The Wire
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The Wire

Brianna Barksdale is the mother of D'Angelo and the older sister of Avon.

Biography[]

Background[]

Brianna grew up in West Baltimore and her family has always been involved in the narcotics trafficking trade. She became an advisor to the ascendant Avon and helped to manage their profits. She introduced her son, D'Angelo, to the family business when he was old enough. D'Angelo quickly became a lieutenant in Avon's operation despite some misgivings.

Season 1[]

She first appeared bringing food to D'Angelo at work. Later, she was fiercely protective of her son when he was arrested for drug trafficking, insisting that Avon was in the wrong for sending him to pick up narcotics. Her brother promises to do everything he could to help D'Angelo.

When D'Angelo is ready to turn against his family, Brianna visits him and changes his mind, convincing him to accept a lengthy prison sentence to protect Avon.

Season 2[]

When D'Angelo once more begins to withdraw from his family in prison, Brianna visits him to try and talk him around. This time D'Angelo insists that he did not want to see her any more. When D'Angelo appears to have committed suicide in the prison, Brianna is distraught. She is comforted by her brother's second-in-command Stringer Bell, the man who had actually ordered D'Angelo's death. Brianna argues with Avon to allow Stringer to manage their business his way while Avon is imprisoned.

Season 3[]

When Avon is released, she continues to advise both men. After James McNulty, having done independent police work, informed Donette that there is a chance D'Angelo had been murdered, Donette passed the information on to Brianna. Brianna, suspicious, meets with McNulty and is convinced by the evidence. She asks Avon, indirectly at first, if he ordered D'Angelo's killing. He truthfully denies any involvement (although Stringer has, by this point, admitted to Avon that he ordered the murder). Brianna is not convinced and begins to hold Avon responsible for D'Angelo's death.

Season 4[]

Brianna is left at the helm of what remains of the Barksdale empire when Avon is arrested and Stringer is killed. She is responsible for distributing their funds to family members of crew members in prison. For example she pays for De'Londa Brice to raise Wee-Bey's son, Namond. She eventually decides to cut off the families, rationalizing that she has no further income, and no need to protect Avon because of the rift in their relationship. She calls Namond and De'Londa to her home to give them the news and tries to make sure that Namond knows that his mother has received more than enough to live on already.

Season 5[]

Brianna is given $100k by Marlo Stanfield as the price of Avon setting up a meeting between Marlo and Spiros Vondopoulos and The Greek's organisation, although she is not seen receiving the money, it can be assumed that she did as the meeting goes ahead.

Production[]

Appearances[]

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" "Amsterdam" "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"
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