As The Wire fans are well-aware, the HBO drama is one of the best series of all time — but Season 2 was a little lacking. Yet someone at Toyota must have loved that season, because the people in the Prius Super Bowl commercial were actually stars from The Wire Season 2. The surprise casting tickled TV nerds like myself like whoa, as the spot featured Chris Bauer (Frank Sobotka on The Wire), James Ransone (Ziggy), and Pablo Schreiber (Nicky) robbing a bank and getting into a getaway car, which just happened to be a Toyota Prius.
Season 2 of The Wire is the least popular of the acclaimed HBO series for various reasons — it focuses on how drugs come in through the Baltimore docks, rather than dealing. There's also a lot of episodes focusing on the Sobotkas, The Greek, cameras, and Ziggy being the worst duck owner of all time. But the trio of Frank, Ziggy, and Nicky proved to be way more competent in the Super Bowl ad, evading the cops during a post-bank robbery car chase in a red Prius 4. It's a chase that seemed to make news, became a pop culture phenomenon, and caused David Simon to bring back The Wire for another season, focusing on car chases and sustainable cars.... well, I can dream that the latter happened.
So can Twitter. Ever since the commercial aired, Wire fans are already thinking of ways to bring the show and the Sobotkas back into pop culture and even the Super Bowl. Because the Sobotkas are officially the best Super Bowl ad trio since Puppy Monkey Baby.
Look, I'm all for those as long as they keep Ziggy away from ducks. That traumatized me.
Watch the ad below and reminisce about The Wire.
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