"The Shield" (2002) TV series 2002-2008

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Creator:

Shawn Ryan

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

12 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Conscience is a killer

Plot:

The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren't above breaking...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Death | Bar | Criminal Investigation | Shoot

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 10 wins & 39 nominations

Cast

Michael Chiklis	...	Detective Vic Mackey (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Catherine Dent	...	Officer Danni Sofer (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Walton Goggins	...	Detective Shane Vendrell (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Michael Jace	...	Officer Julien Lowe / ... (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Jay Karnes	...	Detective Holland Wagenbach / ... (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Benito Martinez	...	Captain David Aceveda / ... (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
CCH Pounder	...	Detective Claudette Wyms / ... (89 episodes, 2002-2008)
Cathy Cahlin Ryan	...	Corrine Mackey (83 episodes, 2002-2008)
David Rees Snell	...	Detective Ronnie Gardocki / ... (83 episodes, 2002-2008)
Kenny Johnson	...	Detective Curtis Lemansky (66 episodes, 2002-2007)
David Marciano	...	Detective Steve Billings / ... (42 episodes, 2005-2008)

Also Known As:

Rampart (USA) (working title)
The Barn (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) | Germany:18 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Hungary:16 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 (most episodes) | UK:18 (some episodes) | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-18 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | New Zealand:R16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:M18 | USA:TV-MA

Filming Locations:

ABC Television Center - 4151 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox Television Network

Trivia:

The Barn is a deconsecrated church.

Quotes:

Claudette Wyms: You gonna be able to handle him?
Vic Mackey: Oh, yeah. I'll make him sing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Blackout - Die Erinnerung ist tödlich" (2006)

Amazing

I began watching "The Shield" mostly because of a coincidence. The Swedish movie channel "Canal+" usually rerun their shows 2-3 episodes at a time on Sundays. And it was one of those times, a Sunday with heavy snowfall and nothing to do, that i sat down and watched three episodes in a row. And instantly i was hooked.

The thing that surprised me most about "The Shield" is the way that it's hugely exaggerated while at the same time feeling very realistic. The documentary style in which the series is filmed, as well as the solid acting of course contributes to this feeling. And to me it feels like a series that manages to seem realistic, no matter how unrealistic the events in the plot, is truly great TV. That it doesn't shun away from harsh themes or sensitive and sometimes even grotesque subjects only increases my respect for the script-writers and makers of this show.

The characters are also mostly very interesting. I have already mentioned the actors, and i must stress again how well the casting is done here. This also adds to the characters that are portrayed admirably throughout.

And one thing i know for certain. Watching Vic Mackey and the other more or less corrupt cops in "The Barn" balancing on the border (and sometimes slipping across it) has made shows like NYPD Blue feeling forever redundant. This is THE cop show to watch.