The Wire
A brief cameo by Richard Belzer inThe Wireseason 5 link back to a previous David Simon project , set the intemperately - hitting social drama in a very dissimilar context . Richard Belzer , who unhappily give-up the ghost away on February 19 , 2023 , was best make out for his role as Detective John Munch , a stalwart of web television from 1993 to 2016 . Munch was first introduced inHomicide : Life on the Street , adapted from the true crime novelHomicide : A twelvemonth On The Killing Streetsby investigatory diary keeper andWireco - creator David Simon . From there , Munch start on to feature in many of the majuscule idiot box drama of the 20th and 21st centuries .
After featuring in multiple series across Dick Wolf’sLaw & Orderuniverse , includingLaw & Order : Special Victims Unit , Richard Belzer ’s John Munch finally returned to David Simon ’s Baltimore inThe Wireseason 5 . Belzer ’s cobalt - star Clark Johnson also played the role ofBaltimore Suncity editor Augustus Haynes , and directed several episodes ofThe Wire . Munch ’s cameo acknowledge Belzer and Johnson ’s account together , but it further establishes the extensive legacy of a in truth unique tv set character and role player .
Richard Belzer’s John Munch Was Jimmy McNulty’s Predecessor
In " Took , " Gus Haynes arranged to meet a middleman at a local Baltimore barroom to discourse his suspicion about the unity of a fellow journalist . As Gus walk down the step , John Munch is seen sitting at the bar reprimand the barkeep , saying " I used to run a bar , " which is a verbatim reference to a storyline from the earlierDavid Simon TV show , Homicide , in which Munch hold up into business with Meldrick Lewis ( Clark Johnson ) to grease one’s palms and execute the Waterfront barroom . However , the connexion to David Simon ’s work go even deeper than a throwaway jest about Richard Belzer and Clark Johnson ’s prison term working onHomicidetogether .
The police force ship’s officer that Gus is at the barroom to come across , Major Dennis Mello is played by former Baltimore Homicide detective Jay Landsman . In David Simon ’s originalHomicidebook , the real - life Landsman sport heavily , and is credit as being the inspiration behind the quality of John Munch in the TV adaptation . InThe Wire , Jimmy McNulty ( Dominic West ) on a regular basis clashes with his superior , Sergeant Jay Landsman , name after the veridical detective and played by Delaney Williams . In just a few seconds , Richard Belzer ’s cameo give away the rich layers of fact and fiction of David Simon ’s masterpiece .
John Munch Links The Wire To A Huge TV Universe
The Wire ’s endingproved that it was an incisive delineation of urban fall and societal inequality that is still relevant today . However , the John Munch cameo link up the societal issues ' criminal offense drama to all fashion of other TV shows fromLaw & OrdertoSesame Street . FromHomicidetoLaw & Order : SVU , Belzer play Munch for 23 season of television , pass the like of Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane for the longest - serving regular character on television .
It ’s Munch ’s additional invitee appearance that give Belzer a unique platter — the only fictional fictitious character to appear in 10 unlike boob tube shows across five networks , while being played by the same actor . The character of John Munch has appear in such hit show asAmerican Dad , 30 Rockand was even name - checked inLuther , starring Idris Elba , who playedStringer Bell inThe Wire . However , the most interesting of these cameo is when he appears inThe X - Files , investigating the Lone Gunmen . The fact that two wildly unlike show likeThe X - FilesandThe Wireare just a small part of John Munch ’s huge tv set universe is an incredible protection to the talents of the late , great Richard Belzer .
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