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HBO's The Wire: Season Two

© Kelcey Woolsten

HBO's "The Wire" is back for its second season and continues to be one of the more intriguing and intelligent programs on television. Last season the show revolved around a wiretap investigation aimed at shutting down a Baltimore drug syndicate led by the elusive Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris). The season ended on a low note. While the investigation yielded evidence against members of the syndicate and allowed for arrests, it was not entirely a victory. Barksdale ended up with a short prison term for possession with intent to distribute, while Barksdale's associate Stringer Bell (Idris Elba) was still on the streets, keeping the syndicate running. The season also ended with changes for members of the investigative team. While Detective Freamon (Clarke Peters) was promoted and moved from Property to Homicide, Detective Greggs (Sonja Sohn) ended the season in the hospital and Detective McNulty(Dominic West)was banished to marine patrol.

In the opening of the second season, it is clear that the Barksdale case is not finished but merely on the backburner. There is also a new case on the forefront. In the first two episodes, "The Wire" begins to zero in on corruption and murder in the shipping business. While working on marine detail, McNulty finds a dead girl in the Baltimore harbor, who is later linked to 13 European prostitutes found murdered on one of the docked boats. Despite attempts by Rawls to get the case transferred to another jurisdiction, Baltimore city homicide is saddled with responsibility for the case. Meanwhile, one of the key players in the shipping business, Frank Sobotka, enters into a feud with Major Valchek, who responds by targeting him for investigation.

The early episodes will hook viewers even if they missed the last season. For newcomers to "The Wire", the new case provides enough of a different storyline that you can follow the show with a limited knowledge of its background. And for fans of the last season, there are many unresolved questions that we hope this season will answer. It will also be interesting to see the roles that last season's characters will play in the show's two central investigations, especially since most of the characters have taken on new roles within the Baltimore Police Department.

"The Wire" has everything going for it. Its creator and one of its writers is David Simon, the man behind "The Corner" and the brilliant television show "Homicide." The cast is first-rate. Dominic West and Sonja Sohn continue to stand out. In short,"The Wire" is as good as HBO's best programs such as "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under" which means it is not to be missed.