Netflix’s New 8-Part Crime Thriller With 92% on RT Is Great for Fans of The Wire (& It’s a Top 3 Hit)

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HBO’s The Wire concluded its run on March 9, 2008, and its reputation hasn’t faded at all in the nearly two decades since. Created by David Simon and Ed Burns, the show used the city of Baltimore as a backdrop to deliver a powerful critique of problems facing American cities – a portrayal unmatched by any other television series. While it didn’t attract massive ratings during its original run – peaking at under four million viewers, far less than The Sopranos at the time – The Wire is now widely considered one of HBO’s greatest shows. Though nothing quite matches its quality, the new Netflix crime drama Nemesis explores similar themes and territory.

Nemesis is Courtney A. Kemp’s first series with Netflix, following her success creating the Power universe for Starz. The show, created with Tani Marole, centers on two men in Los Angeles who have been relentlessly pursuing each other for years. Coltrane Wilder, played by Y’lan Noel, is a criminal who presents himself as a legitimate businessman to hide his true activities. Matthew Law stars as Isaiah Stiles, an LAPD detective whose obsession with catching Coltrane has destroyed his marriage and family. Debuting on May 14th, Nemesis quickly gained popularity, earning a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and reaching the third spot on Netflix’s Global TV chart within a week. The crime drama draws comparisons to Michael Mann’s Heat, but also shares similarities with The Wire.

Nemesis Reunites Many The Wire Actors

The creators of Nemesis, Kemp and Marole, specifically sought actors familiar with intricate crime stories, resulting in a notable number of The Wire alumni joining the cast. For example, Domenick Lombardozzi plays LAPD cop Dave Cerullo in the Netflix series. He previously starred in The Wire as the tough and often reckless detective Thomas “Herc” Hauk, whose actions frequently hindered investigations. Michael Potts also appears in Nemesis as Police Chief James Sealey, a mentor to the main investigator. Fans of The Wire will recognize Potts as Brother Mouzone, the Barksdale organization’s calm and principled enforcer—a character known for his discipline and quiet intensity.

The cast of Nemesis continues to expand with actors from the HBO series The Wire. Chris Bauer, who played Frank Sobotka in The Wire, joins the show as Deputy Chief Fred Holmes, the officer in charge of Sealey’s department. Tristan Wilds, who played Michael Lee in The Wire, will portray Manny Shaw, the deceased partner of Stiles, whose unsolved murder fuels the detective’s relentless pursuit of justice.

In addition to actors from the police department, the show Nemesis features several familiar faces from The Wire. Michael Hyatt plays a family counselor trying to help Stiles with his troubled marriage – a very different role from her previous character, Brianna Barksdale, who expertly handled the Barksdale family’s criminal finances. Also appearing in Nemesis is Maestro Harrell, guest starring as a street thief in the fifth episode. Harrell is known for his role as Randy Wagstaff, a foster child let down by Baltimore’s social services.

Though Nemesis and The Wire tell stories in very different ways, it’s interesting how many of the same actors appear in both shows. Given the talent involved, it’s not surprising that both became critically acclaimed and popular crime dramas.

You can watch all eight episodes of Nemesis now on Netflix, and The Wire is available for streaming on HBO Max.

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2026-05-24 00:16