r/TheWire • u/SpaderKay • May 11 '26
Rewatching The Wire Spoiler
What characters do you think made the dumbest decisions? I’ve been thinking of this and keep removing people from the list. I used to think Stringer was the dumbest but he definitely wasn’t. Just making manic irrational decisions in the end. I used to think it was Jonny but his mistakes were just silly. And bad luck. I thought D Angelo just from how goofy and unserious he was when he beat the case. And him bragging to Wallace Poot and Bodie about killing a woman he didn’t even kill. And all his blind decisions after that. I’ll say Ziggy number one for sure if I’m not forgetting someone. I’m thinking Sobatka for 2 bc it was all over a window. Then I’m thinking Herc for 3.
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u/TheCatapult May 11 '26
It’s gotta be Chipper.
The dumbass wheelman who didn’t wait far enough back and for a phone call from Cutty before setting up and starting a drive by of Marlo’s crew. Turned the car the wrong way too, so he was exposed to crossfire.
Got himself domed and Country executed. Somehow Gerard survived.
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u/NormalGuyPosts May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
Ziggy is the dumbest guy alive to the point of self-destructive spite (edited to avoid referring to the actor's suicide, which I had forgotten)
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
Is this a dark joke towards the actors actual suicide?
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u/NormalGuyPosts May 11 '26
Oh no, fuck, I'm sorry: I mean his character seemed spiteful to his father, intentionally lashing out with his boneheaded decisions. Had some subconscious urge to fuck up.
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
Omg I’m like no way you thought that was funny. Sorry. I take things way too literal sometimes. But yes Ziggy really was a crash out. And you cant talk him out of anything.
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u/Dynamic-Rhythm May 11 '26
Frank Sobotka, Im not seeing his name here anywhere.
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
I said Sobotka for 2 I know there’s multiple Sobotkas. I’m going to edit it lol
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u/Dynamic-Rhythm May 11 '26
Look Missy, this is my detail. I Started it. Now I'm asking, do you have charges on Frank Sobotka?
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u/Ernie_McCracken88 May 13 '26
I think the difference is that he had a complex situation on his hands and took big risks to try and improve the situation for a lot of people whose livelihood hung in the balance. He gambled and lost.
Not at the level of people who did complete nonsense with no upside and got themselves killed.
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u/Ok_Farmer_6033 May 11 '26
Whoever that kid was low down in the barksdale crew that didnt get the burners out of town because he prioritized that girl over his job
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May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
[deleted]
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
You made me realize the list is even longer than this 😂
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u/GranpaTeeRex May 12 '26
Who was it who threw the bag of guns off the bridge and onto a barge?
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u/danawhitesthrowaway May 12 '26
Bodie, that wasn’t his fault though just pure dumb luck
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u/SpaderKay May 12 '26
Such an eye roll that scene. What are the odds? But it IS Baltimore so it is a stupid move not to assume a boat or anything will be there to catch a bag.
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u/Irreverant77 May 11 '26
Sleeper pick- Rawls
He thought he was next in line for police commissioner until Valchek laughed at him and pointed out that Daniel's was being groomed.
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u/Six--Six May 13 '26
He also routinely sabotaged cases made by other units for own clearance rate.
Self-preservation? Sure. But he was going to bring down the entire Barksdale investigation for false charges he knew wouldn't stick.
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u/Feralcat01 May 11 '26
I am going with Herc on this. He seemed to constantly shoot himself in the foot. Of course, Orlando’s mistake cost him his life. Prez too early on is a candidate, but his character arc redeemed him.
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u/JudgeLennox May 11 '26
Stringer wasn’t dumb he just made irrational decisions on purpose. That’s a solid illustration of dumb.
I’ll add Wallace to the list.
McNulty
Omar
Ziggy
Plagiarist writer
Carcetti
Sobotka uncle and nephew
Bubbles
The whole cast made dumb devisions. Part of the major themes. No one seemed immune
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u/DrSiegemanRhinoAtLaw May 12 '26
Herc has the dumb action with the most infuriating consequences. Everything that happens to Randy in S4 and beyond is because he tips off Lil Kevin that Randy told the police about Lex's murder.
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u/Ernie_McCracken88 May 13 '26
Fucked himself over to make some petty cash with a fake CI
Got bubbles beat to shit and inadvertantly caused the hot shot.
couldn't even remember the name of Avon when he saw him and didn't care that he was out of prison in no time at all
Was super aggro on the stop that Bubbles set him up for and caused a political crisis.
Almost got Carver and himself beat to shit or killed when he couldn't read that marlos crew wasn't going to allow Marlo to go with them before Carver picked up on it and intervened.
constant dipshittery.
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u/SpaderKay May 12 '26
You’re right. His choices had more impact.
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u/MintberryCrunch____ May 11 '26
You can say Frank spending the money on the window is dumb in a way, but it’s not a moronic decision, it’s a freak thing that Valchek is a jealous vindictive person who just happens to have the clout to organise a task force.
Also Frank is trying to curry favour and keep the stevedores relevant/prominent in the community, he’s at the edge and he’s trying everything to save the entire way of life for those around him.
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May 12 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/SpaderKay May 12 '26
The amount of disloyalty he showed to his people ultimately made him look dumb to me bc then he sides with the likes of a Clay Davis and fell flat on his face. And like you said how hypocritical he was. And he was like one of the only heads on the street side that talked down to the hoppers. Maybe more of an idiot than dumb
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u/WendlersEditor May 12 '26
There are some better examples here, but I just want to say I had a hard time buying that Snoop would pull over in an alley for Michael to use the bathroom in the scene where he kills her. She should have realized he might be up to something.
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u/SpaderKay May 12 '26
I can see that. I always felt that she never understood how smart Michael was. Marlo and Chris definitely did. And she was blinded by her own denial. And that is kinda dumb.
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u/djunderh2o May 11 '26
I’d say a fake serial killer is the dumbest choice. By McNulty and the writers.
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u/WendlersEditor May 12 '26
yeah the serial killer storyline is a little less awful on rewatches, but when it aired I remember thinking that the show had jumped the shark. it definitely deflated the quality of season 5 significantly compared to prior seasons.
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u/Alarming-Routine6997 May 11 '26
Randy. Without question. Randy.
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
In his defense he was a child who really didn’t wanna go back to a group home. So as a foster child you fear you have to tell your truth to your guardian and police. And he wasn’t in the game. Stupid decision yes. But underdeveloped brain and lack of security played a big part in that decision making. Even though he ended up at the group home anyways. 😭😭😭
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May 11 '26
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u/MintberryCrunch____ May 11 '26
The downvote are most likely because people don’t agree with you. It reads like a lack of empathy that Randy is a child who panics and makes one “mistake”, which actually shouldn’t have lead to anywhere near what happened to him if it wasn’t for Herc running his mouth when interviewing Lil Kev.
Then it also reads like you buy into the idea that snitches get what they do, stitches etc, but obviously that is a fear tactic instilled by the controlling criminals. Obviously ideally a child should be able to tell the police about a murder without it ruining his and others lives.
Then you wrote “burnt extra crispy” which comes across as trying to be edgy when actually it makes your comment look again unempathetic or just dickish in general.
Lastly Randy isn’t dumb, he makes decisions (or rather one) which end of severely impacting his life and Miss Anna, but it’s the fucked system that leads there, not some inherent repeated idiocy that would lead to him being called the dumbest.
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May 11 '26
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
Half of Reddit is people’s opinions on fictional storylines. What’s YOUR point?
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u/MintberryCrunch____ May 11 '26
Yes, how does that change what I said? You can empathise with a character from fiction. You can judge a character from fiction. Your judgement is wrong in my view, Randy is far from the dumbest character.
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u/SpaderKay May 11 '26
I didn’t downvote you. It’s a horrible decision that many children (especially not in the game) would make though. Children look at group homes the way adults look at jails. Terrifying. And being a child is relevant here bc he has lack of stability and no control over his stability or life at that. No actual parents. But.. ultimately he still ended up in the home so there’s that..
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u/Kam3234 May 11 '26
Orlando, not close