The Wire quotes

You ever notice that the guys who do that, the Blairs, the Glasses, the Kelleys, they all start with something small, you know. Just a little quote that they clean up. And then it's a whole anecdote. And pretty soon, they're seeing some amazing shit. They're the lucky ones who just happen to be standing on the right street corner in Tel Aviv when the pizza joint blows up and the human head rolls down the street with the eyes still blinking!

The pictures were sent to him. The police have confirmed...

It always starts with something true, something confirmed.

Rawls

Down the road, when we settle on this, and we will settle on this, I don't expect any of you will ever see another hour of O.T. again. I don't expect any of you will be doing police work ever again. And the only reason this isn't before a grand jury right now is because our mayor can't live with that. Oh, yeah. The Mayor knows your name.

Daniels

So this is your last case. Work it.

Rawls

If you're half the detective you think you are, you'll put this one down fast and take us all off the hook. The longer this goes on, the worse the payback's gonna be.

McNulty

You lying motherfucker, you're as full of shit as I am. And you've got to live with it and play it out as far as it goes, right? Trapped in the same lie. Only difference is, I know why I did it. But fuck if I can figure out what it gets you in the end. But, hey, I'm not part of your tribe.

You're not serious?

McNulty

No, no, I'm a fucking joke. And so are you.

Landsman

[At McNulty's "wake"] He was natural po-lice. Yes, he was. And I don't say that about many people. Even when they're out here on the felt. I don't give that one up unless it happens to be true. Natural po-lice. ... [pretends to choke up] ... But, Christ, what an asshole!

Landsman

Jimmy, I say this seriously. If I was laying there dead on some Baltimore street corner, I'd want you standing over me, catching the case. Because, brother, when you were good, you were the best we had.

Bunk

Shit, if you were lying there dead on some corner, it probably was Jimmy that done ya.

Daniels

I'll swallow a lie when I have to; I've swallowed a few big ones lately. But the stat games? That lie? It's what ruined this department. Shining up shit and calling it gold so majors become colonels and mayors become governors. Pretending to do policework while one generation fucking trains the next how not to do the job. And then-[catches himself, and sighs] I looked Carcetti in the eye, I shook his hand, I asked him if he was for real. Well, this is the lie I can't live with.

Shit, nigga, we was good when your uncle had it. You had to go ahead and put up with Marlo...

Cheese

See that? See now, that's just the wrong way to look at it. 'Cause Joe had his time and Omar put an end to that. Then Marlo had his time, short as it was, and the police put an end to that. And now, motherfucker, it's our time. Mines and yours. But instead of just shutting up and kicking in, you gon' stand there, crying that back in the day shit.

Cheese...

Cheese

There ain't no back in the day, nigga! Ain't no nostalgia to this shit here. There's just the street, the game, and what happen here today.

You right.

Cheese

When it was my uncle, I was with my uncle. When it was Marlo, I was with him. But now, nigga--

What the fuck you do that for?! Now we short the nine!

Slim Charles

That was for Joe.

Motherfucker had it comin'.

This sentimental motherfucker just cost us money!

Do you know who I am?!

Michael Lee

Name's Vinson. Used to be Marlo's bank. But, Marlo ain't around no more, and you're still moving money for other players, so, I'm thinkin' some of that money need to be mine.

Shit, you just a boy! [Michael kneecaps Vinson] AH!

Michael

That's just your knee.

That motherfucker shot me!

Michael

Nice doin' business with you, gentlemen. [leaves]

McNulty

Let's go home.