Wait until you get to series 4 onwards...such a great series. People go on about The Wire but for me The Shield is in another league for a police drama.
Television The Shield
- Thread starter zain
- Start date
Really enjoyed watching The Shield. I wouldn't put it up there as an overall show with the likes of The Wire, Breaking Bad, etc... but the highs of The Shield are seriously fecking high! I felt like I was trudging through a lot of the first four seasons to get to these highs at times but it was worth it.
The ending itself was just ridiculously good television - I honestly felt exhausted after watching it. I've wondered since whether it hit harder than the Breaking Bad season 4 finale and I'm inclined to think that it's possible. It pummelled you with emotion throughout the whole thing and dismantled everything in the show that preceded it.
My main gripe that I kept hammering on about on here whilst watching was...
It's a quality show, though. You get so involved with Mackey that his limitations as an actor are overblown by the quality of his character. It's pretty impressive how they sustained a character like that for 7 seasons without it becoming ridiculously cliche and overcooked.
As for why I wouldn't rank it at the very top:
The pacing and progression of the stories in the season are sometimes a bit slow/off and lost amongst the cases within each episode.
The quality and depth of character isn't up there with some of the best shows and doesn't make up for the criticism above as a result.
The standard of acting from Lem and Ronnie is a bit meh, which is a big enough flaw given how integral they both become.
It seems harsh analysing The Shield like this but it's unavoidable when you see the competition it's up against. Those first two points are big criticisms as far as the 'best show of all time' tag goes even if I can understand why some would put it forward simply because of the emotion it induces. I think what it required in order for it to be in that very top tier was a story like in the above spoiler running parallel to the cases and Vic's storyline. It needed to be something that bridged the distance between Vic and the rest of the office and moved the show further away from the (much, much better) CSI type stuff that was going on outside of the plot. That stuff did well to illuminate the setting and the characters of Dutch et al, but ultimately I don't think it quite did enough to prevent parts of the show cutting too far adrift from each other.
If they'd got that right, I think it would've been moving more towards the Breaking Bad end of the spectrum instead of fitting nicely alongside the likes of Dexter in the category below. Dexter does actually have that aspect of the show described above that The Shield could do with more of (Dexter's ties with individual cases and the link between him and the rest of the police force), but The Shield's quality throughout 7 seasons combined with its slightly superior acting performances as a whole make them shows of comparable quality in my opinion.
The ending itself was just ridiculously good television - I honestly felt exhausted after watching it. I've wondered since whether it hit harder than the Breaking Bad season 4 finale and I'm inclined to think that it's possible. It pummelled you with emotion throughout the whole thing and dismantled everything in the show that preceded it.
My main gripe that I kept hammering on about on here whilst watching was...
...the direction they could've taken Dutch's character in. His progression as a character was immense in my opinion and they had a fantastic opportunity to go down the serial killer route in light of that. I don't know how they would've balanced that with Corrine's confessions at the end but I thought throughout the whole thing that they were building towards Dutch's revenge on Mackey with him going after the family. They dropped hints as to what he could've become and his character was looking gradually more and more empowered as the story developed also. I felt throughout a couple of seasons that there was a whole load of shit going on in the background with Dutch (I thought the sudden disappearance of his girlfriend was significant, for example) that was just about to burst and overflow, but it was a bit anti-climatic in the end.
It's a quality show, though. You get so involved with Mackey that his limitations as an actor are overblown by the quality of his character. It's pretty impressive how they sustained a character like that for 7 seasons without it becoming ridiculously cliche and overcooked.
As for why I wouldn't rank it at the very top:
The pacing and progression of the stories in the season are sometimes a bit slow/off and lost amongst the cases within each episode.
The quality and depth of character isn't up there with some of the best shows and doesn't make up for the criticism above as a result.
The standard of acting from Lem and Ronnie is a bit meh, which is a big enough flaw given how integral they both become.
It seems harsh analysing The Shield like this but it's unavoidable when you see the competition it's up against. Those first two points are big criticisms as far as the 'best show of all time' tag goes even if I can understand why some would put it forward simply because of the emotion it induces. I think what it required in order for it to be in that very top tier was a story like in the above spoiler running parallel to the cases and Vic's storyline. It needed to be something that bridged the distance between Vic and the rest of the office and moved the show further away from the (much, much better) CSI type stuff that was going on outside of the plot. That stuff did well to illuminate the setting and the characters of Dutch et al, but ultimately I don't think it quite did enough to prevent parts of the show cutting too far adrift from each other.
If they'd got that right, I think it would've been moving more towards the Breaking Bad end of the spectrum instead of fitting nicely alongside the likes of Dexter in the category below. Dexter does actually have that aspect of the show described above that The Shield could do with more of (Dexter's ties with individual cases and the link between him and the rest of the police force), but The Shield's quality throughout 7 seasons combined with its slightly superior acting performances as a whole make them shows of comparable quality in my opinion.
I saw one episode when I was much younger and a cop was forced to blow someone thats all I remember of this show but it's brilliant
And I watched said episode last night. What a mess!
Aceveda = Ass-invader
I envy you that you have some great episodes ahead of you.
Such a brilliant show. I wish it would be able to erase man's memory and watch it allover again.
Such a brilliant show. I wish it would be able to erase man's memory and watch it allover again.
Just finished season 5. Forest Whittaker is a dick.
Was wondering if that was something people picked up on.
"This guy... this guy is just pissing... he's pissing all over us"
I thought he was excellent in the role.....
I thought Forest was great in it. Kind of like his role in The Last King of Scotland; friendly one second, and a crazy mental bastard the next, then back to nice as pie.
That scene with him and C.Mackey was awesome.
Only troubled minds do my friendWas wondering if that was something people picked up on.
Just finished watching the whole series. Definitely the biggest cluster feck I've seen in any show, shit starts to get complicated early in season 1 and just gets worse and worse until the end. Enjoyed every single season. Definitely one of the best police shows around, not quite up there with The Wire, but a really great show.
It's a shame we don't see Chiklis in good movies. He's one underrated actor.
I'm glad Goggins is doing such great work on Justified though.
I'm glad Goggins is doing such great work on Justified though.
Fair criticisms, I think you are right about the bit in the spoiler, it didnt disappoint me per se but you are right it could have been developed and that would have been brilliant.
For me in terms of the ending alone, nothing else can touch it. Nothing comes close. It is touched with genius, Ive said that many times on here and Ill say it again Im sure.
What I loved about it is probably also one of its real weaknesses, which is how fantastical it all is, how utterly unlikely the situations are, like a computer game where one person takes on a whole army and wins. A large suspension of disbelief is required for this show, but the other side of the coin is it achieves an intensity I dont think any other shows can match. That is why I wouldnt say it is of equal quality to The Wire, for example, or The Sopranos for that matter. But I enjoyed it more, personally.
Ive watched this show through 3 or 4 times, I dont think Ill do it again for a long time now. I started rewatching Deadwood (only the second time) this weekend, which I am enjoying immensely. (Again, arguably better than The Shield by most measures, but for sheer enjoyment Id put The Shield ahead personally.)
Well yeah, I've regularly seen The Wire and The Shield compared, which is inevitable I suppose as they're both police shows, but I don't really look at them as that similar. One is just pure entertainment, and very thrilling entertainment at that, whereas The Wire is so much more complex and ambitious with every theme it deals with.
But The Shield, as pure entertainment, is brilliant. I don't really care about the debate on 'greatest show ever', it's really about what you're expecting from a show. If someone asked me which of these two to watch at a certain point in time, I'd ask what he's expecting. If he's willing to be patient, then go with The Wire, which is eventually much more rewarding as a show I think, if you want some mindless fun and don't really care about a show being realistic, go with The Shield. Though the last sentence may be a bit too harsh with The Shield, it's not just 'mindless fun', there are some very good story lines and some very good acting along the way (though I agree not necessarily from the major characters); and in any case, being able to create that tension and something so addictive on TV shouldn't be frowned upon, The Shield is one of the shows I've taken the most pleasure and fun in watching.
But The Shield, as pure entertainment, is brilliant. I don't really care about the debate on 'greatest show ever', it's really about what you're expecting from a show. If someone asked me which of these two to watch at a certain point in time, I'd ask what he's expecting. If he's willing to be patient, then go with The Wire, which is eventually much more rewarding as a show I think, if you want some mindless fun and don't really care about a show being realistic, go with The Shield. Though the last sentence may be a bit too harsh with The Shield, it's not just 'mindless fun', there are some very good story lines and some very good acting along the way (though I agree not necessarily from the major characters); and in any case, being able to create that tension and something so addictive on TV shouldn't be frowned upon, The Shield is one of the shows I've taken the most pleasure and fun in watching.
Its utterly compulsive viewing the first time through. I was going to bed at 2 or 3 in the morning most nights because when one ep finished I just had to watch the next. It is class. Pleasure and fun, edge of your seat, whoops-I-shat-myself excitement that money cant often buy, but on this occasion can from most good DVD retailers.
Starting Season 7 tonight, got 1 more episode of 6 to do. 6 slowed down once
.
Hope 7 is good that whole IAD scenario was brilliant!
Forrest got locked up
Hope 7 is good that whole IAD scenario was brilliant!
Wow
It really is all that. I was left completely stunned. I think it's because of what you say...
in regards to how fantastical it all is that makes the ending so powerful. You're led to expect throughout the whole program that Mackey will always find a solution, but the program just completely flips on its head all at once at the end. It goes from him having a pretty much flawless record to losing absolutely everything all in one go.
It's amazing how well it's pulled off.
Nah this is too nuts, I'm mid way through the final series. Shane is a dumbass
Almost finished season 6. Need to hurry up and finish the lot so I can actually read this thread.
Same!
Unbelievable!
Have you finished yet Gooose so I can talk about it?
Also starting Chicago Code tonight, a show from the same people that made this
Also starting Chicago Code tonight, a show from the same people that made this
What did you think of it CLK?
Also keep us posted with Chicago Code or whatever it's called.
I though the Shield was excellent, especially the last few episodes. (see my last post).
Also keep us posted with Chicago Code or whatever it's called.
I though the Shield was excellent, especially the last few episodes. (see my last post).
Chicago Code was TRASH, didn't have the same intensity and I gave up on it.
The ending of The Shield was crazy, Vic may as well have been in a cell given the contract he signed with ICE. The Shane thing was a bit much though.
Looking at the decisions Vic made, he becomes a bad guy especially allowing Ronnie to go down but then you look at why he did it, to help his ex wife and it places you in two minds. I think that's what makes his character so brilliant he is a dark hero, but flirts extravagantly with both good and bad.
Also that brass that used him to get her pimp is a cnut of the highest order, one of the most annoying characters in all 7 series!
Favourite scene/storyline: The Muslim man and black lady from series 2 had me in stitches!
"Go back to your cave Osama!"
Finished it a couple days ago. That's how to end a TV show!
Yeah one of the best endings to a TV show, no doubt. It haunted me for a while after seeing it.
Totally brutal.
Yup brutal and haunting are perfect ways to describe it.
And straight after that they do the cheesy montage with a Blondie song.
And straight after that they do the cheesy montage with a Blondie song.
I daresay the best ending of any show (I loved the final scene in The Sopranos, but was underwhelmed by the final episode; The Wire disappointed throughout its final season; and I thought Breaking Bad's final episode was awful.)
I'm just wondering what he's going to do with that Desert Eagle he's got when he leaves the office.
Annoying thing is that it was clearly within their grasp to do a hell of a lot more with the finale than they actually did. They could've hit as hard as The Shield's ending did if they'd really wanted to, but the whole atmosphere seemed light-hearted and Hollywood-ish at times. There was basically nothing to Walt's death, for feck's sake! I remember reading that there was something clever about the lyrics of the song used, but why on earth would you rest the impact of that scene on something like that?! It should've been powerful, tragic, or something else. They could've left us thinking "yep, take that you fecking wanker" at least, though that would've taken a different preceding episode to pull off. Anything though...the finale was such a shame given what it could've been.
My understanding is that he's gonna be his good old self and act as a lone vigilante or whatever on the streets of LA. Some suggested he might consider suicide, but I don't agree with that thesis at all.
Vic would never commit suicide.
Totally agree, it wouldn't even go through his mind.
Great interview with Ryan - http://sepinwall.blogspot.in/2008/11/shield-shawn-ryan-post-finale-q.html
Thanks for that, fascinating read.
Put a bullet through Aceveda's brain ?