Ranking Characters Of The Wire: The Streets
4. Reginald 'Bubbles' Cousins
One of the most sympathetic characters on the show, Bubbles is a heroin addict who is also a surprisingly reliable police informant. While everyone else on this list is involved in the drug trade in one way or another, Bubbles is absolved of any such crimes as he just wants to be happy and live his life.
The show is suitably realistic when it comes to Bubbles' addiction. He tries to get clean more than once but will often fall back into the safety he feels drugs provide when something bad happens. He is often a very tragic character to watch and his pain and struggles are handled with maturity by the show.
His uplifting personality and general good manners and wit with other members of the police force make Bubbles an easy character to support and get behind. His relationship with detective Greggs in particular is sweet and genuine.
No one is harder on Bubbles than himself and when a young man that he takes under his wing dies, he feels directly responsible and spirals. What is unexpected is that The Wire chooses to give him the happy ending that feels right as he manages to get clean in the final season. His arc feels more whole and complete than anyone else's on the show.