The Shield 10/28 (OPEN SPOILERS)

Cafe Society
#1

Wow. Nice episode.

I don’t think it was in his best interests for Ronnie to tell Claudette why Shane tried to kill him. I think it was unwise for Vic to target Shane and Mara at the hospital like he did. I felt sure he would just tail them until they holed up for a while, but I guess he was too anxious to wait.

Corrine seemed pretty shaken by Mara’s phone call… that could lead to someone’s downfall.

It seems they’re trying to take the storyline about the boy who murdered his classmate somewhere. Even in the scenes for next week’s episode, we see some more interaction between Dutch and the mother.

Another thing… Julian being uptight about keeping Ronnie in the loop? WTF? Just some hostilities held over from Vic’s influence or what?

Only 4 or 5 more episodes. So far, every one has been perfect.

#2

Ronnie pretty much had to tell Claudette something - I thought he did the best he could under the circumstances (not too much information, but just enough truth to be plausible and keep him from getting caught up in a huge tangle of lies).

I don’t think Vic really thought he could tail Shane and Mara - he’d already busted into their motel room, where he must have assumed they’d return after the hospital visit.

Looks like Corrine’s going to become a factor in the whole unfolding/unraveling.

I thought Julian’s unwillingness to keep Ronnie in the loop about the investigation was just him being in character - he’s always been pretty much a goody-goody, by-the-book cop, and with the strike team shut down, he probably figured it was wise to stay on Claudette’s good side.

I have no idea how this will all end. I can’t wait!

#3

It will all end in tears. I wonder what they are doing with Billings in these last 4 episodes. I didn’t expect him to get a storyline.

Julian had a couple of early storylines, when it was more ensemble. It would be nice to get him some real roles in the last 4 episodes.

I hope we get some closure with Pezuela this season.

#4

Well, if there is any closure to be had, it BETTER be this season, since there won’t be another!

I agree that Ronnie had to tell Claudette something. The first thing I thought when Shane’s hired gun gave him up was, “What reason will Vic and Ronnie give for THIS?” The question was inevitable and to hem and haw about it would look real bad for them.

#5

As I’ve said in the other thread, and if it were my series to end. I’d summarize the series finale in two words:

Olivia Crowley

#6

That’s a hell of a plot twist! It’d be great, but I don’t think Shawn Ryan and the writers have it in them to use such a device.

#7

I’m sure you’re right, but what better way to end the series finale than an almost identical scene to the end of the first episode (where Vic is standing over Terry Crowley, looking down on him, and then to credits), but this time it’s Olivia standing over Vic after shooting him. It would be a great (if not slightly clichéd) book-ending to the series.

#8

Sounds very solid, but how would the rest of the characters be resolved? Does Ronnie kill Shane (but not Mara, as we’ve seen he has reservations about killing a mother-to-be)? What about Claudette? Dutch and Billings?

I just can’t see a clean ending for anyone.

#9

Well, we already know from the description of the next episode that Ronnie is thinking about hauling ass to Mexico. He even tries to talk Vic into going with him. Also Vic’s wife is talking to Dutch and Billings about Vic and she looks to be turning him in for what she knows in all of this (speculation from the show outline for next week). We can assume Ronnie takes off for Mexico once he finds out that Shane and Mara have been caught by the police. Vic is struggling to find the solution to keep him from going down with Shane, and that can be the distraction that keeps your mind off the fact that it doesn’t matter, as Vic is going to be shot by Terry Crowley’s sister/wife (Olivia) in the very last scene. If you prefer an even gloomier ending, you can have Vic come up with a solution and everything is looking good right up until the moment he gets popped.

I would write it that Claudette or someone else gets a document (or already had it laying around) that has standard information about the Federal investigation with a list of agents working the case. Cue up end song where we have juxtaposition of the scene with Vic and Olivia together for whatever reason, and Claudette doing something else (questioning Shane in the interrogation room). Shane is hemorrhaging information, while cut scenes show Vic with Olivia. Claudette is casually looking at the document and happens to come across a name that looks familiar (Crowley) on the agent’s list and has Dutch looking at it. Dutch finds the face to go along with the name (Olivia Murray–I think her name is Murray in the show) and he reacts, and we cut to the final scene where Vic is shot.

I’m running on little sleep, so I’m sure I would revise this later, but that is one way to handle it.