2 Dollar Productions

"The Shield" closed its doors recently with a 90-minute series finale which delivered a powerful punctuation mark for a show that advanced the relevance of original programming on basic cable and provided a riveting slant on the tired cop show genre.


When "The Shield" premiered on FX, there was very little programming that dealt with anything remotely edgy outside of what was being done on HBO with "The Sopranos" and others such as "Six Feet Under." Luckily, "The Shield" caught on immediately and set records for basic cable viewers after critics hailed its raw, gritty style and terrific ensemble cast.

Early in Season 1, Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) says something to the effect of "Good cop and bad cop have left the building. I'm a different kind of cop." Indeed. Despite a stellar supporting cast, it was Chiklis's turn as Vic Mackey which gave the series its propulsive adrenaline rush, and over the course of seven seasons, he carved out one of the greatest antiheroes in television history.

Mackey led a police department "Strike Team" that was designed to infiltrate gang activities in Los Angeles and control the streets. Along with three other members - Walton Goggins, David Rees Snell, and Kenny Johnson - the Strike Team utilized every legal and illegal method they needed to advance their work.


It was their illegal methods, however, that placed them in the cross-hairs of the internal affairs department and led to a season one murder that haunted the group until the end. This was a quick turning point in the series, and showed viewers that Mackey and the Strike Team would stop at nothing to cover their own trail.

Unfortunately, their trail got progressively messier with each successive season. The team certainly concerned itself with ridding the streets of dangerous drugs, guns and gang members, but they also were constantly looking out for opportunities for themselves in the midst of loose money and favors.

Season 2 was my favorite year in this regard as it was a white-knuckle ride from start to finish and found the team taking on an illegal Armenian money train while hiding it from the department. It was a phenomenal and brutal ride that would resonate through the end of the series.


One of the show's strengths was allowing the Strike Team's sins to constantly be re-visited, a stance which forced Mackey to remain on edge as he tried to keep his family and his friends on the Strike Team safe from being caught. Mackey's ability to remain a few steps ahead of his pursuers both on the street and inside the police department only enhanced his appeal for me.

I could appreciate someone who was at least smart about breaking the law versus some bumbling moron who deserved to be caught.

This was another fine quality of the show as it blurred the lines around which characters viewers should be rooting for to triumph. Despite his many sins, I found myself constantly pulling for Mackey to make it through the muck even when he certainly deserved to get busted.

Each successive season found the Strike Team embroiled even deeper in trying to save their own asses, and by the final season, it had become apparent that no matter how many smart and resourceful methods that Mackey tried that the deck had been stacked too far against the group for them to win.

It was simply a matter of trying not to shatter everything.

Outside of the Strike Team, the show also benefited from a cast of regulars and guest stars who provided no weak links. CCH Pounder, Glen Close, Forest Whitaker and numerous others were capable foils for Mackey even though many found themselves pulled down to his level when chasing him.


The pursuit built nicely during the series, and this final season kept the momentum high. Unlike many shows, "The Shield" ended its run well. The quality and catharsis climaxed with the extended finale with nearly all threads coming together for a satisfyingly bleak conclusion.

The only missteps in the last episode was focusing too much attention on a former police captain's run for mayor, but that is a minor complaint because so many shows absolutely butcher their final moments. "The Shield" didn't sully itself one bit.

Instead, it exited the same way it entered the television landscape: With gritty production value, stellar acting, and a perverted sense of justice that was powerfully addictive.

I don't generally care for cop shows. Police procedurals do next to nothing to hold my attention. I loved "The Shield" and it will definitely be missed.

-BDS