# Old Cases

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4th episode of the 1st season of The Wire

"Old Cases" The Wire episode Episode no. Season 1 Episode 4 Directed by Clement Virgo Story by David Simon Ed Burns Teleplay by David Simon Original air date June 23, 2002 (2002-06-23) Running time 60 minutes Episode chronology ← Previous "The Buys" Next → "The Pager" The Wire season 1 List of episodes

"**Old Cases**" is the fourth episode of the [first season](/source/The_Wire_season_1) of the American crime drama *[The Wire](/source/The_Wire)*. The episode was written by [David Simon](/source/David_Simon) from a story by David Simon and [Ed Burns](/source/Ed_Burns) and was directed by [Clement Virgo](/source/Clement_Virgo). It originally aired on June 23, 2002, on [HBO](/source/HBO) in the U.S. The story focuses on the Baltimore police struggling to persuade witnesses to divulge details of the [Barksdale gang](/source/Barksdale_Organization)'s drug dealing.

Nearly three million viewers watched the episode on its premiere. Critics praised the episode for the character development of [Jimmy McNulty](/source/Jimmy_McNulty), along with a scene with minimalist dialogue between McNulty and [Bunk Moreland](/source/Bunk_Moreland).

## Plot summary

### The Police

[McNulty](/source/Jimmy_McNulty) and [Greggs](/source/Kima_Greggs) attend a court hearing for Marvin Browning, a [Barksdale](/source/Barksdale_Organization) dealer arrested for a hand-to-hand deal. Hoping he will give them information, they push [Assistant State's Attorney](/source/State's_Attorney) Dawkins to pursue a maximum sentence, even though Browning had only been caught selling small amounts of [heroin](/source/Heroin) and [cocaine](/source/Cocaine). Browning nonetheless refuses their offer of a deal. Meanwhile, [Mahon](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Patrick_Mahon) gets an early retirement and an increase in his [pension](/source/Pension) due to his injury. [Herc](/source/Thomas_%22Herc%22_Hauk) and [Carver](/source/Ellis_Carver) drive to a [juvenile detention center](/source/Juvenile_detention_center) in [Prince George's County](/source/Prince_George's_County), only to find that [Bodie](/source/Bodie_Broadus) has escaped from the low-security facility. They raid Bodie's home but find only his grandmother. Embarrassed by the rude intrusion, Herc apologizes and leaves his card.

[Bunk](/source/Bunk_Moreland) and McNulty review old homicide cases and try to match them to the Barksdale Organization. [Landsman](/source/Jay_Landsman_(The_Wire)) insists they review the case of Deirdre Kresson, a college girl murdered far from [West Baltimore](/source/Baltimore#West_Baltimore), with a "Dee" listed as a possible suspect. McNulty reluctantly agrees to investigate the seemingly unrelated murder since the homicide unit is currently understaffed. At the crime scene, the two communicate using only variations of the word "fuck" as they recreate the murder and find a [shell casing](/source/Shell_casing) and bullet that previous detectives missed. Landsman visits [Rawls](/source/William_Rawls) and, while noting McNulty's character flaws, asserts that those very qualities make him "good police." Relenting, Rawls offers a deal: if McNulty wraps up the detail in two weeks, he can return to normal duty.

Greggs and [Bubbles](/source/Bubbles_(The_Wire)) discuss the recent hit on the Barksdale stash by [Omar](/source/Omar_Little). McNulty is forced to drive Bubbles to his son's soccer game. During the trip, he discusses sharing parental custody with his estranged wife [Elena](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Elena_McNulty), but the conversation devolves into profanity. At home, Greggs notices [Cheryl](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Cheryl)'s [cell phone](/source/Cell_phone) bill and realizes that the Barksdale dealers use [pagers](/source/Pager) to avoid any documentation of incoming and outgoing calls. Judge [Phelan](/source/Law_enforcement_characters_of_The_Wire#Daniel_Phelan) is disappointed when [Burrell](/source/Ervin_Burrell) tells him they have nothing on the Barksdales and phones McNulty. Daniels meets with Burrell and tells him that he can take the Barksdale case wherever the deputy commissioner wants, raising the possibility of McNulty's suggested wire to make the case.

Greggs suggests [pager cloning](/source/Phone_cloning) to monitor Barksdale communications, but Daniels points out that they need to have a number to bug. Freamon surprises everybody by revealing that [the number he found in the stash house](/source/The_Buys) belongs to [D'Angelo](/source/D'Angelo_Barksdale). While sharing a drink with McNulty, Freamon explains that he was transferred to the [pawn shop](/source/Pawn_shop) unit after pursuing a politically connected suspect against his major's orders. Freamon warns that McNulty is likely on a similar path. That night, McNulty shows up at Greggs' apartment drunk. She confirms that their visual surveillance was unable to follow targets into the towers as planned. Back with Cheryl, Greggs explains that McNulty is lonely, and they begin to make love.

### The Street

Omar and his associates [Brandon](/source/Omar_Little_and_associates#Brandon_Wright) and [Bailey](/source/Omar_Little_and_associates#John_Bailey) enjoy the proceeds from the Barksdale robbery. Brandon apologizes for using Omar's name during the raid, but Omar points out that he was already well known anyway. He is worried that the Barksdales could attack Brandon, who is revealed to be Omar's lover. An addict approaches Omar with her infant son and respectfully asks for a free fix, which he gives her.

Meanwhile, [Avon](/source/Avon_Barksdale) discusses the loss of the stash with his enforcers [Anton "Stinkum" Artis](/source/Barksdale_Organization#Stinkum) and [Wee-Bey Brice](/source/Wee-Bey_Brice), putting a [contract](/source/Contract_killing) out on Omar's crew. Avon doubles the bounty when informed by Stinkum that Omar is gay. [Stringer](/source/Stringer_Bell) tells Avon he is worried about the Pit operation since the robbery coincided with the police raid. He reassures Avon that D'Angelo is doing well but is worried there may be a leak from someone in D'Angelo's crew. Bodie returns to the Pit, where [Poot](/source/Poot_Carr) and [Wallace](/source/Wallace_(The_Wire)) are surprised that he has returned so soon after his arrest. D'Angelo bristles when Bodie says he would still be there had it been him, telling them that he murdered Kresson, Avon's scorned girlfriend, after she had threatened to testify to police. Bodie, who has never killed anybody, is humbled. The dealers destroy some new security cameras around the towers.

## Production

### Epigraph

Thin line 'tween heaven and here.

— Bubbles

The line is said as Bubbles is being returned to the ghetto by McNulty after the two have spent an afternoon in [suburbia](/source/Suburbia), which Bubbles refers to as "*[Leave It to Beaver](/source/Leave_It_to_Beaver)* land."

### Music

When Freamon and McNulty start talking in the bar, [Miles Davis](/source/Miles_Davis)' "[All Blues](/source/All_Blues)", from the album *[Kind of Blue](/source/Kind_of_Blue)* plays diegetically in the background. When the [head](/source/Head_(music)) has finished and Davis begins his trumpet solo, Freamon opens up and tells McNulty what happened to his career.

### Credits

#### Starring cast

Although credited, [Deirdre Lovejoy](/source/Deirdre_Lovejoy) does not appear in this episode.

#### Guest stars

- [Peter Gerety](/source/Peter_Gerety) as [Judge Daniel Phelan](/source/Law_enforcement_characters_of_The_Wire#Daniel_Phelan)

- [Callie Thorne](/source/Callie_Thorne) as [Elena McNulty](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Elena_McNulty)

- [Michael K. Williams](/source/Michael_K._Williams) as [Omar Little](/source/Omar_Little)

- [J. D. Williams](/source/J._D._Williams) as [Preston "Bodie" Broadus](/source/Bodie_Broadus)

- [Seth Gilliam](/source/Seth_Gilliam) as [Detective Ellis Carver](/source/Ellis_Carver)

- [Domenick Lombardozzi](/source/Domenick_Lombardozzi) as [Detective Thomas "Herc" Hauk](/source/Herc_(The_Wire))

- [Clarke Peters](/source/Clarke_Peters) as [Detective Lester Freamon](/source/Lester_Freamon)

- [Jim True-Frost](/source/Jim_True-Frost) as [Detective Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski](/source/Roland_Pryzbylewski)

- [Hassan Johnson](/source/Hassan_Johnson) as [Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice](/source/Wee-Bey_Brice)

- [Michael B. Jordan](/source/Michael_B._Jordan) as [Wallace](/source/Wallace_(The_Wire))

- [Corey Parker-Robinson](/source/Corey_Parker-Robinson) as [Detective Leander Sydnor](/source/Leander_Sydnor)

- [Delaney Williams](/source/Delaney_Williams) as [Sergeant Jay Landsman](/source/Jay_Landsman_(The_Wire))

- [Melanie Nicholls-King](/source/Melanie_Nicholls-King) as [Cheryl](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Cheryl)

- Michael Salconi as [Detective Michael Santangelo](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Michael_Santangelo)

- [Tray Chaney](/source/Tray_Chaney) as [Malik "Poot" Carr](/source/Poot_Carr)

- Brandon Price as [Anton "Stinkum" Artis](/source/Barksdale_Organization#Stinkum)

- [Nat Benchley](/source/Nat_Benchley) as [Detective Augustus Polk](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Augustus_Polk)

- [Tom Quinn](/source/Tom_Quinn_(actor)) as [Detective Patrick Mahon](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Patrick_Mahon)

- Michael Kevin Darnall as [Brandon Wright](/source/Omar_Little_and_associates#Brandon_Wright)

- Caroline G. Pleasant as Bodie's grandmother

- Antonio Cordova as [Michael McNulty](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Michael_Barnes_McNulty)

- Lance Williams as [John Bailey](/source/Omar_Little_and_associates#John_Bailey)

- Takara Collins as Deirdre Kresson

### First appearances

This episode marks the first appearance of Jimmy McNulty's estranged family. Callie Thorne plays [Elena McNulty](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Elena_McNulty), Jimmy's estranged wife and the mother of his two sons. Callie Thorne also appeared on *[Homicide: Life on the Street](/source/Homicide%3A_Life_on_the_Street)* alongside several other *Wire* cast members. Antonio Cordova plays [Michael McNulty](/source/Police_of_The_Wire#Michael_Barnes_McNulty), Jimmy's soccer-playing younger son. His older son, Sean, remains unseen in this episode.

## Broadcast

"Old Cases" premiered June 23, 2002, on [HBO](/source/HBO) in the U.S.[1] In the UK, this episode had its broadcast TV debut on April 2, 2009, on [BBC Two](/source/BBC_Two) in most regions.[2]

## Reception

On its debut, the episode had an estimated 2.91 million viewers, ranking second in the [Nielsen Media Research](/source/Nielsen_Media_Research) U.S. premium cable ratings for the week ending June 23, 2002.[3]

Critics praised the scene in which Bunk and McNulty repeatedly say only variations of the word "fuck" while investigating the murder of Diedre Kresson. In 2012, *[Time Out New York](/source/Time_Out_New_York)* called it "proof that you don't need many words to tell a story."[4] [Alan Sepinwall](/source/Alan_Sepinwall) commented in a 2008 review for *[The Star-Ledger](/source/The_Star-Ledger)* that the "fuck" scene was a "gorgeous, precise employment of nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives".[5]

Sepinwall also noted the character development of McNulty in this episode: "...the bulk of 'Old Cases' is devoted to illustrating the ways in which his personality flaws -- his addiction to himself, as Sgt. Jay Landsman puts it -- constantly get in the way of people noticing just how good he is."[5]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Program Guide: A-Z"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070930133106/http://www.hbo.com/guidepdf/2002-06/0602_combo_ee.pdf) (PDF). *HBO Guide*. June 2002. p. 21. Archived from [the original](http://www.hbo.com/guidepdf/2002-06/0602_combo_ee.pdf) (PDF) on September 30, 2007. Retrieved August 22, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The Wire, 'Old Cases'"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jnxqd). BBC Two. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250815173340/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jnxqd) from the original on August 15, 2025. Retrieved August 21, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["World Cup Leads Cable Ratings"](https://web.archive.org/web/20030405001958/http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?26669). *Zap2it*. June 27, 2002. Archived from [the original](http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?26669) on April 5, 2003. Retrieved December 23, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Top five: Scenes from HBO's classic series The Wire"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121001015857/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/own-this-city-blog/top-five-scenes-from-hbos-classic-series-the-wire-1). *Time Out New York*. Archived from [the original](http://www.timeout.com/newyork/own-this-city-blog/top-five-scenes-from-hbos-classic-series-the-wire-1) on October 1, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2025.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Sepinwall_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Sepinwall_5-1) Sepinwall, Alan (June 20, 2008). ["The Wire, Season 1, Episode 4, 'Old Cases' (Newbies edition)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081201232729/http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2008/06/the_wire_season_1_episode_4_ol_1.html). *The Star-Ledger*. Archived from [the original](http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2008/06/the_wire_season_1_episode_4_ol_1.html) on December 1, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2025.

## External links

- ["Old Cases"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040914010411/http://www.hbo.com/thewire/episode/season1/episode04.shtml) at HBO.com

- ["Old Cases"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0749437/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e The Wire episodes Season 1 "The Target" "The Detail" "The Buys" "Old Cases" "The Pager" "The Wire" "One Arrest" "Lessons" "Game Day" "The Cost" "The Hunt" "Cleaning Up" "Sentencing" Season 2 "Ebb Tide" "Collateral Damage" "Hot Shots" "Hard Cases" "Undertow" "All Prologue" "Backwash" "Duck and Cover" "Stray Rounds" "Storm Warnings" "Bad Dreams" "Port in a Storm" Season 3 "Time After Time" "All Due Respect" "Dead Soldiers" "Hamsterdam" "Straight and True" "Homecoming" "Back Burners" "Moral Midgetry" "Slapstick" "Reformation" "Middle Ground" "Mission Accomplished" Season 4 "Boys of Summer" "Soft Eyes" "Home Rooms" "Refugees" "Alliances" "Margin of Error" "Unto Others" "Corner Boys" "Know Your Place" "Misgivings" "A New Day" "That's Got His Own" "Final Grades" Season 5 "More with Less" "Unconfirmed Reports" "Not for Attribution" "Transitions" "React Quotes" "The Dickensian Aspect" "Took" "Clarifications" "Late Editions" "-30-"

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