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The Shield (Spoilers abound)


Mark Antony

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No, I really enjoyed the first 2 seasons and the 3rd was good too, but by the 4th I felt that the show was repeating itself. There were a couple of great episodes and everything, but it felt very "been there, done that". And also, I have heard that later seasons only get worse? IIRC you are one of the few people, who think that they get better.

Anyway, that conclusion for the Shield was a kicker, right? Shane... My sympathy for Shane is still very limited due to how he chose to resolve his situation. The build-up to it was great and very poignant, of course.

Are there any other series that have such a strong conclusion? In my experience, most seem to peter out to one degree or another. I am OK with the 5th season of The Wire, but it is not a particularly great ending to an otherwise stellar show.

Thats is generally the case with most shows, as much as I love the cast and show of Burn Notice and Chuck they really over did it. However I feel Justified as always been strong for the last 5 seasons, will s6 be as good? I dont know, but I hope so.

Thats why I'm so scared for the ending of SOA since its based of Hamlet (according to Sutter) and and considered a spiritual successor of The Shield, I hope we get a relatively 'good ending'

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The Shield is great, though it feels like I am getting an ulcer from all the stress that Vic and the guys constantly put themselves under. He would be better off just having a second job as a mall cop I think.


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And also, I have heard that later seasons only get worse? IIRC you are one of the few people, who think that they get better..

I don't think this is true. I think most people are starting to appreciate the Sopranos ending and I know I'm far from the only one whose favorite season of the show comes after 4. Anyway after just finishing The Shield id say season 7 comes very close to matching the quality of Sopranos 6b (not sure it does though) probably the best two final seasons in my mind. The Wire season 5 is weak sauce imo.

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Actually, if you pay attention to the smallest details, you'll appreciate it even more eg the penultimate season 4 episode closes with Vic telling Acevada you aren't a cop you never were. If you consider the context in which this is being spoken why David did what he had to and who's admonishing him ,there's almost a strange sort of dark humour to the otherwise tense scene. It's just one of the many examples.

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Actually, if you pay attention to the smallest details, you'll appreciate it even more eg the penultimate season 4 episode closes with Vic telling Acevada you aren't a cop you never were. If you consider the context in which this is being spoken why David did what he had to and who's admonishing him ,there's almost a strange sort of dark humour to the otherwise tense scene. It's just one of the many examples.

Agreed. There's a lot of subtleties that's going on in this show, which probably would be even more noticeable the more times you watch it. And how you see Vic throughout the show, since basically this is almost the show of a villain and not an anti-hero in the end.

A lot of foreshadowing too, to certain events, which I think was brilliant. Especially with the grenades in season 5.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I finished the last season the other day - and what can I say? Absolutely brilliant stuff.


My wifey has been crying when they found Shane...



Any ideas about similar Shows? We started True Detective which has great potential but with only 8 episodes it won`t last too Long.


Did not like The Wire - too boring for my taste.


24 is too childish.



I have Homeland seasons 1 and 2 - anything else?

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So I finished the last season the other day - and what can I say? Absolutely brilliant stuff.

My wifey has been crying when they found Shane...

Any ideas about similar Shows? We started True Detective which has great potential but with only 8 episodes it won`t last too Long.

Did not like The Wire - too boring for my taste.

24 is too childish.

I have Homeland seasons 1 and 2 - anything else?

One of the writers went on to make sons of anarchy, which is way more off the rails and that. It's not very similar to the shield but luthor is a UK police show well worth watching. Probably the best show we've made in the past few years.

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I just finished the series, and I have to say, it's absolutely as good as everyone says it is. I'd say it's probably in my top 5. Walton Goggins was incredible in the latter half of the series (especially the last few episodes). Honestly the entire cast was great.



For those who are fans of The Wire, I saw on the special features that Clark Johnson (Gus) directed 7 episodes of The Shield. Including the pilot and Family Meeting. Shawn Ryan credits him for giving The Shield it's look and feel. Thought that was a cool tie to another one of the best shows ever.



Season 7 was amazing. Some of the most suspenseful and tense episodes of tv I've ever seen.


The standout episodes for me are the Pilot, Domino's Falling, Postpartum, Parricide, Possible Kill Screen, and of course, Family Meeting.



As far as Family Meeting being the best series finale of all-time, It's hard for me to rank anything ahead of Everyone's Waiting (Six Feet Under). but Family Meeting is right up there with it. My jaw literally dropped when they went into the room and found Mara and Jackson. And that letter scene with Vic and Claudette..... :o


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I just finished the series, and I have to say, it's absolutely as good as everyone says it is. I'd say it's probably in my top 5. Walton Goggins was incredible in the latter half of the series (especially the last few episodes). Honestly the entire cast was great. 1

For those who are fans of The Wire, I saw on the special features that Clark Johnson (Gus) directed 7 episodes of The Shield. Including the pilot and Family Meeting. Shawn Ryan credits him for giving The Shield it's look and feel. Thought that was a cool tie to another one of the best shows ever.

1. His work on Justified is amazing, but I think his work on Sons of A, might be the best/scariest thing I have every seen. He has come a long way since Major League 3.

2. I know him from Night Heat, or Homicide:LotS where he started behind the camera. I keep forgetting he was on The Wire, but IIRC he directed the first and last ep of it as well.

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I started watching this recently after peeking into this thread. (I'm not a person who minds spoilers.) I'm looking forward to it getting really good later on as you guys say, for now it's good not great.



The last episode I watched was "Co-pilot" where it flashes back to a few days or weeks before the pilot. I liked the episode overall but it seemed like they were trying to soften Mackey a little. It's really hard to believe that in this episode he's reluctant to plant evidence on a guy and just a short time later he's murdering a fellow cop to cover his ass in the pilot.


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