The Shield

[Richard.John]

I'm actually watching through the Season 4 set at the moment, have just this minute finished episode 8.

Not sure if I should watch each as they are released or wait for the DVD...

This is still the best TV series ever made, I'm just gob-smacked at how consistently brilliant it is. Season 4 is shaping up to be the most intense yet - I think the script writers learnt a lot when they did the superb finish to season 3 - almost every episode is breathtaking.

Love it to bits.

I hear season 5 is twenty episodes long, it could also be the last one. Within the box for Season 4, it contains a slip advertising Season 5, on it says

->Open Spoiler<-

The beginning of the end

. hmmm...

Totally agree. It is without doubt the best cop show ever made and must rank up there as the best show of all time. Just soo intense.

[Dogg Thang]

I've only actually started watching this show at season 1. Got the dvd set for my gf for christmas. We were massive fans of Homocide (the show, not the act) so it was interesting to see two people from that show in the pilot. Although there is far more action in The Shield, it seemed like a natural development from Homocide and couldn't help wondering if using those actors in the pilot was a deliberate attempt to capture the Homocide audience.

Great stuff though. I have to say I'm really impressed with Chiklis. Hard to believe that's the same guy from The Commish.

[talizker]

Brilliant - one of my fave shows.

And we've got the next Lost Season 2 episode tomorrow !!!

Seconded.

...and 4 x episodes of 24 S5 on Sun/Mon ^^

[superkully]

4 episodes!?!?!

With 24, Lost, the Shield and now I've started watching the Sopranos (Season 2 atm)... I havn't watched this much telly since I was at school!

[squidman]

I watched the first episode of Season 5 last night. Incredible! So psyched for the rest of the season, it's probably the best show out there.

There should be a site somewhere that details the various methods Vic has used to interrogate people.

[wicky]

it was pretty awesome tbh

[krispyk]

Im going to have to big up the shield as well. Having been a big fan for years I was chuffed to bits when I got Season 1 and 2 on DVD at Christmas.

I watched Ep1 of Season 5 yesterday and I am so glad that the show is as fresh and watchable as it has been from the start..

You just have to love Vic!

[PeteJ]

I've only actually started watching this show at season 1. Got the dvd set for my gf for christmas. We were massive fans of Homocide (the show, not the act) so it was interesting to see two people from that show in the pilot. Although there is far more action in The Shield, it seemed like a natural development from Homocide and couldn't help wondering if using those actors in the pilot was a deliberate attempt to capture the Homocide audience.

Great stuff though. I have to say I'm really impressed with Chiklis. Hard to believe that's the same guy from The Commish.

Well spoted - they did purposely cast the 5th member of the strike team as one of the leads from Homocide to bring in an audience. They also

->Open Spoiler<-

killed him off almost instantly

to say "this is what The Shield is all about". It's a great tactic to be honest, and sets up the whole ideal behind the name.

I'm now on episode 10 of S4, and it just blows me away at how smart it is. Most shows are Black\White - Good\ Evil, but this is contains everything grey in between. Sometimes you can really agree with what the 'bad guys' are preaching (I could see sense in what the main guy in S4 was saying, some of the time at least!), and sometimes the cops do some really stupid things but perhaps for good reason. I think it's the only show I've ever seen which can good such good arguments on both sides.

It's also staggering at how brave the script writers are - this is such an unpredictable show, and that is the key. When someone holds a gun to someone elses head, you never know exactly what is going to happen - even if it is against one of the lead characters.

[PeteJ]

Bah, Season 4 has just finished What a ride though...

I seem to already have the first episode of season 5. Ho hum

[Yoshimax]

Vic's Back Baby.

What a start - looks like we're in for another nail-biting "are they gonna get him" season

[marc^o^]

Im' tempted, how does it compare to 24?

[Stuart Smith]

Totally different, much darker and much grittier. Similarly strong characterisation, I guess, which is the main reason to watch The Shield. But it's definitely much more intense and adult than 24.

[Dogg Thang]

I've only watched 24 a few times so I can't give you a good comparison but I can give you an impression from someone who is only just discovering The Shield. Unlike most cop/law/crime shows at the moment (but like Homocide), The Shield is very much a drama about its characters, not the cases. It's not really about crime solving. It's about how the main characters clash. The characterisation is very strong and what's great is that right from the start it introduces characters who all have the same job but have polar opposite ways of doing things. So the drama is heightened to the extreme. In that respect, it brings back memories of Oz far more than anything like 24.

I'd say give it a go!

[MartyG]

You'd also really need to start at Season 1 - jumping in at Season 5 just won't work well, as there's way too much history in the stories, where as with 24 the seasons are pretty much self contained.

[PeteJ]

Indeed, the there are still plot-lines running from the very first episode!

Just take the risk and buy the first season, you will not regret it.