Letters to the Editor
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The War on Drugs is very entertaining on TV
I guess that's one reason why Americans tolerate all of this corruption and violence and mass incarceration in real life -- because it plays really well on TV.
Hey, it plays really well in gangster rap too. We are the Gangster Nation and we are well entertained.
You know, people say that the War on Alcohol was useless, but that also gave us great entertainment in the form of gangster movies, and even beloved comedies like "Some Like It Hot."
When you watch that movie and have a good time, then it's like you're making sure that all of those gangsters and policemen back in the 1920s sacrificed their lives for SOMETHING.
It's a good feeling all around.
I think "Some LIke It Hot" proves that the War on Alcohol did accomplish something in the end, besides just creating and feeding a wealthy, violent, misogynist gangster culture.
And the same goes for "The Shield."
The War on Drugs might be endless, but at least we'll be endlessly entertained.
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I’m somewhat astounded by this is a rather fawning review
of a cop show whose plot lines consistently glorify extra-judicial violence, meted out with hackneyed and predictable “thin blue line” rationalizations, and offered up with all of the emotional intelligence of either, a. a badly scripted soap opera or, b. the Bush administration. I would suggest that anyone inclined to publicly laud this cop porn might consider reading Bob Herbert’s recent NYT columns about the spate of NYPD assaults on students (and teachers) in that city’s public schools. The only discernable message of The Shield’s infantile morality play would seem to be that the ends always justify the means, and if yee-haw police brutality happens to predominate in the process, so be it. Just so long as loyalty prevails.
I’ll confess that I’ve watched the Shield. But then again, I’ve also eaten at McDonald’s, and I’m none the better for it.
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It's Not T.V. It's FX
The anonymous first poster makes an excellent point. He/she is the Mackey of this thread. TomReedToon is the Shane. Having said that, THE SHIELD had another great season. It doesn't have the production values of THE WIRE or THE SOPRANOS, but it's clearly in their league. Since HBO is ending most of it's top shows, FX is the new king of T.V., even with the commercial interruptions. Now we have another season of RESCUE ME to look forward to, which is almost certainly going to be better than JOHN IN CINCINNATI.
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Thanks for sharing!
"I’m somewhat astounded by this is a rather fawning review
of a cop show whose plot lines consistently glorify extra-judicial violence, meted out with hackneyed and predictable “thin blue line” rationalizations, and offered up with all of the emotional intelligence of either, a. a badly scripted soap opera or, b. the Bush administration. I would suggest that anyone inclined to publicly laud this cop porn might consider reading Bob Herbert’s recent NYT columns about the spate of NYPD assaults on students (and teachers) in that city’s public schools. The only discernable message of The Shield’s infantile morality play would seem to be that the ends always justify the means, and if yee-haw police brutality happens to predominate in the process, so be it. Just so long as loyalty prevails.
I’ll confess that I’ve watched the Shield. But then again, I’ve also eaten at McDonald’s, and I’m none the better for it."
zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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War on Drugs?
I don't think the Shield comes across as pro-war on drugs at all? How are you reading that? I'm seriously just curious, not trying to flame you or anything.
In other news, give Goggins the damn supporting actor Emmy please.
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C'mon - it's fine entertainment - leave it at that
The Shield is one of the finer examples of well-written, well-acted commercial television. The actors, most of who were relative or complete unknowns prior to this series, have grown nicely into their characters and the show's producers/directors manage to keep a number of twisting story lines going with a deft touch. The show features a fresh take on the jerky, hyperactive visual style first seen on NYPD Blue, has an excellent soundtrack, and, as the review points out, keeps you engaged despite knowing Vic will prevail somehow.
It's entertainment – that's all. It's not a political statement. Take it for what it is. And FWIW, comparing The Shield to McDonalds is a very bad analogy. If you need to liken it to another guilty pleasure, at least give the show the proper credit and compare it to a chunk of Godiva chocolate.
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Lousy finale
Yeah it was exciting, but come on! Vic abandons his Review Board hearing and then -- voila! -- finds a guy driving around with all the evidence he's been looking for, all packed neatly in his trunk. Cross-referenced and color-coded too, no doubt. The only thing more unrealistic would have been a neon sign.
And as I watched Shane walk away from hysterical Corinne and Cassie locked in that trailer, all I could think of was a certain classic Western movie.
"Shane! Shane! Come back, Shane!"
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Say What Ya Want...
...if I'm in a foxhole and the shells are raining down around me, I want Vic Mackey in the foxhole next to me. Period.
That, my friends, is Vic's appeal as a character and a role.
Anyone who reads and understands the "extrajudicial" history of the US government and all of its initiatives (including its war on rugs, thugs and drugs) knows full well how amoral public service in the trenches can be. Vic Mackey consistently looks to wring the American Dream out of a wasteland of disillusionment and broken promises. He gets his for his family, for himself, and for the rest of us in about the same order we all do. Sometimes we become narcissistic or egocentric in our pursuits, but, in the main, we're out here trying to do the deal -- just like Vic.
The Sopranos often bored me. The Shield almost never has. The Wire (I only saw the first two seasons) was good in season 1, but season 2 went into outer space. But if it's as good as ya'all say it is, I'll get the rest of season 2 and season 3 at the video store and get down to bidness. It's another year before I can get my Vic-fix.