- Det. Lester Freamon: Colonel, respectfully, did you just fuck me over without giving me even half a chance to clear this case?
- Colonel William A. Rawls: [chuckles] Let's be clear, Det. Freamon. When I fuck you over, you'll know it. You'll be so goddamn certain, you won't need to ask the question.
- Det. Shakima 'Kima' Greggs: Cool Lester Smooth... hey, what's happenin'?
- Det. Lester Freamon: Same fuck-ups in the same shit detail, workin' out of the same shithouse kind of office. You people lack for personal growth, you know that?
- [Stewedores' Union members were testifying in front of the Grand Jury]
- Det. William 'Bunk' Moreland: How did we do, Charlie?
- Charlie: I almost got one to swear that the docks are actually near the water.
- Bubbles: [after seeing Jimmy 'tie off' the his boat at the dock] What the hell is that?
- Off. James 'Jimmy' McNulty: Baltimore knot.
- Bubbles: Baltimore knot? What the hell is a Baltimore knot?
- Off. James 'Jimmy' McNulty: I dunno, but it's never the same thing twice.
- Off. James 'Jimmy' McNulty: He play you hard?
- Bubbles: I go at him respectable. He put that goddamn shotgun in my face, man. I'm looking at two goddamn tubes of the Harbor Tunnel staring right at me.
- [McNulty laughs]
- Bubbles: Each one about yea-big. I damn near piss my pants.
- Nick Sobotka: Today we got ships, Uncle Frank. Today. The writing's on the fuckin' wall.
- Frank Sobotka: Fuck the wall.