, the slurred accents, the painstakingly ugly strippers, the hollow clack of the typewriters where there should be computers...

Truly, the USA MUST be the most magnificent country on the planet...

Yikes, just watching this one Episode made me realize how lucky I am not to be American!moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
3 26

Flag
Share Hide
A perfect start to a perfect series. Well paced and wonderfully complex.

9.5

By willrobert92, Jun 06, 2011

So it began here. The Wire kicked off in slow burning fashion while introducing us to most of the main characters smoothly. This pilot confirmed that while the Wire was excellent it wasn't for everyone, those wanting an action packed fast paced cops and gangsters show were for the most part turned off by the first episode (first few episodes for that matter), therefore the Wire spent it's early years supported by a small tight network of fans who were patient enough to look and listen as the show came into it's intricate own. The Target doesn't introduced the characters one by one all by there lonesome but instead introduces them smoothly intersecting with each other throughout the episode. The court scenes in particular fleshing out the detective Mcnulty's crusade against Stringer Bell and his drug crew. Detective Jimmy Mcnulty is a "real PO lice" (cop that wants justice rather than stats) which is his flaw in life as he constantly ticks off the bosses and drags colleagues and family into his abyss of a life rife with trouble trying to balance work and his family life which is half in the toilet.

While Jimmy appears to be made out as the primary character of the story there are scenes that remind us that this isn't a one man show. Lieutenant Daniels, Greggs, Herc, Carver and many others are introduced just as well with there own obstacles to overcome in "the Game". Writing is top notch and offers a rich believability that wasn't seen before on any TV show and maintains entertainment values for those willing to stick with it. The intro theme song is catchy and well put together in true HBO fashion (Oz, The Sopranos intro's etc). If your thinking of buying the DVD sets and seeing it for yourself don't hesitate but also remember when keeping up with the story that patience is a virtue.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
1 1

Flag
Share Hide
Unpredictably bad.

4.5

By Canogaparkcindy, Apr 15, 2011

This show has been critically acclaimed for years, and people say it is the best series in the history of time. Truly, I'm not buying it. People say this show requires patience, so I will give this show the benefit of the doubt, and watch the rest of the season, but I just expecting something more from this show.

There really was not much happening throughout the episode, sure, they were dealing with a case and whether or not Barksdale was guilty or not, but nothing really went anywhere. This series premiere was hard to watch, considering it was an hour long, without commercials.

The scenes just dragged on for too long, and I'm sure this show "pays off" in the end like everyone says it will, but if you had just watched the series premiere back in 2002 for the first time, would it entice you to watch the rest of the series? Doubtful.

Slow paced, yes, but isn't that kind of the point? I wont rate an episode highly because it's buildup for something big, if it wasn't an enjoyable hour of television, I simply just wont give it a good rating, and this my friends, was not the best series premiere. Lets just hope it "pays" off in the end, like everyone says it will.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
2 9

Flag
Share Hide
The start of something very, very special.

7.0

By raging_bull79, Mar 05, 2011

A solid start to what eventually turned out to be my favourite all time tv show. I am writing this review based on this episode alone and not on what I know will follow (which incidentally turns out to be amazing) Hence the reason I have given it a fairly low score. If you are new to The Wire don't expect anything spectacular in this episode or indeed the next few. It is merely setting the scene and introducing a small amount of the vast array of characters which if you will learn to either love or hate. That is if you have the patience. It makes me laugh to see these idiots giving The Wire poor reviews and saying that they won't bother anymore after watching this episode. Good riddance you fools! It really is your loss. Anyway back to this episode. You are introduced to the Jimmy McNulty a Baltimore homicide detective who shows a particular interest in the trial of D'Angelo Barksdale. D'angelo is the nephew of the boss of the Barksdale crew Avon Barksdale and after seeing D'Angelo found not guilty for murder McNulty is keen to bring down the Barksdale crew once and for all. I won't go through the whole plot line – you can do this yourself on the episode re-cap if certain things aren't clear. However in conclusion it would appear that very little actually happens in this episode. But on second viewing this is not the case. If you are looking for a quick fix of actions, car chases and guns blazing then maybe The Wire isn't for you. If however you are looking for a fascinating story, great characters, amazing writing, and completely brutal realism then stay with it. You will not be disappointed.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
2 0

Flag
Share Hide
Thorough exploration of the interpersonal workings of law enforcement and the criminal organizations they are pursuing. "The Target" presents two different chains-of-command trying to control their own as they break the rules.moreless

8.0

By huntlsoffun, Dec 22, 2010

Most crime dramas draw a sharp line in the sand between law enforcement and criminals, cops vs. robbers, good guys vs. bad guys. While shows such as Law & Order, CSI and its many, many spin-offs may provide a glimpse of the law enforcement community in all its crime-solving glory, they fail to capture the human element in crime and the complex underlying motives and elements which underlie why someone would commit a crime. In HBO's series The Wire, we observe the interaction between police, judicial, and criminal sides battling, not just each other, but amongst themselves over authority & proper conduct in each of their respective realms.

The trial of D'Angelo Barksdale appears to be a slam dunk with two eyewitnesses giving testimony, but Detective Jim McNulty is not convinced. As he observes the second eyewitness contradict her previous statement, presumably influenced by a group of somewhat unsavory gentlemen sitting in the audience, the case begins to unravel and McNulty's suspicions are confirmed. The man responsible for the testimony is Avon Barksdale, a.k.a. Stringer Bell, sitting quietly in the courtroom wearing dignified legal glasses and holding a legal pad. After a not guilty verdict is reached, he casually saunters up to the losing District Attorney and says, "You have a nice day", as though he were saluting a neighbor. In an ironic twist, the supposed criminal mastermind in control of drug operations in Baltimore, the criminals appear surprisingly civil and in control, while the justice system gets tied up in bureaucratic chaos.

McNulty is asked by the presiding judge how this happened and what his specific interest is. The detective spills the beans on the man he suspects of being a drug kingpin. This sets off a chain reaction pitting the detective against his own dept. for involving the judge in an inner dept. matter, thus violating the chain-of-command. Meanwhile, the recently acquitted D'Angelo returns to the streets and is demoted by his boss and uncle Stringer for his own reckless actions. The parallel is interesting to watch, as we can observe the inner workings of drug crime and police prevention to discover, in some ways, they are governed by the same rules, only with different motives.

The show's weave of complex character relationships could not be sustained without a strong cast, and the actors provide the anchor for this sometimes muddied drama. Idris Elba (Stringer Bell) exudes a confidence and control which is quite endearing. Dominic West plays Det. McNulty with a devil-may-care attitude, appealing to the rebellious side of human nature. He conveys the inner struggle over his character's actions very naturally and he commands sympathy and respect through his calm power. Larry Gillard, Jr. particularly shines as the misfit murderer D'Angelo, struggling against his own group as they shun his actions as well as an inner struggle for personal authority.

The storyline occasionally gets bogged down in the complexities of the chain-of-command with law enforcement, partly due to the slang filled dialogue (both a blessing and a barrier), but mostly because of a few poorly coordinated scene changes with little to no connecting segue. However, the complexity is certainly welcome, as it endeavors to challenge our basic assumptions towards criminal activity and the effort to combat it. The Wire is an undercover look into the criminal world.

Highs: Intimate human focus on criminals & law enforcement; Charismatic acting ensemble; shuns the black & white emphasis of contemporary crime dramas.

Lows: Story bogged down by inner complexities; a few trite scenes.

The Verdict: Thorough exploration of the inner workings of criminals, their motives, and the law enforcement who target them.moreless
DO YOU AGREE?
4 0

Flag
Share Hide

See All Fan Reviews

Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

Wendell Pierce	Det. William "Bunk" Moreland
Wood Harris	Avon Barksdale
John Doman	Maj. William A. Rawls
Lance Reddick	Lt. Cedric Daniels
Deirdre Lovejoy	Asst. States Attorney Rhonda Pearlman
Idris Elba	Russell "Stringer" Bell

See All Cast & Crew

Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Lucy Newman-Williams	Assistant State's Attorney	Guest Star
Larry E. Hull	William Gant	Guest Star
Michael Stone Forrest	Det. Frank Barlow	Guest Star
J.D. Williams	Preston "Bodie" Broadus	Recurring Role
Domenick Lombardozzi	Off. Thomas R. "Herc" Hauk	Recurring Role
Melanie Nicholls-King	Cheryl	Recurring Role

See All Cast & Crew

Watch Online

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

FILTER BY TYPE

TRIVIA (1)
ADD TRIVIA
- The title of the episode refers to Detective Jimmy McNulty setting his sights on Stringer Bell and Avon Barksdale's drug dealing organization as the target of an investigation.
  EDIT SHARE
QUOTES (6)
ADD QUOTES
- McNulty: All I did was answer the guy's questions, he's a fucking Judge. Landsman: And the Deputy's the fucking Deputy, and he, not the Judge, has what's left of your be-shitted career in his hot little hands.
  EDIT SHARE
- McNulty: (To Bunk) That will teach you to give a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.
  EDIT SHARE
- Bunk: (To a dead body) You moldering motherfucker, don't even think about coming back a murder. Don't even think of that shit.
  EDIT SHARE
- McNulty: It's got dots; Deputy loves dots. Landsman: Fuck you and your fucking dots.
  EDIT SHARE
- McNulty: I got to ask you, if every time Snot Boogie would grab the money and run away, why did you even let him in the game? Snot Boogie's Pal: What? McNulty: If Snot Boogie always stole the money, why did you let him play? Snot Boogie's Pal: Got to, this America man.
  EDIT SHARE
- Greggs: Fighting the war on drugs... one brutality case at a time. Carver: Girl, you can't even call this shit a war.Herc: Why not? Carver: Wars end.
  EDIT SHARE
NOTES (5)
ADD NOTES
- The cold-opening sequence, the Snot-Boogie crime scene, was filmed at the corner of Faltington and Lexington in West Baltimore.
  EDIT SHARE
- The scenes at the gentleman's club Orlando's, beginning in this episode, and continuing throughout the season, were actually filmed at the Ritz in Fells Point.
  EDIT SHARE
- Both the Snot Boogie murder story and Bunk's tale of shooting a mouse in his kitchen are true stories from David Simon's time researching his book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.
  EDIT SHARE
- Each season uses a different recording of the opening theme "Way Down in the Hole," against a different opening sequence. This season, the theme is performed by The Blind Boys of Alabama.
  EDIT SHARE
- The Western District officer at the William Gant murder scene, Bobby, is played by real-life Batimore police officer Bobby Brown. Brown also appeared as a police officer in David Simon's The Corner.
  EDIT SHARE
ALLUSIONS (0)
ADD ALLUSIONS
- ADD ALLUSIONS from this episode.