The Wire: The 10 Best Side Characters In The Series, Ranked

The Wire doesn’t get enough appreciation for what they were able to put out from 2002 to 2008. The plot of the story is unlike any crime drama you will ever see. It gives so much insight into the world of the Baltimore Police Department while telling the viewers how criminals work in the crime-ridden city.

There are a lot of characters in the series and every single one of them breathes life into the show. Every season, David Simon tells the viewers a side story, besides the drug business, which ends up gripping everyone even more. Without further ado, let’s rank the ten best side characters from the critically acclaimed show.

10 Ziggy Sobotka

Frank’s out of hand kid, Ziggy Sobotka, is your regular young man who thinks too much of himself. He wants to achieve something in this world, but he just can’t.

Firstly, his lean figure doesn’t paint a pretty picture, especially in the kind of business he is involved in, and secondly, he uses his heart more often than his head while making some business decisions. Ziggy is unpredictable, aggressive, and sometimes, way too much to handle.

9 Spiros Vondas

The Greek’s right hand, Spiros Vondas is someone who takes his steps very carefully, which keeps him safe from the authorities. He likes to do his business with people who he trusts and his trust isn’t easy to earn.

In Baltimore, he is at the heart of running a criminal organization and while he does it or likes to do it peacefully, there are certain matters that require violence but he doesn’t concern himself with it, instead, he lets others do it for him.

8 Duquan Weems

One of the boys from the corners, Duquan Weems aka Dukie is the kid no one wants to be friends with at school. While he finds a friend in Michael, in the end, he also leaves Dukie after the development of some unprecedented situations.

He is a smart kid, quick learner, and if he had put his head down, he could have made something of himself at high school. But the corner got the better of him and pushed him towards the darker side of Baltimore.

7 Wallace

Wallace (played by Michael B. Jordan) is one of the kids on the corners working for the Barksdale organization but soon, everyone else realized that he isn’t made for the game.

If there’s one thing you can’t show on the corners, it’s weakness and Wallace showed it like any other kid, which, in the end, came back to haunt him. Still, he is a really good boy, who used most of his money to support young kids. It was a real shame what happened to him.

6 Nick Sobotka

Frank’s nephew, Nick Sobotka is one of the smartest members of his uncle’s dock union. He is trustworthy, intelligent, and he can see that there are opportunities to make some extra money.

He has a girlfriend and a kid, which means he needs to support them and that’s why he could use any money he can get. Nick, mostly, dealt with Vondas on Frank’s behalf before making his separate deals with The Greek.

5 Augustus Haynes

Augustus Haynes aka Gus is a dedicated reporter who works as an editor for the Baltimore Sun. He follows a certain set of rules and principles, which he doesn’t like to break, and if he sees anyone breaking them, he cannot help himself but let the person know.

While he always likes to keep things professional, if some people aren’t ready to hear his side of the story, he sometimes loses his cool.

4 Namond Brice

Wee-Bey Brice’s son, Namond Brice is completely opposite to his father, although, at first, he pretends to be someone he isn’t. Namond is no foot soldier ready to be in the game, instead, he is way too smart to not make it big in this world.

Thanks to Bunny Colvin, Namond got a platform to show his real talents and kudos to Wee-Bey as well who let him have his son. Wee-Bey’s son is a fascinating character, to say the least.

3 Frank Sobotka

The leader of the docks union, Frank Sobotka is another man with principles who gave away his pride only to earn a couple of bucks. To be honest, the docks were getting worse and worse in front of his eyes, but the path he took to get them back on track was uncalled for.

He was no criminal and yet, he helped The Greek as long as he could before being murdered for it. He not only failed as a father, but he also failed as a husband and a professional.

2 Snoop

One of the most entertaining characters in the series, Snoop is one of Marlo Stanfield’s Lieutenants, who makes sure everything in the streets is going according to the plan. She is a no-nonsense soldier who does what she is told, without asking any inconsequential questions.

She is smart, funny, and oozes charisma with the way she walks and the way she talks. Not only did she remain true to herself towards the very end, but she also stood tall for what she believed in.

1 Bubbles

The Wire cannot be imagined without Bubbles. At first, it looked like Bubbles is just a side story to fill in the hours, but soon, everyone became gripped with his story and the way it was told.

It was the story of Baltimore from the eyes of a drug addict, who not only had the courage to change himself but also to influence people around him, thanks to his positive outlook on life. Bubbles is no doubt, one of the best characters in the entire series.

About The Author