The Shield - Season 7

[Tyson]

A rather highly-acclaimed show that seems to have been forgotten as of late.

Season 7 premieres on September 2nd, with 13 one-hour episodes. Any guesses as to what will happen? Any favorite storylines heading into the final season. IMHO, I think that the series ends with a solid conclusion, not like The Sopranos which was entirely open to interpretation.

My guess is that Vic dies after killing Shane (thus getting his revenge for Lem's murder); then gets the hero cop funeral (w/ the full honor guard and 21 gun salute) as the department tries to bury all of Vic's secrets with him.

[RockOverBoston]

It hasn't been forgotten, it just went on hiatus at a time where many other shows were getting all sorts of ink. FX is pushing this premier pretty heavily -- I saw at least 4 billboards and an ad on a bus this morning.

Vic pretty much has to die, and when you look back at the history of this series, there are quite a few ways that could happen. Antoine Mitchell's still alive, isn't he?

Just to throw it out there as an extreme long shot, wouldn't it be something if Aceveda finally just flipped the fuck out and killed Mackey? Highly unlikely. Pretty far from impossible.

[Hobbit]

Bloody hell I just saw this thread on the main page and thought 'christ The Wire's had another season without my knowledge?'

What a stupid bastard I am.

I've still got season 4 of this to watch and catch up on, even though I know that Lem gets grenaded off by Shane apparently. If not then don't say 'actually he's given AIDs by Vic etc'

[Bad Obsession]

I can barely remember a thing from season 6. Obviously the major bulletpoints, but most things are a blur. Probably due to the fact I watched all 6 seasons a few months ago in the space of a week or so. Mental overload.

I'll have to read up on Wiki to refresh my memory, but I'm really glad I saw this thread as I completely forgot this was starting again soon. Can't wait. Vic better not die the loveable bastard. :(

[RockOverBoston]

All I know is that there'd better be some sort of 2 or three episode arc for a returning Forest Whittaker.

Vic pretty much ruined Kavanaugh's life just by being Vic. There's someone who might have redemption on the brain.

[Gary J]

I think Vic will die a hero saving the barn from being shut down somehow.

[RockOverBoston]

I don't know that I even sort of want Vic to die a hero.

[Bad Obsession]

I would. Despite all of the bad shit he's done I still think he's a good guy in many ways. It'd be sad to see him go down in shame.

I still love how this show can be so ambiguous. I should hate Vic.

[RockOverBoston]

True enough, and a lot can change in this last season. I just don't know that any sort of heroic death for a guy who could quite easily go out oh so many other ways would bring the series to a proper conclusion.

What if Vic doesn't kill Shane at all, and that's actually handled by the long overdue return of Tajon...that was his name, right -- the other Strike Teamer whom he grilled with cookware? Didn't think of that, did you?

So many possible twists and turns, and they'll probably explore a lot of them. That's what made this such a great show, and it's why I expect it to go out on a high note.

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

Remembering Season 6 seems to be a blur to me as well. I remember it was a pretty descent season and the main points but after Season 5's finale, we pretty much knew the Shield wouldn't be the same again.

Season 5's finale will be the most effective, emotional and memorable moment on the show's history. The friendship and bond of the Strike team working together kept the show compelling. After that finale, we all expected the demise of the Strike team

I'm glad they are only doing one more season and I think it will be a very good season with a solid conclusion to everything. It will be sad to see the show ending. Definitely the best and most enjoyable cop show there is right now.

[RockOverBoston]

Same boat as the rest of you -- while season 6 was by no means bad in any way, look what it had to follow up. It's almost unfair.

[Tyson]

I'll admit, I definitely shed a couple tears after the season five finale.

Fucking ripped my heart out, it did.

Tavon, I think it was. I liked him, he had potential as a Strike Team member.

[Bad Obsession]

True enough, and a lot can change in this last season. I just don't know that any sort of heroic death for a guy who could quite easily go out oh so many other ways would bring the series to a proper conclusion.

What if Vic doesn't kill Shane at all, and that's actually handled by the long overdue return of Tajon...that was his name, right -- the other Strike Teamer whom he grilled with cookware? Didn't think of that, did you?

So many possible twists and turns, and they'll probably explore a lot of them. That's what made this such a great show, and it's why I expect it to go out on a high note.
Wasn't it Ronnie who got his face melted?

I think the guy you're thinking of got in a car crash after taking a blunt object to the head by Shane's missus.

[Tyson]

Wasn't it Ronnie who got his face melted?

I think the guy you're thinking of got in a car crash after taking a blunt object to the head by Shane's missus.

When ROB says "grilled", he means "smashed in the face"; he is talking about Tavon.

And yes, it was Ronnie who got his face melted.

:VERY excited for the final season of this exciting show:

[Bad Obsession]

Oh, okay.

American slang... :squint:

[Winkle van Tinkle]

I'm bloody excited about this lads.

Would like to see appareances from Tajon, Kavanaugh and Antoine Mitchell at some point.

Like others season 6 is a blur.....was the armenian money train ever resolved? I know the daughter of the mob boss found out from Shane who ripped them off, but I cant recall where that ended...

[Winkle van Tinkle]

I think that Dutch will go crazy and kill everyone in the barn, and just live there with the cat he strangled in his garden.

[RockOverBoston]

The Armenians play some sort of role in the forthcoming season, though details are tight as to how large of a role.

Oh man, I'd almost forgotten about Dutch and the cat. That was some pretty fucked up shit right there.

[Aero]

Like others season 6 is a blur.....was the armenian money train ever resolved? I know the daughter of the mob boss found out from Shane who ripped them off, but I cant recall where that ended...

I need to watch the season 6 set I just bought, but I believe the season ended with Shane realizing that he put Vic and his family at a huge risk, so he kidnapped Vic's family and hid them away for a while. As the season ended, Vic has yet to find out what Shane did.

Regarding the return of a certain character: There are no detailed spoilers below. It's simply a "____ will be back."
Tavon is supposed to be back at some point according to reliable sources, one being FX's website, I believe. I'm thrilled since Tavon was awesome.

[Winkle van Tinkle]

Oh yeah!!

I liked him.

[LOCONUT]

I had seriously high expectations for Season 6 and for the most part I was disappointed. The cliffhanger was basically that Aceveda and Vic were teaming up...?

I like the idea of bringing back Tavon, but I could think of a few other old faces that would be even better.

Antoine Mitchell resurfacing and Jon Kavanaugh tying him to Aceveda, Shane and Vic, with the events after leading to all of their deaths or downfalls would be the proper way to conclude the series.

If Kavanaugh comes back in any form I will shit myself. Easily the most important and well acted of Vics enemies, and a guy who deserves some redemption. Is Whitaker too big for this now?

I also get the sense that they will kill off Wyms, possibly by natural causes. Dutch could then go on to run the Barn in that scenario...

My prediction by seasons end:

Shane - Dead
Aceveda - Dead
Vic - Life in prison
Ronnie - Life in prison
Mitchell - Dead
Wyms - Dead
Kavanaugh - :heart:

[Tyson]

I like the idea of bringing back Tavon, but I could think of a few other old faces that would be even better.

If Kavanaugh comes back in any form I will shit myself. Easily the most important and well acted of Vics enemies, and a guy who deserves some redemption. Is Whitaker too big for this now?

Which returns would you like to see?

I, as well, hope that Kavanaugh returns; Whitaker was great in that role. Though Anthony Anderson was no slouch, tbh.

[LOCONUT]

How about a crossover twist where Kevin Nealon joins the cast as Sabastio's father...?

[RockOverBoston]

:rofl:

Only if he brings his banjo.

[LOCONUT]

He would take the Rat out of Retarded Rat-baby, which may have been the greatest insult an adult has made toward an infant in television history.

[RockOverBoston]

Oh man, this was fucking fantastic.

We can discuss this further tomorrow, after everyone out west gets a chance to observe the greatness.

[Tyson]

Oh man, this was fucking fantastic.

We can discuss this further tomorrow, after everyone out west gets a chance to observe the greatness.

Oh fuck yes! :o

It's too bad that I don't get FX and will have to live vicariously through your discussion.

Can anyone recommend any websites where I can download season 7 on-line?

[Big]

I think Ronnie is going to flip and send both Vic and Shane to jail or to their funerals.

[RockOverBoston]

See, I think that little quote in the season preview was just an extremely selective bit of foreshadowing. Ronnie now leads the Strike Team, which remains a pretty huge thorn in Claudette's side. What's more, Vic already has dirt on Ronnie, and wouldn't be afraid to use it.

Billings remains the comic relief, and I liked his side-story quite a lot.

They've done a pretty fantastic job of foreshadowing just how much can go wrong for Vic and company in this final season already, and it already appears to be a pretty major rebound from last season, which was great by television standards but which I think we can all agree fell short of the extremely high bar this series had set for itself.

[Aero]

See, I think that little quote in the season preview was just an extremely selective bit of foreshadowing. Ronnie now leads the Strike Team, which remains a pretty huge thorn in Claudette's side. What's more, Vic already has dirt on Ronnie, and wouldn't be afraid to use it.

I can't see Vic ever blackmailing one of his friends, especially his best friend at the moment. Time and time again throughout the series, we've seen that Vic is VERY loyal to his friends.

[RockOverBoston]

He is, but when push comes to shove, his primary interests are himself, his family, and his badge. Anyone who jeapordizes any of the three tends to feel the full wrath of one Vic Mackey.

I can't see Vic in any way turning on Ronnie unless it was absolutely necessary, but what with this being the final season and with the pending shitstorm and all, circumstances could very easily render that necessary.

The greatest thing going is that truly anything can happen because it is the final season.

[Bad Obsession]

That was fucking awesome. Ronnie stepping up like that was a huge moment for the show and definitely highlight of the episode. I was thinking before that Ronnie may be the one to finally cap Shane since he always seem just as torn up about Lem's death as Vic, even if he didn't express it. That bottling up was sure to lead to an explosion and we've seen it already. He's going to be the character to watch this season and I couldn't be happier... I've always felt he was overlooked. Though him standing in the shadows somewhat just makes his path to the spotlight so much sweeter.

Billings and Dutch also continued to justify the need for them to have a spin-off show. Everything those two have done has been absolute gold.

[LOCONUT]

See, I think that little quote in the season preview was just an extremely selective bit of foreshadowing. Ronnie now leads the Strike Team, which remains a pretty huge thorn in Claudette's side. What's more, Vic already has dirt on Ronnie, and wouldn't be afraid to use it.

Billings remains the comic relief, and I liked his side-story quite a lot.

They've done a pretty fantastic job of foreshadowing just how much can go wrong for Vic and company in this final season already, and it already appears to be a pretty major rebound from last season, which was great by television standards but which I think we can all agree fell short of the extremely high bar this series had set for itself.

Agree entirely. The line of the night had to be "You and the twins are co-conspirators".

[RockOverBoston]

Billings and Dutch also continued to justify the need for them to have a spin-off show. Everything those two have done has been absolute gold.

Dutch won't get a spinoff show -- he's already a cast member on "Sons Of Anarchy" and his role is expected to get progressively larger.

[Bad Obsession]

It was in jest. Spin-offs that aren't Angel generally turn out to be bad.

I read your thread on that show though and it sounds pretty good. I shall be downloading. :yes:

[RockOverBoston]

It was in jest. Spin-offs that aren't Angel generally turn out to be bad.

The Jeffersons, Laverne, Shirley, Mork and Mindy all strongly disagree.

[Bad Obsession]

I've never seen any of those aside from Monk :)

[Tyson]

So they showed the first episode from season 7 on Showcase here in Canada. If they show each episode one week late, I can definitely live with that. Hell fucking yeah. :yes:

:heart: Gardocki, have been waiting for him to have his moment in the sun for a while now. BTW, I predict that Mackey will nail that freelancing Federal Agent within the next couple of episodes. :o

[LOCONUT]

Another solid episode last night. REALLY pleased with the Billings character development. Also, the Spook Street arrest scene was epic. Anyone who is remotely familiar with the heart of LA gang culture had to adore the little crip walk the silent BG did before he hopped in the cop car.

I truly love this show...

[doyoulikepie]

Ha ha, the spook street scene was fantastic.

I really have no idea what is going to happen at the end of this series, I cant see Vic getting killed, Shane perhaps, but not Vic.

And Billings is really coming into his own this season, its great watching him wind up Dutch.

[UncannyIowan]

Billings is awesome, he's like Al Bundy as a police officer.

If the last season of most series have proven in these type of shows, it will probably end on a downer. I hope it doesn't because the twist would be that everything ends on a happy note for at least Vic and the Barn. Shane, Aceveda, and Cruz I predict will wind up DOA or in jail.

I know this sounds bad, but I want to see Shane's wife get killed.

[RockOverBoston]

I also want to see Shane's wife get killed, mostly because she sucks at life.

Also, if you're not watching the final season of one of the greatest television shows of all time, you're more than missing out. Yet another home run tonight.

[Billmatic]

Shane Vendrell is probably my favorite character on TV right now.

[Tyson]

Circle November 25th on your calendars, the series finale of one of the best shows on TV.

:cry:

It's going to take one hell of a swerve to have Mackey take the fall by the end of the series. Up till now, he has remarkably managed to remain ahead of the game; just when you think that he finally might slip up, he comes up with horseshoes.

[LOCONUT]

This show is coming fucking through for the last season.

[RockOverBoston]

While she's never going to win any Emmys or anything, and while this may very well wind up being her first and only TV gig, it's worth noting that over the course of this series, Corinne's acting ability has improved tremedously...and the scene last night between she, Vic and Cassidy was especially riveting when one considers that that's Michael Chiklis' actual daughter, who's not even allowed to watch the program...

[doyoulikepie]

The girl that plays Cassidy cant act for shit.

I havent seen episode 3 yet, so cant comment on what happened there, but every single other performance she has put in has been terrible. She just stands there looking dumb\shocked the whole time then giving her lines in some silly monotone voice. They have limited her time on previous seasons, hopefully they dont start involving her in story lines to much this season.

[RockOverBoston]

The girl that plays Cassidy cant act for shit.

While I still pretty much agree with this, I think she stepped her game up on tonight's episode, and I think that her character's development will prove essential to this final season.

So do I have to say "home run" or some other cliche again, or is it just implied at this point? This show is killing it on every possible level right now and making me wish that my TiVo could go into the future and retrieve unaired episopes so I could call out of work in about 6 hours and watch them all.

I'll truly miss this when it's gone.

[Tyson]

They just showed the episode "Money Shot" up here in Canada. I think that we're one episode behind the FX Network; homerun, every damn episode this season.

That glare at the end, after Vendrell left, damn. :eek:

The DVD's of "The Shield" and "The Sopranos" have already paid for themselves.

Cannot wait for the last episodes, they are going to simply be awesome.

Off-topic 1: Wishes for a movie about "The Shield", as well as "The Sopranos".
Off-topic 2: Wish that I had played the shady porn producer.

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

Agreed. More perfection last night. I'm really liking how this plot is shaping up. Can't wait for the next episode.

Here's more thoughts on ep. 4 after seeing it again

Just so much going on in this episode concluding with a great swerve ending.

Seems like the walls are closing in on Vic. He has too many wheels spinning: Armenians. The Mexicans - Pezuela. Cassidy. Shane

Pezuela is a great character/mastermind.

Shane's smirk when they let Rios out the back door was priceless.

Billings is just superb. Some of his lines, not intended to be funny, just come out being hilarious

AND The Dutch/Serial Kid Side Story left me very intrigued. I think this storyline will bring his character full circle. I think he will end up killing the kid, either accidental or on purpose or maybe the kid will just kill again, maybe Dutch will die.

Anyways, I remember hearing Chiklis say in an article that the first 4 eps are very plot heavy, with "the train really leaving the station after that".

The season has been top-notch thus far. How much better will this season get? definitely has gotten me excited to see how this show finally wraps up

[BoSox Rule]

Rezian has to be the worst boss in the history of organized crime. It would be like if the Sopranos never existed and it was called the Gualtieris

[Tyson]

Holy shit! :eek: Some thoughts on the episode "Genocide", which just showed on Showcase.

Agent Murray in Pezuela's hip pocket? Damn. Just when I was starting to think that Mackey might emerge unscathed.

Loving Gardocki's emergence this season. Thinking that he might be the one that takes out Vendrell at the end of the series.

From "Money Shot", was intrigued why Vic absolved Shane and Ronnie of the money train heist.

Yet another fucking homerun. The final 8 (in my case 9) episodes are going to be badass. Calling it right now, no lame Sopranos-type finale copout here.

[Tyson]

What the hell? No discussion at all? :mad:

Thoughts after the episode of "Game Face":

-Agent Murray going to be Mackey's downfall? Yet another ball that Mackey has to juggle, perhaps one too many?
-Shane threatening to bring down Ronnie for the murder in the motel as further leverage against Vic. ATM, I think that one of Shane/Vic is going to take the fall; will be interesting to see how they deal with Shane's document of sins.
-Can see Dutch becoming Captain after Claudette is forced into a medical retirement.

The last episodes are going to be great. Can't wait!

[LOCONUT]

Last night was the best episode of the season. I cannot believe they are ending this show.

Also, it appears Shawn Ryan didn't need to be there anyway. Chiklis Is doing quite well...

[TheGreatest]

where the fuck am i supposed to find episode 6. they're usually up on torrents by now.

[Tyson]

I am saddened that they are ending the show. It is a great one, with both the writing and directing being top-notch. Though it makes a little bit of sense, because you wonder how far Mackey can keep pushing the envelope without getting caught.

Would love to see a spin-off series with one of the characters, I think that Lem would have been the best option. With him gone, IMHO Ronnie is the next best alternative; I think that there is a plethora of storylines available to the writers.

A little fantasy booking from me. The end of The Shield could see Vic being forced to retire so that Ronnie can keep his badge. The Strike Team gets caught doing something questionable and Vic takes the heat for the "leader" Ronnie. I remember Claudette's warning to Vic, something along the lines of "You might not care about how your actions affect your career, but you will when it affects Ronnie Gardocki". Ronnie transfers to another precinct in order to get a fresh start, taking command of his own unit (perhaps the border patrol like was mentioned earlier in the season).

[LOCONUT]

I also get the sense that they will kill off Wyms, possibly by natural causes. Dutch could then go on to run the Barn in that scenario...

My prediction by seasons end:

Shane - Dead
Aceveda - Dead
Vic - Life in prison
Ronnie - Life in prison
Mitchell - Dead
Wyms - Dead
Kavanaugh - :heart:



Starting to think Ronnie may die also... I really hope they tie up the loose end of Antwan(Antoine?) Mitchell.

[Tyson]

My bad.

[Tyson]

Still waiting for the return of Tavon, he had the potential to be a great character.

Spelled Antwon (IMDB.com).

Mackey, Vendrell and Wagenbach are the only characters to have been in all 89 episodes (IMDB.com). Lowe has been in 75 of the 89, Sofer has been in 74. Interesting stats there.

[KorruptJustice]

Mackey, Vendrell and Wagenbach are the only characters to have been in all 89 episodes (IMDB.com). Lowe has been in 75 of the 89, Sofer has been in 74. Interesting stats there.

I'm not 100% sure that's right. Isn't there one or two episodes right at the beginning that don't have Shane in them? I just watched Season 1 about a month ago, and I'm almost positive that he wasn't in at least one, and I'm leaning towards two. Maybe his role in those episodes was so small that I'm just forgetting he was even in it. :dunno:

Also, the last episode was great, especially the end of it. Can't wait until the next one comes out.

[Tyson]

Some thoughts on the latest episode "Animal Control". Just when I think that they cannot get me hooked any further, they simply amp up the intensity even further.

Motherfucking Tavon! :headbang: Dude actually figured out what happened the night of his accident!

Wow. Vendrell dodged a HUGE bullet, literally. Lives AND gets rich. Watch as he twists the knife in Mackey's back even further as the series reaches its conclusion.

Mackey with the cold feet? Are you kidding me? :eek:

Updated prediction: Either Vendrell dies or Mackey goes to jail. One of the two is bound to happen, IMO.

Tuesday nights at 10PST are going to be booked solid for the next seven weeks. :headbang:

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

Ep 7 - new one

Intense! shane putting a hit on ronnie is quite something. the last 6 eps will be intriguing. Someone will definitely die, not sure who yet.

Also, Ruthless Vic is back. Just like the old strike team days. Its nice to see. Another epic episode.

[Aero]

So yeah, episode 8, "Parracide" was tonight. I'll just calmly say... HOLY SHIT before going into the spoilers.

Shane's officially wanted for his hit on Ronnie, and Vic no longer has his badge, which I assume will make him near useless to Pezuela, and therefore, screw up his new job opportunity.

That episode was epic.

[Tyson]

Just finished watching Episode 7 "Bitches Brew".

Was waiting for the hammer to drop on Vic/Ronnie, an opportunity where Shane could kill them "by accident". He had the opportunities when a) snatching Two Man, and b) hitting the meth lab.

I have the sense that Vic will end up beating the 10 days and keep his badge, at least temporarily, as evidenced by his luck in spinning the ICE superior into letting him run with the black box case.

As far as Whole F'n's prediction that Shane's hit is on Ronnie, I remember Vic saying that "they have 10 days to file a complaint about police brutality" as he was cuffing Two Man. But, it was Ronnie that was raining right hands on the dude.

Never thought that I'd see Vic owning that he made Shane into the monster that he currently is. That he's willing to help rehabilitate Vendrell seems to put the entire past season and a half on ice, where Mackey vowed to get payback on Lem's killer.

Sofer used to be cool, now she's a fucking bitch. On a semi-related note, where the hell is Officer Hanlon? We need more of her posing as an aspiring pornstar, getting groped by sleazy porn producer. :o

Getting more and more sure that Gardocki will be the one that ices Vendrell. Can feel the contempt coming from him whenever Shane is around.

Still waiting for Vic to fuck Agent Taylor. You know that it's bound to happen.

November 25 (December 2 on my end) should be circled on our calendars. I'm going to have one hell of a time staying out of this thread between 11/25-12/2.

Hopefully, the lead-up to the final episode gets some publicity in the media. This very deserving show shouldn't have to go out quietly like this.

[Gary J]

wonder where this is going. That last ep with Shane exposed and Vic quitting was awesome though. Loved how Shane left out himself killing Lem when he fed his wife that info to tell Vic's ex-wife. http://forums.comicbookresources.com/images/smilies/original/rolleyes.gif

And when she confronted Vic and Vic responded...seemed like one of those moments of clarity where even Vic knows "Yeah, I AM a monster."

I can't help but think what does all this mean to his kids. He has no job to fight either his ex or Lee's mother in court, and any money he uses for a legal battle will obviously come into question (i.e. dirty money). I wonder if he thinks all he has left to do is kill Shane.

[RockOverBoston]

I can't help but think what does all this mean to his kids. He has no job to fight either his ex or Lee's mother in court, and any money he uses for a legal battle will obviously come into question (i.e. dirty money). I wonder if he thinks all he has left to do is kill Shane.

The issue of money is a pretty fair one to bring up, but it's also one easily enough explained away -- since splitting with Corrinne, the only major expenses Vic would really be necessarily expected to be paying would be child support and rent on his not particularly great apartment -- the house, vehicles, etc. could very well have all been paid in full already. As such, with LA cops of lengthy tenure making decent enough money, he concievably could have saved enough legitimate cash to cover legal expenses.

What's more, this isn't a guy who'd be unemployed for long, as we've already seen.

All that said, I don't figure any of this will be an issue. There's far too much else going on, and Vic's in far too deep to possibly be thinking that killing Shane is all he's got left on his agenda.

I do see Dani's role getting larger again as the series wind down, and her being directly involved in one of the series' final payoffs, only because hers used to be a much more essential character, they've given her a few potentially big newer storylines that haven't come to any sort of conclusion yet, and she's been pretty conspicuous by her absence -- was she even on last week's episode at all?

Also, maybe I'm wrong here, but I really don't think they had Tavon return for one episode after all these years for absolutely no reason.

[RockOverBoston]

Alright, WOW, perhaps?

First of all, were it portrayed by a slightly better actor, the Billings character (this season) would probably have become worthy of an Emmy nomination by now. He's gone from comic relief to a truly deep and conflicted character in rather shocking fashion. His side-story tonight, I thought, was truly awesome.

Okay, yeah, they've foreshadowed it, and yeah, it makes sense on a lot of different levels, but I'm still having a hard time believing that Corinne is actually going to turn on Vic.

TV Guide made a point of acknowledging the well elevated roles and the improvement of the acting of both Cathy Cahlin Ryan (Corinne) and Michele Hicks (Moira/Maura/whatever) this season. Really no disagreement here. They've both stepped up to bat in a big way.

The show's set up for the truly odd yet sensible-way-to-go-out pairing of Mackey and Aceveda to be forced to work together and, I'm guessing, both wind up fucked in the end.

And where the fuck is Dani, seriously? This is getting strange at this point.

[LOCONUT]

I fucking love where this is going. Having Vic and Ronnie in a spot where they essentially have to run is awesome. I cannot wait until Vic and Shane finally get the payoff showdown. I have absolutely no clue anymore how Ronnie is going to play this one.

[Tyson]

Up here, north of the 49th, they just finished showing the episode "Moving Day".

-I was geeking out big-time during the hospital parking lot scene. Was a little surprised that they would provide the payoff to that storyline with four episodes remaining.
-Was glad that they wrote in the arrival of the cops to let the Vendrell's make their getaway.
-Shane's "Oh Shit, he found us already" look was priceless.
-Michele Hicks (Mara Vendrell) has really impressed me this season as the gullible and vindictive housewife. Her character has become more visible and she's really run with the ball.
-The dismantling of the Strike Team. :mad:
-Julien has really grown as a character as well when given the chance, moving from a nominal uni to member of the Strike Team.
-The Billings and Wagenbach storylines were rather pointless, IMHO. This late in the series? Unless they're setting them up for a spin-off series.
-Have to agree with ROB. Where has Dani been? Tavon?
-Are we going to get an appearance by Antwon?

November 25th, baby! :hyper: :headbang: Can hardly wait!

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

I absolutely despise Caryn's character, very naive
Mara > > > > > Caryn (Mara looked hot this ep as well)
Billings is hilarious with Ronnie
And love where this is going. Wagenbach and Claudette trying to finally put Vic away, hows it all gonna end? All three of them looked pretty f'd right now. Like how they made Shane into the lovable caring husband/father this episode. Greatness.

[RockOverBoston]

Just saw this tonight. I tend to never miss The Shield, but clearly there was far bigger shit going on this past Tuesday night at 10.

-The humanizing of Shane is very Sopranos to me - more often than not, The Sopranos would spend the episode (or a few episodes) where a previously despicable character was about to get dead/whacked displaying their softer or better side, only to have the develop cancer out of thin air or for Tony Soprano to shoot them halfway across a porch or beat them to death over a horse or something) - there was very little doubt in my mind that Shane was going to die anyway; now even that's been removed. Still, it's completely up in the air how exactly that'll wind up happening. Suicide is starting to seem a pretty strong possibility.

- Dani, where the fuck are you?

- Would Julian checking his morals at the door and somehow deciding to side with Vic and Ronnie be a major plot twist, or just completely implausible? I lean extremely heavily toward the latter, but one never knows how the next three weeks will play out.

- I'll say it again...were Billings played ny a slightly better actor, that character would be up for Supporting Actor awards this year.

- I don't see what's naive about Corinne at all any longer. If anything, she's finally seen the light of day, so much so that it could very well trigger a major mental/emotional breakdown, which could complicate things just enough for Vic to skate through until the finale.

- Cassidy's got to have one major storyline left in her...and dear God, are the Chiklis clan starting to look more and more alike by the week or what?

All bets are off. Anything can happen. This is riveting stuff.

AND... Damages - Wednesday, January 7th. That show's more than good enough to pick up the FX torch and run with it once The Shield calls it a day.

[RockOverBoston]

Yet another great episode tonight, which set the stage incredibly for what should be a fantastic pair of series-ending episodes. We can talk about it after all of the West Coast cats have had a chance to check it out, but I'd like to point out a few non-spoilers: the fantastic return of a few once important bit characters, and the fact that someone at the very least asked "Where's Dani?", which I've been asking for a month now.

Anyhow, I leafed through the new TV Guide while grocery shopping tonight, and they have this column where people ask for any sort of bob-spoiler information about forthcoming TV programs. According to the response, the author states that the series finale will be 90 minutes, features "at least 4 significant deaths", "the greatest Vic-Claudette confrontation yet" and "a truly satisfying conclusion".

"At least 4", i'm assuming, means "more than 4, but 4 people we've followed all along". I'm pretty certain Claudette is one, I'm nearly as certain that Shane's one of them, possibly Maura as well...so does Vic get dead or what? At this point, I really can't call it, which is what makes this show so awesome.

[Billmatic]

Well I have absolutely no idea where this is going.

[RockOverBoston]

Me neither, but wherever it winds up being, I'm certain that this episode set it up fantastically.

[Tyson]

Man, I am getting so amped for the series finale. Going to be freaking awesome!

Going to be a bitch staying out of this thread after the finale, as I am one episode behind you Yanks (Showcase v. FX). Though I realize that I am extremely fortunate that somebody is even showing it, as I could have had to wait for this season to be released on DVD.

Off-topic: Another great series is "Saving Grace", BTW. Ken Johnson essentially continues with the Lemansky character. Holly Hunter is a pretty talented actress, BTW.

[RockOverBoston]

Yeah, that's definitly a really good show, but I probably wouldn't watch it if my girlfriend wasn't such a big fan -- it's pretty hugely female-oriented.

Also, in fairness to the Canucks and our friends in the UK, we should probably tag absolutely everything important from here on out. The temptation to come into this thread might be a bit too much to overcome, but if you guys click on spoilers, that's really your own damned fault...

[Tyson]

Don't even trip, ROB. Discuss away.

I actually like knowing what is going to happen, it allows me to focus on the minute details (the acting, the cinematography) rather than focusing entirely on the story.

[RockOverBoston]

I think I can safely speak for myself and Billmatic when I say that we'd like to know what is happening ourselves...

[Tyson]

As I have previously said, I am one episode behind you Yanks. So please bear with me.

-So Vic is going to get his cartel buddy to front him the $100K. Right?
-Does Mara see the writing on the wall and stab Shane in the back by turning herself in and working with Claudette?
-Totally agree with Shane being humanized as the redeeming aspect before he gets offed. Almost had me pulling for Vendrell there.
-The die are cast for a couple potential spin-off series: Julien or Dutch/Billings

Fantasy booking: Mara leaves Shane, now broke and alone, who meets Vic at the drop site to pick-up the $100K. Shootout ensues, Vic caps Shane. Vic confronted by the arriving cavalry (Claudette et al) who confront him with the intel that Mara provided.

Vic, painted into a corner, opts to go down in a blaze of glory. Ronnie is late to show up for the money drop with Shane but before the cops, goes down with Vic in the shootout.

Aceveda eats a bullet when news becomes public that his Mayoral candicacy is financially backed by the Mexican cartel.

Additional casualties are whichever cops are caught in the crossfire between the police and Vic/Ronnie. Claudette? Julien?

How ironic would it be if it is Dutch that provides the Vic killshot?

Three (in your case, two) episodes left. :o

[hithit]

Wow, didn't see Vic actually admitting to killing Terry.
Holy shit, Vic sure fucked Ronnie over tonight, i can't believe it.
Pretty good episode all around though.

[Aero]

RONNIE NOOOOOOOO!

My official prediction is that Ronnie kills Vic and runs. I think Ronnie will catch Vic in a lie or something before or after the bust, figure out that he was sold down the river, and do whatever he can to escape.

Next week can't come quick enough.

[RockOverBoston]

Hey, look everybody -- Dani's back!

Where's she been? No one actually seems to know!

Could this somehow lead into some sort of huge series finale twist?

Fantastic fucking episode that I'll discuss with you guys at length tomorrow.


Next week can't come quick enough.

Amen to that, my brother.

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

That ep was quite orgasmic. We finally get the anticipated 'confession' which was done really well. Strong performance by Claudette as well. Sets up an epic end to this show. I think Ronnie will end up running away or something, Vic always has a plan. They have a lot of storylines to close in one hour. Also looking forward to seeing how they end the Dutch-kid thing. Whos gonna shoot who? And can Vic figure out Corrinne is working with the cops already

[Gary J]

I forgot just how good of an actor Michael Chiklis really is. It's really sad to see this show end, it's been one of the few shows I've consistently loved from season to season.

[Gary J]

Poor Ronnie. His loyalty to Vic may have cost him his freedom. I almost wish the feds would go to him and play the Vic recording and then offer him Vic's deal in exchange for helping them screw up the bust and voiding Vic's deal.

I'm thinking Beltran may be smarter than he's appeared so far, and things will go sideways when DoJ try to take him down. Or perhaps there is some technicality that can be used against Vic, which would actually be an appropriate comeuppance for the man who squeaked through so many traps already.

I'm worried the teen serial killer is setting Dutch up. He keeps calling Dutch's phone in order to make Dutch feel that Rita is in danger, then he kills Dutch when Dutch finally breaks in to make sure she is okay, ostensibly painting Dutch as a stalker and intruder. It's really the same thing he did with his classmate.

[hithit]

Whole F'n Show, next weeks episode is 90 minutes.

[LOCONUT]

Awesome episode. Vic signing the deal behind Ronnie's back was glorious. I think though, that they both still run. I can't see where the Shane angle is going, but I love it. The junkie idea came off solid, and only adds to his scumbaggery. Should be a glorious finale, but they have quite a lot to clean up next week.

At least Kavanaugh got a mention...

[RockOverBoston]

Remember, gang, "at least 4 significant deaths".

Predictions, then?

- Claudette. That's almost a given, if you think about it, as they've been foreshadowing it for years. I'll actually predict that she drops dead of a heart attack after the "last epic showdown" with Vic.

- Shane. Doesn't seem to be any other way out for him, and his death may tie directly into the death of someone none of us are necessarily expecting to die...police shootout where both Shane and someone from the Barn catch a killshot...they may have foreshadowed something with his encounter with Tina, and they've been hammering you with the fact that she's a shitty cop since her first episode. That said, Tina would probably fall under the "at least" portion of the "significant deaths". Julian or Dani could also be the unexpected death if this situation were to play out, and they'd be significant deaths. That said, a massive police shootout seems too predictable for this show. Regardless, I've got Shane dying one way or another. He pretty much has to.

- Dutch. I think Gary J's really onto something there, as I've been thinking the same thing for a while now, and this last episode definitly foreshadowed exactly that.

- Either Ronnie or Vic, not both, no idea how that's going to wind up playing out.

Those are my predictions. What are yours?

[Tyson]

Don't think that Mara's death would be considered significant, especially considering how she's really only been featured in the last half of season 7.

My revised picks: Claudette, Shane, Ronnie and Vic. Mara as well.

[RockOverBoston]

You're still a week behind us, right?

If so, I'm thinking you might very well be revising that again.

I also don't figure they're going to kill the pregnant chick, but I'm guessing she winds up giving birth in prison.

[Aero]

My predictions:


If it has to be four, then I'd guess (in order from most to least likely)

1. Claudette
2. Shane
3. Vic
4. Ronnie

Based on Claudette's insanity at the end of the last episode, she's definitely a given. Shane and Vic could probably be interchangeable, but I just get the feeling Vic manages to survive. He'll be completely miserable (especially when he finds out about Corinne and the cops), but I think he survives.

I can't see Dutch dying. His death would be such a huge disappointment considering he's one of the moral centers of the show. Besides, whoever ends up dying, I picture Dutch standing over the bodies (assuming some are together) to begin the investigation, similarly to the scene of him at the money train sight at the end of season 2. That said, I don't think his firing will last. I think Claudette comes to her senses before once again slipping off the deep end.

There's just so many different ways it could go. I can't wait.

[Tyson]

I can't see Dutch dying. His death would be such a huge disappointment considering he's one of the moral centers of the show.

The prosecution presents Exhibit A: the murder of Det. Curtis Lemansky. Who was considered to be the moral center of the Strike Team.

I will agree with the part about not being able to wait.

[Aero]

The prosecution presents Exhibit A: the murder of Det. Curtis Lemansky. Who was considered to be the moral center of the Strike Team.

I will agree with the part about not being able to wait.


Very true. BUT, I should say, if Dutch dies, Julien is really the only moral center left. (Tina doesn't count because she's Tina). I hardly even consider Julien to be a major character anymore since he rarely gets anything to really actually DO, other that rat on the Strike Team occasionally. You have to figure Dutch might end up being the last major moral center left (assuming Claudette is dying) because Julien being left lonesome wouldn't work. Someone needs to be alive to look at the big picture and say, "Damn..." or in Dutch's case: "You've gotta be shitting me."

[EdgeHead469]

Shit; the last season I watched was season 4 which I bought on DVD. I turned on the TV last week and gave this another go and damn do I miss watching The Shield. The last too episodes have been imenese and when Vic confessed to all he has done that had me in awe. I can not believe he turned his back on Ronnie.

I see Vic getting eating the bullet and Ronnie going down in a blaze of glory. I miss this show. I need to go back and re-watch season 5 and 6 over my Christmas break.

[RockOverBoston]

Worth noting about our good man Dutchboy...

Technically, at this very moment, he's still fired, isn't he? Clearly that's not going to hold up, as Claudette fired him in a hugely emotional state, and while it's safe to assume that she'd come to her senses literally seconds later, we the viewers have still yet to see such occur.

The fact that he's the moral center of the program really makes it all the more likely that he's going to die, if you think about it.

Julian is very definitly a significant character, as his entire career has been detailed quite well over the course of this show and he's always been a billed cast member. Corrinne's a significant character, as her presence has increased more and more over the years and she's now a billed cast member as a result.

Maura's definitly not a truly significant character, so if she is to die, she'd go under the "at least" portion of the death total spoiler, as would Tina and Billings...and any of those three could very well wind up dead.

Is it Tuesday yet?

[Gary J]

I think Julian will survive although i was a bit worried for him this week when he found Shanes car.

[Gary J]

Shit; the last season I watched was season 4 which I bought on DVD. I turned on the TV last week and gave this another go and damn do I miss watching The Shield. The last too episodes have been imenese and when Vic confessed to all he has done that had me in awe. I can not believe he turned his back on Ronnie.

I see Vic getting eating the bullet and Ronnie going down in a blaze of glory. I miss this show. I need to go back and re-watch season 5 and 6 over my Christmas break.

Season 5 is the best season of any TV show ever IMO.

Chiklis' performance while confessing was masterful: You could see that Vic was weary, coming to terms with his accumulated sins. Chiklis nailed Vic's inner conflict. He should get an emmy for this episode alone.

But on the subject of his confession

He didn't talk about Laurie Holden's file that he helped covering up. I can see herself throwing herself under the bus to stick it to Vic....especially after how pissed she was hearing Vic confess.

[LOCONUT]

My prediction by seasons end:

Shane - Dead
Aceveda - Dead
Vic - Life in prison
Ronnie - Life in prison
Mitchell - Dead
Wyms - Dead
Kavanaugh - :heart:



Okay, so I'll stick with my original predictions, except I am changing Vic to dead. Obviously Mitchell never resurfaced, but I guess the assumption is he is just living the good life in jail.

My thinking now is...

Vic kills Shane, and possibly his wife. Ronnie kills Vic, makes it look like something else happened, a la Terry Crowley.

Something is definitely not right with Beltran. Impossible that a Cartel leader would be this retarded, and this trusting of cops. Is he possibly an IAD plant, and Vic's confessions are no longer going to be protected? Seems to me that Beltran becomes a crucial piece of the pie, and not just as the Cartel guy who gets busted.

Not thinking that Dutch dies, and if anything, maybe Dutch kills the kid.

So yeah, my dead 4 are Aceveda, Wyms, Vic and Shane. If Mara dies too, I don't think that will count as one of the 4, but it would be fairly awesome if Vic and Ronnie kill her...

Swerve possibility - Billings kills Dutch.

[EdgeHead469]

I have not watched much of the seasons as I stated a few post up but after the last two episodes and reading through the thread to catch up before Tuesday; I just really see Dutch standing over this huge massacre as the last man standing. Shane has got to die, Ronnie could be arrested by Jillian and Vic has got to die in a blaze of glory.

Imigane, Dutch; the dorky detective being the one that puts all the pieces together and is the last alive.

Man I hate the fact that I stopped watching the show after Season 4. The money train/Armanian mob angle is still my favortie angle the show ever put on but granted I did not follow the Shane/Vic storyline.

[KorruptJustice]

Holy fuck, was that an awesome episode. The confession scene is one of the greatest TV moments I have ever seen. I can't wait for Tuesday. Honestly, I have no idea how this could go. I'm sort of rooting for Vick to somehow escape from all this, but the guy really doesn't deserve to, and this episode really made that pretty clear.

Also, I'm hoping that Dutch survives as well, as he's always been one of my favorite characters.

[Tyson]

Worth noting about our good man Dutchboy...

Technically, at this very moment, he's still fired, isn't he? Clearly that's not going to hold up, as Claudette fired him in a hugely emotional state, and while it's safe to assume that she'd come to her senses literally seconds later, we the viewers have still yet to see such occur.

The fact that he's the moral center of the program really makes it all the more likely that he's going to die, if you think about it.

Julian is very definitly a significant character, as his entire career has been detailed quite well over the course of this show and he's always been a billed cast member. Corrinne's a significant character, as her presence has increased more and more over the years and she's now a billed cast member as a result.

Is it Tuesday yet?

So stoked, yet also very saddened for the final episode of this top-notch show.

Agree with all points that ROB mentioned. Lemansky's death was a total shock, yet ultimately planted the seeds for the major storylines of the final two seasons. The way that he was murdered was actually a stroke of genius on Shawn Ryan's part. Through five seasons, you had seen The Strike Team get away with illegal deed after illegal deed; you had to figure that eventually they would get caught.

The point about Julian is a good one, I would imagine that he will play a pivotal role in the finale. His character has been the polar opposite of Mackey, always opting to do the right thing.

Tuesday!!! 119 hours left!!! :o :yes:

[RockOverBoston]

Let's not rule out the distinct possibility of some character returns to sew this whole thing up.

Granted, I'm not necessarily expecting any, but why not acknowledge that they could happen?

Tavon came back for one episode and expressed the fact that he knows that Shane's a dirty fuck. He's still a cop. I maintain that probably happened for a reason, and I'd love to see him play some role in the demise of Shane, because it would make all the sense in the world.

Antwone still has pull on the streets...and everywhere else. Don't rule him out.

Kavanaugh. You wanna talk about poetic justice? There's your poetic justice!

Glenn Fucking Close. No real reason aside from blatant and shameless cross-promotion. Damages is going to be FX's new premire drama if it isn't already. Season 1 available on DVD now, Shield fans, and you'll fucking LOVE it if you don't already. Such a fucking fantastic show

Have you seen this week's episode yet or not, Tyson? Love to get your input if you have.

[Tyson]

Nope, still a week behind you Yanks. Kind of sucks, TBH.

[LOCONUT]

If this is true, I am going to be very happy...

Take a look at the cast for the finale:

Kavanaugh :heart:

http://www.locatetv.com/tv/shield/season-7/5934982

[LOCONUT]

Today is the best and worst day all rolled into 1...

[hithit]

36 minutes until kickoff, so pumped, yet so saddened at the same time.

[Billmatic]

wow.

I literally had a knot in my stomach during the murder-suicide scene. I'm sure anybody who posts in this thread on this site felt the same, but god. In hindsight, that whole scene with Shane buying the flowers and the toy was devastating.

The end with Vic was brilliant. The whole sequence: the scene with Ronnie, the tour of the office and the silent last scene absolutely exceeded any crazy death they could've thought up.

I know this is a lot of hyperbole, but that could not have ended better. I actually can't think of a finale that has left me that gratified. Well done.

[Tyson]

Does Vic actually off himself? No fucking way! :eek:

Is the murder-suicide Shane-Mara-their son?

[Tyson]

Have you seen this week's episode yet or not, Tyson? Love to get your input if you have.

Just finished it.

If that episode doesn't earn an Emmy for Chiklis, a LOT of people are going to get some very nasty letters.

His confessional was intense, seven years of bad shit being lifted off his back. The sigh of relief at the end.

"How much memory does that thing have?" :lol:

Shane and Mara's collective breakdowns. Damn. Emmy caliber as well, the both of them.

His cold-blooded disregard for Gardocki. Hidden underneath a show of brotherly love.

I honestly thought that Vic was going to sign the deal in front of Ronnie.

I really hope that Chiklis and the rest of the cast (especially Goggins) jump into some new stuff soon. There are some amazing actors/actresses on this cast.

Next week is going to be kickass. :headbang: :hyper:

RIP The Shield (2002-2008). You will be missed. :cry:

[LOCONUT]

wow.

I literally had a knot in my stomach during the murder-suicide scene. I'm sure anybody who posts in this thread on this site felt the same, but god. In hindsight, that whole scene with Shane buying the flowers and the toy was devastating.

The end with Vic was brilliant. The whole sequence: the scene with Ronnie, the tour of the office and the silent last scene absolutely exceeded any crazy death they could've thought up.

I know this is a lot of hyperbole, but that could not have ended better. I actually can't think of a finale that has left me that gratified. Well done.

Perfect post.

I can't respond to this ending...

This was possibly my favorite show ever, and I am so thankful for the few of us who watched the series, and discussed it. Awesome stuff here.

The moment tonight's episode ended, my wife said "We need to re-watch this series from beginning to end. I want to see the dynamic of the 4 of them again, and we haven't seen it in years".

I miss that, too.

Made me realize what an epic show this truly was. So many incredible characters, interesting side stories, and so many fantastic actors that helped make cheesy scripts absolutely magnificent.

The Shield is fucking sick, and will be missed by me. :beer:

[EdgeHead469]

I was so pissed but yet so pleased at the same time. I am trying to take it all in. When Vic pulled out the picture of himself and Lem then just started crying; brilliant. The murder-suicide was amazing and the interaction between Ronnie/Vic and Claudette/Vic was priceless. I loved how Vic's last stand in the Barn was with Claudette, the women who tried to bring him down but never could. Poor Vic; no kids and a desk job. God I wish they were going on with this.

[UncannyIowan]

After last night......Greatest show ever.

Vic received something worse than death, a leash. I loved how it ended with Vic walking out with is gun, his mean mug realizing, was my selfishness worth this? 3 years of his worst nightmare is still better than what the other Strike Team faced. The ending for Shane and his family, hit me pretty hard cuz it reminded me of the Benoit murders, chilling and very sad. Ronnie going to prison for the rest of his life, that was fucked up because I always felt he was the filler of the Strike Team they never really dabbled into his character much compared to the other 3. Seeing him basically paying for the sins of the father was rough.

10/10.

I know series' have to end, too bad because we all agree they could continue with a few more seasons.....For now we can watch the seasons from start to finish over and over.

[Billmatic]

Here's a pretty lengthy interview with Shawn Ryan post-finale (obviously contains spoilers):
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2008/11/the_shield_shawn_ryan_postfina.html

[SheltonLondon]

Wow that was incredible, I absolutely loved every minute of that.

I am going to miss the show so, so much. Think I may have to do like others and rewatch from the beginning.

[Gary J]

I felt it was a poetic ending as well. If you think about the 'Co-Pilot' episode from Season Two, Shane and Vic meet out on the street, dressed in suits, and Vic mentions that he can't wait to get the Strike Team job so he can stop having to dress in a suit and tie and spend half his time riding a desk doing paperwork. He wants to get out on the streets, do some good, and earn. So, Vic's ending is a return to his own personal version of Hell with added guilt over Ronnie, Shane, and the ever present spectre of Lem. He's lost his family, his friends, the respect and trust of his fellow officers-- all the things that he felt defined him (whether or not they really did is up for debate, but he certainly felt that way). He's even worse off than his friend Joe, the guy who taught him to cut corners and skim, but ended up losing his career, his family, and his self-respect. Joe, at least, had the potential to move on from his situation, even if he couldn't bring himself to; Vic is trapped in a Hell of his own creation for three years-- less than a life sentence, it should be noted, but I have the sense that Mackey would still be a shotcaller in prison, rather than a 'slave' in a bureaucracy-- and what are his options when he is released from that contract? None, except maybe turning to crime himself, and both the feds and LAPD will be watching.

Gotta say as well I cannot think of one member of the cast who didn't absolutely nail their scenes last night. Walton Goggins just might be the best actor on TV and one of the best actors out there plain and simple.

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

Great finale. Was an emotional and strong end to a 5 star show capped off with some great performances. Alright, first, the Shane thing was quite strong and powerful. Course, Ive always loved his character and would have loved for him to escape somehow but knew there was never gonna be a way. Reading that interview with the writer and finding out that it actually was modelled from the Benoit incident was quite eerie as thats what I had thought of when watching the ep.
Ronnie on the other hand, I was sure would be the only one to escape, thought Vic would eventually offer to replace himself for Ronnie or something. But I was surprised they ended his character that way. Also Vic broke his #1 team rule he set in the pilot which hurt to see. In essence, the entire strike team paid for their sins. Ending with Vic (in office hell) was well done. A lot of open-ended answers in fact. I thought the kid-Dutch angle could have been given a stronger-clearer ending as well. More another time.

[Grayson Kills]

..nevermind

[Tyson]

WOW! :eek: Brilliant finale to an outstanding series.

Will provide more analysis tomorrow night, as I have to work early. But Chiklis' work in this finale, the last few scenes where Mackey has no dialogue were outstanding. His ability to portray so much emotion without saying anything...:eek: Great stuff, from start to finish. I sincerely hope that Shawn Ryan decides to do a follow-up movie. I would definitely be first in line for tickets.

ROB, where you been? Was hoping to hear your take on the series finale.

The Shield (2002-2008). You will be missed. :(

[Ace Rockola]

I'm watching this all right now in about a week's time. For some reason I wasn't able to get in to the premier (not knocking the episode, I was just distracted by something) and chose to wait and watch it before next week's. Then so on and so on til I chose to wait to watch them all over a weekend. Then of course my DVR ignores the "keep til I delete" warning I put on them so I had to buy the whole thing on iTunes. Which is fine as I've been enjoying them at work and the gym on my new iPod touch. I'm half way through episode 10, and while I know the "Benoit" thing from the end thanks to that retard Daniel Pena on the main page, I'm still enjoying watching how it's getting there.

Hopefully Rescue Me and Nip/Tuck can get back up to their own high standards so I don't end up thinking about how much I'm going to miss this show.

[LOCONUT]

Nip/Tuck jumped the shark in season 3. The whole premise of the show now is how to jump even higher over a bigger shark. That show is awful.

[Tyson]

The Shield > The Sopranos > *

Rescue Me > Nip/Tuck, BTW. Love Dennis Leary's work in this series. :yes: Has he said how many more seasons the show will have?

[Ace Rockola]

Nip/Tuck jumped the shark in season 3. The whole premise of the show now is how to jump even higher over a bigger shark. That show is awful.

That's the whole point of the show. It's cable prime time version of day time soap operas. It's not supposed to be like the Shield or Damages where it's good good. Nip/Tuck is so bad it's good type good. As long as it's entertaining it's doing it's job. Which it didn't do post Carver, but seemed to get it's footing back a bit last year.

Over the last two days I've watched the last two episodes of the Shield. Might as well toss on some spoilers for people who might wait for DVD.

When Vic is giving his confession in the final minutes of the penultimate episode I really sat there and doubted they could top it. If they wanted to go the Sopranos route and just go black on you it could have worked right before Vic opened his mouth. Even then when he did and you got to watch Claudette freak out I still thought it could end right there, and you don't need the extra hour and 20 minutes the series had left.

But you got it, and it was just the icing on the cake. It wrapped up everything that needed to be wrapped up perfectly. His family has peace, we find out Claudette isn't long for this world, Shane and Ronnie pay the price for being followers, and Vic is paying a price worse than any crazy blood bath ending people wanted for him and Tony Soprano. He's stuck. He gets to assist others in understanding the people he used to deal with fist to face. Even if he'd gone to prison he'd get to go down with that "I'm not stuck in here with you, you're stuck in here with me!" mentality and maybe take a guy or two down with him while being shanked in the yard by some of Antwon Mitchell's boys.

I was happy with the amount of stuff they acknowledge on the way out without giving us a nice happy wrapping up of things. Like Julian being a closeted homosexual and not giving him an fabulous coming out. Just cause the show is over doesn't mean his life is going to be any simpler. Or that it's going to speed a confession out of Lloyd. Or Tina is going to stop making any sort of rookie mistakes. You got a great mix of closure to the series and still feel that life goes on.

This was already one of my favorite TV shows ever, and I don't know if I can really come out and say it's hands down my favorite of all time, but man, it's easily the most satisfying. I can't ever recall an episode or a season that let me down.

Hats off to everyone involved in giving us 6 years of great TV. From Michale Chiklis all the way down to the people doing recouring cameos like Andre 3000. They went out perfectly, you want more but don't feel ripped off not getting it.

[Myles]

jsut watched the last 5 eps yesterday and today... i have finals and things going on and i wasnt able to watch this masterpiece

the last two episodes were probably the best two episodes of a television show I have ever seen (disregaurding the sopranos of course).

My favorite scene was the confession, couldn't believe Vic would fuck Ronnie like that but I understood it. At the end of the day everyone is selfish and looking out for himself. Still pretty shocked and the emotion he put into it was great.

I felt sick about Ronnie but I thought it was going to happen. I wish they would have ran off to mexico but the ending blew my expectations away. I don't know if I liked this finale better than The Sopranos but I'd put it on par.

[RockOverBoston]

Really well timed bump, Myles -- I was just about to do the same thing!

I'll elaborate later, but I couldn't be happier about how the series ended for one Vic Mackey -- he didn't die, he didn't get arrested, but he found himself literally trapped in a life that was so much worse for him than both of those scenarios.

I approve of the Shane conclusion. Yeah, it was terribly wrong, but let us not forget that we were supposed to immensely dislike that guy.

If there's any beef -- and I said this all season -- what happens to Dani next? Her character was immensely scaled back for no real reason, and she deserved some resolve.

For that matter, what's next for Dutch? And why didn't Claudette die?

I don't care for the resolve (or lack thereof) for the side characters, but in the end, The Shield was all about Vic Mackey, and Vic Mackey got slapped with a fate worse than death. That much was pretty fucking brilliant.

[Myles]

Yea, watching Vic come terms with the desk job and the 9 to 5 hours and the lack of action was bitter sweet. I wanted him to get caught, but I felt sorry for the guy seeing his worst fear come true.

Dutch was probably my favorite character throughout the entire series, but Billings stepped it up this season. I know I have seen him somewhere else before and I'm pretty sure he's the saracastic lawyer in Jurassic Park who dies in the restroom by a TREX.

[RockOverBoston]

...but Billings stepped it up this season.

And how.

I'm pretty sure that I've said in this very thread that if Billings was played by a better actor, we're talking about him for a Best Supporting Actor Emmy.

Well, also, we're seriously talking about Walter Goggins for a Best Supporting Actor Emmy, so that cancels "Billings" out as well...

[Ace Rockola]

If there's any beef -- and I said this all season -- what happens to Dani next? Her character was immensely scaled back for no real reason, and she deserved some resolve.



Yeah, that was some stuff I wasn't super keen on. She built up some good stuff with Vic about giving up his rights, then he said he'd fight it, she took time off and then came back and it was just "Oh, Dani's back on the job." I guess that can fit in with stuff sorta coming to an end, but not being rushed for TV sake (even with all the shit Vic admitted too, it wasn't going to be resolved by a judge that week), but they also seemed to not have any sort of satisfying conclusion to the story.

[RockOverBoston]

Anyhow, "Damages" is fucking awesome, and everyone has like 2 weeks to watch the full first season...get on that, disenfranchised Shield lovers!

[Ace Rockola]

DVR'd reruns from late Saturday night ready to be watched right now.

[Myles]

I keep hearing about The Wire... but if damages or sons of anarchy is better I'll try those.

ROB turned me onto the shield back in season 3 or 4 and I started on season one and fell in love right away. I'd consider it my second favorite television drama of all time.

What next? The Wire or Damages or something I haven't mentioned?

[Tyson]

Well, also, we're seriously talking about Walter Goggins for a Best Supporting Actor Emmy, so that cancels "Billings" out as well...

Really? Where?

That really is awesome news! Goggins really elevated his game over the final season and displayed a wide range of emotions. :yes:

Chiklis also getting some burn for Best Actor, hopefully?

[RockOverBoston]

Chiklis also getting some burn for Best Actor, hopefully?

See, I was surprised yet not really when Malcolm's dad won the Emmy for "Breaking Bad". In the next year, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) fucking owned you all.

Chiklis won it once. I presume once was enough.

[Tyson]

Which is a real shame, that Chiklis doesn't get the same going-away celebration as Gandolfini.

The Shield really should be considered on par with The Sopranos as far as greatest TV dramas, IMHO. :\

[THE WHOLE Fn SHOW]

Again, I liked how everything wrapped up but I would of liked to see some positive end to the Strike team. Every member ends up suffering terrible consequences. Ronnie, considering he was the moral figure of the group should not have went to jail. I would have been more satisfied with Vic somehow taking Ronnie's place in jail and Ronnie getting immunity.

The Shane thing was well done though. The ending was fitting and perfect after everything Shane's done. It was just an eerie, cold and emotional scene that could not have been done better

[Tyson]

Ronnie, considering he was the moral figure of the group should not have went to jail. I would have been more satisfied with Vic somehow taking Ronnie's place in jail and Ronnie getting immunity.

But Ronnie going to jail was almost a creative necessity, much like Lemansky's death.

Had it been Vic/Shane that had been sent to jail, the emotional reaction wouldn't have been nearly as significant. It would have been accepted without much thought, because they had done so much bad shit, they totally deserved to rot in a 6x8 for the rest of their lives. Among many evil and devious things, we saw Vic kill Terry Crowley in cold blood in the pilot and we saw Shane kill Lemansky.

Like Lem, Gardocki was the moral compass of the team, caught in the wrong place. He was playing the good soldier, following his superior's (Mackey) directions, and ultimately partook in several various misdeeds. Sliding deeper and deeper into shit because he was convinced that the only way to keep himself out of prison was to help keep the rest of the team out of prison. Only to be ultimately sold down the river by his boss and alleged friend who chose his estranged ex-wife over his team-mate.

Like the Lem death, Gardocki getting sent away to jail, the emotional response of the viewer was off the chart. He really had no say in the events that led up to it; he fell victim to others greed and sense of self-preservation.

[Fro]

I'm watching the final season now with about 4 episodes to go. It's so fucking intense and brilliant and I don't want it to end. I'll be staying out of this thread until I finish up then post my thoughts on the series in general, but needless to say I am loving every minute right now.

[Myles]

it is sickkkkkkk

[Fro]

Wow, tremendous series. I'm a few years late to the party but...


I'll elaborate later, but I couldn't be happier about how the series ended for one Vic Mackey -- he didn't die, he didn't get arrested, but he found himself literally trapped in a life that was so much worse for him than both of those scenarios.

I don't care for the resolve (or lack thereof) for the side characters, but in the end, The Shield was all about Vic Mackey, and Vic Mackey got slapped with a fate worse than death. That much was pretty fucking brilliant

I only quoted ROB here but this is basically what all you guys said, and I disagree with it. Vic lives to work the streets but to say his leash/desk job with ICE is worse than jail or death is going overboard with it. Working a 9-5 then having nights and weekends to do whatever he wants is certainly favorable to those other scenarios, and by pulling out his gun and heading out at the very end I took that as Vic saying fuck the leash, I'm still gonna do my thing and they can't contain me. So his desk job was not hell, just another inconvenience, another boss he has to work around. They could have ended it with him giving in and starting to write a 10-page report and then you guys would be right, but they didn't. They showed us that he's going to continue doing the same shit. So he lost everyone - his friends and family - but ultimately got off with nothing but the slap on the wrist of an unfavorable assignment. He's still free, he's still working the streets, he's still Vic Mackey. And that's the beauty of the ending.

[Fro]

I would have liked to see Dutch's serial killer story get wrapped up by the last episode, as some of you already said. It was one of, if not THE, most interesting cases he had to solve and I was very interested in what the kid's plan was, i.e. how he killed the mom and where he put the body. I was totally expecting the body to be found in Dutch's basement or some shit. The kid was great as the villain and I wanted to see Dutch outsmart him, instead it was just like "we'll get you eventually" kinda as a way of saying, life in the barn will go on after the show is over. So that was a little bit of a letdown.

Vic's confession scene, and Claudette's reaction to him getting immunity, was so well done. I loved when she reacted by firing Dutch and he's like what? and she just goes YA HEARD!

[BBF]

Ok lads, I'm late but I've just finished it. I've got tears in my eyes and I've somehow got some adrenaline running right now.

I need someone to talk to about this. Someone help me here. I'm just going to ramble.

This show is perfect. I loved every second of it. Everything from the brilliant dynamic between the 4, the increasing use of Ronnie, the death of Lem, the character growth of Dutch and Claudette and as for that final episode....wow.

Walter Goggins is one of the best actors in the world based on his performance here. Its just perfect. His ending is just.....amazing. Chiklis' performance is also just outstanding. The full circle from how him and Shane met to how he ended up back there in his own personal hell is just beautiful. Yes, Lem and Shane are dead and Ronnie (:heart:) is in prison but for him, Vic's fate is worse. It seems he got off lightly but he hasn't at all.

Fuck, there's just so much I want to say about it but I haven't really processed it all yet. Overall though this trumps any other show I've watched without a doubt. Just perfect.

[LOCONUT]

Yeah I need to rewatch this entire series at some point. Particularly Season 7 as that is the only season I have not rewatched since it aired.

[Beefy]

I've not got round to watching it yet. It's sat on my shelf ready to go.

[Gary J]

You will love it Beefy.

[Miotch]

It really is brilliant.

[BBF]

Watch it Beef. You watch this and I'll watch The Wire.

I'm 24 hours after I finished watching it and I'm still processing EVERYTHING

[Fro]

Everyone except me has said "Vic's fate is worse" like you didn't see him grab his gun and head out to the streets again at the very end. Vic Mackey cannot be caged.

[Miotch]

Watch it Beef. You watch this and I'll watch The Wire.

I'm 24 hours after I finished watching it and I'm still processing EVERYTHING
The Wire is actually more amazing than this I think.

Both are in my top 10 shows of all time though.

[BBF]

I just need to break through the 3 episode barrier in the wire and I'll be hooked I'm sure. Right now though The Shield is my favourite TV show ever. I want to watch it again just to watch the Lem/Ronnie/Shane/Vic dynamic play out.

[BBF]

Just doing some reading about Goggins and read his wife committed suicide in 2004. Fuck that makes his final scenes even more heart wrenching

[Miotch]

Fucking Lem, man. :(

[BBF]

LEM :heart: :heart:
RONNIE :heart:

[BBF]

I had to take a break from The Shield for 2 weeks after the end of season 5 because it literally head fucked me. Beefy watch out for that, it will penetrate your skull and leave you unable to FEEL anything for days.

[Gary J]

Season 5 is my favourite season of TV ever. Forest Whitaker is probably the best ever guest star on a TV show too.

[BBF]

Agree with both of those points. The finale just totally drained me.

[Tyson]

I've not got round to watching it yet. It's sat on my shelf ready to go.

Fucking hell Beefy, that's so not cool. Little late to the party.

I bet you end up watching the first season from start to finish within a weekend.

[Beefy]

Probably. I hope so. Haven't had a show make me want to burn through eight or nine episodes in a day since Lost & 24 finished.

[SheltonLondon]

Watch it. Such a great show. Think I'm going to have to get the boxset and watch it from the beginning again!

[Fro]

The great thing about the Shield is that after only the first episode, you're hooked. The Wire is ultimately more satisfying (in my opinion), but The Shield sucks you in immediately and never lets go.

[grimshaw]

I actually found the first 2-3 seasons were fairly pedestrian and while it was pretty decent, it wasn't magical. It wasn't until the later seasons that The Shield reaches its potential.

[Bert]

People who watched The Shield need to give Sons of Anarchy a try. Ron Pearlman and Katey Segal are amazing. Charlie Hunnam who apparently is from the UK, although you could never notice from the show is great too. I guess I might make it it's own thread but Sons of Anarchy is from the same producer as The Shield so I thought it was somewhat relevant here. Also, the actor who played Lem, Kenny Johnson joined the cast of Sons of Anarchy in the 3rd season.

[Miotch]

There is a Sons of Anarchy thread.

[Bert]

Oh yeah, the thread title was so long I missed it when searching.

[Miotch]

The search function would find it.

[Gary J]

Sons of Anarchy is a great show. Can't wait for season 4.

I've been watching The Chicago Code as it got hyped over here because it was by the creator of The Shield. Five episodes in and really enjoying it then heard it got cancelled :(

[Miotch]

Yeah it was awesome. Pissed off it didn't get renewed.

[Bert]

The search function would find it.

Like I said the title was so long I didn't notice it when I searched.

The Shield was great. I wish Michael Chiklis would get back to doing serious roles. He was ok in No Ordinary Family but it was weird since I'm so used to seeing him as Vic Mackey.

[Gary J]

Yeah it was awesome. Pissed off it didn't get renewed.

Does it end well at least?

[Miotch]

Dunno. Need to finish the last 2. I got all dejected when I heard it got cancelled.

[Gary J]

Yeah i know what you mean i was watching it last night and was just pissed off that it had been cancelled.

[Ringo]

Up to Season Six on this motherfucker. Season 5 was amazing, on another level entirely. And I can't get over how spectacular Forrest Whittaker is as Kavanaugh. It took me a while to get to Season 5 but I'm sure I'm going to breeze through 6 and 7 now.

[BBF]

I envy you. Next time we're both on MSN we're talking about it.

[Aero]

http://www.mandatory.com/2013/09/10/good-cop-bad-cop-an-oral-history-of-the-shield/

Really good piece on The Shield, covering its development up to its conclusion, with insight into key moments and characters, through first hand accounts by the actors and creators. It's a long one, but well worth the read for fans.

[Tyson]

http://www.mandatory.com/2013/09/10/good-cop-bad-cop-an-oral-history-of-the-shield/

Really good piece on The Shield, covering its development up to its conclusion, with insight into key moments and characters, through first hand accounts by the actors and creators. It's a long one, but well worth the read for fans.

Great find.

The movie idea that is mentioned is pretty badass, there are so many ways they could go with it.

[LOCONUT]

Was getting chills reading that. Thanks a lot. :yes:

[Bert]

SHAWN RYAN: We needed to know how Shane's story was going to end. And I had read about this wrestler, Chris Benoit, [who killed his wife and seven-year-old son before taking his own life]. I guess the term is family annihilator—someone who commits suicide and takes his family out with him. So I was intrigued about why that happens and tried to see how it could come from a twisted place of love. I was on the speakerphone with John Landgraf, and I pitched the idea of Shane killing himself and his family, and after I finished, there was silence, for about, say, 15 seconds. I didn't know if he was still on the other end. Then John finally said, "Wow."

Holy shit.

[Gary J]

When I saw the thread had been bumped I did get my hopes up for a minute thinking a movie had been confirmed. Great article though and reading all that has made me plan to watch them all again.

[Ringo]

Just read about Michael Jace, the actor who played Julian, being arrested for murdering his wife. :(

[Tyson]

Just read about Michael Jace, the actor who played Julian, being arrested for murdering his wife. :(

Damn. :cry:

[BBF]

Rewatching this (again) at the moment as I've still got a couple of weeks off after surgery. Half way through season one and I'm hooked again. Fuck I love this show.

Can't wait for season five and KAVANAUGH BADMAN

[BBF]

Sorry Gary, no movie.

Beefy have you watched it yet?

[Gary J]

Bastard had my hopes raised for a moment.

But after my last rewatch I realised I probably don't really want one I'm happy with the way it ended. Still my favourite show ever.

[Bert]

Yeah, in what time frame would a movie even take place? I don't know if they could make the guys look young enough to do a prequel and if it was after the series finale what would it be about?

Maybe it could be a standalone story. That's the only idea I see working.

[Gary J]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a514377/the-shield-creator-on-movie-spinoff-it-wouldnt-be-like-the-show.html#~oVUD4s7gBrQ7Z6

[Tyson]

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a514377/the-shield-creator-on-movie-spinoff-it-wouldnt-be-like-the-show.html#~oVUD4s7gBrQ7Z6

Oh man, I really hope this happens. It would be all kinds of awesome...

[Nash Diesel]

It would be cool but idk, I thougth the way the show ended was fucking brilliant. The Shield was my favorite show for awhile. I didn't start watching till season 2 or 3, and really fell in love with it with the Forrest Whitaker arc, there wasn't anything on t.v. or even film that compared to The Shield at the time IMHO. Maybe The Dark Knight and Sin City lol, that was it for me.

[Clive Plasma]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-michaeljace-idUSKCN0YW1YE

Sentenced. 40 years.

[LOCONUT]

Not sure how he didn't get a life sentence. She was an avid Runner and before he shot her he said "if you like running so much try running to heaven".

[Tyson]

Halfway through season 7, I’m getting an ulcer (not really) hoping this dirty cop avoids trouble. And the quiet computer geek as the loyal soldier, who saw that coming?