The Wire - Top 50 Characters

As we love to do here at The Quiet Pool Perspective, we have ranked the beloved characters of The Wire.  This was such a big deal that I took to the Poolie voters to help me crown the best of all-time.  So without further ado, here are the Top 50 characters of The Wire as voted on by me, Ttime, Jaydon, Larry, Mags, Cecil, Tyson, and the Bonz.

A list of 50 characters was sent out to all voters, and each person selected his 20 favorites and ranked them in order.  The points next to each person's name were totaled by giving 20 points for a first place vote, 19 for second, and so on.  A complete list of each person's vote is posted at the end.

40.
William Rawls - 0
Theresa D'agostino - 0
The Deacon - 0
Scotty Templeton - 0
Rhonda Pearlman - 0
Major Valchek - 0
Leander Sydnor - 0
Kima Greggs - 0
Jay Landsman - 0
Ervin Burrell - 0
Clarence Royce - 0

39. Beadie Russell - 3

38. Poot Carr - 4

36.
Ziggy Sobotka - 5
Cheese Wagstaff - 5

34.
Spiros Vondopoulos - 7
Gus Haynes - 7

33. Brother Mouzone - 8

32. Wallace - 9

31. Nick Sobotka - 10

30. Maurice Levy - 11

29. Randy Wagstaff - 12

27.
Norman Wilson - 14
Herc Haulk - 14

24.
Tommy Carcetti - 17
Namond Brice - 17
Frank Sobotka - 17

23. Roland Pryzbylewski - 23

22. Cutty Wise - 25

21. Dukie Weems - 30

20. Clay Davis - 34

19. D'Angelo Barksdale - 35

17.
Ellis Carver - 38
Bunny Colvin - 38

15.
Prop Joe Stewart - 45
Bubbles Cousins - 45

13.
Snoop Pearson - 47
Cedric Daniels - 47

12. Wee-Bey Brice - 50

11. Chris Partlow - 53

10. Slim Charles - 65

9. Michael Lee - 70

8. Bodie Broadus - 94

7. Bunk Moreland - 96

6. Avon Barksdale - 99

5. Marlo Stanfield - 100

4. Lester Freamon - 117

3. Omar Little - 123

2. Stringer Bell - 128

1. Jimmy McNulty - 137

Lost- Top 10 Episodes

10. Exodus (Eps 123-124)
The first season finale was so momentous at the time. Sure Walt being captured by Mr. Friendly and Locke et al. opening up the hatch are extremely trivial moments looking back on them, but at the time they were huge deals. When Sawyer, Michael and Jin set off on the raft it was the first of many times the castaways thought that getting off the Island was what they needed to do. They were wrong, but it was fantastic television.

9. Tricia Tanaka is Dead (Ep 310)
Just an extremely fun episode which highlighted the four dudes hanging out with the Dharma Van. There was Sawyer teaching Jin how to say "You don't look fat" in English while chugging Dharma beer. We got Hugo driven to get that darn van to work, even if it took Sawyer and Jin to push him down a gigantic hill. And once it worked the elation that ensued has been hard to top.

8. The Long Con (Ep 213)
This Sawyer ep was outlined beautifully in my opinion. In the flashbacks we followed Sawyer pulling a really long con on his then girlfriend, Matt Saracen's mom or Janette from Treme. On the Island we witnessed a similar long con on all his castaway pals, but we never really saw him doing it. That's why when James revealed that he had all the guns and there was "a new sheriff in town," we were all a bit surprised.

7. Happily Ever After (Ep 610)
At the time it seemed like Desmond was figuring out some sort of way to converge the sideways and the Island universes during this ep. Now we know that he really didn't have a good understanding of what was going on, but that doesn't mean it was an awesome ep as it happened. Any ep that surrounds Des and Penny is gonna be great, but when Sideways Des and Sideways Penny meet at the stadium I almost lost it.

6. Through the Looking Glass (Ep 322)
The third season finale was the first time that the audience really got a sense that this show wasn't about the castaways leaving the Island. The trickery that was the flash forward put Lost on another level. Add the chilling death sequence of Charlie Pace and you have a fantastic hour and twenty minutes of television.

5. Pilot (Eps 101-102)
The one that started it all. Gigantic in scope. Thrilling in action. Touching in moments. The Pilot was a broad idea of what Lost could be. In and of itself it was a great two hour watch. We got one of the most quotable lines of the series in Charlie's "Where are we?" And thankfully we didn't get the death of Jack Shephard, which was the original plan for the series premier.

4. The Incident (Ep 516)
You start the episode with the infamous conversation between Jacob and the Man In Black on the beach, and you end it with Juliet attempting to explode the bomb after falling to her death after losing grip of Sawyer's hand. And in between we got a whole lot of Fake Locke goodness, Jack and company mirking a bunch of Dharmas, and Bejamin being tricked into killing the sacred Jacob.

3. The Constant (Ep 405)
This was probably the first time I completely freaked out about how crazy Lost was and how crazy emotional it could be all in the same episode. Desmond flashing between consciousnesses in 2004 and 1996 really tripped me out. But it was after he went to the love of his life Penny in 1996, told her to pick up the phone eight years from now, and then called her immediately after flashing back to 2004 when I lost it. Truly fantastic.

2. LaFleur (Ep 508)
Sawyer was my guy on Lost. It was in this middle fifth season episode when he got to showcase himself as the absolute stud that he was. A guy that started out as an outcast with the group became the leader. Sure Jack and Locke had left, but Sawyer was getting it done. After nudging his way up the Dharma ranks we see him as the head of security in 1977 and he's living the life. What makes it all that much better is when Jack, Kate etc. come back to the Island and find him taking care of business.

1. The End (Ep 616)
It would be real easy to hate on the final episode of a series you loved because it didn't live up to your expectations. Lucky for me, The End did. It answered all the questions I need from it, it pulled at my heartstrings on numerous occasions, we got to see many of our old friends from seasons past, and the entire group of main character castaways got a fitting send off as they left our tv sets for good.

Lost- Top 20 Episodes

My favorite show is now long since retired and it's time to do a bit of reflecting. Below is the list of my 20 favorite episodes of Lost. I have seen every episode for at least the second time (many of them for a third) in the last four months so I've got the memory to pull this off. Having said that, the later seasons seem to have more eps on this list. Not only do I (being in the minority) like the last three seasons better than the first three, but the further along in the series we went, the more each 42 minute segment meant to me.

20. Par Avion (Ep 312)
If you're a Claire fan you'd probably really like this ep where she tries to catch seagulls in order to send out a message on their tagged legs. It makes my list for the final scene. Jack playing football with The Others is one of, if not the best scene in television history.

19. Orientation (Ep 203)
It was our first introduction to the Dharma Initiative. Desmond, with the help of the orientation video, explain to Jack, Locke and Kate that the button must be pushed every 108 minutes or the world will end. Locke wanting to run it back immediately after it ended was just classic Locke.

18. Dr. Linus (Ep 606)
He who began as a awful human being started his road to redemption in this early final season episode. Linus put forth an awesome performance as both a purgatorian high school teacher, and a fallen leader ready to accept any group that would have him. His cry for help to Ilana was one of my favorite Ben moments of the series.

17. A Tale of Two Cities (Ep 301)
A world that I for one was not expecting. The Others were not scrambling around in the jungle, but living a normal life in houses with bicycles and cookouts. This is when were introduced to my favorite female, Juliet, and we got to see what the crash of Oceanic 815 looked like to Ben Linus.

16. Across the Sea (Ep 614)
The most polarizing episode in Lost history, and maybe one of the most in tv history. I personally loved the episode as its own entity. Maybe it came a little too late in the final season, but I was a big fan of the back story and mythological download that came from watching this ep about Jacob and the Man In Black.

15. The Man Behind the Curtain (Ep 320)
Another ep focusing on Benjamin Linus (these seem to be prominent here). This late third season ep gave us our first look at Linus's back story. How he came to the Island as a nerdy four-eyed kid and how he helped rid the Island of the Dharma Initiative were revealed. In present time Ben put on quite the show for Locke in Jacob's cabin.

14. LA X (Ep 601)
After the huge fifth season finale, and the constant theorizing about what would happen next, the season six premier did not disappoint. We got our first look at the sideways universe and we all had our own ideas about what this world was. On a more personal level, we got to see a lot of old friends (Boone, Charlie, etc.) well and good.

13. There's No Place Like Home (Eps 412-413)
Sure we all knew that the Oceanic Six would eventually get off the Island, but how it happened (the Island disappearing into thin air) was no less than epic. We also knew that Penny was searching for her beloved Desmond for a long time, but that didn't make their reunion any less fantastic.

12. Ab Aeterno (Ep 608)
Richard Alpert was one of my favorite characters throughout the middle seasons, peeking in season five when he was in both the 1970s and the 2000s. Ab Aeterno gave all us Alpert fans what we had been waiting for, a Richard-centric ep. Add in all of the Island/Jacob/MIB information that flooded our brain like a bottle of wine and you got a sweet ep in the middle of the final season.

11. Some Like It Hoth (Ep 513)
Some of the best work we got from both Hurley and Miles. In what could have been a filler ep, where it was basically about Hugo and Miles going out to the the Swan build site, we got one of the funniest eps of the series. Between Hurley writing the script for Empire Strikes Back and all of the interactions between Miles and his dad Dr. Chang, it was incredible.

Top 10 coming soon...

Catching Up- Sons of Anarchy Season 2

I wasn't going to do a second post on Sons of Anarchy, but I figured it was about time I got back to my roots and made a character list for the series. But first, a bit about the second season of the FX action show.

Within the past two days I have watched the final six episodes of the second season (that's what six hours on a bus will allow you to do). I loved season two, but still enjoyed the first 13 episodes a bit more. What may have let it down a bit, is what will make it that much better come seasons three and four, etc. Where season one let the audience learn about Jax and Gemma mainly, the second season gave us an opportunity to find out who Clay, Opie, Tig, Bobby, Half-Sack, Juice, Chibbs and Piney really are. Both fantastic seasons, but it was the powerful moments of season one that give it the slight edge. This characterization will make us understand each and every one of the aforementioned Sons, and make every one of their future scenes more powerful.

*SPOILER ALERT*
When we lost Half-Sack at the tail end of the final episode, I was truly sad. Wasn't everyone else looking forward to the moment that the Prospect actually got "Patched In" to SAMCRO? I know I was.

Another thing I have to mention is the music. The music is so well done here. I believe it was the penultimate episode of this second season where they used a cover of the Stones' Gimme Shelter as the beginning montage. In itself it was a powerful opening. Not only did it strengthen the scene because of its sound, they lyrics also spoke to the action of the characters (hiding the loved ones in the clubhouse). When they brought Gimme Shelter back at the end of the ep, it was incredible. There have been many moments during the first two seasons of SoA that I have thought the musical decisions were fantastic.

Bring on season 3...

Favorite Characters

10. Alex 'Tig' Trager
9. Piney Winston
8. Chief Wayne Unser
7. Tara Knowles
6. Kip 'Half Sack' Epps
5. Bobby Munson
4. Jean Carlos 'Juice' Ortiz
3. Harry 'Opie' Winston
2. Filip 'Chibs' Telford
1. Jackson Teller

Top Basketball Movies (6 & 5)

6. Above The Rim (1994)
Starring: Duane Martin, Leon, Tupac Shakur

Kyle Lee Watson is a high school basketball star in New York City. Above the Rim tells the story of Kyle and his relationships with two brothers. Birdie, played by Tupac, is a drug dealing brother that has many a connection to throw Kyle's way. Birdie's brother Shep, played by Leon, is a former high school basketball star that now works as a security guard at Kyle's school. Things fell apart for Shep when his best bud died while the two of them were slapping the backboard on a rooftop. After smashing the backboard he fell right off the building. The major climax is an outdoor basketball tournament Rucker Park style. Birdie expects Kyle to play for his team after giving him many gifts. Kyle Lee Watson decides to get his life together and play with his boys from school. When things get rough, Shep joins Kyle's team to take on Birdie's squad in the finals.

Favorite Character: Birdie
Least Favorite: Flip
Quote: "Check this out. You ain't goin to college or any f'n where if the Bird Men don't win. You might be on the other team, but you playin for ME. Remember that," Birdie.

5. White Men Can't Jump (1992)
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Wesley Snipes, Rosie Perez

If you have never dunked a basketball before, how do you bet all of your money that you can? Well Billy Hoyle is just really dumb. Unlike the ridiculous Bill Simmons, I, and I would assume most normal people, love the basketball scenes in White Men Can't Jump. Other than the jeopardy part, there is nothing good about any of the non-bball scenes. How bad Wesley Snipes is at basketball adds a whole lot to the quality of watching this film. Add to this the fact that every street baller in LA shoots they're layups backwards and you have great bball action. Billy Hoyle goes to LA to hustle bball courts to make money. After Billy hustles Sidney Deane, they join forces to make some solid cash, only for Sidney to return Billy's favor and hustle him back. The two of them stick it out to play in the outdoor bball 2 on 2 tournament to make back the money Billy lost.

Favorite Character: Billy Hoyle
Least Favorite: Gloria Clemente
Quote: "This must be the luck of the Irish, only I'm not Irish so you figure it out," Billy Hoyle.

Top Basketball Movies (14 & 13)

14. Love and Basketball (2000)
Starring: Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Dennis Haysbert

Half chick flick, half basketball movie. What’s better than that? Well 13 movies I will name later, but Love and Basketball is a classic. Monica Wright was on my top females list earlier and Quincy McCall is much sweeter than the Eric Foreman I have to endure on Monday nights. Throw President David Palmer into the mix and it’s not half bad. Monica and Quincy grow up together as good friends and star bball players in high school. They finally get together and then go off to college at USC. They then inevitably break up, but then Monica comes back to play him in one-on-one for his love. The dude obviously wins, but they get back together anyway.

Favorite Character: Quincy McCall
Least Favorite: Coach Davis
Quote: “Double or nothing,” Quincy.

13. Semi-Pro (2008)
Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin

So there’s this guy Will Ferrell who has made a few comedy pictures in his day. Well one of them was Semi-Pro. Although it is not one of the elite Ferrell flicks, the basketball player in me laughed hysterically at most of the bball scenes. The very first basketball game is classic, with Jackie Moon taking over as the star with Coffee Black not out to the court yet. Jackie posts up, demands the ball, kicks it out and demands it again over and over again. He then continues to take eight steps on his way to a sky hook and then gets extremely mad at the ref when a travel is called. Not to worry when Coffee Black enters the game, he takes over, and after dribbling through the entire opposition multiple times, he swishes a three from the corner. While the entire team is hugging and celebrating the basket, you can see the visitors scoring a fast break layup at the other end. It just doesn’t get much better than that.

Favorite Character: Jackie Moon
Least Favorite: None
Quote: “In the annals of history people are going to be talking about three things: the discovery of fire, invention of the submarine, and the Flint, Michigan Mega Bowl,” Jackie Moon.

Top Basketball Movies (18 & 17)

18. Like Mike (2002)
Starring: Bow Wow, Morris Chestnut, Jonathan Lipnicki

Ok this movie was so bootleg that they couldn’t even use the Clippers as the other team in LA, they had to be the Knights. But it makes it on here for a few reasons. The amount superstars is great, with Kidd, Iverson and the like all having lines. But nothing beats when Dirk comes up to Like Mike and asks for an autograph for his niece or sister or somebody. Like Mike asks Dirk what her name is and he stalls and goes…“Uhh…Dirk.” Classic. Also this movie was the origin of my brother’s name. When I was in a big nickname giving mode, with gems like Case the Base and Big Tom, Tim got the moniker T-time after I had watched Like Mike do the same to his boy Tracy Reynolds.

Favorite Character: Dirk Nowitzki
Least Favorite: Stan Bittleman
Quote: “Uhh…Dirk,” Dirk Nowitzki

17. Hoop Dreams (1994)
Starring: Arthur Agee, William Gates

The only documentary to make the list, Hoop Dreams tells the story of a couple of young kids in inner-city Chicago trying to become basketball superstars. William Gates and Arthur Agee both attend the private school that their idol, Isaiah Thomas, went to. Agee doesn’t make it past the first year and returns home to public school. Neither one ends up making it in basketball, but Agee does get a small part in the basketball movie, Passing Glory in 1999.

Favorite Dude: Arthur Agee

Female Movie Characters: 10-1

10. Lucy Whitmore- Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates
















9. Jules Harbor- Amy Smart in Varsity Blues





















8. Padme Amidala- Natalie Portman in Revenge of the Sith





















7. Emily Friehl- Amanda Peet in A Lot Like Love





















6. Becky Jackson- Julia Stiles in A Guy Thing
















5. Rosalee Futch- Kate Bosworth in Win a Date With Tad Hamilton





















4. Claire Cleary- Rachel McAdams in Wedding Crashers
















3. Nancy Hayes- Sara Foster in The Big Bounce





















2. Rachel Jansen- Mila Kunis in Forgetting Sarah Marshall





















1. Andie Anderson- Kate Hudson in How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days

Female Movie Characters: 20-11

20. Julianne Potter- Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding





















19. Cassandra Wong- Tia Carrere in Wayne's World





















18. Polly Prince- Jennifer Aniston in Along Came Polly















17. Kate Veatch- Christine Taylor in Dodgeball





















16. Isabel Fuentes- Salma Hayek in Fools Rush In





















15. Elizabeth Swann- Keira Knightley in Pirates of the Caribbean





















14. Theresa Jones- Zoe Saldana in Guess Who





















13. Cher Horowitz- Alicia Silverstone in Clueless





















12. Sara Thomas- Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity





















11. Sara Melas- Eva Mendes in Hitch