“The edge is where we live, all of us, all the time. People trying to convince themselves otherwise is just an exercise in self-deception.” This Vic Mackey quote aptly describes the type of world The Shield presented in its seven season journey. Starring Michael Chiklis as badass Detective Vic Mackey, the show covers the nefarious exploits of the four-man strike team in the Farmington police Department and the effects of their corruption on the department as a whole and the men themselves. The show plays out like an 88-part novel, as the story has a logical, consistent structure throughout and concludes with one of the great endings in television history.
One of the reasons for its success was that on day 1, you knew what kind of people the strike team were, and continued to wonder throughout its run how long they could pull off their antics for. In the pilot, Vic and Shane murder a cop hired to investigate the team in the first episode and masterfully cover it up by pinning it on a gang. We also learn how the group allows certain gangs to conduct drug business so long as the strike team is put on the payroll. However, what was so masterful about The Shield was that you rooted for the strike team as they were outstanding cops quite adept at solving cases and bringing criminals down.
The strike team consisted of Vic, Shane, Ronnie, and Lem. Vic was the leader of the group and a dynamic intimidating presence that saw his team as family. He has three kids and a wife he shares very little of his secrets with. Shane (Walton Goggins) was the team’s number two, a disciple of Vic but with a more violent temper that got worse as the series went on. Around season 3, a woman named Mara enters Shane’s life, making Shane more power hungry and dangerous, and providing the impetus for the friction that boiled to a head within the team as the show went on. The ebb and flow of the Vic/Shane relationship drive the show. Goggins and Chiklis have killer onscreen chemistry that makes them believable best friends. Ronnie Gardocki was played by David Rees Snell, who is best friends with series creator Shawn Ryan and his role initially was a nonspeaking one. However, things changed and Ronnie became more prominent and vocal as Vic’s loyal underling who would never question anything Vic wanted done and always carried out anything that was asked of him. Curtis Lemansky (Kenny Johnson) was the guy in the group with a conscience. In some ways, he kept the team from going too far outside the box and often questioned whether the moves they made were worth it.
Central to the plots throughout all seasons were investigations into Vic’s group and different authorities trying to bring him down. Unlike a show such as Dexter that returns everything to the status quo by the end of each season, The Shield continually evolved due to the consequences of character actions. Suffice to say, people were not oblivious to the team’s actions, stakes continually rose, major characters were killed, and the strike team went down a twisty unpredictable road until its fate in the series finale. Another reason for the show’s success was the great guest stars brought on. Movie stars Forrest Whitaker and Glenn Close each did season-long arcs looking into and working with the strike team. Both delivered electrifying performances not typically seen on television.
Yet another enjoyable part of this show was seeing how Vic interacted with other cops such as his superior Captain or the other detectives. He could make the transition from this man that delivered his own brand of justice, cursed frequently, and became so feared on the streets to a professional and sensible detective with the snap of a finger. Chiklis created one of the iconic characters of all time with his charisma and a huge range that commanded your attention and made the show so addictive. Shawn Ryan also wisely balanced out strike team stories with regular detective stories to show the differences in how different types of cops get things done. Jay Karnes played Detective Dutch Waganbach, who was basically the anti-Vic. Dutch was socially awkward and unintimidating, but also had great detective instincts and a gigantic ego. Vic and Dutch’s roller coaster work relationship was yet another fun element to follow as the show went along. Overall, The Shield is one of the best dramas ever created and everybody should experience it at some point as it is a defining example of why television can be just as good as movies if executed properly. The full series set is available online and often goes on sale at Amazon.com.
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