With the addition of Glenn Close to its already
excellent cast, The Shield entered its fourth season with
tensions high and tempers flaring. Aceveda (Benito Martinez) has
gained political clout on the City Council, and former Farmington
district officer Monica Rawling (Close) is introduced as the new
Captain of "the Barn," where she immediately confronts a maelstrom
of personal and professional turmoil. His strike team now
splintered, Mackey (Michael Chiklis) has returned to routine
detective duty, while Shane (Walton Goggins) and new partner "Army"
Renta (Michael Peña) are neck-deep in trouble with Farmington's
"untouchable" drug-lord, Antwon Mitchell, a new villain played to
perfection by actor/comedian Anthony Anderson. This seemingly
traitorous predicament places Shane at further odds with former
strike-teammates Mackie, Lemon (Kenneth Johnson) and Ronnie (David
Rees Snell), and while Wyms (CCH Pounder) resents Rawling's
promotion, the "Dutch" (Jay Karnes) makes a selfish backroom deal
that causes further friction with Wyms and Mackey. Tensions are
intensified by Rawling's aggressive seizure of homes and property
paid for with drug money -- an effective campaign that forces
"Danny" (Catherine Dent) and Julien (Michael Jace) and the entire
police force to take sides in a hotly divisive civil rights debate
that culminates in the murder of two Farmington cops.
Although some critics felt Close was too refined for a series as
gritty as The Shield, she quickly found her place in the
show's tight ensemble, earning an Emmy nomination (along with
Pounder) and giving Mackey a formidable boss who earns his respect.
And while Aceveda wrestles with psychosexual demons resulting from
his humiliation in season 3, the high-stakes threat of Antwon
Mitchell embroils the Barn in a cauldron of mistrust and political
upheaval. More than any previous season, this 13-episode story arc
is character-based and internally driven by clashing agendas.
Sub-plots run the gamut of neighborhood killings and gang-banger
conflict, but as always The Shield also finds room for plenty
of mordant wit and tension-relieving sarcasm. Like all previous
Shield DVDs, this four-disc set includes informative episode
commentaries from the entire cast (including Close) engaged in
revealing discussions of their creative process with creator Shawn
Ryan and several primary writers and directors. Best of all, the
"Under the Skin" documentary is a way-above-average, 60-minute
survey of The Shield's day-to-day production, offering plenty
of behind-the-scenes footage and eloquent insight about the
challenge of maintaining high-quality drama during a fast-paced
guerilla production schedule. It's essential viewing for Shield
fans and anyone considering a career in television. --Jeff
Shannon
Season 4: 2005
The main Season 4 story concerns Antwon Mitchell (the head of the
One-Niners gang, recently released from prison) gaining power in
Farmington, and the effects of Captain Monica Rawling's
implementation of federal asset forfeiture laws.
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.
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"
Scott Rosenbaum
Guy Ferland
March 29, 2005
403
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.
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.
A tip from Lem's juvie 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 in over their heads with
Antwon when he blames them for Vic's heroin bust.
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.
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"
Jennifer R. Richmond & Glen Mazzara
(teleplay); Randy Huggins & Glen Mazzara (story)
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.
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"
Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain
(teleplay); Shawn Ryan (story)
Vic and Shane confront Captain Rawling about
the hidden videotape and information about Antwon and
Angie's body. Monica forces them to take a polygraph.
Aceveda goes overboard with the hooker and realizes he's not
"a good man" for doing so. He ends the relationship.
52
"A Thousand Deaths"
Adam E. Fierro (teleplay); Shawn Ryan
(story)
Stephen Kay
May 31, 2005
411
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"
Kurt Sutter & Scott Rosenbaum (teleplay);
Kurt Sutter & Charles H. Eglee (story)
David Von Ancken
June 7, 2005
412
Vic tracks down the Russian involved in the
cop-killers but an accidental explosion kills him. Vic
discovers Antwon had a half-brother and his involvement with
the murdered cops. Aceveda is blackmailed by the man who
raped him. Antwon cuts a deal with DEA.
54
"Ain't That a Shame"
Shawn Ryan & Glen Mazzara (teleplay);
Shawn Ryan & Kurt Sutter (story)
Stephen Kay
June 14, 2005
413
Enraged by the prospect of Antwon Mitchell's
release from prison, Monica Rawling decides to go behind the
DEA's back. She asks the Strike Team to find and arrest the
Salvadoran drug lord Mitchell is to provide information
about before the DEA does. The Strike Team is successful but
Monica loses her job after an angry DEA chief threatens to
cut off federal funding from Los Angeles unless she is
fired. Rawling stays at the Barn just long enough to arrest
Mitchell upon his arrival. Danny goes home from the hospital
and is tended to by Julian. The Internal Affairs detective
that Rawling called reports to her and informs her that they
discovered the packet of heroin in Lem's car and switched it
for a fake.
