# The Shield 9/23 (Open Spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053 "2008-09-24T20:21:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/1 "2008-09-24T20:21:42Z")
No thread? Anybody still watching? So, how’s Vic going to get out of this one? I realize that’s pretty much the question every season (if not every episode), but this being the final go-'round, I can’t see it ending well at all. Maybe (hopefully) Ronnie will emerge unscathed, though it seems like they’re setting it up for him to make a move against Shane, so it’s possible the whole (original) strike team’s going to wind up either dead or in prison by the finale. What’s going to happen with the kid who killed his classmate? I can see Dutch going after him and the kid taking Dutch out, though I hope that’s not the direction they go. Lot of loose ends to wrap up. Personally, I’d be happy if they wrapped up Vic’s family situation with the Armenians taking out his ex and his daughter, because they’re so annoying to me, but I realize that’s a personal problem I’ve got. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/2 "2008-09-24T20:59:29Z")
I haven’t kept up – didn’t watch most of last season, not sure why. If I had kept up, would it be easier to untangle the plot threads? This season it’s hard to keep track of who’s doing what to who. Does Vic keep a chart somewhere, to remind himself of his lies? I think I see Dutch in the previews for Sons of Anarchy next week. He’s got gray hair and it’s shorter, but I’m pretty sure it’s him. If not for the hair, I would have thought crossover. It’d be a cool crossover. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/3 "2008-09-24T21:00:32Z")
After this episode, I see Cassidy doing something to fuck up Vic because she’s an angry teen. She may start putting her nose too far into his business. I think Ronnie will turn out OK, he’s the man. Shane will end up going down by sacrificing himself for Vic’s family. All sides are playing incredible bluffs. This final season is going to rock. ---
**Author:** ![Reverse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@Reverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reverse)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/4 "2008-09-24T21:03:49Z")
I really wish Ronnie makes it out of it all unscathed. He’s always been my favourite Strike Teamer, even back in the day when he was just “that fourth guy on the team who has, like, two whole lines the whole season”. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/5 "2008-09-25T02:49:38Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > I haven’t kept up – didn’t watch most of last season, not sure why. If I had kept up, would it be easier to untangle the plot threads? I _did_ watch last season, and it’s still pretty confusing. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/6 "2008-09-25T05:50:45Z")
> [@Reverse](#): > > I really wish Ronnie makes it out of it all unscathed. He’s always been my favourite Strike Teamer, even back in the day when he was just “that fourth guy on the team who has, like, two whole lines the whole season”. I’ve run into this a bit, and was wondering if you could put your finger on _why?_ And I’ve always liked Ronnie, too. I think it may be the “less is more” thing going on. ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/7 "2008-09-25T06:15:58Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > I’ve run into this a bit, and was wondering if you could put your finger on _why?_ > > And I’ve always liked Ronnie, too. I think it may be the “less is more” thing going on. My guess would be that he always seems to have his shit together. No matter if the Armenians are hoping to chop off their feet, Dutch is a butthair away from putting all the pieces together, Aceveda is using his political clout to screw with the Strike Team, Wyms is searching for new Team members, Shane is making a sucker deal with some lowlife scum… Ronnie’s always like, “Whatever, let’s just get things done.” Plus, he’s smart, both streetwise and in the normal sense. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/8 "2008-09-25T12:03:02Z")
I like Ronnie, too. Even so, Lem was always my favorite. As a result, I _hate_ Shane. But, I am very impressed by Walton Goggins as an actor. So whenever he is on the screen, I am torn between hating Shane and liking Goggins. I don’t know how Vic is going to get out of this, and this is one of the first times in the series where I felt the writers were expecting me to believe a little _too_ much – at the meet, neither the Mexicans nor the Armenians are going to turn to Vic and plain out say “Dude, but you TOLD ME they have the box/don’t have a box. WTF?” The Mexicans politely waited for a private moment to ask him WTF. Also, the way Vic says “blackmail box” makes me think he is saying “black mailbox” and each time, for a moment, **I** am the one thinking “WTF does a mailbox have to do with anything?” I wish they would drop the drama with Cassidy, because unfortunately Autumn Chiklis has turned out to be a dud as an actress. Every scene with her is like: Vic: says something Cassidy: looks sullen Corrine: says something Cassidy: looks sullen (repeat until commercial) I am sort of nervous about Dutch and the serial killer kid. I can see Dutch becoming obsessed with this. Remember when he knew that other guy was a serial killer - the one who strangled women and his sister was covering up for him? I think this might be a similar thing, and we could see Dutch obsessing over the kid over a couple of episodes, and possibly even crossing the line (which would make that cat thing like foreshadowing) and going after the kid illegally. Even when I completely lose track of all the plot twists, I love the amazing performances in this series! I am so sad this is the final season, but I think they are showing good sense by ending this on a high note. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-shield-9-23-open-spoilers/465053/9 "2008-09-25T16:58:57Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I don’t know how Vic is going to get out of this, and this is one of the first times in the series where I felt the writers were expecting me to believe a little _too_ much – at the meet, neither the Mexicans nor the Armenians are going to turn to Vic and plain out say “Dude, but you TOLD ME they have the box/don’t have a box. WTF?” The Mexicans politely waited for a private moment to ask him WTF. Well, to be fair, when the Armenians told Vic to set up the meet, they said they had the box. So even though Vic knew they were lying, he could easily proclaim he was acting in good faith based on what the Armenians told him. And the guy from the Mexican side was a go-between sent at the last minute, so he hadn’t had any previous dealings with Vic and was going in cold, for the most part. Definitely agree about the daughter’s acting skills, though.