Dramatically speaking, the third season of The
Shield is dysfunctional in the "best" sense of the word.
Relationships fester in a quagmire of personal and professional
conflict, and clashing agendas inspire some of finest episodes of
this volatile series. Det. Mackey (Michael Chiklis) struggles to
save his crumbling family (including two autistic children) while
his strike team endures internal tensions over their secret stash of
stolen drug money. Shane (Walton Goggins) clashes with teammate
Tavon (Brian J. White) with near-fatal consequences, and his
demanding fiancée tests his loyalty to Mackey. Capt. Aceveda (Benito
Martinez) suffers unspeakable humiliation en route to city council
promotion, engaging Wyms (CCH Pounder) in a battle of wills over
proper command of "The Barn." Dutch (Jay Karnes) pursues the "cuddler
rapist" case and confronts the dark side of his soul, while Danny
(Catherine Dent) revives her career and is re-partnered with Julien
(Michael Jace), who suppresses his homosexuality in a desperate
quest for conventional marriage and family. After Lemon (Kenneth
Johnson) attempts a drastic solution to their "money train" worries,
the shaken strike team faces a deeply uncertain future.
As
always, The Shield juggles multiple plotlines with relentless
pacing and narrative economy, packing substantial character
developments into all 15 of these action-packed episodes. This
season's inclusion of a competitive decoy squad offers humor and
professional sacrifice, and the pivotal David Mamet-directed episode
"Strays" arrives at a shocking conclusion, with Mamet regulars Clark
Gregg and Rebecca Pidgeon (Mamet's wife) giving outstanding
guest-star performances. Series star Chiklis (whose pugnacious mug
dominates the DVD packaging) makes his directorial debut on
"Slipknot," and eight episodes include informative, entertaining
commentaries by the principal cast and crew. A generous archive of
deleted scenes illustrate the agonizing decisions required by the
time constraints of episodic TV, and the making-of documentary
offers an intimate look at the series' collaborative writing
process. With major developments (including a new role for Glenn
Close) in store for season 4, these episodes maintain the high
standard of provocative drama that loyal Shield fans have
come to expect. --Jeff Shannon
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 MP5 submachineguns. Claudette
and Dutch investigate the murders and feet amputations of
four Armenian men by Armenian mobsters searching 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 that she might be able to get her old job
back.
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, the only survivor in the murder of two latino gang
members, one of them his close friend.
A prostitute seeks the help of the police in
her quest to bring down her pimp. Claudette assigns Vic to
the case against his wishes, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
narcocorrido song.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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"
Scott Rosenbaum
Stephen Kay
June 8, 2004
314
With the Armenian hitman, Margos Dezerian,
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.
When Aceveda confirms that the Strike Team is
the target of an Armenian mob hitman, Margos Dezerian,
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.
