How & Where to Watch The Wire Online in 2025: Return to Baltimore With Streaming
The crime drama series The Wire takes us on an electrifying journey through the streets of Baltimore and its drug trade. Find out how and where to watch The Wire in our guide and get around geoblocks with a VPN.
Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)
Reviewed by Aleksandar Kochovski (Writer)
Last Updated:
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Where & How to Watch The Wire
- Grab a subscription at a 72% discount from NordVPN’s website.
- Download a VPN client and connect to a U.S. server
- Open Max and watch ‘The Wire.’
Best VPNs to Watch The Wire:
- NordVPN — Best-in-class VPN for all use-cases. NordVPN’s two-year plan offers 72% off on the first two years with three months free.
- Surfshark — Connect all your devices without breaking the bank. Surfshark’s best deal is available at a 66% (plus 3 months free) discount.
- ExpressVPN — Intuitive protection for VPN newcomers. Sign up now to get 25% off the first year.
Facts & Expert Analysis:
- You can watch all five seasons of ‘The Wire’ on Max if you’re in the U.S. Viewers in the U.K. can watch ‘The Wire’ with a subscription to NOW. Alternatively, you can buy or rent seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video, Fandango or Apple TV.
- You can use a VPN to stream ‘The Wire’ on a streaming service if it’s unavailable in your country.
- NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming, especially with services like Max.
The groundbreaking HBO series and Emmy nominee ‘The Wire’ debuted in 2002. Though the series completed its five-season run in 2008, its legacy has stood to the test of time. Netizens in 2021 are still cruising around streaming services to find out how and where to watch ‘The Wire’ online. Geoblocking can make this tricky for some, but a virtual private network (VPN) can help you with that.
Dominic West stars as Detective James “Jimmy” McNulty in ‘The Wire,’ supported by an all-star cast including Lance Reddick, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn and the now sadly departed Michael K. Williams as Omar Little. The narrative spotlights Baltimore’s drug scene but not only those within it. Creator David Simon homes sharply in on societal responsibility and involvement as a whole.
All five seasons of ‘The Wire’ are available on paid streaming services like Max — just like ‘The Sopranos.’ If you’ve already got a subscription to Max, you’re golden. Read on to find out where and how to watch ‘The Wire.’
Not available in your country?
Watch The Wire now on HBO Max and other streaming platforms.
Status checked 2025/06/12:
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11/23/2021 Facts checked
Added new information on the free HBO trial through Hulu, as well as a guide on how to watch The Wire with a VPN.
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10/01/2024
We refined the rankings to reflect evolving industry standards and user needs.
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05/26/2025 Facts checked
We checked and updated the streaming options, as well as added some information on NordVPN.
How to Watch The Wire Online Free With a VPN
Unfortunately, we didn’t find the series on any free streaming platforms. Some platforms, like Canal+ in France, offer a free trial, but you’ll need a country-specific payment method to sign up (a virtual payment card can help).
All five seasons of ‘The Wire’ are available on Max, but Max doesn’t offer a free trial. We’ve listed the streaming services where we found ‘The Wire’ further down.
If you’re outside of the U.S. for Max, you can sign up for a free trial with a quality VPN like NordVPN to access the service. Let’s take a look at how to watch ‘The Wire’ on Max with a VPN. You can use similar steps to watch ‘The Wire’ on a different service.
- Sign Up for NordVPN
Start by visiting NordVPN’s website and selecting a plan with a 72% discount, backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee for peace of mind.
- Download NordVPN
Download the NordVPN app for the device you are using. Follow the instructions in the installation wizard.
- Open NordVPN and Connect
Open the NordVPN app on your device. To connect to a server, click on a map. Tap any U.S. server
- Go to Max and Start Streaming The wire
Go to Max and sign up or log in to your account. Search for ‘The Wire’ and start streaming.
Watch The Wire on Max or Another Streaming Service
There are other streaming options for watching all five seasons of ‘The Wire.’ A monthly subscription to Max will set you back $9.99 per month or $16.99 per month if you go ad-free. You need a VPN if you are outside the U.S. You can also buy or rent episodes on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Fandango and a few other services.
We’ve popped the streaming platforms that have ‘The Wire’ into the table below. Whichever service you choose, if you’re not in the correct country, a VPN can help.
| Country | Streaming Service |
| 🇺🇸 U.S. 🌎 Certain countries in Europe, South America & Asia | Max |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | Crave |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Fetch |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | Neon |
| 🇬🇧 U.K. | Now |
| 🇦🇹 Austria 🇩🇪 Germany 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Sky Go |
| 🇫🇷 France 🇨🇭 Switzerland | Canal+ |
Torrent The Wire: Entire Series & Individual Episodes
Another way to watch ‘The Wire’ is through torrenting, but the usual warnings apply. Piracy is illegal almost everywhere, so a VPN is an absolute must. Because most VPNs fail to adequately protect your data, we recommend using only those in our selection of the best VPN for torrenting (NordVPN especially shines here), or you could face fines potentially running into the thousands.
The Best VPNs to Watch The Wire
Top-quality VPNs are the ones most likely to get you around those pesky geoblocks and have you enjoying a binge-watching session in no time.
1. NordVPN — The Best VPN for Streaming The Wire
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
NordVPN takes our top spot for streaming and torrenting thanks to its affordable price. What’s more, this VPN has excellent speeds — the best speeds overall, in fact — making it the ideal choice for streaming and torrenting activities.
NordVPN’s newest protocol, NordWhisper, is designed to bypass networks that restrict VPN usage. This is particularly useful when streaming content from restrictive networks or in countries where VPN use is monitored or limited.
On that note, NordVPN’s system-wide and app-level kill switches add an extra layer of reassurance by cutting off your internet and shutting down your torrent client if your VPN connection drops. The 30-day money-back guarantee lets you test it out free of risk. Our NordVPN review has more information.
- **VAT may apply
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are shown only apply for the first 12 months.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- **The prices are applicable only for the first 24 months. Secure, high-speed VPN Threat Protection Pro™: Anti-malware and advanced browsing protection Threat Protection Pro™: Ad and tracker blocker Password manager with Data Breach Scanner 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage Identity and SSN monitoring and alerts Credit monitoring services Up to $1M in identity theft insurance Up to $100K in cyber extortion insurance
- 10
2. Surfshark — Best Cheap VPN for Streaming The Wire
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
Surfshark is the best budget VPN for streaming because it offers a wide range of security features and unlimited simultaneous connections on the cheap. It isn’t as well-rounded as NordVPN on the speed front due to its high latency, but this shouldn’t cause issues with streaming.
If you’d like to give Surfshark a go, you can sign up for any plan that suits you and use the 30-day money-back guarantee as a safety net. Check out our Surfshark review for more on this provider.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
3. ExpressVPN — Best Beginner-Friendly VPN for Streaming The Wire
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
ExpressVPN is one of our top picks for streaming, including for pairing with a streaming service like Max (see our guide on how to watch Hulu with ExpressVPN). It has a vast selection of servers, particularly in the U.S., and is lightning-fast in the speed department.
This is hugely important to avoid interruptions to your streaming time. You can try it out for free using the 30-day money-back guarantee and look over our ExpressVPN review for the ins and outs.
- Pricing for the annual and biennial plans applies only on the first year.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
The Best Free VPN for Watching The Wire — PrivadoVPN
You can get 10GB of full-speed data and connect to ten server locations with PrivadoVPN’s free plan, which is pretty generous if you ask us.
If you feel a bit iffy about free VPNs, you’re right to do so, but there’s no need to worry in this case: PrivadoVPN is very secure and private. Head over to our PrivadoVPN review to find out more.
- 10GB
- 1
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
Final Thoughts
The above tips should get you well on your way to watching the five seasons of ‘The Wire’ online.
Having a subscription to a streaming service means you can access other shows too. For instance, with an Amazon Prime subscription, you can watch great shows like ‘Mad Men,’ fantasy series ‘Grimm,’ ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and ‘Evangelion. Plus, there you can watch them for free by utilizing a free trial.
It’s a good idea to use NordVPN if you need to get around geoblocks. Experience the power of NordVPN yourself, risk-free, with the assurance that you can get your money back within 30 days if you’re not completely satisfied.
We hope you enjoy what’s probably the best TV show ever made, and please let us know in the comments below if we missed any other avenues for watching McNulty get into trouble. Thanks for reading.
FAQ: Stream The Wire Online
While we couldn’t find ‘The Wire’ on a free streaming service, you can use a free trial on a service like Canal+ in France to watch the series for free.
No, ‘The Wire’ isn’t available on Netflix because it is an HBO series.
Yes, but it’s only available to rent or buy. Read our guide to learn how to watch Amazon Prime Video.
No, ‘The Wire’ is not available on Hulu by itself. However, you can watch full episodes and seasons of ‘The Wire’ on Hulu with an Max add-on.