The Shield: Going Out in a Blaze of Glory and Gunfire

It' amazing to consider that when "The Shield" premiered on March 12, 2002, the FX network was only known for one flagship show: Howard Stern's "Son of the Beach". That show would be laid to rest on October of 2002, as the FX network was looking to expand it's original programming to include more action-oriented dramas that broke new ground. Since "The Shield" premiered back in 2002, FX then went on to produce the hits "Nip/Tuck", "Rescue Me" and "30 Days", the reality-documentary show that was created by the author of "Super Size Me", Morgan Spurlock.

From the day that "The Shield" premiered, controversy followed the series. Shawn Ryan, the show's creator, wanted to push the envelope of basic cable television to see what he could get away with. He used every possible profanity in the show's dialogue except the "F-word" and also was not shy about adding more blood and gore in one episode than "CSI" included in an entire season. But the FX network wanted this kind of controversy to help propel the FX name into the minds of the vast televison audience. The trick seemed to work, as "The Shield" garnered the best ratings that FX had ever seen, and the show would go on to help win emmys for guest-stars like Glenn Close. Forrest Whitaker also got rave reviews playing a detective hell-bent on getting Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) behind bars for all the criminal activities Mackey has been covering up over the years with his crew of tough and corrupt cops.

The series started out with a bang when Vic and his crew had to kill a police officer who they believed was going to turn evidence in against them. Vic set up a shoot-out in a drug raid so that it looked like the would-be stoolie was killed by a drug dealer, and not by Vic's 45 Colt. It only got more corrupt and bloody for the corrupt crew from there on in. There are many fine performances by actors like Walton Goggins who plays one of Vic's best friends in his crew,Shane Vendrell, but who now faces Vic's wrath because he killed a much-beloved friend and ally of Vic Mackey's, Curtis Lemansky (Kenny Johnson). Shane also believed that "Lem" would turn state's evidence against the team, which caused Shane to drop a hand grenade on his friend and blow him to smithereens. In a recent episode, Vic gets Shane to reveal his horrible deed and the friction between Vic and Shane is driving the sixth seaon of the series into overdrive. The viewer never knows if Vic will eventually murder Shane, or let Shane kill himself through his reckless and psychotic behavior.

CCH Pounder is doing some of the best acting of her career playing the role of Claudette Wyms, a very strong and willful detective on the LAPD, who was made captain of the department last season. She and Dutch (Jay Karnes) made a great detective team who investigated every murder and rape with a great humanity and emotion that the rest of the LAPD division on the show never dared to convey. Dutch is now teamed up with the ex-captain of the division, who is none too pleased by the demotion. Their chemistry together is akin to a Laurel and Hardy comedic coupling which results in some of the biggest laughs of the show, which is greatly needed now that the dark undertones of Vic's and Shane blood fuede gains momemtum.

There won't be another show like "The Shield" appearing on broadcast television any time soon, and that's a real shame, because network and broadcast tv executives need to pull in younger audiences who relish the violence of video games like "Grand Theft Auto 3" and movies like "Scarface". The only way to develop a true connection with the under-thirty crowd is to wow them with great action and a level of realism that every kid that's ever played the action-packed and gory "The Godfather" video game for XBOX 360 is accustomed to.

Let's hope creator Shawn Ryan has another great show in store for us after "The Shield" retires it's badge in 2008.