Anybody watch this show? I find myself drawn into it in much the same way I’m drawn into the Sopranos. I don’t like the main character, and yet at times I find myself rooting for him in spite of myself. Perhaps its just that I wish I could do what ever the hell I wanted and get away with it.
On the other hand, while I am drawn to the show, I have also found myself very disturbed by some of the events in recent episodes: torture, mutilation, sexual abuse of children. Yes, yes, these things happen in real life, but does a police detective encounter them every week?
I just started watching it this season (I know, it’s only the 2nd season), but I really enjoy it. It is kind of gritty and violent, but I find myself drawn to the characters and the stories. I guess there is a certain coolness to the detective doing whatever the hell he wants to in order to get results.
I tried to watch it because I like Chilkis; however, I couldn’t get into it. It seems to have a “Gosh, aren’t we violent, important, and gritty” air; self-conscious, rather than the real thing.
Another late bloomer here…just started watching it the end of last season.
I like it…better than most of the cop shows on tv, and one of the best shows not on HBO.
I like the unpredictability of the episodes - you just never know how far they are going to go.
I watched every episode since the first one last season. I love it. I disagree that it’s self-concious; I’m more with DMark - totally unpredictable, unlike L&O with their story arcs cast in stone.
I tried watching it when they did the marathon recently. I didn’t like it. OTOH, I’ve yet to find a show about the police I haven’t found mind-numbingly boring (even the “hilarious” The Job didn’t interest me), so it’s probably just my general tastes at work there; very few (non-scifi) “profession” based shows hold my interest, so things like e.r. and ** Boston Public** are real flukes. It seems like the type of show people who like gritty crime dramas would love, so I understand its popularity with critics and viewers.
Normally I hate cop shows but The Shield has me hooked. I love that the characters aren’t “good” or “bad”, but both- just like real people. I also like that I usually can’t figure out what’s going to happen in each episode.
I think The Shield is the best non-HBO show out there.
When it first came on I was pissed off because the adds for it were nonstop during Buffy. I tuned in to the first show and was hooked. It is unpredicatable in the extreme. Most of the characters are more fleshed out than the entire cast of “Friends”.
I’m compelled to watch it, as well. Cop shows generally don’t interest me, but this is the most unusual, unpredictable and surprising show I’ve seen in a while.
I’ve seen every episode from the beginning and man, I’m totally hooked. This is the one show I won’t miss if I can possibly help it. Great characters although I get the feeling that the producers might have made a mistake in having Macky murder a cop in the very first show. He’s bound to have that catch up with him sooner or later.
Regardless…it’s fantastic. It seems every week that SO much happens and I look up at the clock and it’s not ever half over.
It could be better. I’ve only seen a few episodes so far, but it has three believable characters (Chiklis, the Lieutenant, and CCH Pounder) and a bunch of one-note caricatures. I think every teenager should be made to watch the show, though, to find out how badly an encounter with the cops can potentially go (I gather this was based on LA’s infamous Ramparts Division).
Not only is Chiklis awesome, but it looks like a lot of the cast has stepped up to the plate.
Walt Goggins (Vendrell) is actually more entertaining than Chiklis as Mackey’s loose cannon sidekick, and I think is Emmy material for 2003; CCH Pounder (Wyms) is great staring lazers into the camera witgh those huge accusing eyes; and Benito Martinez (Aceveda) is a pleasure to watch as he squirms trying to navigate his weekly deals with Mackey and his politcal career.
Also, great writing for Michael Jace (Lowe) and the Jay Karnes (Dutch) parts. Great show.