The Shield

[theruiner]

I don't know how much discussion this will generate since the show's been off the air for a few years, but I think it needs a thread. 'Cause it's awesome. Seriously. I'm still kind of amazed at the level that this show reached, especially in season five. There are very few shows as powerful, and I don't think I've ever seen a show as suspenseful. It really was on a whole other level.

[PQHooligan]

I don't know how much discussion this will generate since the show's been off the air for a few years, but I think it needs a thread. 'Cause it's awesome. Seriously. I'm still kind of amazed at the level that this show reached, especially in season five. There are very few shows as powerful, and I don't think I've ever seen a show as suspenseful. It really was on a whole other level.

agreed! I have the entire series on DVD and it will always be an all-time favorite!

[scotty79]

I lost track with this after the 3rd season when they started changing the schedules for it, ended up downloading it all and watched again from the start, awesome show, looking forward to the rampart(?) movie based on the same 'strike team' story

[theruiner]

***Spoilers***

Ah, nostalgia. Remember this scene? So awesome.

There aren't enough good clips of this show on Youtube. It's been a few years, and I've been itching to watch the series again.

[novacide]

"I thought this guy was eating Dutch for lunch!"

Great scene. Great show.

[Deepvoid]

I happened to watch this show at the same time as The Wire so I ended up labeling this show as the cop show that's "not as good as The Wire". It really isn't fair because it was by all means, a fantastic series.

It's been a while since we've had a good police drama.

[Space Suicide]

Apologies for bumping this thread 4+ years after the last reply, but...

After years of promising myself I'd check this show out with no distractions, I'm at the midway point of the second season, and hot damn if this shit isn't the most compelling television I've seen since Breaking Bad. I try not to binge-watch shows and usually limit myself to one episode a week of any given series I'm watching, but I can't control myself with this one. Even SOA, which I'm also about midway through the second season of, isn't holding a torch to this.

Vic Mackey is one fucked up anti-hero. There's like zero Walter White build-up to his moral freefall or anything, he's just a pitbull right out of the gate. I saw someone earlier in this thread mentioning that it gets super-great by Season Five? I seriously can't wait..

I own the entire series on DVD. I stopped watching and got sidetracked near the end of season 4 (the one with Glenn Close as the Captain of the Precinct) last year. I need to continue watching it sometime but there's just so much shit going on and things to watch.

[Space Suicide]

I also really love Shane on this show. Walton Goggins is a terrific actor in any capacity, but he's ruthless on this shit and I'm only about 20 episodes in..

He's a great actor. His best known (and for obviously talented reasons) role as Boyd Crowder on Justified is even more amazing.

[onthewall2983]

Sort of old news but work is being done for a Blu-ray release of the entire show to come out next year, which will mark 15 years since the first season.

Of everything that's come along since the boom of cable dramas, this is in among at least the very top 3 for me.

[Archive_Reports]

The Shield was seriously underrated. One of my favorite shows ever and Anthony Anderson absolutely kills it.

[Archive_Reports]

Just started Season 3 this evening. The first episode and you can already tell that everything is simmering and getting ready to blow

That part when Spoiler: Vic is asking Aceveda for the $100,000 so he can set up the gun buy sting and Aceveda says to him "File the requisite paperwork and wait the two days for the cash. Or...just stop by an ATM" had me like 'ohhhhhhhhh shiiiiiiiiiiit...' Fucking brilliant.

For anyone who has seen this series, on a scale of 1 - 10 (with 10 being the highest), how insane is this season going to get?

The overall tension of The Shield ramps up through the entire series. If memory serves me correctly, the end of season three is where things start to just go nuts.

[theruiner]

Just finished episodes three and four of Season Three. Ho...ly...shit. I did not see that coming at all

You're saying holy shit NOW? Just wait 'till you get to season 5...

Also, regarding your question about season 3 on a scale of 1-10, I would say it was a 6. I don't think the fireworks REALLY started until season 4.

[Space Suicide]

Spoiler: Aceveda's oral rape scene was always kinda...offputting. No clue why that made him a sexual deviant afterwards. Guess it excited him post traumatically?

[bruised]

This is one of the best shows ever made, top 5 without question. IMO of course... I really need to watch it again now that I have the box set.

[Archive_Reports]

Season 5 gets beyond tense and I'm not ashamed to admit I teared up more than once.

[theruiner]

I maintain that season 5 is the best season of dramatic television I have ever seen from any show. It is phenomenal.

[Prettybrokenspiral]

I'm mid-way through Season 5 now and Spoiler: Claudette just took a header down the stairs of the Barn.

I've never been a big Forest Whitaker fan, but he's been phenomenal this season. That part when he flips out in his motel room is the perfect ending to that episode.

You guys didn't tell me Laura Herring had a major role in this season. She's as smoking hot as ever, even as a razor-sharp lawyer.

I'm aware that Spoiler: someone is going to die by the end of this season. Can't tell if it's going to be Shane, Lem or Claudette. I'm hoping it's a surprise I don't see coming.

[kdrcraig]

You won't see it coming until right before it happens. It's fucked

[Space Suicide]

I'm aware that Spoiler: someone is going to die by the end of this season. Can't tell if it's going to be Shane, Lem or Claudette. I'm hoping it's a surprise I don't see coming.

Le sigh, you're right.

[Tumnayar]

My all-time favorite show, I miss it!

[theruiner]

Jesus...just watched the episode where Spoiler: Cavanaugh finally arrests Lem formally. Holy shit, this is getting intense! So much fucking treacherous shit going on amongst these people. Spoiler: Right after Lem got done saving his ass from that grenade, too. What a dick move on Cavanaugh's part. And what the fuck is going on with his crazy ex-wife?!

I've only got three episodes left in Season 5. Probably watch the next two later this evening and save the finale for tomorrow

Season 5 also ends on the best cliffhanger EVER. The last line of the season will haunt you.

Actually, the whole final episode will haunt you. My brother had a friend who told him, "Hey, thanks a lot for getting me into this damn show. I watched that last episode (of season 5) on my birthday and it ruined my whole day." ha ha

Don't forget there's a mini episode to watch after you finish 5 (should be in the extras menu on that same disc) that bridges the gap between seasons 5 and 6.

I can't wait to read your reaction after you watch the season finale. You're going to lose your shit.

[theruiner]

Have some tissues ready. Good luck.

[howdidislipinto]

Didn't even know there was a Shield thread here, and so exciting to read about someone going through it for the first time. Holy shit was this series an intense, roller coaster of a journey, and at times it felt like I was going through it all alone -- not many people I knew watched, and it was before all our social networks.

What a perfect show.

[theruiner]

Just finished Season 6

Goddamn, this show was amazing. It's easy to see why @theruiner was marveling at the level this show reached; it really is something else entirely.

I'm really glad you're enjoying it! I've never seen a show that intense. After it was over I thought I might be ruined for dramatic shows forever because I just couldn't see anything topping it. And nothing has but a few have come close ("Breaking Bad" was almost as good as "The Shield.")

So, two things about the last season: episode 8 might give you a heart attack (definitely in my top three favorite episodes of the series) and the series finale is phenomenal. Probably my second favorite episode of the entire series behind only the season finale of 5. I remember my jaw hanging open during one scene.

I wish I could erase my memory and watch it again for the first time because it was an amazing ride.

Also, I loved "Oz" when I was younger but haven't seen it since I was a teenager. I maintain that Schillinger is the scariest and most evil villain I have ever seen on any show. He makes Gus from "Breaking Bad" look like a Disney character. For years I could not see J.K. Simmons in any other role because to me he was always still Schillinger. I probably would have crossed the street had I seen him (half joking about that). He was that scary. Such an amazing performance.

[theruiner]

Can I make a suggestion to help ease the pain of "The Shield" ending?

"The Americans," dude. I recommend it to anyone who likes "The Shield" and/or "Breaking Bad." I think all three of those shows are in the same wheelhouse.

It's not as good as those two but it's amazing in its own right. It fills the void those others left when they ended. Overall it doesn't quite reach the intensity level of those shows (though it is very intense) but the end of season 3 is, in my opinion, more intense than anything in "The Shield." "The Shield" is more intense overall, don't get me wrong, but I'd put that scene up against anything on "The Shield" or "Breaking Bad."

The first three seasons are on Amazon Prime if you have that. It's slow but stick with it because it is very rewarding.

[Space Suicide]

Can I make a suggestion to help ease the pain of "The Shield" ending?

"The Americans," dude. I recommend it to anyone who likes "The Shield" and/or "Breaking Bad." I think all three of those shows are in the same wheelhouse.

It's not as good as those two but it's amazing in its own right. It fills the void those others left when they ended. Overall it doesn't quite reach the intensity level of those shows (though it is very intense) but the end of season 3 is, in my opinion, more intense than anything in "The Shield." "The Shield" is more intense overall, don't get me wrong, but I'd put that scene up against anything on "The Shield" or "Breaking Bad."

The first three seasons are on Amazon Prime if you have that. It's slow but stick with it because it is very rewarding.

I bought season 1 of The Americans on blu ray back in 2014. I haven't watched it yet. I had every intent to but things tied me up and when both seasons 2 and 3 were released on DVD ONLY I got pissed off and put it off further. I'll suck it up and buy them for mismatched sets like my monstrously odd Sunny in Philadelphia sets (1-4 DVD, 5-8 blu Ray, 9-10 on DVD due to the same bs like Americans). But glad to derail the thread and know I knew I was right in buying the first season a long ass time ago. I look forward to it. I made a thread for it on here ages ago and no one ever posted. Where were ya? Haha

[theruiner]

I made a thread for it on here ages ago and no one ever posted. Where were ya? Haha

Oh man, I would love to talk about this show with someone. The only one I know who watches it is my brother and we don't get a chance to talk much. If you both jump in I would love to resurrect that thread.

[Archive_Reports]

I started The Americans but it just didn't hook me. I think I made it through four episodes? Maybe I'll have to give it another whirl.

[kdrcraig]

Yep that part with the recorder is one of the most intense scenes I've ever watched. You're making me want to re-watch this big time.

[theruiner]

@NYRexall - Just wait until the finale...