`The Shield': a show ready to explode

**shadowdancer** · 9th January 2006

Season 5 starting tomorrow night! (on FX channel in the US, available at all good outlets the day after

)

and possibly the end of Vic and the show ?

lets hope not though.

`The Shield': a show ready to explode
By Charlie McCollum
Mercury News

Are we heading for a final showdown on ``The Shield,'' FX's combustible cop drama?

A decision hasn't been made, but it's sure starting to look that way. When the series, one of TV's best, returns this Tuesday (10 p.m., FX), it will be the opening salvo of 21 episodes that could lead to the finish (one way or the other) of renegade cop Vic Mackey and his morally ambivalent gang of fellow detectives. (Eleven of the installments will be shown over the next three months; the remaining 10 will arrive early next year.)

Certainly, the first episodes of what will be the show's fifth season have the look of a closing chapter.

That's largely because of the imposing presence of Forest Whitaker (``Phone Booth'') as Lt. Jon Kavanaugh, an internal affairs officer who has Mackey (Michael Chiklis) in his cross hairs for killing a fellow cop back in the show's first episode. Kavanaugh even has strong-armed slick, politically astute David Aceveda (the very good Benito Martinez), the police captain-turned-politician, into helping him bring down Mackey and his Strike Team.

``I just want to get him off the street before he does any more damage. That's it,'' the sly Kavanaugh tells Aceveda at one point.

The faceoff between Mackey and Kavanaugh is the driving force of the new season (even though they don't meet until Episode 3), and Chiklis and Whitaker are terrific as the two opponents. (Chiklis' force-of-nature performance as Mackey is sure to go down as one of the best in TV history.)

But there are all manner of intriguing subplots swirling around the main event and -- as always -- the ensemble ``The Shield'' has developed over the years is superb, with particularly good turns by Emmy nominee CCH Pounder as good cop Claudette Wyms, Jay Karnes as her partner and Catherine Dent as a now-pregnant patrol officer.

If these are the last hours of ``The Shield,'' it looks as if the show will be going out in high style.

source:

**mcdee** · 9th January 2006

just watched season 1-2 again (xmas pressie) on dvd , magic

**Thrush** · 9th January 2006

The Shield is a fantastic series, especially the last one. I think it will be sad to end the series but Mackie's time is up the ball is really rolling for his demise.

I can't wait to watch episode one of this possibly last series.

I know it's gonna be a good one!

**jjatlas** · 11th January 2006

i spotted this was coming back earlier this week, ilkl be searching the usual places tommorrow morning brfore setting off to work !

21 episodes, somethings def up there as all previuos series have been 12/13

cant wait..

**Thrush** · 11th January 2006

Brilliant first episode.

I love this show.

**shadowdancer** · 11th January 2006

Originally Posted by jjatlas

21 episodes, somethings def up there as all previuos series have been 12/13
cant wait..

as the article says, 11 of them are screened over the next 3 months, the other 10 will be on next year
so its almost like 2 shorter seasons.

its short enough never mind chopping a few episodes off and waiting for another year, bet its a damn cliffhanger on the 11th episode too