The wire: truth be told

Prologue. Introduction / by David Simon

Letter to HBO

Barack Obama, Wire fan / by Michael A. Fletcher

Season One. Overview ; The women of The Wire (no, seriously) / by Laura Lippman ; Episode guide ; The bunk and the bunk ; A snitch from a South Baltimore alley ; Q&A with Little Melvin Williams)

Season Two. Overview ; Frank Sobotka, union man ; Episode guide ; Ziggy Sobotka, angry prince of goofs ; Inevitable fates : D'Angelo, Wallace, and Dukie ; The legend of the orange sofa and the unlikely Hollywood careers of Vince Peranio and Pat Moran ; The rules of the game / Anthony by Walton

Season Three. Overview ; Mayor O'Malley to The Wire : drop dead ; Episode guide ; The writer's ambition / by George Pelecanos ; Way down in the hole : the music of The Wire ; Russell "Stringer" Bell (1969-2004) : American businessman ; The politics of Baltimore / by William F. Zorzi ; Victory undeclared

Season Four. Overview ; Omar's whistle : Jen Ralston and the sound of The Wire ; Episode guide ; Omar ; Dennis Lehane and the stolen lollipops ; David Simon on Jamie Hector as Marlo Stanfield ; The foundation of a free society / by Tom Waldron ; Felicia "Snoop" Pearson / by Ann LoLordo ; An interview with David Simon / by Nick Hornby

Season Five. Overview ; Cop reporters and The Wire / by Victor Paul Alvarez and Greg Garland ; Episode guide ; Directing Episode No. 53 : "Not for attribution" / by Joy Lusco Kecken and Scott Kecken ; Proposition Joe, show-tune enthusiast ; Worlds within worlds : cameos and stunt casting ; The drunkard's opera : Jimmy McNulty in life and letters / by Deborah Rudacille

Afterword. Homage to the quiet man ; A scene that will never make the bonus disc

Appendix 1. Glossary

Appendix 2. Cast and crew.