TFT Listener The Ronster suggested a post on the Shield. We’ve never really dealt with ‘Television’ on the Podcast – limiting ourselves to linear media that’s been theatrically distributed – but of course in our modern age with theatrical distribution often acting as a loss-leader for DVD sales and Hulu streaming Altman pics perhaps we should.
I’ll bring it up with the Dr.
In the meantime I’ll say this. What a wonderful end to the Shield. The scene with Shane helping his wife on the toilet while their child plays in the bath may be the best thing the Series ever did.
And as for the end of Vic.
Well. I just assumed he’d die in a hail of bullets trying to cross the border into Mexico. But having him trapped in his own personal hell, (“you should put your name on anything you put in the fridge”), was brilliant, (see above for the last moments of the show).
(P.S. I see that Shield creator Shawn Ryan is working with my favorite author James Ellroy on a film project – this makes sense as the Shield is the closest thing to a Ellroy book put on ‘film’, (other than that little gem ‘Cop’ (adapted from ‘Blood on the Moon))).
I thought it was one of the most moving episodes of television I've ever seen, up there with the denoument of The Wire and various other greats.
I agree completely that this was the proper ending for Vic Mackey, a man who is not afraid to die, but terrified of living in a way that doesn't fit with his idea of himself. I also loved the contrast of what Shane and Vic were prepared to do for their families – however you think about Vendrell and his f-ed up view of the world, there can be no doubt that he loved his family selflessly.
The shot of Mara and Jackson on the bed though… all of us watching it last night elicited shocked, dry sobs at the sight. One of the most powerful images TV has brought us in recent years.
I often feel The Shield and The Wire are compared unfavourably, as if The Shield is a poor cousin. The fact of the matter is that The Wire was never a cop show – its a social document, an indictment of institutions and an exercise in layered story-telling that people hadn't seen before. Its the superior show, but only because of its scope.
The Shield, on the other hand, feels very much like an insider look at one man selling his soul piece by piece, until there's nothing left. With Vic, it takes him to lose everything to realise that all he ever wanted was what he had in the first place – his family. I found that really tragic and actually felt sorry for him (though not as sorry as I felt for Ronnie, the poor, corrupt schmuck that he is).
As for the other story-lines? Claudette and Dutch's last conversation together was incredibly moving; “Just be a friend” and its a testament to those 2 actors that they held my interest over and above the Strike Team for the vast majority of the series. Dutch especially was played with such subtlety, yet you could always see the darkness at the very edge of his vision.
Claudette on th eother hand is one of MANY examples of great writing for women in this series.
All in all, its been a great show, and one that I'm looking forward to returning to in a few years.
Oops, meant to add that Ellroy is my favourite author as well.
I would have loved to have seen all of L.A. Confidential made into a 10 part mini-series.
And Cop is a great wee film – I liked it much more than Manhunter, a film that I guess it was trying to ape to an extent. But then, what's not to like about James Woods as a 'Cop-On-The-Edge'
I thought it was one of the most moving episodes of television I've ever seen, up there with the denoument of The Wire and various other greats.
I agree completely that this was the proper ending for Vic Mackey, a man who is not afraid to die, but terrified of living in a way that doesn't fit with his idea of himself. I also loved the contrast of what Shane and Vic were prepared to do for their families – however you think about Vendrell and his f-ed up view of the world, there can be no doubt that he loved his family selflessly.
The shot of Mara and Jackson on the bed though… all of us watching it last night elicited shocked, dry sobs at the sight. One of the most powerful images TV has brought us in recent years.
I often feel The Shield and The Wire are compared unfavourably, as if The Shield is a poor cousin. The fact of the matter is that The Wire was never a cop show – its a social document, an indictment of institutions and an exercise in layered story-telling that people hadn't seen before. Its the superior show, but only because of its scope.
The Shield, on the other hand, feels very much like an insider look at one man selling his soul piece by piece, until there's nothing left. With Vic, it takes him to lose everything to realise that all he ever wanted was what he had in the first place – his family. I found that really tragic and actually felt sorry for him (though not as sorry as I felt for Ronnie, the poor, corrupt schmuck that he is).
As for the other story-lines? Claudette and Dutch's last conversation together was incredibly moving; “Just be a friend” and its a testament to those 2 actors that they held my interest over and above the Strike Team for the vast majority of the series. Dutch especially was played with such subtlety, yet you could always see the darkness at the very edge of his vision.
Claudette on th eother hand is one of MANY examples of great writing for women in this series.
All in all, its been a great show, and one that I'm looking forward to returning to in a few years.
Oops, meant to add that Ellroy is my favourite author as well.
I would have loved to have seen all of L.A. Confidential made into a 10 part mini-series.
And Cop is a great wee film – I liked it much more than Manhunter, a film that I guess it was trying to ape to an extent. But then, what's not to like about James Woods as a 'Cop-On-The-Edge'