The Shield - worth all 7 seasons?

IvaBigWun

Started watching this a few weeks ago and its definitely got some great characters to keep you coming back. There's Vic of course, Shane and the main reason I kept watching: the great character of Dutch.

Im only watched upto season 2, episode 3 and Im wondering: does it stay with the gangs as the main source of stories for all 7 seasons? I dont think I'll stay with it if so as the best plotline for me from season one was Dutch

outsmarting the serial killer

. Thats how I like my cop dramas, with a bit of psychology to them

Are you a fan of the Shield? Is it worth sticking with? So far its a good show Im hoping becomes great.

Note: Ive only seen upto season 2, episode 3, please use spoiler tags

ancapailldorcha

Yes. It's the single best police show ever made in my opinion (I see the Wire as being more than a police show before anyone has a pop).

pm1977x

It does become great, some incredible scenes/episodes/dilemnas and well worth sticking with

Mr E

7 Seasons.

http://www.epguides.com/shield

Yes, absolutely worth it. Fantastic show.

IvaBigWun

Mr E wrote: »

7 Seasons.

http://www.epguides.com/shield

Yes, absolutely worth it. Fantastic show.

Oops

Fixed

TwoShedsJackson

Yes, keep watching it. One of the rare shows that generally gets better as it goes on, and has a fantastic final season and ending.

No Pants

No NYPD Blue, but worth watching it all.

IvaBigWun

And there's more variety to it than gang stories? Im hoping they stop being a focus of the show, thats all been seen before

TwoShedsJackson

IvaBigWun wrote: »

And there's more variety to it than gang stories? Im hoping they stop being a focus of the show, thats all been seen before

The Shield was one of the first shows to do it properly though - it did start airing over ten years ago.

Gang-related stories come up in it regularly, but not exclusively - they are an important part of it though, due to the '****hole in LA' setting.

You could try Southland if you want less gangs but you're going to get them in just about any US cop show.

seiphil

Worth sticking with. Enjoyed all 7 seasons.

DarkJager

One of my favorite tv shows ever made, the last season is incredible. I envy you watching it now, if I could erase it from memory and watch from the start again I would

wandatowell

I started watching The Shield a few years ago. Was blown away and still am. On my third rewatch.

Its not just the main story (the Vic Mackey situations) that's great its the other detectives/police officers' stories are fascinating too.

ixoy

Absolutely worth watching. I watch a lot of TV and this is well in my Top 10. It's one of the best cop shows of all time alongside "The Shield" (excluding "The Wire" because it's not really a cop show). Fantastic performances, great characters and some real edge-of-the-seat moments.

Also worth noting that it ends strongly. It never drops in quality (unlike many shows) and ends on a cracking finale. Only one other show accomplished that IMO and that finished on Sunday.

_Kaiser_

One of THE best shows I've ever watched. Grabs you from the very first episode until the finalé

Some great secondary characters outside of the Strike Team and excellent season-long guest stars. Gets even better as it goes along.

I've watched it 3 times end-to-end so far and it still has the same effect on me.

Definitely stick with it OP

_Kaiser_

Just to add as well OP, if it's Dutch and Claudette that you enjoy they too get better as the season progress.

Skerries

3 words: Don't Stop Watching!

princemuzzy

in a word yes

Basq

I'm on a similar area of the series to you OP..

.. picked up the boxset off HMV a few years ago for €35 or €40 and just haven't got around to finishing it.

(same with 'The Wire'! )

TheDoc

Is in my top five TV shows of all time, and I've seen them all. I don't think there is a show that really captures the protagonist essentially being a bad guy, but understanding the reasons why and making you question yourself so much and your moral compass. The likes of Breaking Bad doesn't come close in regards to the main lead, essentially being a bad guy as to Vic Mackey in the Shield.

Alot of people forget it, based on the camera shooting styles, but The Shield was out before The Wire, and in many cases broke the standard for what was expected from a TV series around cops.

The creator Shawn Ryan has done some fantastic work elsewhere btw, if you enjoy The Shield, The Unit is well worth a watch too.

Skerries

The Unit was good alright till it jumped the shark with later stories such as trying to find the Spear of Longinus!

Decuc500

TheDoc wrote: »

The creator Shawn Ryan has done some fantastic work elsewhere btw, if you enjoy The Shield, The Unit is well worth a watch too.

I loved The Unit. Some of the episodes written by David Mamet were fantastic.

Potatoeman

I must go back and watch it. I got up to season 4. Southland is my favourite though.

frag420

I only got to season five the first time I watched it. Started again from the beginning two weeks ago and started season 6 last night. Its TV gold. The end of season 5 is unreal!!

STICK WITH IT!!

I can't recommend The Shield highly enough as a show to start watching in the aftermath of Breaking Bad. One of the best final seasons and series finales I have seen and in my opinion there isn't one lackluster season out of the seven. To put my recommendation into context, my other favourite shows are The Sopranos, Oz, Deadwood, The West Wing and Breaking Bad. I myself haven't seen beyond the 1st season of The Wire, that's next up for me.

frag420

frag420 wrote: »

I only got to season five the first time I watched it. Started again from the beginning two weeks ago and started season 6 last night. Its TV gold. The end of season 5 is unreal!!

STICK WITH IT!!

Shield pre-season 6 spoiler....

Isn't that thing that happens at the end of season 5 one the most WTF moments you've ever seen in a show??

frag420

stankratz wrote: »

Shield pre-season 6 spoiler....

Isn't that thing that happens at the end of season 5 one the most WTF moments you've ever seen in a show??

It was fooking bad bro!!

Right up there with Janes death in Breaking Bad and Omar in The Wire. But out of them all it was the worst as Curtis was a decent guy in my opinion and was willing to take the hit for the good of the team

. If you watch Sons of Anarchy there is a great scene in it with Kenny Johnston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkCAYkAGRLI

Mod: Youtube clip changed to link due to massive SOA spoiler in title.

gimmick

Might want to mark the spoilers from other TV shows there ffs!

RE The Shield - absolutely loved it. The pace of it is incredible. Some great characters throughout and some great story arcs.

Season 7 spoiler

the confession scene. Must have rewatched it 10 times. Its just perfect.

Zero-Cool

My favourite TV show of all time! Also my favourite ending to a show ever followed closely by 6 Feet Under, followed closely by Sopranons (joke )

frag420

frag420 wrote: »

It was fooking bad bro!!

Right up there with Janes death in Breaking Bad and Omar in The Wire. But out of them all it was the worst as Curtis was a decent guy in my opinion and was willing to take the hit for the good of the team

. If you watch Sons of Anarchy there is a great scene in it with Kenny Johnston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkCAYkAGRLI

Mod: Youtube clip changed to link due to massive SOA spoiler in title.

You just spoiled The Wire for me, have you seen the 6th Sense by any chance?? SOA spoiler

Kenny Johnston was wasted in that show I felt, what an actor, it seems they just didn't know what to do with him beyond 'Hey there's that dude from The Shield' familiarity

gimmick wrote: »

Might want to mark the spoilers from other TV shows there ffs!

RE The Shield - absolutely loved it. The pace of it is incredible. Some great characters throughout and some great story arcs.

Season 7 spoiler

the confession scene. Must have rewatched it 10 times. Its just perfect.

That was an unreal scene and a serious pay-off for long time fans of the show...

Poor Ronnie though

TwoShedsJackson

gimmick wrote: »

Might want to mark the spoilers from other TV shows there ffs!

RE The Shield - absolutely loved it. The pace of it is incredible. Some great characters throughout and some great story arcs.

Season 7 spoiler

the confession scene. Must have rewatched it 10 times. Its just perfect.

Have to agree, that was one of the greatest scenes ever. There's about 40 excruciating seconds of

the camera on Vic before he even starts his confession

No Pants

Does anyone remember Homicide: Life on the Street?

Riskymove

No Pants wrote: »

Does anyone remember Homicide: Life on the Street?

great show

precurser for The Wire really

Kirby

Fabulous show. Stick with it.

No Pants

For me, the main message that I took away from the Shield was

that they could be really good cops when (a) they wanted to be and (b) they were let. They just had to spend so much time covering their tracks.

IvaBigWun

I'm up as far as "Co-Pilot", a clever origins story and funny to see Vic in a suit!

It's a shame it's not on Netflix yet as I'm on the tablet here and I need another fix. Will definitely finish off season 2 over the weekend

frag420

five eps left in S7

its kiss my ass time.........

Awesome tv!!

IvaBigWun

Finished season 2 and I was expecting a bigger finale with the

money train.

Some of the acting isnt great, Eg; Vic's wife is terrible and Aceveda

winning the election

just wasnt believable. How did he find the time to do that

and run the Farm

?

That said, its decent TV with one or two great characters and its filling the post Breaking Bad gap nicely

frag420

JUst watched the last five eps of S7......

Great ending to the show, could not have been better. Some scenes were heartbreaking I must say. OP its def worth going to the end......

NOw time to watch..............Sopranos!!

frAg

Kirby

frag420 wrote: »

JUst watched the last five eps of S7......

Great ending to the show, could not have been better. Some scenes were heartbreaking I must say. OP its def worth going to the end......

NOw time to watch..............Sopranos!!

frAg

Say it softly, but in a lot of ways I think the shield is a better show.

frag420

Kirby wrote: »

Say it softly, but in a lot of ways I think the shield is a better show.

I will get back to you on that in about a month once I get through Sopranos

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

3 years later I'm still getting night terrors thinking about poor Ronnie.

gimmick

Shield series 1-7 spoiler

Yup. For a few days after watching was almost in a daze, feeling absolutely rotten for him. A fictional character

I also read an accidental spoiler long ago about the murder suicide. Gladly I wasn't sure who it was going to be right until the last series. I thought it would have been Vic until then.

Shanes story after he "turns" is brilliant. It just goes so utterly wrong for him

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

An entertaining clusterfuck is the best way to describe the series imo.

PLUG71

Loved all sevev seasons and have watched all seven seans three times:D.

It never gets boring and you allways see parts you missed!

Watch all 7, you wont regret it.

dave1982

From the very very 1st episode they set it up vick would either end up in prison or Dead.I didn't see it ending the way it did great ending probably one the best ever

I read some where that the writer decided to use as little background music as possible instaed have police radios and people talking even silence to have more of a effect and it works.

TwoShedsJackson

dave1982 wrote: »

I read some where that the writer decided to use as little background music as possible instaed have police radios and people talking even silence to have more of a effect and it works.

They did that in The Wire too, called Diegetic music, no music on the soundtrack, just any that occurs naturally in the scene (in a bar, at a party etc.).

_Kaiser_

I feel a 4th viewing of the series coming on after this thread

Dermighty

Shane kills Lem

at some stage, up to that point it's good, after than it goes downhill.

Mod: ^^ Massive spoiler if you haven't watched it.

Zero-Cool

Ah spoiler that man!

Capajoma

Forest Whitaker was brilliant in this, great show, great finale.

IvaBigWun

Dermighty; cheers for posting that :rolleyes:

Thanks to Mr E for somewhat salvaging it, but the character's name should have been spoilered too. Its not like Im going to think that Dermighty was talking about this character going out to the shops to get milk.