az plot outline is quite good, gives the names and roles concisely:
starts as mid-level drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale beats a murder rap. got a witness to turn..

After a conversation with a judge, Det. James McNulty Jimmy McNulty, pretty, what is his accent?
I'm in for him -plus the fine makesmanship and the education. this is hard for me to begin with I don't know follow crime of any kind easily and no street knowledge. I only know interpersonal on small scale, I dont do systems. institutions. cities. so: exactly what I'd be better to learn...
wish someone cld explain to me as we watch. is there a site that has recaps from the first season?

has been assigned to lead a joint homicide the detective is from homicide and narcotics the police group we see, incl the woman in the cap team
in order to bring down drug kingpin Avon Barksdale. Avon Barksdale, accompanied by his right-hand man Stringer Bell he was the one in court with legal pad and glasses to whom McNulty said 'well-done', enforcer Wee-Bey standing under the Burger sign talking to D'Angelo who is under the chicken sign, in commentary David Simon points this out - sirens of cops but "they aren't coming for Wee-Bey, he's not gonna get caught". cause he's a burger. and many lieutenants (including his own nephew, D'Angelo Barksdale), has to deal with law enforcement, informants in his own camp, and competition with a local rival, Omar oh heard of him in timgoodman bastard machine posts re 4th season but did omar appear in pilot?, who's been robbing Barksdale's dealers and reselling the drugs.
The supervisor of the investigation, Lt. Cedric Daniels he's the guy "the company man" fr narcotics? and he's the supervisor that seems right (but shld not say above that McNulty is assigned to 'lead' the joint team?)


The Target (The Wire episode) - Wikipedia:
"The Target" is the first (pilot) episode of the first season of the HBO original series, The Wire.

Narcotics detectives Shakima "Kima" Greggs, Thomas "Herc" Hauk and Ellis Carver make a bust using information from a scorned ex-girlfriend of a drug dealer. ah. I did not know what roles these 2 women had when watching them in the car.. Kima proves her smarts by searching the car and finding guns that Herc and Carver missed. ok. did not understand that either.

well, maybe wikipedia will give me a summary of each episode to help me follow..
List of The Wire episodes - Wikipedia nice. in a grid with the episode title, the epigram (first episode: "when it's not your turn" (bunk to mcnulty: there you go giving a f- when its not your turn to give a f-), the writing credit for story and for teleplay, and the director.
cool. and each episode is a link to its own page. great.