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Shield Reviewer's Blog
"Episode 6 - Chasing Ghosts"
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May 13th, 2007 by Mike Wilkerson -
Reviewing The Shield: Season 6
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I have been a devoted
fan of “The Shield” since I stumbled over it, literally, while
looking for an encore presentation of “24″ now 6 years ago.
It
was something that I have been watching on and off for the first
year, and during it’s second year, I have the privilege of moving to
my current new home, where I had a new satellite system installed,
which availed the power of DVR (digital video recording, originally
the “DISH” kind, then Tivo, and now with HD, DirecTV’s version) which
enabled me to record whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and to be
able to watch it anytime I wanted. Ahh, the power of technology.
Since
then, the 10 season episodes of “The Shield” have done nothing but
challenge every boundary, stretch every “hallmark hallway”, stir the
feelings of viewers of all kinds (including my wife, my father, my
in-laws - hell, anyone that I can infect) with story tracks that
challenge any modern-day rollercoaster, and simply bring the biggest,
baddest and most curiously-talented and twisted actors into a light
that simply cannot be matched.
While
I talk about the infection of The Shield onto my family, it’s
strange, because the Strike Team that appears inside The Shield (led
by series star and Emmy-award Winner, Michael Chiklis) also provides
what is the foundation strings of a family that will do, not do, say,
and not say anything so that the good of the many outweigh the good
of the one (strange how all things good somehow stretch to that STAR
TREK-inspired saying). The Team is the family, and like a gold-badge-emblazened
family of mafia brothers, The Strike Team has dodged every bullet
imaginable - literally.
When
you mix in the stories of a twisted political councilman, the stories
of cops and detectives that have been on and around the same people
for so long they can almost have complete conversations for you solo,
along with a completely-against-time/commercial break/formula show,
it is hard to deny that The Shield holds the virtual television show
championship belt, with no sign of being conquered.
Case in point: Lem, a
longtime Strike Team family member, was killed — by a grenade at the
end of last season — by one of the other family members because that
member thought that Lem was going to snitch on The Team and send them
all up the river, thereby destroying not only The Strike Team family,
but also everyone’s “other”, real family. Shane has been dealing with
that truth for the last 5 episodes and in this episode seems to have
come to grips after confessing his true familial divorce to his wife
who is 4 months pregnant. While this may seem the “most important”
piece and storyline inside of this episode, it’s not. The Shield is
able to weave a vast, entertaining and character/series lore-laden
pattern that is just so completely engaging, that I have often hoped
that The Shield writers would have some tea & crumpets with the “24″
writers in an effort to spill some of their talent and ideas on them
for next year’s Season Seven that simply needs to not suck.
While
it would take much longer to detail other lines inside of tonite’s
episode, it’s easier to fast-forward to the last 12 minutes of the
episode. Here, we find that after reading a report that has finally
been processed, Chiklis’ character, The Strike Team’s patriarch, Vic
Mackey suddenly realizes that Shane, his career long partner in
(often literal) crime KILLED/EVISCERATED/BLEW UP LEM WITH A GODDAMN
GRENADE.
Fans
of the show have been envisioning this confrontation for months, and
NEVER in a million years would I have thought the scene would come to
the satisfying, relationship-altering, crying but-not-sure why
showcase of power, passion and verbal pugilism that is thrust forward
from Vic and Shane. It is moving, it is haunting, and it IS one of
the most powerful silent modern Shakespearean featurettes inside a
series I have ever seen. If you have to see one series this season,
and have to kill interest in another, The Shield is that series.
As I
wipe a tear that stirs from the remainder of what I’ve just seen in
tonite’s episode, the corners of my mouth turn upward with thought of
a grand announcement that I want to share with everyone.
Shane is innocent - I killed Lem with the grenade.
Just
kidding - nothing nearly that dramatic, but very exciting!
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BLOG, OVERCAST &
PODCAST ARCHIVE
Season 6 Episode 1:
On the Jones --
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Blog - Overcast - Podcast
Season 6 Episode
2:
Baptism by Fire --
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Season 6 Episode
3:
Back to One --
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Season 6 Episode
4:
The New Guy --
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Season 6 Episode
4:
Haunts --
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Season 6 Episode
5:
Chasing Ghosts --
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Blog - Overcast
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Season 6 Episode
6:
Chasing Ghosts --
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Blog - Overcast
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Season 6 Episode
5:
Chasing Ghosts --
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