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The Best Episodes of The Wire Season 4

Every episode of The Wire Season 4 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Wire Season 4!

Binge this in 13h 6m•Peaking at 9.5/10

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy,

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Wire Season 4 Episode 1 - Boys of Summer
    8.3/10(5181 votes)

    #1 - Boys of Summer

    S4:E1

    "Lambs to the slaughter here." - Marcia Donnelly Four West Baltimore boys wrestle with what to do with the rest of their summer vacation as the new fall school year approaches. Bodie deals with his corner running slower than usual so he decides to take on a runner. Marlo believes he has finally solved the problem that Stringer could never figure out. Freamon, Greggs, and Sydnor go to Pearlman to see if she will issue City Hall subpoenas. Meanwhile, the mayoral race heats up as Mayor Royce and his primary challenger, Tommy Carcetti each hit campaign trail. Prez begins preparing for his new career in higher education, while McNulty ends up turning down a promotion.

    Director:Joe Chappelle
    Writer:David Simon

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  2. The Wire Season 4 Episode 2 - Soft Eyes
    8.4/10(4920 votes)

    #2 - Soft Eyes

    S4:E2

    "I still wake up white in a city that ain't." - Carcetti In the hopes of possibly saving her job, Pearlman and Freamon continue arguing over the subpoenas, as the election draws closer. Carcetti drops a bombshell on Royce during their televised debate, while Herc makes a shocking discovery about the Mayor himself. Marlo decides to help the young kids in their preparation for school. Namond gets some advice from his father. Bubbles decides to assist his business apprentice in getting an education, while Cutty continues his two jobs; landscaping and boxing mentor.

    Director:Christine Moore
    Writer:David Mills

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  3. The Wire Season 4 Episode 3 - Home Rooms
    8.6/10(4975 votes)

    #3 - Home Rooms

    S4:E3

    "I love the first day, man. Everybody all friendly an' shit." - Namond Brice Prez is shocked by his students; Royce strikes back against Carcetti; Rawls begins to gut the major case unit from the inside; Colvin embarks on a new career.

    Director:Seith Mann
    Writer:Richard Price

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  4. The Wire Season 4 Episode 4 - Refugees
    8.3/10(4817 votes)

    #4 - Refugees

    S4:E4

    "No one wins. One side just loses more slowly." - Prez Freamon and Greggs move to Homicide, while Herc and Dozerman join Marimow in the lackluster Major Crimes Unit. Cutty gets a "custodial" job at Tilghman School picking up truants, but struggles to make progress while trying to mentor Michael. Bubbles works to get Sherrod back in school as an 8th grader. Burrell finds a way to sabotage the state-witness murder investigation before the election, impacting Greggs. Prez's struggles as a teacher continue while Bodie finds himself working for a new "company". Meanwhile, Colvin pitches his pilot program to the middle school and Carcetti meets with a constituency when he knows that they won't support him regardless of what he says. Randy is faced with a dilemma after being busted for his candy scam and Proposition Joe plays Marlo in a high-stakes heist.

    Director:Jim McKay
    Writer:Dennis Lehane

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  5. The Wire Season 4 Episode 5 - Alliances
    8.5/10(4798 votes)

    #5 - Alliances

    S4:E5

    "If you with us, you with us." - Chris Partlow Commissioner Burrell loses Royce's support; Chris Partlow tries to recruit Michael to become a soldier in Marlo's unit; Dukie shows Randy and the boys that the missing are really dead; Odell Watkins drops his support for Royce and considers an offer from Councilman Carcetti.

    Director:David Platt
    Writers:Ed Burns, David Simon

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  6. The Wire Season 4 Episode 6 - Margin of Error
    8.7/10(5024 votes)

    #6 - Margin of Error

    S4:E6

    "Don't try this shit at home." - Norman Wilson Carcetti responds to a campaign smear. Randy is accused of a serious transgression. Colvin's special class gets its first enlistees.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:Eric Overmyer

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  7. The Wire Season 4 Episode 7 - Unto Others
    8.4/10(4734 votes)

    #7 - Unto Others

    S4:E7

    "Aw yeah. That golden rule." - The Bunk Omar calls in a favor to the police; Carcetti gets advice from the ex-mayor and then Mayor Royce and his team; Cutty finds out why Spider has been avoiding him and explains to the rest of his boxers that it won't happen again; Prez makes a break through with his students; Herc loses his camera; Greggs solves the Braddock case with soft eyes; Bubbles gets robbed repeatedly and searches for Sherrod; Namond begins to work a package and finds it hard to get suspended from school; Daniels catches Carcetti's eye.

    Director:Anthony Hemingway
    Writer:William F. Zorzi

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  8. The Wire Season 4 Episode 8 - Corner Boys
    8.5/10(4811 votes)

    #8 - Corner Boys

    S4:E8

    "We got our thing, but it's just part of the big thing." - Zenobia Prez wants to teach off curriculum. Carcetti visits the Homicide Department and goes on ride-a-longs for drug busts. Colvin and Dr. Parneti's class discuss the Corner Boy rules. Bunk convinces Holley to take another look at the Old Face Andre/Omar Little case. Herc and Dozerman begin shaking down Marlo and his crew as they try to have their surveillance camera returned. Chris Partlow and Snoop look to send the New York crew a message. Marlo asks Proposition Joe to look into Herc. Michael's father comes home, while Namond recruits a lieutenant.

    Director:Agnieszka Holland
    Writer:Richard Price

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  9. The Wire Season 4 Episode 9 - Know Your Place
    8.5/10(4745 votes)

    #9 - Know Your Place

    S4:E9

    "Might as well dump 'em, get another." - Proposition Joe Herc and Dozerman search for Little Kevin; Omar gets out of jail; Carcetti has his first meeting with the City Council; Prez and the teachers begin teaching the test; Proposition Joe lets Marlo know Major Crimes is after him; Bubbles looks to Kima and Herc to help him out; Bubbles delivers Little Kevin to Herc; Old Face Andre goes into hiding but Proposition Joe sells him out; Bug's father gets in Michael's face; Michael takes his problems to Marlo; Daniels and Valchek gets promoted; Omar and Renaldo monitor Marlo's activities.

    Director:Alex Zakrzewski
    Writer:Kia Corthron

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  10. The Wire Season 4 Episode 10 - Misgivings
    8.8/10(5077 votes)

    #10 - Misgivings

    S4:E10

    "World goin' one way, people another." -Poot Walker catches Donut boosting cars and teaches him a lesson; Commissioner Burrell gets advice from Senator Davis; Little Kevin has a talk with Marlo and regrets it; Herc ignores Bubbles call and regrets it; the Area Superintendent questions the success of Colvin and Parenti's project class; Senator Davis attempts to con Carcetti; Carver arrests Namond but keeps him out of baby booking; Burrell has the police force juke the numbers with street sweeps; Marlo puts the word out that Randy is a snitch; Elena sees McNulty as a grown up; Chris Partlow and Snoop target Bug's father for Michael.

    Director:Ernest R. Dickerson
    Writers:Ed Burns, Eric Overmyer

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  11. The Wire Season 4 Episode 11 - A New Day
    8.9/10(5210 votes)

    #11 - A New Day

    S4:E11

    "You play in dirt, you get dirty." - McNulty Randy has trouble with his friends at school, while Carcetti faces a huge dilemma. Meanwhile, Omar visits Proposition Joe, while Freamon reveals a secret.

    Director:Brad Anderson
    Writer:Ed Burns

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  12. The Wire Season 4 Episode 12 - That's Got His Own
    9.3/10(6100 votes)

    #12 - That's Got His Own

    S4:E12

    "That all there is to it?" - Bubbles While searching for the missing bodies, Freamon goes around the chain of command after being rebuked by Landsman. Carcetti finds that his promises of raises could be undermined by the school debt, forcing him to consider groveling before the Governor for money to pay it off. Colvin tries to keep his experimental class funded. Bubbles considers taking extreme measures to get rid of the man who continues to steal from him. Prez is concerned about Dukie's academic promotion. Omar orchestrates another big sting while Namond and Cutty get a first-hand taste of the "new" Michael. Carver's promise to look out for Randy ends up looking empty.

    Director:Joe Chappelle
    Writer:George Pelecanos

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  13. The Wire Season 4 Episode 13 - Final Grades
    9.5/10(7882 votes)

    #13 - Final Grades

    S4:E13

    "If animal trapped call 410-844-6286" - Baltimore, traditional Burrell tries to help Daniels. Bubbles' big plan backfires and leaves him in big trouble. Colvin tries to find a solution for Namond while Omar makes new plans. McNulty tries to pay back his debt.

    Director:Ernest R. Dickerson
    Writer:David Simon

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Season 4 Ratings Summary

"Boys of Summer" is the best rated episode of "The Wire" season 4. It scored 8.3/10 based on 5181 votes. Directed by Joe Chappelle and written by David Simon, it aired on 9/10/2006. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Soft Eyes".