“The Shield” follows the lives and cases of a dirty Los Angeles Police Department cop and the unit under his command.
Father Time has diminished none of the impact of “The Shield,” initially premiering in 2002 to widespread critical acclaim. Newly released in a compact, functional box set, the package includes not only all seven seasons but also featurettes, deleted scenes and writer/producer commentary that enriches the experience even further. Although the series wrapped production way back in 2008, “The Shield” still feels as fresh as today’s headlines.
Introducing an antihero that rivals Bryan Cranston’s Walter White, Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackey expertly weaves and deceives his way across the scenery with gusto and aplomb. Playing a decidedly different kind of cop than his days on ABC television in the early ’90s as an admirable, lovable and sort of dumpy police commissioner, here a buffed up Chiklis delves into far darker territory for his follow-up. Although still a cop, Mackey’s result-oriented character will cut almost any ethical or legal corner to achieve desired outcomes. His duplicitous nature often makes anticipating the next move a difficult undertaking indeed – one of the many pleasures the series consistently serves up to viewers.
“The Shield” debuted as a groundbreaking series, pushing the limits of what cable programming could portray in terms of violence, language, and nudity. Considered highly risky material at the time, the show essentially changed the nature of basic cable.
Mackey leads a Strike Team using experimental and, at best, questionable methods to fight gang-related crime. From enlisting drug dealers to obtain information to funding the team’s endless appetite for illicit cash, to the outright coldblooded killing of friends and adversaries alike, the action never succumbs to predictability or cliché. Creator Shawn Ryan – along with an able cadre of writers and producers – craft an intricate and gripping narrative that probes the human psyche at least as much as it does the mean streets of Los Angeles.
Mackey’s mischief begins almost immediately when fellow Strike Team member Terry Crowley (Reed Diamond) pays the price for betrayal – albeit in an effort to do the right thing. The moral dilemma posed by the killing of a fellow officer irreparably scars Shane Vendrell (played by Walt Goggins in a fine performance) for the rest of his life. Throughout, Benito Martinez, as ambitious police captain and later LA city council member David Aceveda, regularly engages Mackey solely to realize his personal political goals in a peculiar love-hate relationship.
CCH Pounder and Jay Karnes as detective partners provide the moral compass for a landscape populated with so many others that have lost their way. Catherine Dent and Michael Jace, also as partners, find themselves navigating moral quandaries of their own with mixed success in the wake of Mackey’s ubiquitous, even oppressive presence. Guest stars such as Forest Whitaker, Michael Peña, and Glen Close add gravitas to an already impressive production. Moving briskly over the 4,000-plus minute runtime, the role complexity and elaborate plot confidently unfolds, rarely if ever missing a beat.
It’s hard to say enough good things about the seven seasons of “The Shield.” Clearly ahead of its time, the storylines, features, and commentary contained in this chockfull box set will reward audiences with hours of exceedingly compelling content.
Now available on Blu-ray & DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment
Great review and excellent points made. Am rediscovering show now and you couldn’t be more right!