I'd rank them a little like this:
1) The Shield
2) The Sopranos
3) Prison Break
4) 24
5) CSI/Law & Order series.
Seriously, Michael Chiklis is one of the finest actors on TV and I've been watching him since the Commish days, but there he was a goody goody boring character, this show however, as I've said, it blows away all shows in comparison. No other cop show is as hard hitting as this one. Not a single one.
I hear people claiming Lost, Desperate Housewives & The O.C. to be the best shows on TV, then I can't help asking myself, don't you folks watch anything a little less hyped? What is Lost? Bullshit. I sat through an entire season just going "ok, what the fuck is that black cloud?" It's a pure waste of time, shit, they just keep on dragging & dragging the same shit. If you like Lost, you must love Invasion, same shit every other episode.
Desperate Housewives is funny, I'll give you that, but at the same time it's...not the best. Mediocre if anything.
The O.C. is a soap opera set at night, or better yet, Beverly Hills 90210 (which in all fairness was way better) with new cast members who dress a bit more fashionable. (Although 90210 was the fashion back then.)
Anyways, if you're into good quality shows, just pick up the first season of the Shield, if you aren't hooked on it after the 5th episode, you can come castrate me.
I'd like to think there is someone, anyone I can share this thread with.
The Shield - Season One:
1. Pilot
Detective Vic Mackey leads an aggressive Anti-Gang unit called the Strike Team. They are ramping up their control in the Farmington district, while Captain David Aceveda is working to eliminate corruption in the precinct. Aceveda assigns Detective Terry Crowley to investigate the Strike Team. Meanwhile, detectives, Dutch Wagenbach and Claudette Wyms, investigate a murder wherein a young girl was kidnapped by the victim's addict husband.
2. Our Gang
Internal Affairs investigates the shooting death of Det. Crowley, but Aceveda speaks starts his own investigation. Meanwhile, Claudette and Dutch investigate the shooting of a churro vendor that ends up in the Strike Team busting up a gang initiation.
3. The Spread
In a routine sweep to nab every outstanding suspect, the detectives divvy up the warrants. But when they cast their nets, they bring up far bigger fish than expected. Danny and Julien uncover a gun-smuggling operation; and Mackey and his team encounter a pro-basketball star who's in town to play the Lakers, when they bust in on drug dealers. Meanwhile, Claudette and Dutch try to catch a man who has been raping women in an attempt to procreate.
4. Dawg Days
Mackey attempts to broker a peace agreement between rival rappers whose feud is spilling into the streets. Danny is attacked after identifying a shooter, Julien helps a woman whose son's body has been stolen, and Dutch and Claudette search for a mission migrant worker. Meanwhile, Capt. Aceveda finds a powerful ally in "Kingmaker" Jorge Machado.
5. Blowback
David insists that Vic take uniformed cops in with them to bust an Armenian gang's drug delivery. After the bust, Julien sees the Team take a portion of the drugs for themselves. But in the end Shane ends up having the drugs and the vehicle they're in stolen from them. While the search for the drugs and the truck goes on, Mackey learns that his son is autistic.
6. Cherrypoppers
When the body of a young hooker is found in the district, Dutch and Claudette get the full resources of the Barn for 24 hours and the help of the FBI to search for Dutch's serial killer. Meanwhile, The Strike Force busts an underage prostitution ring, and Capt. Aceveda continues to investigate Mackey.
7. Pay in Pain
When Mackey and Vendrell hook up with a cop from another precinct to investigate the shooting, Vendrell sets off an explosive confrontation with a suspect by making a racial slur. And Mackey seldom a paragon of restraint defuses the situation. But before this tense hour is over, Mackey's complex relationship with Vendrell becomes even more complicated. Meanwhile, Dutch and Wyms search for a serial killer and bring in a psychic on a complaint from the son of one of her clients, and David calls internal affairs after getting Julien's affidavit.
8. Cupid & Psycho
Allegations against the Strike Team are front-page news, and the team is broken up pending the investigation. Mackey threatens to reveal that Officer Lowe is gay if he won't recant his statement about the Strike Team. In the meantime, Vic and Claudette find themselves following the trail of a batch of "cupid" meth, while Shane and Dutch try to get along on a case.
9. Throw Away
A planted gun in a truck-jacking case causes complications for the Strike Team, and now they're left to clean up their own mess. While the rift between Officers Lowe and Sofer deepens, causing Capt. Aceveda to intervene. Also, Detective Wyms deals with the mess of her family during a visit from her daughter.
10. Dragon Chasers
Mackey helps Connie quit using crack cold-turkey in her desperate attempt to keep her son, leaving Vendrell and Lemansky to investigate a strip-club mugging ring. Meanwhile, Dutch follows his instincts on a serial killer case and Danny is bitten by an HIV-infected perpetrator.
11. Carnivores
Mackey and the Strike Team mediate a dispute between Rondell Robinson and the Nation of Islam while Wagenbach and Wyms investigate a brutal home invasion in the tight lipped Korean community. Meanwhile, Aceveda revisits his past.
12. Two Days of Blood (1)
While Vic answers Assistant Chief Gilroy's call for help in covering up a hit and run before Dutch intuits the facts of the case, Shane and Lemonhead follow the trail of a gunrunner with a penchant for cockfights. Meanwhile, Aceveda turns to Claudette after a double homicide raises ire and fear within an ignored community.
13. Circles (2)
In the aftermath of a riot, cops are being lured into ambush shootings by a rash of bogus 911 calls. Surprisingly Mackey and Captain Aceveda must work together to stop these attacks and solve the problems in The Grove, while Assistant Chief Gilroy tries to pit the two against each other to save his own job.
The Shield - Season Two:
14. The Quick Fix
While Vic searches for his wife and children, the Strike Team allow more drugs into Farmington through a corrupt connection. But when their latest shipment turns bad, they head to Tijuana to uncover the person behind their poisoned cocaine. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette try to track down the man responsible for fire necklacing the captains of two separate gangs.
15. Dead Soldiers
As Vic gets closer to finding his family, the Strike Team focus their attention to Armadillo after he burns down Tio's HQ. Now Vic must prevent Claudette from finding out the truth about his connection to Tio and his men. Meanwhile, Dutch is followed around by the new civilian auditor to solve a meter-maid murder, and Danny and Julien try to clear up issues between feuding neighbors.
16. Partners
Still fuming from the death of Tio and his brawl with Armadillo, Vic takes a day off and leaves the Strike Team with Aceveda, only to end up helping an old partner bust the man who helped him lose his job. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette search to find the people behind the torture and mutilation of a woman who may still be alive, and Julien fails to back up Danny's side of the story from her shooting.
17. Carte Blanche
Now that Vic is back to work, he and Shane go undercover as dirty cops to find the man behind a robbery/murder. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette track down an old rival of Claudette's after a turned in gun is connected to a previous case. And in an attempt to get the Asian vote in the election, David assigns Julien and Danny to watch over a Korean parish.
18. Greenlit
David works with Vic and the Strike Team to take down a dealer giving heroin to school kids, while Dutch and Claudette help a woman find her Alzheimer addled mother.
19. Homewrecker
Detectives Wagenbach, Mackey and Wyms investigate a massacre at a women's shelter, and Captain Aceveda works with Lowe on the case of a stolen bicycle.
20. Barnstormers
Vic and Emma try to help a woman who's in an abusive relationship. Vic and the Strike Team begin to make plans for the money train take down, even though the greenlight still has them on their toes. When David tells Dutch that he embarrassed the department with the Bob and Marcy case and that Claudette is now lead on all their cases, he's forced to take any action necessary to prove himself in a new homicide. Danny finally makes a stand against Yassirah.
21. Scar Tissue
When Vic discovers that Ronnie has been burned as payback, the rest of the team does everything they can to put an end to him. Meanwhile, Claudette makes headway on her investigation against Vic after a conversation with Corrine, and Dutch takes Danny under his wing as they try to find the suspect of a Thai Town beating.
22. Co-Pilot
Flashback to the first day of the barn. Under pressure to get results, Vic and his new Strike Team make an impression on the streets. Dutch and Claudette realize they make a good team, and David discovers he doesn't have as much power as he thought he would.
23. Coyotes
When Lanie's report on the Barn is leaked to the press, everyone suddenly fears for their jobs, including David who's mentioned as the reason for most of the problems. Gilroy skips bail and winds up on Vic's doorstep looking for help, so while Vic and Shane deal with him Lemonhead is forced to show the newest member of the Strike Team the ropes. Meanwhile Claudette faces some of her own demons as she and Dutch try to uncover the culprit behind a possible robbery/homicide and Danny comes to a startling realization.
24. Inferno
With Ronnie's face healed he comes up with a plan to take down the Money Train, and the Strike Team is all in. Unfortunately, a federal criminal comes back to Farmington, and the Team has to use every connection trick, and resource to bring him in to prove the Barn is still a force. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette investigate the rape of a young girl which leads to information that puts the case in a new light. Plus, an old friend from the past reappears to make Julien's life hell.
25. Breakpoint
While the Strike Team puts the finishing touches on the money train take down, Vic goes it alone and works with Dutch and Claudette to find a missing kid. David gets an unwanted visit from the Chief and Julien receives an unpleasant surprise.
26. Dominoes Falling
When a gang execution hits close to home for Claudette, Vic, Tavon, and Dutch work together to find the culprit before anyone else gets hurt. Shane, Lemonhead, and Ronnie are forced to choose between hitting the money train without Vic or letting it go. Meanwhile, Danny receives some life changing news and Julien's harassment reaches a whole new level.
The Shield - Season Three:
27. Playing Tight
The Strike team's attempt to play by the book comes to an abrupt end when they discover that two gangs, the Byz Latz and the One-Niners are attempting to alter the balance of power by acquiring MP5s. Claudette and Dutch investigate the murders and feet decapitation of 4 Armenian men by the Armenian mob in their search for the stolen cash from the money train. Meanwhile, Danny who is doing temp work at a high school while waiting for an appeal, discovers she might me be able to get her old job back.
28. Blood & Water
Tension within the group begins to mount as the Strike Team attempt to rectify a mistake Vic made when he decided to use some of the cash from the stolen money train during a botched gun-running sting. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette seek the help of a college honor student named Esteban who was the only survivor in the murder of two latin gang members, one of them being his close friend.
29. Bottom Bitch
A prostitute seeks the help of the police in her quest to bring down her pimp. Claudette assigns Vic against his wishes to the case, which puts him on the verge of going over the edge. Dutch uncovers a disturbing trend of rapes and a politician is arrested for solicitation.
30. Streaks & Tips
The newly arrived Decoy Squad and the Strike Team go head to head in the investigation to solve a car-jacking case. Dutch gets in over his head on an attempted murder case.
31. Mum
Vic struggles with Claudette's new supervision of the Strike Team. Marked bills lead Aceveda and a federal agent closer to the truth about the Armenian money-train heist in an episode with a recurring motif of people not reporting crimes against them.
32. Posse Up
When the ex-wife and child of Julien's former partner, Tommy, are murdered, Tommy becomes a suspect, prompting Julien to team up with Mackey to conduct their own investigation. Elsewhere, Shane goes undercover to catch a group attacking gay prostitutes, and Claudette and Dutch investigate a rape case against Aceveda's orders.
33. Safe
Vic and the Strike Team decide to take risky measures to protect themselves from being linked to the Money Train heist. Unfortunately, their plan is interrupted when one of Vic's open cases is suddenly linked to a Narco Corrido song.
34. Cracking Ice
An oversight puts Waylon and Trish in serious danger during an undercover job and Claudette is to blame. Meanwhile, Tommy makes a drastic decision when he realizes nobody in the Barn can help him get back on the job.
35. Slipknot
When two high profile murders are linked to each other, Aceveda orders Wyms to get the entire Barn involved before gang and racial violence breaks out. Mackey uses the case to leverage himself and the Strike Team back into the streets of Farmington.
36. What Power Is...
Aceveda finds himself in a near fatal confrontation, and enlists Vic to help him take down the suspects in order to help service his own personal agenda. Meanwhile after losing her position of power, Claudette rejoins Dutch on the search for the cuddler rapist as they get a stunning break in the case.
37. Strays
During a routine bust on bangers, Vic and the Team discover a money laundering ring that reaches far and wide in the crime community. Meanwhile, Dutch takes the chilling confession of the man who was arrested in the serial-rape case, and Danny goes undercover.
38. Riceburner
When Aceveda assigns the Strike Team to serve a high-risk warrant against a mob killer to service his political agenda, they find themselves embroiled in a hostile struggle with the Korean community. Now the Team must find out how to put an end to the situation before they end up casualties of a racial feud. Meanwhile, one of Vic's informants works with Danny on finding stolen chairs, while having eyes for her.
39. Fire In The Hole
When a mole in the treasury department is discovered and the framed suspect in the Armenian money train robbery turns up missing, the Strike team race to find the suspect before their cover is blown. Meanwhile, Claudette attempts to make amends with the Decoy Squad by going undercover to help them on a case.
40. All In
With an Armenian hit-man hot on their trail, the Strike team sweeps the streets of the Armenian community to find him before he finds them. After catching a break, Aceveda's suspicions grow about the Strike Team's involvement with the Money Train robbery. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette investigate a case that could repeal hundreds of convictions, which leaves Claudette having to choose between her conscience and her career.
41. On Tilt
When Aceveda confirms that the Strike Team is the target of an Armenian mob hit, Mackey must take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Wyms' career is on the line when she disobeys Aceveda's orders to put a case to rest that may prove the innocence of convicted felons.
The Shield - Season Four:
42. The Cure
Vic is no longer the cop he used to be, acting adrift after his past actions have caught up to him. The strike team has dissolved, leaving Mackey to menial busts that keep him off the streets. When Aceveda moves on to his new City Council position, Captain Monica Rawling takes over the Barn and empowers Vic to implement her controversial anti-gang policies.
43. Grave
Mackey tries to help an old acquaintance find a wayward teenager, but the search quickly turns ugly when the missing teen appears to have been involved in a shoot-out. Meanwhile, Shane heads out into the field with his new partner Army, teaching him shady police tactics and seeing how far he'll go to be partnered up. Plus, Aceveda spends his last day trying to bury Vic for good, which makes things difficult for Rawling trying to take his place.
44. Bang
With Farmington on the brink of a gang war, Monica and Vic race to find the catalyst and stop the bloodshed, enlisting Antwon's help along the way. Still in the doghouse, Dutch decides to take action in thawing the relationship between Claudette and the D.A. Danny and Julien get up close and personal with the Farmington 1-Niners, while Monica looks to Vic for support when the implementation of her property seizure policy challenges her morality.
45. Dog House
When Monica puts Vic on the trail of an escaped fugitive in Farmington, he must continue to prove his worth while playing it straight. Claudette gets suspicious of the D.A's motives when she and Dutch are assigned to investigate a major drug dealer who ends up being a minor offender. David seeks an illicit outlet for the troubling feelings caused by his rape. Vic decides to bring Shane closer as his fears about Shane's connection to Antwon Mitchell rise.
46. Tar Baby
A tip from Lemonhead's juvie would leads Vic and Monica to take down a major heroin operation with connections to Antwon Mitchell. Monica continues to battle Aceveda as she tries to sell her new policies to the community, and Julien begins to doubt her methods. Claudette loses trust in Dutch when she suspects he made a backroom deal with the D.A. And Shane and Army find themselves over their heads with Antwon when he blames them for Vic's heroin bust.
47. Insurgents
Vic and Monica strike a deal with the DEA to shut down Mitchell's tar heroin operation. When the bust comes up empty, Vic's suspicions of Shane grow, until Shane proves himself by coming up with a key piece of evidence that reveals a large stash of tar being stored at a local church. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette's friendship continues to feel strain as they try to tie a young woman's murder to a suspected serial killer. Plus, Julien takes a stand against Monica's policy, then goes to David for support when she suggests he consider transferring out of Farmington.
48. Hurts
Just as Monica and Vic get close to a big break in the Garage Sting, Chief Phillips unexpectedly hands over the bust to the Organized Crime Unit. He blames the decision on an emerging PR scandal involving a videotape of Vic at the church bust that was leaked to the Assistant Chief through Aceveda's office. Vic uses his leverage with the Byz Lats to find a Russian mob leader before the mobster flees the country. Monica threatens two foster care social workers with jail after a young girl is found close to death in her foster home, then tells Julien if he doesn't put in for a transfer, she'll request one for him herself.
49. Cut Throat
Monica and Vic rush to get their informants off the street after two C.I's are found brutally murdered. Meanwhile, as Dutch and Claudette investigate a brutal beating and robbery, a case from the past forces Dutch to take one in the line of duty. Plus, Vic suspects he's being set up when Shane comes to him after his situation with Antwon and Halpern spins out of control.
50. String Theory
Monica orders her units to turn the streets of Farmington inside-out when two officers mysteriously disappear after answering a 911 call. Shane tries to make amends with his old crew after Vic agrees to help him get out from under Antwon, but things don't work out as planned. Dutch and Claudette convince Monica to let them take active roles in the case of the missing officers, but soon find themselves at a dead end with the only witness being clinically insane.
51. Back In The Hole
Vic and Monica go head to head with Antwon, and do everything in their power to get him to admit to being involved with the cop killings. Monica is shocked when Vic and Shane confront her with the information they've been hiding regarding Antwon and Angie's body. Shane and Army wonder if they'll be able to pass the lie detector test Monica is forcing them to take. Meanwhile, after another young black woman is murdered, Dutch and Claudette hope to prove their suspicions correct with their recently relocated Texan.
52. A Thousand Deaths
Vic and the Strike Team use their leverage on the One-Niners to track down anyone involved with the cop killings. Their hunt leads them down an unexpected path with the Russian mob. Monica puts pressure on the team to come clean about any of their dealings with Antwon. Dutch and Claudette investigate a gang shooting and soon realize their key witness is close to the Barn, and has something to hide.
53. Judas Priest
Vic and his crew track down the Russian who was involved with the cop murders, but they lose control during his interrogation and the hit man dies in an explosion before they can get any answers. Meanwhile, Aceveda is blackmailed by the man who assaaulted him. Plus, Rawling's seizure is on the verge of being shelved.
54. Ain't That A Shame
Monica, Vic and the strike team work together to put Antwon Mitchell back behind bars after his deal with the DEA released him from prison. When Vic reveals his suspicions of David's connection to both Antwon and an inmate's murder, David must protect his political future at any cost. When the murder of an over-protective father leads Claudette and Dutch back to a foster home they had previously investigated, Monica makes an unpopular decision that helps seal her fate.
The Shield - Season Five:
55. Extraction
As racial tension in the area escalates, the Strike Team attempts to end a race war, while Claudette and Dutch investigate a riot at a high school. Meanwhile, an Internal Affairs officer begins his investigation of Vic and the Strike Team by first zeroing in on Lem. A pregnant Danny refuses to reveal the identity of the father, and Julien begins training a rookie cop named Tina Hanlon.
56. Enemy of Good
During an interrogation, Kavanaugh reviews the Strike Team’s corrupt past and attempts to weaken Lem’s loyalty to Vic by bringing up the connection to Terry’s murder. Meanwhile, the Strike Team investigates a multiple homicide. Dutch and Claudette suspect that a minister might have been involved in an attempted murder. Tina gets in over her head while on duty with Julien.
57. Jailbait
The Strike Team tries to develop a strategy to deflect the Internal Affairs investigation as Vic finally comes face to face with Kavanaugh. Meanwhile, Tina goes undercover to help take down a sex-trafficking ring; and friction between Claudette and Dutch deepens when she reopens one of their past cases.
58. Tapa Boca
With the IAD investigation in full force, Vic seeks legal representation from Becca Doyle for the Strike Team. Also, a suspicious Vic decides to confront Emolia after he begins to doubt her loyalty to him. Meanwhile, Dutch and Claudette investigate the ghastly murder of a pregnant woman. Tina continues to make mistakes while on duty.
59. Trophy
Via a bug planted in the clubhouse, Kavanaugh monitors the Strike Team as they investigate an illegal prescription drug ring that is proving to be deadly for the people of Farmington. While working on a missing person’s case, Dutch attempts find out what Claudette is hiding.
60. Rap Payback
Next Week.
This is the only show I am this devoted to (well this, and Prison Break), I wait each week to get the show the day after it's been aired in the States. I've got the first two seasons on DVD's, alas the DVD stores here didn't think they made enough money, so they stopped importing the series on DVD's. I'm looking to buy it on EBAY as soon as I can. (They don't air this show on TV over here.)
In season four Glen Close guest starred as Monica Rawling & Anthony Anderson as Antwon Mitchell. Both did a wonderful job but Anthony Anderson caught me totally off guard with his nasty character. It was quite a revelation to say the least. Terrific acting from the young man. Glen Close was her usual self, great.
In season five, IAD is back for the Strike Team, especially Vic. They've got Lem for not logging heroin into evidence and are trying to use him to bring the team down. The lead investigator is played by Forest Whitaker (the big black guy from Panic Room & Phenomenon), he plays IAD detective Kavanaugh. He is probably the best guest star this show has ever had. If Vic was the big man on this show & a fan favorite, there was never a "bad guy" to go against Vic, in season 5, Vic seems to have met his match (in the first few episodes atleast).
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the show:
Vic Mackey: Good cop and bad cop have left for the day. I'm a different kind of cop.
Vic Mackey: Until now I've tolerated you. Come near my men again... I'm gonna lose patience.
And probably the best one, David Aceveda describing Vic Mackey.
David Aceveda: Mackey's not a cop. He's Al Capone with a badge.
The recaps were taken from tv.com, I'd be fucked to recap all the episodes, from next week on, I'll try to do my own recaps.
People, I urge you to watch this show, watch the first five episodes, if after that you don't like it, then stop watching it. I can assure the most of you that after five episodes, you will be hooked.
lots of 'getting' needed.
It's an awesome show.
