The Shield: Gesetz der Gewalt

What can I say about The Shield that hasn't already been said? It was absolutely brilliant! It was so far ahead of its time when it came out from 2002-2006 and has been copied many times since. The writing and acting is what makes this show so special. It follows a rogue cop in the Los Angeles police department named Vic Makey (Michael Chilkis), who leads a criminal division task force that will do anything possible and go to any lengths to take down the criminals they're chasing, including breaking the law or working with other criminals. The Shield is one of the best to ever do it. It's one of the most compelling police dramas to ever be on television.

I hate giving 10's because nothing is perfect, but a 9 doesn't do it justice. There have been a lot of 9's over the years but this show is even better than those.

Over 7 seasons The Shield consistently provides an incredibly diverse group of characters and more intrigue than most TV has ever provided. The web Vic and his team weaves is always winding in all sorts of directions and is often on the verge of breaking. Vic and the rest of the strike team use their authority and cunning to untangle it as best they can, almost always using tactics that are ethically questionable at best.

The whole thing really gets you sucked in and you're always torn because rooting for Vic is easy, facing what he really is is not. What's right and what's wrong? When do the lines begin to blur? It's not always clear, but it's incredibly entertaining to watch.

The other thing I really love about the show is how there's always another separate case being pursued by Dutch Waggenbach and company. It keeps each episode going in different directions and the case is always interesting or has an unexpected twist when it's resolved. I think another thing that separates this show from all the others is that you get your murder/rape case that you get everywhere else, but that only compiles about 30% of each episode and the rest is even better than that. Shows like CSI and Law & Order can't even touch the content this show brings, and I haven't even mentioned the gritty, realistic style it's shot and written in. Absolutely unique and done believably and well. The finale? It's as good as you're ever going to get.

It really is a stellar show. I would say there was perhaps one season I thought was only above average (not exactly a strike against it) but the rest was a thrill ride that was so gripping I don't know if there's more than a handful of other shows that have ever matched it in that capacity. You're always in for a surprise when you watch it and the characters grow on you, some of them whether you want them to or not. Recommended as highly as possible.

The Shield is absolutely deserving of its hype and still holds up as much today as it did when it was on over 12 years ago! There are sooo many good police shows out there to choose from but The Shield is among the best to ever do it. It will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire series!

The shield is one of the best cop shows of all time, only behind "The Wire." The story line is rich and the cast is just brilliant. Michael Chiklis had a career defining role as the brutal Vic Mackey. Chiklis is so good that somehow you continue to root for the guy after all of the brutal crimes he has committed. He truly played that role to perfection. The show continues to get better as the seasons progress. They build on each other perfectly which sets up the epic and heart-wrenching series finale.

As the seasons build, life truly seems to be on the line for every member of the strike team. Walton Goggins, who plays Detective Shane Vendrell, continually got better as the show progressed and gave mind blowing performance in the last two seasons.

What also makes The Shield so rich are the other characters on the show other than the Strike Team. CCH Pounder was brilliant throughout the series and Detective Dutch Waggenbach and Steve Billings both helped balance out the show.

Season long guest stints from stars Forrest Whitaker and Glenn Close helped make this show a top 10 drama of the decade.

If you like "The Wire" or "The Sopranos" then you need to check this show out...It will be worth your time

The story lines weave in and out and stretch from one season to the next, always leaving a little tension.... The characters are more real in their foibles than one usually expects from television fare, and this is probably what makes the series watchable over a long period. The viewer lives along with them, the ups, the downs, the quirkiness (Dutchboy is a little too quirky)... And the acting and language is by and large excellent. Hand-held cameras make the whole thing immediate.

The positives actually manage to drown out the negatives, namely the unreal emotional instability of Vic's crowd, and the contrived emotional structures... Tina and Julian's interactions are exaggerated (no one would stick around Julian the way she does, and her reference to his gayness is simply too much cherry on top of her lack of tact... As for Julian, he is permanently grumpy and his character is, indeed, too 2D for my taste, he never loosens up).

Maybe it's really like that at a precinct, but the tendency of American producers and directors to want to create supermen and -women and then try to introduce failings in their character appears irresistible. These men blow up at the slightest provocation, and my main thought is "They should never wear guns..." .... That is the star that is missing in the line up.

But these are minor errors, and they are natural for a series that is so long. The characters do at least remain consistent, and that does allow them to grow on us.... Chiklis' performance is excellent. Brilliant appearances by Glenn Close and Forest Whitaker... I wonder how many doors were destroyed during the filming .... I lost count.