Summary

• The Wire sets itself apart from other crime dramas by not depicting police discharging their guns on camera, highlighting issues of police incompetence and the collateral damage it creates.
• The show subtly contrasts the mindset of the police and criminals in solving their issues, showing that while evil may be more proactive with guns, their reckless nature is not sustainable in the long run.
• Roland Pryzbylewski's blunder with a gun emphasizes the flaws of the legal system and the incompetence within law enforcement, showcasing how The Wire addresses real-life issues.

Although HBO's The Wire launched the career of Michael B. Jordan as well as Idris Elba.

However, the most distinct element about the show is how it expertly handles its heavy themes, such as corruption in politics and law enforcement, the negative impact underfunded schools can have on of urban communities, and the vicious nature of gang violence stemming from the corruption and lack of properly funded schools. The Wire doesn't pull any punches with its messaging, yet it never comes across as judgmental, preachy, or insincere. While the show continues to find its proper audience nearly 16 years after its conclusion, developments about its clever writing continue to be unearthed.

The Police In The Wire Are Never Seen Discharging Their Guns On Camera

The criminals are constantly seen abusing their power with their firearms.

Considering The Wire is an HBO-produced crime drama, one would assume that the show would be rife with the level of violence other HBO shows like The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire developed a reputation for. However, The Wire is fairly tame in its depictions of police brutality, as it is necessary to get across one of its main points. While the criminals are constantly seen engaging in turf wars, shootouts from drug deals gone bad, and desperately attempting to evade police apprehension, the police themselves are never seen discharging their weapons in the line of duty against said criminals.

In fact, the only confirmed instances of cops using their guns in the show occur off-screen when Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski accidentally kills a fellow officer because he mistook him for a criminal. While the scene is tragic, it emphasizes real issues with incompetency in law enforcement, and the collateral damage it creates. The scene on its own is great because it's consistent with the perpetually clumsy Prez while also highlighting one of his greatest flaws as an officer of the law, but it also speaks to something greater that The Wire constantly yet subtly hints at throughout its five-season run.

Why The Decision Not To Show The Police Using Their Firearms Is Brilliant

It demonstrates the difference in mindset regarding how the police and criminals solve their issues.

The Wire's detail regarding the police and their firearms demonstrates how unprepared law enforcement is in the show's world, and even in the real world. While the police never use their guns, criminals are constantly seen using theirs, and it often results in the police being forced to have to rely on unscrupulous methods such as falsifying arrests, using excessive force, and even getting in bed with some of the more notorious criminals to maintain the facade of law and order. It's subtle, but The Wire is essentially saying that the law works despite not being perfect.

On the other hand, The Wire, with its lack of a clear protagonist, also suggests that despite evil being more proactive via using their guns more, the reckless and unpredictable nature of it isn't sustainable in the long run. Throughout the show, viewers witness many of the bad guys betray one another, snitch to the police, etc.), which highlights the need for law and order despite them often being less effective in their goals than the criminals. Furthermore, when viewers do witness the police using their guns, it results in one of the most tragic moments, furthering the point about police incompetence and how it impacts communities.

Why Roland Pryzbylewski Was The Perfect Character For The Wire To Show Using A Gun

Roland's lethal blunder highlights the flaws with the legal system.

In the first season of The Wire, Prez is established as being an honest yet critically incompetent police officer, when he accidentally shoots a wall while demonstrating the modifications to his gun to some of his fellow officers. While the moment itself is somewhat hilarious, it subtly informs the audience that not all of law enforcement are actually cut out for it. The moment is then followed up with even more disastrous results in the season three episode, "Slapstick," in which Prez accidentally shoots an undercover Black police officer off-screen, which contributes to mounting racial tensions within the force.

While viewers don't actually see Prez shoot his fellow officer, the resulting fallout is on full display, as is the race to cover things up. The situation is worsened when Prez's powerful stepfather, Stan Valcheck, demonstrates that he's more concerned about fixing his stepson's mess than actually handling the greater situation at large. The tensions between fellow officers and the police force essentially having to put a halt to fighting crime to solve Prez's mess speaks volumes to the incompetence of law enforcement, while also showing how The Wire masterfully yet subtly addresses real-life issues.