"Are you ready for this?" quintessential cop on the edge Vic
Mackey (Michael Chiklis) asks his longtime nemesis, Councilman David
Aceveda (Benito Martinez) in the season finale. With more than a
year between seasons, we're always ready for The Shield,
which rivals The Wire not only in quality (not everyone is
ready to play at this level, as Mackey states at one point) but also
in the lack of appreciation for one of television's very best shows.
Again, another great season, and another Emmy snub. There ought to
be a law. There is much more to The Shield than its shocking
and brutal violence and language. This penultimate season, which
turns the heat on Mackey, a one-man good cop/bad cop, to boil, is
"all kinds of personal" for its intimately observed characters.
Mackey is obsessed with finding out who killed Strike Force member
Lem, while Kavanaugh (Forest Whitaker), just as obsessed with taking
Mackey down, recklessly crosses the line to "frame a guilty man."
Meanwhile, Mackey keeps moving the line as he relentlessly pursues
the drug kingpin he has judged responsible for Lem's death, going so
far as to stage a faux kidnapping of his suspect's girlfriend. In
one of the season's most excruciating scenes, he turns
chain-wielding executioner. What viewers know, but Mackey initially
does not, is that the killer is a guilt-ridden Shane (Walton Goggins),
Mackey's best friend. Shane, ultimately exiled from the Strike
Force, becomes embroiled in an ill-fated association with the
daughter of Armenian mob boss, putting Mackey's family in peril.
Back at the Barn, newly promoted Claudette Wyms (CCH Pounder) is
under intense pressure as the precinct's body count mounts. Her
former partner, Dutch (Jay Karnes) develops a crush on Tina (Paula
Garces), the pretty new cop he is mentoring. She has a one-night
stand with hotshot Kevin Hiatt (Alex O'Loughlin), the new guy whom
Wyms fears may learn too much from Mackey or not enough. The tension
builds inexorably to a season finale that fulfills all expectations,
in which the resourceful Mackey, facing a review board hearing, must
scramble to save his badge, resulting in a surprising alliance that
bodes well for the final season. "Trust me," he states at one point,
"There's a way out. There always is." From first episode to last,
The Shield's sixth season is gripping, gut-wrenching stuff. To
quote Shane: "Put another one in the win column." --Donald
Liebenson
Season 6: 2007
Season 6 is mostly concerned with the attempts of the Strike Team
to solve the murder of Lem and the aftermath of Vic's discovery that
Shane was the killer. Other storylines include a new officer added
to the team by Claudette who is intended to eventually replace Vic,
Vic's attempt to save his job, and the investigation of the murder
of several Mexicans.
With the Barn grieving over the loss of one
of their own, Vic's quest to find his friend's killer puts
him in the crosshairs of Kavanaugh. Things don't seem to go
smoothly for Claudette when she attempts to settle into her
new role as Captain. Ronnie and Vic begin to worry about
Shane's unusual behavior. Meanwhile, Dutch and Billings
investigate a mass murder in San Marcos.
67
"Baptism by Fire"
Scott Rosenbaum
Guy Ferland
April 10, 2007
602
As Kavanaugh closes in on him, Vic resorts to
some extreme measures in order to find his best friend's
killer. Claudette finds herself under the political
microscope as a result of the San Marcos murders. Meanwhile,
Danny receives some interesting news.
68
"Back to One"
Adam E. Fierro
Gwyneth Horder-Payton
April 17, 2007
603
Vic receives bad news about his career as he
comes close to apprehending Lem's suspected killer, while
the secret Shane is keeping continues to eat away at him.
Ronnie works with Dutch and Billings on a case. Meanwhile,
Dutch finds himself in an awkward predicament with Tina.
69
"The New Guy"
Sarah Fain, Elizabeth Craft
Clark Johnson
April 24, 2007
604
Claudette offers Vic a chance to keep his
job; an unsolved case from Dutch and Claudette's past comes
back to haunt them; an influential businessman may further
Aceveda's political aspirations.
In a rush to avenge Lem's murder, Vic
discovers he may have killed the wrong man; Dutch makes
headway in the serial-rapist case; Mara is furious when she
discovers Shane's affair, so he confesses to murdering Lem.
Vic and the other Strike Team members build
up suspicions of Shane when they realize he does not want to
find Lem's real killer after Vic finds out it wasn't Guardo.
Shane tries to get the upper strategic hand
on Vic; the Strike Team works with and tries to keep the
cover of an undercover agent when trying to find a perp.
Vic learns about his true status at the Barn
from Hiatt. Shane gets involved with the daughter of an
Armenian mob boss. Claudette begins to question Hiatt's
loyalty.
74
"Recoil"
Sarah Fain, Elizabeth Craft, Adam Fierro
Guy Ferland
May 29, 2007
609
Vic's time at the Barn seems to be running
out, despite his work to help close the San Marcos murders.
Billings' manipulations bring the tension between him and
Dutch to a boil.
75
"Spanish Practices"
Shawn Ryan, Scott Rosenbaum
Paris Barclay
June 5, 2007
610
Claudette notices Hiatt's mistake when he
makes an arrest, and Billings delivers shocking news to the
department. Vic forms an alliance with Aceveda, while he
waits for his review board hearing. Meanwhile, Shane's life
keeps spiraling out of control, as he tries to protect both
his and Vic's family from the wrath of the Armenian mob.
