"The Shield" Season 2 -- General Discussion for ALL Episodes (1 Viewer)

[Matt Pasant]

"Day One"

-- So this episode somewhat confused me. The Strike Team and Farmington Hills division was not open all that long prior to the first episode. Is that what we take from this? A couple months or so prior to the first episode maybe? I always had the impression that the team had been together at least a year or so, if not more.

Nice touch to see Vic Mackey pre Strike Team, along with Shane in a suit. They looked so uncomfortable and insecure.

It was nice to see some familiar faces. Asst. Chief Ben Gilroy. I always liked John Diehl. And to see Tom Gordon (was it?) the Detective that worked with Wagenbach and Wymms that we heard a little about last season.

I hope this episode though doesnt interupt the arc that they were working on. Or are they perhaps going to start up a new one.

-- Matt

 

[Rhett_Y]

From the looks of the trailer for next weeks episode, I don't think it will be interupted at all....Mack is still in deep crap, and from what I could see, it looks like "The Chief" is back and is trying to take Mack down along with the whole station. It also looks like our civilian "woman" is going to be causing a little more problems for the group too....

This could ge very intersting..................Like I said before, Tuesday's can't come soon enough...

R~

 

[Quentin]

I'm about as big a fan of "The Shield" as they come. I say you'd be hard pressed to even find a mediocre episode in all the episodes prior to "Day One", let alone a bad one.

But, "Day One" was a MASSIVE mistake, and a poor episode.

Why do the writers/creators feel the need to paint Mackey as a good cop turned bad by the system??! The whole episode was garbage and undermined the Mackey we've come to know through these past episodes. Have some balls and stick to your guns. Mackey does what he does the WAY he does because that's how HE thinks it has to be done to be effective. He pads the "retirement fund" because he can and because he thinks he deserves a piece for putting his ass on the line.

I will choose to erase "Day One" from my memory and give the writers a mulligan because of all the good episodes they've come up with...I just hope this new PC trend does not continue...

 

[Michael Reuben]

Why do the writers/creators feel the need to paint Mackey as a good cop turned bad by the system??!

I didn't see it as Mackey being turned "by the system". I saw it as the moment when Mackey lost whatever qualms or inhibitions he may have had about doing things his way and making up the rules to suit his sense of right and wrong. You could see the sense of wonderment on Mackey's face as he realized how "easy" it is to toss out the official rulebook.

There's a strong indication of Mackey's being a problem cop long before he gets the strike team position. Indeed, that's why he has to pull in a favor from the assistant chief to get the job in the first place. I saw nothing to indicate that he had been a "good cop" up until that moment.

M.

 

[Quentin]

It seemed to me that he and the rest of the team (except maybe Shane ) were VERY reluctant to break the rules and plant evidence to get the early collar. But, it was either that or lose the strike team job and go back to their old positions.
Also, he was far too bothered by his hooker friend/informant getting banged up. I could understand why he felt bad when she got shot a few episodes back, but this early look at him made no sense.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The rest of the strike team does tend to lag behind Vic and Shane when it comes to breaking the rules (we saw that just recently with the "money train"). To the extent Vic was reluctant to plant the evidence, I didn't take that as a moral hesitation, just a concern about whether he could get away with it. (This is, after all, a department that has had its share of scandals over such issues.) Once he discovered, on "day one", just how easily he can get away with it, Vic slipped past the last restraint holding him back.

Also, he was far too bothered by his hooker friend/informant getting banged up. I could understand why he felt bad when she got shot a few episodes back, but this early look at him made no sense.

We still don't know how they met, but they obviously have known each other since before "day one". Vic has always had a funny soft spot for her, and this episode was no different.

M.

 

[LennyP]

I was so glad to see Connie again and overall this was an excellent prequel, setting up what we already know will happen, winking upon itself, I liked it a lot.
And it was the perfect place to put a flashback episode in the series as a major story arc was over in the previous ep with Armadillo. The last 4 eps should be intense and interconnected again.

 

[Everlasting Gobstopper]

Tom Gordon (was it?) the Detective that worked with Wagenbach and Wymms that we heard a little about last season.

Did we? What did we hear about him, and do we know why he's now gone?

 

[Matt Pasant]

The rest of the strike team does tend to lag behind Vic and Shane when it comes to breaking the rules (we saw that just recently with the "money train").

I think Lemansky is coming around. And they still need to fill another slot due to Amadeos work.

-- Matt

 

[Michael Reuben]

And they still need to fill another slot due to Amadeos work.

They were careful to work in a reference to Ronnie being able to get skin grafts; so the door is open to his returning. But I doubt that he will (and I believe the actor, David Rees Snell, isn't listed as a regular cast member).

M.

 

[Wade_Kennerson]

I was also kind of disappointed in the "First Day" episode. For one, it really didn't show us anything new, aside from the senior detective and how he picked on Wagenbach. It was still a better episode than most other cop TV shows can muster.

Not that I care greatly, but did they really need to script in all the swearing in "Day One"? I am an adult and the show runs in an adult viewing timeslot, but hearing "shit" (i think there was even an "f" bomb)every other scene didn't enhance the story at all for me.

 

[Benson R]

Really? I didnt notice the use of the dreaded f and s words especially the f word. If they did more power to them. Its about time basic cable channels stopped bending to advertisers in regards to the airing of mature content outside the family hour.

 

[Ken Chan]

The swearing didn't seem excessive, like it sometimes is with Mamet or Tarantino, and I don't recall the f-word either.

What's ironic is that the bending of rules started because of the overly-political situation at The Barn. Mackey wants the job, so he has Gilroy cash in a favor. That works, but that means Aceveda is in charge. He distrusts Mackey, so he lets the guys out of the cage instead of sweating them. And so on.

//Ken

 

[JakeR]

God, is this the greatest show on television or what? After "Oz" jumped the shark two years ago, and with "The Sopranos" having a stuttered schedule, I've been starving for a truly adult-themed serial. I was worried the show wouldn't be able to maintain its momentum from last season, but it's actually improved upon it.

For the poster who regrets the revelation of Mackey's attitude: it had to start somewhere. There must have been a turning point in the Strike Team's history where a shortcut became the most appealing way to end a case.

And who's to say that was the first time Mackey did something amoral on the job? I would guess not, but it may have been the first time he had multiple accomplices. Something tells me he and Shane have taken the low road in the past.

It's too bad there are only four episodes left. I hope that FOX issues a Season 2 set at least a month before the premiere of #3. You need to give people a chance to catch up. I'm sure they lost viewers irritated by the fact that Season 1 saw a release on the same day as the #2 premiere.

 

[Jeremiah]

The Shield hasn't used the F word yet, they use S*** and A-Hole a lot though. Sorry but the F-Word has no business being on basic cable.

 

[LennyP]

Sorry but the F-Word has no business being on basic cable.

Sure it does, bring it on!

 

[Marque D]

It is getting a little predictable. You know he will be in some deep sh*t that could bring him down for good and it's just a matter of how the team is going to get off. But it's still my favorite show and that's all that counts. Best show on TV and I wish more people would watch. Few people think of watching a show on FX.

 

[Matt Pasant]

"COYOTES"

Overall, I thought this was a very good episode. Whats new though, this is the Shield after all and every episode is great.

I liked the internal conflict within Vic. Even though Ben Gilroy has gone out of his way to make Mackeys life hell for two seasons, Vic is still loyal to him. The touch about the payment in the subway was classic Mackey.

The Barn is going through its toughest time. I wonder if the loss of support from Claudette and Stoffer will continue to spread to the point where the strike team has alieneted the enite precient. Certainly appears that way.

Toguh scene to watch was the girl who wanted to abort her baby through violence and the pleas of Stoffer and Lowe trying to change her mind unsuccessfully.

I think the new addition to the Strike Team might be nice. It appears though from previews that Ronny might night like it all to much. But like Lemonhead said, the addition of a Tavon to the strike team could "open new avenues" for them. He seemed for real too, holding nothing back especially in interogation. We will cautious keep our eye on him.

I give this episode on a scale of 1 to 10 punching bags.... 8 punching bags.

-- Matt

 

[Wade_Kennerson]

Last night's episode was pretty good. Wyms strange connection to the dead old lady was a nice angle. And that junky that she arrested was downright freaky, very well shot in that abandoned building.

I also really enjoyed the city coucil meeting with the chief and Lanie. It was just nice to see her put in her place after the way she acts in the barn.

I am undecided on the new member for the strike team. He seems a little over the top, especially in the interrogation room scene. It also seemed strange that "Lemonhead" instantly thinks he is a good addition. For as big of a microscope that the strike team is under, I am surprised that any of them would be thrilled about a new member.

I am also glad to see that Ronnie is back next week.

 

[Tommy Ceez]

I also really enjoyed the city coucil meeting with the chief and Lanie.

That was an Internal LAPD meeting