The Shield Family Meeting
Original Air Date: 25 Nov 2008
Tom R. - TwoCents Staff Writer
tom@thetwocents.com
Congratulations and major thanks to Shawn Ryan and the staff for everything this show has been.
Oddly enough, after seven seasons, my favorite moment in this beautifully crafted episode does not involve Vic, Shane, Dutch or Claudette. Tina records a full year on the force, taking her out of “rookie” status. The other cops throw her a party, but before they can cut the cake, a call comes in and they have to scramble. That moment, balanced between hope and tension, sums up the run of the show better than anything else in the episode.
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[photo: FX.com]
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Congratulations and major thanks to Shawn Ryan and the staff for everything this show has been.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, after seven seasons, my favorite moment in this beautifully crafted episode does not involve Vic, Shane, Dutch or Claudette. Tina records a full year on the force, taking her out of “rookie” status. The other cops throw her a party, but before they can cut the cake, a call comes in and they have to scramble. That moment, balanced between hope and tension, sums up the run of the show better than anything else in the episode.
As for Vic, it’s a fitting end and unexpected poetic justice. Watching the character for all this time, it’s really the worst possible fate. His family is taken away from him and put into witness protection, Ronnie is arrested after they finally collar Beltran, and Shane kills himself and his family. The worst is saved for his first day in the job for ICE. He won’t need a gun. For the next three years, he’ll be in a suit, confined to a cubicle, writing reports on trends. His fate is hammered home when he hears sirens from his cube, runs to the window, and realizes he can do nothing. Nice choice to frame Chiklis with absolute silence and no activity around him, the complete opposite of the show’s trademark style.
It’s still kind of a write-it-yourself ending as Vic tucks the gun into his belt and leaves the office. Is he going to be a vigilante? Is he going to shoot himself on the ay home? Or is it that he doesn’t feel like he’s dressed for work without it? But those questions are more welcome than the Sopranos finale, where everything was left in the air. Vic’s sentence is passed, and it comes out of the blue.
Impressive also is the scene between Vic and Claudette. Just before Ronnie is arrested, she brings him to the interrogation room, making him sit for the first time in the hot seat. She reads Shane’s note to him and shows him the crime scene photos of Shane, Mara and Jackson. Claudette leaves the door open and watches Vic on the monitor. He stares at the photos, gets up and rips down the camera. It’s incredible to watch Chiklis and CCH Pounder (also Emmy-worthy) square off against each other, and to see Chiklis go from stonewalling her to letting his rage out. Probably the only emotion Mackey felt comfortable showing.
Aceveda is headed for the Mayor’s office, Dutch still has no luck with women, Billings gets screwed on his comp suit, and Claudette makes the decision to abandon medication and ride out the rest of her days until the lupus claims her. But there is no mistake who the focal point is.
So…Were you satisfied? Disappointed? What was your favorite moment, either in this episode or during the run? Post your comments or drop me a line at: tom@thetwocents.com .
it took a while to sink it in, but not what everyone expected, i still like the ending as some ending may be forced,,,, i just thought the ending was diffrent to the wire,, sopranos. sopranos gave an ending were u had to guess what will happen,,, the wire gave an ending were it shows that corruption lead to nothing,(as the kingpin was free) and the shield gave diffrent endings as shane(suicide), ronnie(jail), vic ( he was still sam), claudette,(did all she could, but vic is free),,,dutch,(same),Aceveda,(still corrupt as ever, as he power hungry,, and finally La will still be La after all thi
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a brilliant ending that closed just the right amount of threads and left enough "hanging" that you could understand life in The Shield goes on beyond the end of the show.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the best endings of any show, alongside The Wire and Six Feet Under.