Benjamin Busch

In the Season Three premiere, a wave of urban reform brings down the notorious Franklin Terrace public housing towers, forcing the Barksdale drug crew to find a new home on the streets of West Baltimore. Stringer Bell sets up shop using a new sales strategy for Bodie, Poot, Puddin and the rest of the gang, as he awaits the return of Avon from prison. McNulty, Greggs and the Detail look to make a case against Stringer with a wiretap on a drug ring run by his ally, Proposition Joe. Assigned to the Western District drug unit, Carver and Herc notch up the pressure on street dealers. Burrell is caught in a power play by First District Councilman Tommy Carcetti, an ambitious young man with roots deep in the ethnic politics of Baltimore. Mayor Clarence Royce, facing re-election next year, puts Burrell on notice that crime stats, and murders in particular, must come down, whatever it takes. The order from on high has put police commanders in the hot seat during the new Comstat meetings, where they are held up to aggressive criticism by Rawls and others before their peers. Daniels, too, is confronted by the reach of City Hall, as his promotion to major appears to be derailed because of his estranged wife's political ambitions. A rash of murders cuts short Bunk's day at the ballpark, as Bubbles and Johnny lose big in their latest caper for cash. On the eve of his parole, Cutty Wise is offered a new start on the outside by Avon, but after being released, he finds the drug life has changed.

Colvin feels the sting of Burrell and Rawls during a Comstat assessment of his district's felony numbers; a blown wiretap forces Daniels's detail to turn to a new target; Proposition Joe cautions Stringer Bell that the police have been tapping phones, as revealed by Cheese's failed bust. Carcetti continues to curry favor in Mayor Royce's inner circle with a scheme for jump-starting a police-academy class for Burrell. Omar and crew get more than they bargained for during a stick-up of a Barksdale stash house; Colvin has a new crime-reduction plan, one that he is not telling to the bosses. Already awash in police work, Bunk is dispatched on a mission impossible. McNulty probes deeper into D'Angelo Barksdale's prison suicide last year, while Marlo suggests Fruit get his slumping sales numbers up with a persuasive visit to Bodie's crew. Cutty struggles to stay on the straight and narrow, still hopeful as he tries to reconnect with his long-ago girlfriend, while a group of colleagues gather to pay tribute and provide a proper sendoff to a friend at an old-time Irish wake.

West Baltimore residents get some surprising straight talk at a community meeting from Major Colvin. Bubbles finds gainful employment; Stringer lunches uptown; and Bunk dangles the promise of immunity to a group of corner boys, in exchange for a little help. Greggs learns how Marlo takes care of business as Bubbles instructs her on the next big thing: disposable cell phones. Carcetti reveals his political ambitions and tries to enlist the help of an old acquaintance. The cops of the Western ride into the District for a roundup; Colvin delivers his plan to the corner boys, but they're not buying; and a frustrated Cutty opts to return to the game, welcomed back with open arms. McNulty reconnects with Stringer, but fails to connect with Pearlman, who's otherwise engaged.

Frustrated in his grass-roots reform efforts, Colvin arms himself with intelligence from Daniels's detail and personally delivers a message to the next level of corner management. McNulty sees Stringer Bell's legitimate business dealings as a sign that he is now unreachable as a drug target. Bubbles shakes the tree for Johnny one more time; Carcetti quietly seeks to fix the program for protecting state's witnesses after another one is killed; Omar struggles with dissention in the ranks; Stringer hard-sells his new business model to an underwhelmed Marlo. Greggs's surveillance gives McNulty reason to smile, and then he takes an interest in politics. Cutty flexes his muscle and continues to slide back into the life; and Avon returns from prison.

Herc discovers a blast from the past, which he belatedly reveals to his ex-colleagues. Daniels blows a gasket over the real reason the detail was reassigned from an investigation in Pimlico to the Western District. Stringer Bell learns from Donette that she's told Brianna about McNulty's visit and that Brianna is likely to talk to him. Bubbles makes a sales call and finds Johnny during the long, strange trip. Omar grapples with guilt as Butchie points out its pitfalls. Greggs stumbles into Cheryl, forcing them to confront the realities of their relationship. Carver announces a new tax initiative to help the unemployed. After a traffic stop turns bad, Colvin is forced to explain Amsterdam to members of the detail. Bunk receives a gift-wrapped surprise, while a single cell phone allows Freamon to begin mapping out a communications network for the Barksdale organization. Councilman Carcetti confronts Mayor Royce after learning that nothing's been done about the witness protection issue. McNulty tracks Terri to Washington, where he discovers the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship. Marlo dispatches a drive-by on a Barksdale corner from the calm of his pigeon coop.