# List of awards and nominations received by The Wire

The Wire is an American crime drama television series created by David Simon and broadcast by the cable network HBO. It premiered on June 2, 2002, and ended on March 9, 2008, comprising sixty episodes over five seasons. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, The Wire follows different institutions within the city, such as the illegal drug trade, the education system, and the media, and their relationships to law enforcement. The series features a diverse ensemble cast of both veteran and novice actors; the large number of black actors was considered groundbreaking for the time.
The Wire has been widely hailed as one of the greatest television series of all time. Despite the critical acclaim, however, the show received relatively few awards during its run. It was nominated for only two Primetime Emmy Awards – both for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series – and did not win any. Many have called its lack of recognition, especially in the Outstanding Drama Series category, one of the biggest Emmys snubs ever. Some have argued the lack of recognition was due to the show's dense plots and a disconnect between the setting and Los Angeles–based voters.
Outside of the Emmys, The Wire won a Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Dramatic Series in 2008, as well as a Directors Guild of America Award for the episode "Transitions" in 2009. It was thrice named one of the top television programs of the year by the American Film Institute and received a Peabody Award in 2004. The series was nominated for sixteen NAACP Image Awards but never won one. It was also nominated for ten Television Critics Association Awards, with its only win coming in 2008 for the group's Heritage Award.

## Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by The Wire :
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| American Black Film Festival Awards | 2020 | Classic Television Award | The Wire | Won |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | 2007 | Best Edited One-Hour Series for Non-Commercial Television | Kate Sanford (for "Boys of Summer") | Won |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | 2009 | Best Edited One-Hour Series for Non-Commercial Television | Kate Sanford (for "More With Less") | Nominated |
| American Film Institute Awards | 2003 | Television Programs of the Year | The Wire | Won |
| American Film Institute Awards | 2006 | Television Programs of the Year | The Wire | Won |
| American Film Institute Awards | 2008 | Television Programs of the Year | The Wire | Won |
| Artios Awards | 2003 | Outstanding Achievement in Dramatic Pilot Casting | Alexa L. Fogel and Pat Moran (for "The Target") | Won |
| ASCAP Awards | 2004 | Top Television Series | Tom Waits | Won |
| Banff Rockie Awards | 2007 | Best Continuing Series | The Wire (for "Boys of Summer") | Nominated |
| British Academy Television Awards | 2009 | Best International Show | The Wire | Nominated |
| Crime Thriller Awards | 2008 | International TV Crime Drama | The Wire | Won |
| Crime Thriller Awards | 2008 | Best Actor | Dominic West | Nominated |
| Crime Thriller Awards | 2009 | International TV Dagger | The Wire | Won |
| Crime Thriller Awards | 2009 | Best Actor | Dominic West | Won |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series – Night | Dan Attias (for "Transitions") | Won |
| Edgar Awards | 2003 | Best Television Episode Teleplay | David Simon and Ed Burns (for "The Target") | Nominated |
| Edgar Awards | 2007 | Best Television Feature/Mini-Series Teleplay | The Wire | Won |
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2003 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| Golden Reel Awards | 2007 | Best Sound Editing in Television: Short Form – Dialogue and Automated Dialogue Replacement | Will Ralston, Igor Nikolic, and Matthew Haasch (for "Misgivings") | Nominated |
| Humanitas Prizes | 2008 | 60 Minute Category | George Pelecanos and David Simon (for "Late Editions") | Nominated |
| Irish Film and Television Awards | 2009 | Best Actor in a Lead Role – Television | Aidan Gillen | Won |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2003 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2004 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2004 | Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Wendell Pierce | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Idris Elba | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Sonja Sohn | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series | Michael K. Williams | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Wendell Pierce | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Glynn Turman | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series | Seith Mann (for "Home Rooms") | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Wire | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Wendell Pierce | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Michael K. Williams | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Sonja Sohn | Nominated |
| NAACP Image Awards | 2009 | Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series | Seith Mann (for "The Dickensian Aspect") | Nominated |
| NAMIC Vision Awards | 2003 | Best Drama | The Wire (for "Cleaning Up") | Nominated |
| NAMIC Vision Awards | 2003 | Best Dramatic Performance | Sonja Sohn (for "The Cost") | Nominated |
| NAMIC Vision Awards | 2005 | Best Drama | The Wire (for "Time After Time") | Nominated |
| NAMIC Vision Awards | 2005 | Best Dramatic Performance | Idris Elba (for "Time After Time") | Nominated |
| NAMIC Vision Awards | 2007 | Best Drama | The Wire (for "Boys of Summer") | Nominated |
| Peabody Awards | 2004 | — | The Wire | Won |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2005 | Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | George Pelecanos and David Simon (for "Middle Ground") | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2008 | Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | David Simon and Ed Burns (for "-30-") | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards | 2006 | Best Television Series, Drama | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2003 | Program of the Year | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2003 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2003 | Outstanding New Program of the Year | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2004 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2007 | Program of the Year | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2007 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2008 | Program of the Year | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2008 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Wire | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2008 | Individual Achievement in Drama | David Simon | Nominated |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2008 | Heritage Award | The Wire | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2008 | Television: Dramatic Series | The Wire | Won |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2008 | Television: Episodic Drama | David Simon and Ed Burns (for "Final Grades") | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2009 | Television: Dramatic Series | The Wire | Nominated |