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The Shield (2002)
Simply the BEST Cop Drama on television.
Seriously, I have never been so hooked on a show as much as this one! It's a wild roller-coaster ride, with so many surprises, twists and turns! Watch the very first episode and I promise you will keep coming back for more. I have all seasons on DVD, and many of my friends have also been addicted to the series after I introduced them to it.
What sets it apart from every other cop show is that there are no gimmicks here. Everything is shown in the most brutal and honest way possible. The characters get themselves into very dangerous situations, and you watch as they try everything they can to dig themselves out of it. Every episode, every season builds up and you find yourself closely attached to the characters. The drama is gritty, realistic and full of action.
So what's it all about? Let's get to it: The Shield follows the story of a corrupt anti-gang unit in the fictional Farmington District of Los Angeles. The concept of the show is loosely based on the infamous real-life LAPD scandal, where several members of the CRASH unit were found to have been knee-deep in illegal activities.
The main protagonist (or anti-hero) is Detective Vic Mackey, the ruthless yet effective leader of the Strike Team. Vic's team includes his best friend Shane Vendrell, and fellow officers Curtis (Lem) Lemansky, Ronnie Gardocki and the new guy Terry Crowley. The police precinct they work out of is known as 'The Barn'.
Vic and the Strike Team engage in all manners of heinous acts, as both a means to an end and a way to get money in their pockets. It's everything you would imagine corrupt cops doing and more. But the way the story is cleverly written, you actually end up rooting and cheering for them as they beat up rapists, frame murderers and plant evidence to exact their form of justice in the unforgiving neighborhood they work out of.
Besides the Strike Team, there's a load of other main characters: Police Captains, Detectives and Officers who are all trying to do things the right and honest way, yet their morals are constantly tested as well. The relationships, rivalries and chemistry between everyone in this show is flawless. Each person goes through some moral struggle, each person handles it differently. That's what The Shield is all about, how each character uses their 'shield' (badge) for either good or bad.
The episode formula is pretty basic: you got Vic and his team's major overlaying plot line, along with subplots that include the other Detectives and Officers solving crimes. It all connects and adds up as the cops, both corrupt and honest, either help each other or deceive and manipulate everything. It never gets old however; like I mentioned, it keeps building up to something bigger and better.
The story is a brilliant Shakespearean tragedy: you know what Vic and his guys do is wrong, but you know WHY they do it and you see the results pay off. As the corruption gets deeper and deeper, you're at the edge of your seats hoping they catch the bad guy and hoping they themselves don't get caught! Not to mention the camera-work is cleverly done documentary-style. You will feel like you're going along for the ride as you follow Detectives solving murders, Officers raiding houses, or engage in some Strike Team action!
Simply put, the show is awesome. It puts every other cop show to shame, and quite possibly every other TV show altogether. I haven't been able to watch anything the same way after i saw this series, it's just that good! It's such a shame the show is very underrated, almost unheard of! But if you give it a chance, it will stick with you for years after you see it, from the groundbreaking first episode to the critically-acclaimed final episode, and everything in between.